District of Maryland

Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury has indicted Marion Rose Payne, age 54, of Harwood, Maryland, on the federal charges of conspiracy to produce and transfer identification documents produced without lawful authority, the production and transfer of identification documents produced without lawful authority, aggravated identity theft, and bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds.  The indictment was returned on March 31, 2021.

The indictment was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner and Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore.

According to the indictment, from July 2015 to March 2016, Payne conspired with Antonio Portillo, age 35, of Manassas, Virginia to produce and transfer Maryland driver’s licenses while she was employed with the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA). Payne allegedly agreed to illegally produce, transfer, and sell Maryland driver’s licenses to unlawful applicants provided by Portillo.  According to the indictment, at Portillo’s direction, applicants were directed to Payne’s workstation at the MVA Largo Branch to obtain illegally produced and fraudulent driver’s licenses.   Payne allegedly received payment for each fraudulently issued driver’s license.  Payne is no longer employed by the MVA.

As detailed in the indictment and other court documents, prospective applicants paid Portillo thousands of dollars for each fraudulently issued driver’s license and additional funds for making the arrangements to obtain the illegal license.  Payne received names, addresses, and other information that applicants wished to appear on their Maryland driver’s license.  Portillo allegedly provided the information to Payne along with other fraudulent documents necessary to receive a driver’s license, including proof of tax payment for a two-year period, proof of Maryland residence, and an identification document.  Portillo also allegedly gave Payne, or caused Payne to be given, fraudulent documents purporting to show the applicants’ Virginia driver’s license numbers.  In fact, the Virginia driver’s license numbers depicted on the documents belonged to other real individuals who were not the applicants.  The indictment alleges that, using the information provided by Portillo, Payne produced and transferred, or caused to be produced and transferred, Maryland driver’s licenses produced without lawful authority to the applicants at the MVA Largo Branch.

According to the indictment, on January 7, 2016, Payne allegedly produced and transferred six fraudulent Maryland driver’s licenses, including licenses for three individuals that used the identity information of two victims. The license for individual 1 was allegedly fraudulently based on the Virginia driver’s license belonging to Victim 4. The licenses for the remaining two individuals were allegedly fraudulently based upon the Virginia driver’s license belonging to Victim 1. The indictment also claims that Payne met with Portillo and other individuals in the parking lot of the MVA Largo Branch.  Between January 7, 2016 and February 11, 2016 Payne allegedly created 35 fraudulent driver’s licenses, at least nine of which were based on the Virginia driver’s license numbers of at least five victims.

Antonio Portillo, age 35, of Manassas, Virginia, previously pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme.  He has not yet been sentenced.

Maryland Department of Transportation MVA Administrator Chrissy Nizer stated, “Following the April 2016 investigation, MDOT MVA immediately cancelled all of the fraudulent licenses in question. Additionally, we implemented system changes to prevent the unlawful production and transfer of licenses and retrained staff to reinforce proper protocols. MDOT MVA has a zero tolerance policy for fraud, and we take pride in maintaining the highest standards in the interest of safety on Maryland roads.”

If convicted, Payne faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison for the conspiracy and for production and transfer of identification documents produced without lawful authority; a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for bribery involving an agent of a program receiving federal funds; and a mandatory sentence of two years in federal prison, consecutive to any other sentenced imposed, for aggravated identity theft.  The government is also seeking forfeiture of $138,000.  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. Payne is expected to have an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt at a later date.

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. 

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended HSI for their work in the investigation and thanked the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration Investigation and Security Services for its assistance.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly O’Connell Hayes who is prosecuting the case.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A federal criminal complaint has been filed charging Julius Bakari and his wife Mboutchock Kabiwa a/k/a Eugenie Bakari, both age 43, of Silver Spring, Maryland, with health care kickbacks and conspiracy to receive unlawful kickbacks, in connection with their company Holy Health Care Services, LLC (“Holy Health”).  Dominic Forka, age 56, of Lanham, Maryland, a Community Support Worker (CSW) employed by Holy Health, is charged with health care kickbacks, conspiracy to receive unlawful kickbacks, and health care fraud.

The criminal complaint was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge James A. Dawson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon, Office of Investigations, Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS OIG); and Inspector General Daniel W. Lucas, District of Columbia, Office of the Inspector General (OIG).

According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Bakari owns and operates Holy Health and is the company’s Chief Executive Officer and President.  Kabiwa is the Vice President of Holy Health. Dominic Forka was a Community Support Worker (“CSW”) for Holy Health. Holy Health entered into Medicaid Provider Agreements with the District of Columbia’s Department of Health Care Finance (“DHCF”), which permit Holy Health to provide healthcare services to D.C. Medicaid recipients. Holy Health is also certified by the District of Columbia’s Department of Behavioral Health (“DBH”) to perform mental health services. After services are performed, Holy Health documents notes for these services utilizing an electronic health record (“EHR”) system for DBH providers. Holy Health then submits batches of notes in invoices for those services to DHCF, which processes the invoices and pays Holy Health. Holy Health was authorized to provide services from two separate locations in Washington, D.C. (Premises 1 and Premises 2).

The affidavit alleges that beginning in at least April 2017, Holy Health paid homeless people to physically go to Premises 1 and sign in as patients, then fraudulently billed the Medicaid plans of those homeless individuals for mental health treatment services that Holy Health did not provide.  According to witnesses, Holy Health allegedly operated a van service to transport the homeless individuals from a park near the Government Printing Office in Washington, D.C. to Premises 1.  According to witnesses, after signing in, on some occasions, the witnesses saw a doctor who asked general questions about the witness’s health. On other occasions, the witnesses did not meet with a doctor or any other healthcare provider, and instead received payment for signing in on a Holy Health sign-in sheet. Patients allegedly received $25 for attending three appointments during each week. Specifically, they received $10 for each of the first two days and $5 for the third day.  The affidavit alleges that Holy Health did not provide mental health services to the homeless individuals and continued to bill Medicaid for mental health services even after the individuals stopped attending appointments.

As detailed in the affidavit, from March 2019 to November 2019, two confidential sources conducted undercover, recorded appointments inside Holy Health at Premises 1.  The affidavit alleges that Confidential Source 1 (“CS1”) attended nine appointments at Premises 1 as part of the investigation and each time, Holy Health billed CS1’s Medicaid Plan for unrendered services.  In addition, Holy Health allegedly used CS1’s personal identifying information (“PII”) to bill Medicaid for an additional 25 appointments that CS1 never attended.  Between September 19 and November 22, 2019, CS2 allegedly conducted 11 appointments at Premises 1 and on several occasions saw an individual who informed CS2 that he was CS2’s caseworker.  According to the affidavit, after each of CS2’s visits, Holy Health billed CS2’s Medicaid plan for unrendered services. As was allegedly the case with CS1, Holy Health billed CS2’s Medicaid plan for approximately 60-minute treatment sessions, when the video and audio recordings show that the sessions in fact lasted only minutes. According to the affidavit, Holy Health has used CS2’s PII to bill Medicaid for an additional 32 appointments that CS2 never attended.  According to the affidavit, the electronic health records show that Forka accessed Holy Health’s EHR system to input the 32 appointments that CS2 never attended, all for services purportedly rendered by Forka. As detailed in the affidavit, Holy Health also issued two prescriptions to CS2 that were filled at a pharmacy in Hyattsville, Maryland. CS2 did not request or fill the prescriptions.

Finally, the affidavit alleges that Bakari and Kabiwa utilized funds from a non-profit organization to provide kickback payments to patients, which Bakari and Kabiwa referred to as “stipends.” As detailed in the affidavit, Kabiwa founded and ran the Agatha Foundation, a non-profit organization, which listed Bakari as Vice President.  According to its website, Agatha is “a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Africa that provides various key activities in the U.S. … in order to bring positive changes to the lives of at-risk groups in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and in Africa.” Agatha is headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland and operates at Premises 1. Kabiwa allegedly transferred money from Agatha’s bank account to Holy Health employees to provide kickback payments to Holy Health patients.

If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for conspiracy to receive unlawful kickbacks, and a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for health care kickbacks.  Forka also faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for health care fraud.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.  The defendants had an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gina L. Simms in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt today.  The defendants were released pending trial.

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. 

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the FBI, the HHS OIG, and the District of Columbia OIG’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Catherine K. Dick and Erin B. Pulice, who are prosecuting the case.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – Russell Stanley III, age 40, of Bowie, Maryland, pleaded guilty on March 31, 2021 to the federal charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, and bribery of a government official.

The guilty plea was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Postal Inspector in Charge Peter R. Rendina of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Special Agent in Charge Imari R. Niles of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, Assistant and Interim Chief Hector Velez of the Prince George’s County Police Department.

According to Stanley’s guilty plea, in August 2018 the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began a joint investigation regarding the importation of cocaine into Maryland through the United States mail.  Investigators identified Stanley as the leader of the drug trafficking organization (DTO) in Maryland.  Stanley admitted that he conspired with others to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine in Maryland.  Stanley further admitted that he had others assisting him with facilitating his distribution of cocaine in Maryland.  Among those Stanley DTO members was Jovan Kirk Louis Savage, age 35, of Bowie, who picked up cocaine parcels in exchange for $500 per parcel from Stanley and assisted with delivering proceeds of the drug sales to pay off Stanley’s drug debt.

The investigation revealed that two U.S. Postal Service (USPS) letter carriers, Zakiyya Holloman, age 37, of Middle River, Maryland and Maurice Vaughn, age 34, of Washington, D.C. agreed to divert U.S. Priority Mail parcels, containing cocaine, sent to addresses on their routes, to Stanley or a member of the Stanley DTO in exchange for money. Holloman serviced a route in Bowie from April 2017 to October 2019, and Vaughn serviced a route in Bowie from July 2018 to October 2019.  As USPS letter carriers, Vaughn and Holloman were public officials and were expected, among other things, to deliver each package to the addressee at the proper address and to keep an accurate record of their deliveries.  Holloman began diverting packages containing cocaine to Stanley in approximately April 2018, after being introduced to Stanley by a mutual acquaintance.  Holloman received $500 from Stanley for each parcel diverted.  Hollman diverted cocaine parcels on at least six occasions, receiving a total of at least $3,000 from Stanley.  In an effort to conceal the scheme, Holloman scanned the parcels as delivered to the addressees, despite delivering those parcels to Stanley.   

As detailed in the plea agreement, at least once a month from December 2018 until October 2019, Vaughn diverted a U.S. Priority Mail parcel containing two kilograms of cocaine to the Stanley DTO.  Specifically, on February 15, 2019, Vaughn delivered to Stanley’s vehicle, a U.S. Priority Mail parcel containing two kilograms of cocaine addressed to a Bowie address on Vaughn’s postal route.  After Vaughn delivered the parcel to Stanley’s vehicle, Vaughn was paid $200 via Cash App.  Similarly, Vaughn delivered U.S. Priority Mail parcels containing two kilograms of cocaine each on August 29, 2019, and October 2, 2019.  Savage picked up each of the parcels, conducting counter-surveillance to make sure that law enforcement was not in the area.   Vaughn was paid $200 in exchange for diverting each of those cocaine parcels to the Stanley DTO.  In an effort to conceal the scheme, Vaughn scanned the United States Priority Mail parcels as delivered to the addressees, despite delivering those parcels to the Stanley DTO or to particular locations for pick-up by the Stanley DTO.

To help ensure that the letter carriers would not report their criminal activity, Stanley and a co-defendant required letter carriers to provide them with the letter carriers’ home addresses.  Stanley discussed with a co-defendant that they should also tell the letter carriers that they knew the location of the letter carriers’ children's daycares.

In October 2019, Postal Inspectors intercepted a United States Priority Mail parcel destined for an Upper Marlboro address that contained the same contents as previous parcels including, edible peanuts, blue-and-white drinking straws, styrofoam plates and cups, and two kilograms of cocaine inside a Tupperware container.  Law enforcement executed a search and seizure warrant, seizing the two kilograms of cocaine from the package.   On October 9, 2019, Stanley and Savage worked together to pick up the parcel, not knowing that the cocaine had already been seized by law enforcement.  They conducted counter-surveillance to make sure that law enforcement was not in the area, but before they could pick up the package, they detected the presence of law enforcement who were conducting surveillance of the Upper Marlboro package’s delivery.  Stanley fled the scene in his vehicle, but Savage was arrested.    

 On October 9, 2019 investigators executed a search warrant at the shared residence of Stanley, Savage, and another member of the DTO.  Among the items that investigators found and seized were approximately 15 grams of cocaine in a clear baggie and two digital scales from a kitchen cabinet as well as a money counter.  Investigators searched Stanley upon his arrest, seizing $3,196 from his person.  Stanley admitted that during the course of the conspiracy at least 40 kilograms of cocaine were attributable to him.

Jovan Kirk Louis Savage, age 35, of Bowie, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison.  Maurice Vaughn and Zakiyya Holloman each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and to bribery.  They face a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for the conspiracy charge and a maximum of 15 years in federal prison for bribery.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Judge Xinis has not yet scheduled sentencing dates for Savage, Vaughn, or Holloman.  

Co-defendant Barrington Albert Edwards, Jr. age 37, of Bowie, Maryland, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, and bribery.  Co-defendant Delonte Andre Gomez, a/k/a Turk, age 39, also of Bowie, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base.  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. 

Stanley and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Stanley will be sentenced to 11 years in federal prison.  U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis has scheduled sentencing for Stanley on June 29, 2021 at 10:00 a.m.

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.

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the USPIS, the DEA, the U.S. Postal Service OIG, and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samika N. Boyd and Jason D. Medinger, who are prosecuting the case.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury returned an indictment late yesterday charging five men with conspiring to commit a kidnapping, in connection with an incident on February 3, 2021.  The defendants charged in the indictment are:

Darius Lawrence Young, a/k/a “Mup,” age 28, of Washington, D.C.; Christopher Allen Young, a/k/a “40,” age 26, of Washington, D.C.; Anthony Erik Hebron, a/k/a “Pain,” age 28, of Washington, D.C.; Tray David Sherman, a/k/a “Racks,” and “Fat Det,” age 26, of Germantown, MD; and
Lamar Jamal Perkins, a/k/a “Lou,” age 27, of Washington, D.C.

Christopher Young and Tray Sherman were arrested on March 31, 2021 on a criminal complaint filed on March 30, 2021 for the same charge.  Darius Young was already in custody on a related charge. Hebron and Perkins are fugitives.

The federal charges were announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge James A. Dawson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Washington Field Office Criminal Division; and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

According to the indictment and the affidavit filed in support of the previous criminal complaint, on February 3, 2021, the five defendants conspired to kidnap at gunpoint an individual they had met at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in National Harbor, Maryland.  As detailed in the affidavit, Sherman and Hebron were seen on surveillance footage leaving the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in National Harbor, Maryland, with the victim.  The three men then allegedly drove to Washington, D.C. in Sherman’s vehicle and the victim can be seen in surveillance footage getting out of the car and meeting with an unknown male.  The victim and the man appear to give each other something and the victim then gets back in Sherman’s car and they drive away from the area.

A short time later, Hebron allegedly called C. Young.  A minute after that, C. Young called D. Young and allegedly told him about an opportunity to participate in the kidnapping and robbery of a victim who had already been picked up by Hebron and Sherman.  Perkins allegedly served as a lookout for the Youngs, while they held the victim at a location near the 600 block of 46th Place SE in Washington, D.C.  In the meantime, Hebron and Sherman allegedly returned to the MGM Grand and were observed on surveillance footage appearing to enter the victim’s hotel room.  As detailed in the affidavit, Sherman, wearing a backpack, and Hebron, pulling a roller suitcase behind him, appeared to exit from the victim’s hotel room and walk down the hotel hallway.  When Sherman and Hebron were observed in the same hallway prior to entering the hotel room, they did not have a backpack or roller suitcase in their possession.

According to the affidavit, once the robbery was completed, officers saw C. Young and D. Young exiting the tree line directly behind the location where the victim was allegedly held and returning to their vehicle.  Law enforcement also located the victim in the 500 block of 46th Place SE, with blood running down the front of his face from the top of his head, a cut on his mouth and eye, and a broken and swollen nose.  

Court documents allege that the victim was kidnapped at gunpoint, then beaten and threatened to obtain information regarding the code to the safe in his hotel room.  During the abduction, the defendants allegedly stole the victim’s hotel key, watch, wallet, identification, phone, and cocaine that the victim had purchased during the stop in Washington, D.C.  In addition, the robbers allegedly took approximately $6,000 in cash, approximately $1,500 to $2,500 in poker chips, marijuana, an Xbox, a backpack, and a suitcase from the victim’s hotel room.  The kidnappers also allegedly pointed a gun at the victim, placed a gun in the victim’s mouth, hit the victim in the face and head with a gun, and threatened to kill the victim’s family members if the victim contacted law enforcement. 

If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of life in federal prison for conspiracy to commit kidnapping.  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.  At t initial appearances yesterday in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, U.S. Magistrate Judge Gina L. Simms ordered that Christopher Young and Sherman be detained pending detention hearings, which are scheduled for April 2, 2021.  Darius Young is detained on a related charge and will have his initial appearance at a later date.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. 

This case is 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.

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the FBI Washington and Baltimore Field Offices for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leah B. Grossi and Jeffrey J. Izant, who are prosecuting the case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Nicholas Milano White, age 30, of Baltimore, Maryland, on March 30, 2021, to eight years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for the federal charges of conspiracy to steal mail, emergency benefits fraud, and aggravated identity theft.  Judge Bennett also ordered White to pay restitution of $29,234, the full amount of the victims’ losses. 

The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Postal Inspector in Charge Peter R. Rendina of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Bo Keane of the United States Secret Service - Baltimore Field Office; and Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department.

“It is crucial that funds available under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act go to those who have been hit hardest by this global pandemic,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner.  “My office and law enforcement in Maryland are committed to bringing to justice fraudsters who are stealing taxpayer funds and preying on citizens during this public health crisis to personally benefit by stealing victims’ money and personal identifying information.”

“Stealing mail to commit identity theft and bank fraud not only jeopardizes people’s trust in the U.S. postal system, it threatens the overall financial health of our communities,” said U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge for the Washington Division Peter Rendina.  “This is especially true in the world today when individuals are seeking to take advantage of American consumers during this pandemic.  We will continue to work to bring these people to justice with our U.S. Attorney’s office and local, state and federal law enforcement partners.”

According to his guilty plea, between October 2019 and June 2020, White conspired to and engaged in various fraud schemes, theft of mail, counterfeiting of U.S. currency, production and possession of false identification documents and credit profiles, unemployment insurance fraud, and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

White admits that on October 11, 2019, he submitted a fraudulent application for financing to purchase a 2016 Maserati Ghibli vehicle.  The credit application listed a false social security number for White and false employment and income information for White and his co-applicant.  White also arranged to have fake paystubs created for attachment to the credit application as verification of his income.  As a result, White secured financing of $30,227 to purchase the vehicle.

As detailed in his plea agreement, in February and March 2020, White devised schemes to defraud banks and to steal money from individuals by negotiating checks stolen from the United States mail.  On March 8, 2020, law enforcement was able to monitor the movements of White and his co-conspirators through a GPS tracking device installed in a parcel stolen from the collection box at the Rosedale Post Office in Baltimore County.  The conspirators’ movements were tracked to several other post offices and collection boxes in Baltimore County where they continued to steal mail.  When Baltimore County Police officers approached, the conspirators fled in a white sedan registered to one of White’s co-conspirators.  Officers located the vehicle in a residential area of Pikesville, Maryland.  The vehicle was unoccupied and gloves, trash bags, and approximately 358 pieces of unprocessed U.S. mail were found on the ground outside the vehicle.  Law enforcement found and arrested White at a nearby location with a co-conspirator and seized cell phones and USB storage devices from White.  White was released from custody following his arrest.  There were at least 136 postal customers whose mail was stolen.  Approximately 48 victims reported that their stolen mail contained bank checks or other financial instruments totaling $48,938 in value.

A search warrant was subsequently executed on the cell phones and other electronic media seized from White.  The cell phones contained text messages about White creating fake credit profiles and false identification documents for himself and others, and conducting fraudulent bank transactions, as well as the personal identifying information (PII) of identity theft victims.  White’s phones also contained credit card “dumps,” and lists of sensitive information pertaining to at least 1,100 credit cards issued to other persons that could be used to create counterfeit copies of the cards.  White had downloaded these lists from websites that illegally marketed and distributed them.  White’s cell phones also revealed Internet searches for business and personal check refills, a credit card dump website and a personal data broker website, and photos of numerous stolen checks, among other things.  Law enforcement also recovered text messages in which White negotiated prices for the purchase of multiple firearms.  A search of White’s USB devices recovered images of U.S. currency in various denominations, which White admitted were used and/or intended to produce counterfeit U.S. currency.  In at least one exchange of text messages, White attempted to sell $5,000 of counterfeit currency to another person, at one point claiming that he had purchased firearms with counterfeit currency.

Following White’s release from custody in March 2020, he continued to engage in fraud by submitting a false claim for Florida state unemployment benefits through the Internet in the name of a real person, using the victim’s personal information, but providing a false mailing address in Baltimore.  As a result of this false application, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) issued at least two checks payable to the victim totaling $875 and mailed them to the Baltimore address.  The victim, a resident of Florida was later contacted by Florida DEO and confirmed that the claim had been submitted without her knowledge or permission.

In addition, on a date no earlier than May 1, 2020, White unlawfully acquired an Economic Impact Payment (EIP) check issued by the U.S. Treasury and authorized under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.  The EIP check, in the amount of $2,900, was intended for the benefit of M.H. and M.I., a married couple residing in Maryland.  The EIP check had been placed in the mail and addressed to the former home address of the couple in Baltimore.  On June 23, 2020, White fraudulently negotiated the stolen check by endorsing it with the forged signature of M.H. and depositing it into a bank account fraudulently opened on June 14, 2020, in M.H.’s name and using his social security number and date of birth. 

On June 24, 2020, law enforcement executed search warrants at White’s residence and at another address used by White, and conducted a consent search of a storage unit used by White, all in Baltimore.  Law enforcement recovered the following items:  the stolen EIP check issued to M.H. and M.I.; two fake driver’s licenses listing M.H.’s name and former address, but each displaying a different person’s face; two debit cards issued in the name of M.H.; stolen mail pieces and sensitive financial documents belonging to multiple victims; several blank checks issued for a trust account; numerous fake photo identification cards; counterfeit U.S. currency; fraudulently altered money orders; credit and debit cards displaying different names, at least one of which was determined to be counterfeit; equipment used to print counterfeit currency, create counterfeit credit cards, and fabricate false identification cards, as well as check stock intended to fabricate blank checks and money orders; a .45-caliber pistol; a 9mm pistol with a 50-round-capacity magazine; two .223 caliber high-capacity magazines; and several rounds of ammunition.

Two cell phones and a desktop computer were seized and subsequently searched pursuant to federal search warrants.  One of the phones was found to contain notes listing individuals’ names and identifying information, including M.H., as well as a U.S. Postal Inspector who was involved in the investigation of White’s mail thefts and arrest on March 8, 2020.  Information stored on White’s desktop computer revealed a search of the Postal Inspector’s name on a personal data broker website on March 14, 2020, after White was released from custody.

Judge Bennett also ordered that White forfeit his interest in the following items seized during searches in March and June 2020: firearms, ammunition, and firearms magazines; laptop and desktop computers; cell phones; electronic storage devices; blank plastic cards with magnetic strips and/or chips; blank checks and check stock; printers; embossing machines; and magnetic stripe reader/writers or encoders.

Co-defendant Cedric Jonathan McNeal-Parker, age 29, of Randallstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and theft of mail and was sentenced on March 10, 2021, to 18 months in federal prison.          

Charges remain pending against Dominic Jerry Robinson, age 26, of Baltimore, who is scheduled to go to trial on September 20, 2021.  An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. 

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Office of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration for its assistance.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Maddox, who is prosecuting the federal case.

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Baltimore, Maryland  – Today, Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office today condemned bigotry and hatred against the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, and encouraged members of the public to report to law enforcement incidents of violence, threats and harassment.

Acting United States Attorney Lenzner stated: “Unfortunately, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders throughout the United States continue to be targeted because of their race or ethnicity.  No one should fear or be subjected to violence, discrimination, or harassment because of who they are, their appearance or their origin.  Attacks and discrimination against our AAPI residents and neighbors are affronts to all of us.  Through the leadership of our Civil Rights Unit and working with the FBI and our other partners, the United States Attorney’s Office is committed to addressing violations of federal law that undermine the civil rights of any residents of Maryland.”

“Acts of hate have no place in our community,” said Jennifer C. Boone, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “If a crime is shown to be motivated by bias, it will be investigated by the FBI and the perpetrators held responsible for their actions. Today, in partnership with the United States Attorney’s Office, we are reminding the public to report information regarding any hate crime to the FBI.” 

Through the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s prioritization and strengthened partnerships, civil rights violations in Maryland will be investigated and, as appropriate, prosecuted by federal or state prosecutors.  To report suspected violations of civil or criminal civil rights statutes, please contact the FBI at 410-265-8080 or [email protected].     

The United States Attorney’s Office for Maryland on March 10, 2021, launched its Civil Rights Unit to ensure that the full spectrum of criminal and civil statutes are employed in addressing hate crimes and discrimination; to conduct outreach to government, not-for-profit and private entities in Maryland; and to help provide training and resources to local and state law enforcement in Maryland.  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; information on the Civil Rights Unit can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/civil-rights.

The most recent statistics on hate crimes are available here 2019 Hate Crime Statistics from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report.

Additional resources regarding hate crimes and bias incidents can be found by visiting these links: civilrights.justice.gov/#your-rights and fbi.gov/investigate/civil-rights/hate-crimes#FBI-Resources.

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Greenbelt, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced John Michael Raley, age 51, of Silver Spring, Maryland to 10 years in federal prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for possession of child pornography.  Raley was ordered to pay $9,000 in restitution.  Judge Xinis also ordered that, upon his release from prison, Raley must continue to register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). 

The guilty plea was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

According to his guilty plea, in 2012 Raley was convicted in U.S. District Court in Maryland of one count each of distribution and possession of child pornography.  Raley was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release.  Raley was released from the custody of the Bureau of Prisons on February 15, 2019.

On March 27, 2019, during the administration of a court-ordered polygraph, Raley admitted that after he was released from the custody of the Bureau of Prisons, he obtained his personal effects from another individual to whom he had entrusted the effects during his imprisonment.  Raley admitted that among the effects was a secure digital memory card (SD card).  Raley had purchased an SD card adapter to plug into his television in order to allow him to view the contents of the SD card on the television at his home in Maryland.  Raley admitted that the SD card contained images and videos of child pornography, which Raley had viewed three to four times since his release from prison. 

Raley then spoke with his U.S. Probation Officer by telephone in the presence of the polygraph examiner and admitted the same conduct.  The Officer advised Raley to go to his home, where the Probation officer met him and confiscated the SD card.  A federal search warrant was obtained for the card and a forensic examination was performed by an FBI examiner.  The memory card contained thousands of images of child pornography, including boys under the age of 12 and depictions of sadistic conduct and violence. 

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.         

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the FBI for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy F. Hagan, Jr. who prosecuted 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.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis today sentenced Ronald S. Repass, age 57, of Poolesville, Maryland, to five years of probation on the federal charge of making false statements or fraud to obtain federal employees’ disability compensation and ordered Repass to pay restitution in the amount of $22,000.  Repass admitted that he falsely claimed that he was unable to work, even though he had worked at various jobs between June 2016 and February 2019, for which he was paid.

The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge Imari R. Niles of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General (OIG); and Special Agent in Charge Derek Pickle, of the Washington Regional Office, U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General (OIG).

As stated in the indictment, the Department of Labor’s Office of Worker’s Compensation Programs (“OWCP”) administered major disability compensation programs which provided wage loss benefits, medical treatment, vocational rehabilitation, and other benefits for federal government employees who became disabled during the performance of their duties.

According to the indictment, beginning in October 1989, Repass was employed by the U.S. Postal Service at the Poolesville Post Office in Montgomery County, Maryland.  Repass was a rural carrier on December 5, 2014, when he filed a workers’ compensation claim after he fell and hurt his right shoulder.  OWCP granted his claim on February 11, 2015, for a “right rotator cuff tear” based on a finding that Repass was not able to perform any of the routine duties of his job.  Repass began receiving benefits of approximately $3,227 per month on February 22, 2015. 

The Department of Labor required disabled employees to annually sign and complete a form certifying that they had not worked for the past 15 months.  The disabled employees were also required to immediately report any improvement in their medical condition or any part-time or full-time employment.  In 2016, 2017, and 2018, Repass signed and submitted the form stating that he had not worked for any employer, nor was he self-employed or involved in a business enterprise, despite that fact that during those years Repass worked part-time as a snow plow driver, as a service advisor at an automotive repair shop, as a field supervisor for a home improvement company, as a plumber, and he installed window blinds and mowed lawns, all in exchange for compensation.

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the U.S. Postal Service OIG and U.S. Department of Labor OIG for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Hollis R. Weisman, who is prosecuting the case.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has indicted Medard Ulysse, a/k/a “Jay,” age 37, of Miami, Florida, Eghosasere Avboraye-Igbinedion a/k/a “Ego” and “Ghost,” age 26, of Miramar, Florida, and Amaya English, age 21, of Baltimore, Maryland on the federal charge of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, in connection with a far-reaching scheme in which they allegedly defrauded more than 70 elderly victims of more than $1.5 million.  The indictment was returned on March 4, 2021, and was unsealed today.  Ulysse turned himself in to authorities today and is expected to have an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Baltimore.  Avboraye-Igbinedion and English were arrested and had their initial appearances on March 24, 2021.

The indictment was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

“These defendants are charged with participating in a heartless scheme that preys on elderly victims by falsely claiming that a grandchild was in trouble and needed money to pay legal or other expenses.  The indictment also alleges that members of the conspiracy pretended to be the victim’s relative to convince them to send thousands of dollars to the conspirators,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner.  “By preying on the grandparents’ love for their family and then stealing their retirement savings, these defendants allegedly victimized them twice.  We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to bring to justice those who perpetrate these despicable schemes targeting elderly victims.  I encourage anyone who believes they may be a victim of financial fraud to contact the Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311).”

“This case is a true example of international law enforcement cooperation leading to multiple indictments, arrests and the wide scale disruption of a transnational organized crime group that was mercilessly preying on elderly Americans,” said Jennifer C. Boone, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “These arrests demonstrate the FBI’s determination to stop these egregious crimes and should serve as a warning to those who would seek to profit by threatening and terrorizing seniors.”

According to the one-count indictment, from January 2018 through November 2019, the defendants were part of a conspiracy to defraud elderly victims by persuading them to send thousands of dollars in cash to members of the conspiracy by falsely stating that the money would be used to help the victims’ relatives pay legal or other expenses in connection with crimes and other incidents that had not actually occurred.  Conspirators allegedly telephoned elderly victims throughout the United States, posing as a police officer, lawyer, or other individual, falsely telling the victim that a relative, typically the victim’s grandchild, had been incarcerated in connection with a car accident or traffic stop involving a crime, and needed money—often tens of thousands of dollars—for bail, legal fees, and other expenses. 

As stated in the indictment, during the telephone calls, the conspirators directed victims to send cash to a particular address via an overnight delivery service.  The conspirators allegedly even posed as the victims’ relatives to further induce them to send the cash.  Once the victims did send money, the conspirators called the victims asking for more cash, regularly obtaining tens of thousands of dollars from the retirement savings of victims.  To prevent the victims from sharing the information with anyone, the conspirators allegedly told the victims that a “gag order” had been placed on the case requiring secrecy, or that the situation was embarrassing for the grandchild and they didn’t want anyone else to know about it.

The indictment alleges that Ulysse recruited individuals in Florida with promises of travel and cash payments to participate in the scheme by retrieving packages of cash sent by elderly victims and delivering the packages to him.  Ulysse allegedly directed conspirators to travel from Florida to Maryland and other states and to identify residential locations across the country where the cash should be sent. At Ulysse’s direction, conspirators identified locations that were either vacant or for sale, so that no one would be at those locations at the time of the deliveries, and then retrieved the packages of cash when they were delivered.  Avboraye-Ibginedion, English and other conspirators allegedly retrieved packages of cash from designated locations and relayed directions to other participants in the scheme about where and when to retrieve packages of cash.  The conspirators would then allegedly deliver the packages to Ulysse, English, or to other conspirators.  Ulysse allegedly distributed, and directed other conspirators to distribute, cash payments to other participants in the fraud scheme. 

If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for mail fraud conspiracy.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

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. 

Two defendants previously charged as part of this ongoing investigation, David Green, age 25, of Miami Gardens, Florida, and McArnold Charlemagne, age 33, of Miramar, Florida pleaded guilty to a federal mail fraud conspiracy charge, admitting that they defrauded more than 28 elderly victims of more than $939,000.  U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III has scheduled sentencing for Green and Charlemagne on October 29, 2021.  

The Canadian Sûreté du Québec  announced on March 24, 2021, that as part of a National Organized Crime Suppression Squad investigation they carried out a major operation targeting a criminal organization specializing in "Grandparent" type fraud, similar to the scheme alleged in the Maryland indictment.  As part of this project, Canadian officials executed 17 search warrants in the greater Montreal metropolitan area and police met with 35 people in connection with the alleged fraud scheme.  On that same date, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana announced the indictment of defendants charged with a similar fraud scheme in that District.

The Department of Justice 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.

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the FBI for its work in the investigation and thanked the Sûreté du Québec for its assistance.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean R. Delaney and Matthew J. Maddox, who are prosecuting the case.

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Baltimore, Maryland – Robert Lee Snowden Jr., age 45, of Owings Mills, Maryland, pleaded guilty on March 22, 2021, to the federal charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and to aggravated identity theft, in connection with a series of fraud schemes perpetrated between 2013 and 2020.    

The guilty plea was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge Bethanne M. Dinkins of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General; Postal Inspector in Charge Peter R. Rendina of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; and Inspector General Marva Sutherland of the Office of Inspector General for the Maryland Department of Human Services.

According to his guilty plea, from 2013 to July 16, 2020, Snowden conspired to defraud the Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (“SNAP”), formerly known as the “Food Stamp Program,” by using victims’ stolen identification information to obtain SNAP benefits.  Snowden sold the SNAP benefits for cash at approximately 50% of the value of the benefits on the SNAP card.

In 2011, prior to being laid off from his temporary position at a health care business, Snowden stole lists of health care professionals’ personal identifying information.  Beginning in 2013, Snowden used the health care professionals’ stolen identity information to apply for SNAP benefits, creating fraudulent supporting documents in the names of the victims to provide when requested during the application process.  Snowden used the addresses of acquaintances or nearby vacant homes for the mailing of SNAP cards, which Snowden, or another at his direction, would pick up from those addresses.

Snowden admitted that he sold the majority of the SNAP benefit cards for cash.  After the buyer used the SNAP card, the card was returned to Snowden, who would sell the card to another buyer when the next month’s benefits were loaded to the card. Snowden and his co-conspirator, Larae Betrand, also used the SNAP cards at stores to purchase groceries for themselves. Over 220 victims’ identities were used to apply for SNAP benefits and at least $1,021,583.72 in SNAP benefits were issued and redeemed through the scheme. Snowden also used victims’ identities to open utility accounts including internet, phone, and electricity at his residence.

From 2015 to 2019, Snowden was in a relationship with Larae Betrand.  Betrand was aware of and participated in the SNAP fraud scheme. In addition to receiving DHS mail and SNAP benefit cards at her home address, Betrand sometimes posed as victims on phone calls with DHS and provided false information to secure approval of the fraudulent SNAP applications. Snowden provided Betrand fraudulent SNAP cards for her personal use.

As detailed in his plea agreement, Snowden and Betrand also engaged in a scheme to obtain fraudulent loans from banks and a credit union by providing false employment information on applications for six vehicle loans. Snowden fabricated documents, intending to deceive the lenders regarding his and Betrand’s ability to repay the loans. Snowden was unemployed during all relevant times, and Snowden was aware that Betrand earned significantly less than they claimed on the false documents.  Between March 2017 and February 2020 Snowden and Betrand fraudulently obtained $92,668.58 for four auto loans—two loan applications were denied.

Finally, in the spring of 2020 and continuing through at least July 9,2020, Snowden attempted to obtain COVID-19 SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) using the identity of at least one of the SNAP victims. Using the victim’s information, Snowden established a fictitious business entity in the name of the victim and obtained fraudulent credentials to apply for EIDL. Snowden did not complete the transaction before law enforcement searched his residence on July 16, 2020.

Snowden faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and a mandatory minimum of two years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, for aggravated identity theft. Additionally, Snowden will be required to pay restitution of at least $1,021,583.72. U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander has scheduled sentencing for June 3, 2021 at 10 a.m.

Betrand, age 39, of Elkridge, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in relation to this scheme. Betrand will also be ordered to pay at least $5,000 restitution.

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Maryland Department of Human Services Office of Inspector General for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow who is prosecuting the case.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A criminal complaint has been filed charging Jeffrey Dean Lecates, age 52, of Salisbury, Maryland, on the federal charges of being a felon in possession of ammunition and of dealing of firearms without a license.  Lecates was arrested and had his initial appearance in U.S. District Court on March 24, 2021.  He was ordered to be detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for March 31, 2021.

The criminal complaint was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; and Wicomico County Sheriff Michael A. Lewis.                       

According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, in December 2020, Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office officers (WCSO) received information that Lecates was manufacturing and selling firearms.

Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Lecates’ home on February 23, 2021 and seized a number of items, including: a 45 round capacity black PMAG magazine; numerous rounds of live ammunition and spent shell casings; a chore boy; gun rails and other gun parts; tools; drug paraphernalia; a book titled “How to Build Military Grade Suppressors”; and a black book bag containing four AR-15 lower receivers—including one with drilled holes ready to be assembled—and tools used to assemble firearms, gun cleaner, and five paper shooting targets.

According to the affidavit, a forensic analysis of Lecates’ cell phone allegedly revealed text messages indicating that Lecates was building and illegally selling/transferring firearms and ammunition. Photographs of weapons were also allegedly located on Lecates’ phone, including at least 12 outgoing photos of firearms.  What appear to be suppressers (also known as “silencers”) are attached to the firearms in some photos. Within other text messages, Leactes allegedly acknowledged that he was prohibited from possessing and selling firearms.

If convicted, Lecates faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for being a felon possession of firearm and a maximum of five years in federal prison for unlicensed selling of firearms.  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. 

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.

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the DEA, ATF, and the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Gallena and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra Wilkinson, who are prosecuting the case.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal criminal complaint has been filed charging Brian Edward Steuart, age 52, of Huntingtown, Maryland, and Jamie Lynn Alford (formerly known as Jamie Lynn Steuart), age 44, of Port Republic, Maryland, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution, in connection with an alleged scheme to siphon off a portion of closing funds they collected while acting as settlement agents in certain real estate transactions.  The criminal complaint was filed on March 18, 2021, and was unsealed at the defendant’s initial appearance today.

The criminal complaint was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge Mark P. Higgins of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), Office of Inspector General (OIG); and Acting Special Agent in Charge Shawn Rice of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG).

According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Steuart and Alford were husband and wife from June 2008 until September 2017.  Beginning in August 2011, Steuart and Alford were settlement agents for Company 1, a title and settlement company located in Prince Frederick, Maryland, which closed real estate transactions for properties in Maryland and Virginia.  Steuart and Alford were responsible for closing mortgage loans used to purchase or refinance properties, reviewing property titles, issuing title insurance, facilitating closings, and ensuring that the land records were properly filed and recorded. Steuart and Alford also had a fiduciary duty to all parties involved in each real estate transaction, including to accurately account for, collect, and disburse settlement funds from the seller, the buyer, and the lender, in order to close a transaction.

The affidavit alleges that Steuart and Alford violated their fiduciary duty by embezzling funds from unsuspecting clients during real estate closings from at least 2011 to 2017, from both buyers and sellers, from Company 1, and even from a deceased seller’s estate.  The fraud was typically accomplished by inflating or inventing various fees or taxes, creating false entries in settlement documents, and creating forged or altered checks.  Steuart and Alford allegedly wrote checks to themselves, wrote checks payable to each other, or were jointly made the payee on checks.  The affidavit alleges that the defendants deposited the fraudulently obtained funds directly into joint accounts for the benefit of both of them.

According to the affidavit, in order to conceal their fraudulent activities from individuals inside and outside Company 1, Steuart and Alford falsified the settlement statements and altered or fabricated bank statements.  The fabricated bank statements allegedly had beginning and ending balances that were significantly lower than the true amounts according to the actual bank records.  In addition, information such as the date or amount for deposits, withdrawals, credits, or checks were allegedly also inaccurate and there were checks added or missing in some of the fabricated statements.

As detailed in the affidavit, between 2011 and 2017 Steuart received a total of $735,825.63 from Company 1—both lawfully and unlawfully.  However, he allegedly reported his salary to the State of Maryland for that time period to be only $208,168.50.  Between 2011 and 2016 Alford allegedly received a total of $653,537.91 from Company 1 for all sources—both lawful and unlawful.  However, she allegedly reported her salary to the State of Maryland for that time period to be only $302,462.50.

If convicted, Steuart and Alford each face a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for wire fraud affecting a financial institution.  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.  At today’s initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Sullivan ordered that the defendants be released pending trial.

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. 

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the FHFA OIG and the HUD OIG for their work in the investigation and thanked the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office, the Maryland State Police, and the Anne Arundel County Police Department for their assistance.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Morgan and Erin B. Pulice, 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.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal jury has convicted Haitian national Jean Buteau Remarque, age 40, of Greenbelt, Maryland, of two counts of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.  The jury returned its verdict late on March 25, 2021. 

The verdict was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; 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 100 images of child pornography, including sexually explicit images depicting prepubescent minors. 

As a result of his conviction, upon his release from prison, Remarque will be required to register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). 

Remarque faces a minimum mandatory sentence of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years in prison for each of the two counts of receipt of child pornography, and a maximum of 10 years in prison for possession of child pornography.   U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher has not yet scheduled a sentencing date.

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.         

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended HSI and the Maryland State Police for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Hagan and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Danbee Kim, 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.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm today sentenced Michael Barry Carter, age 47, of Potomac Falls, Virginia, to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, on charges of wire fraud and investment adviser fraud, in connection with a scheme to steal more than $6 million.  Judge Grimm also ordered Carter to pay a money judgment in the amount of the net proceeds he obtained from the scheme, which was at least $4,355,110.39. 

The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

“For more than 12 years, Michael Carter perpetrated a brazen scheme that defrauded victim account holders at a global bank of their life savings,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner.  “When his fraud was discovered, Carter repaid some victims by stealing money from other victim accounts, and ultimately he stole close to $5 million.  This case reflects the reality that large-scale fraud can still occur at a global institution with a robust compliance program, and it also reflects our commitment to holding bad actors accountable in order to provide restitution to victims and restore confidence in our system.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work closely with our federal law enforcement partners and the Securities and Exchange Commission to hold accountable financial advisors who defraud victims whose investments they are supposed to protect.”

According to his guilty plea, from August 7, 2006 to April 29, 2011, and again from November 16, 2011 to July 29, 2019, Carter was employed by a financial institution and worked primarily out of the financial institution’s Tysons Corner, Virginia location.  In 2012, Carter was promoted to financial adviser in the wealth management section of the financial institution and was registered to sell securities and act as an investment adviser in Maryland and Virginia, among other locations.  Carter managed and had authority over multiple investment accounts maintained by Victims 1 through 5 (as listed in the indictment) with the financial institution, which contained a mix of assets including securities and cash deposits.  As a financial adviser, Carter was required to manage the victim accounts in the best interests of his clients, consistent with their investment objectives, and not for his personal benefit.

As detailed in the statement of facts, from at least October 2007 to at least July 2019, Carter made numerous unauthorized transactions from the victim accounts for his personal benefit, defrauding Victims 1 through 5 of at least $5 million.  To effect the unauthorized wire transfers, Carter caused the submission of an internal bank authorization form that falsely stated that Carter had received verbal client instructions from each victim authorizing the transfer at a specific date and time.  Carter caused the wire transfers to be sent to his personal accounts and used the money to pay for his lifestyle expenses, including Carter’s mortgage, credit card bills, and country club membership fees.

Carter’s fraud was first discovered when Victim 1 and her adult daughter attempted to obtain a bridge loan from the financial institution to cover relocation expenses to an assisted living facility in Florida until the sale of Victim 1’s home in Columbia, Maryland, was completed.  When they applied for the loan, Victim 1 and her daughter discovered that an $800,000 loan had already been obtained in Victim 1’s name, without Victim 1’s knowledge or permission.  The financial institution determined that the disbursement of the loan proceeds went to Carter’s personal bank account and that Carter used his personal e-mail address in furtherance of the fraud.  The financial institution then learned that Carter had transferred approximately $5 million in unauthorized funds associated with clients of the financial institution.

On July 29, 2019, Carter was fired from the financial institution.  On August 2, 2019, during a call with employees from the financial institution, Carter admitted that he had defrauded the five victims over a period of years, that he had forged clients’ signatures on bank authorization forms, that he had created false financial statements to disguise his theft, and in some cases had mailed those financial statements.  With respect to Victim 1, Carter further admitted that he had met with the victim at her home and answered Victim 1’s phone in order to authorize the transactions, unbeknownst to Victim 1.  Carter did this in order to overcome the financial institution’s multi-factor verification system required to execute the transactions.

According to the plea agreement, during the course of the scheme, Carter made at least 53 unauthorized transfers from his clients’ accounts to his own accounts.  In addition, Carter admitted that he embezzled more than $50,000 from a non-profit sports organization located in Loudoun County, Virginia.  In all, Carter stole at least $6,149,162.77.  Prior to his offenses being detected, Carter caused $1,794,052.38 to be returned to the victims.  After learning that his fraud had been discovered, in October 2019, Carter also repaid the non-profit organization for its loss.  Of the total amount repaid, $1,118,318.52 was repaid through transfers Carter made from other victim accounts. 

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the FBI for their work in the investigation and recognized the Securities and Exchange Commission, which has filed a related civil proceeding.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin B. Pulice and Jennifer L. Wine, who prosecuted the criminal case.

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Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell today sentenced Edward Omar Johnson, age 37, of Baltimore, Maryland to 141 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for committing five bank robberies and two attempted bank robberies in Baltimore and York, Pennsylvania, between February 27, 2019, and March 19, 2019.  During each robbery, Johnson presented the victim teller with a demand note stating that he had a firearm.

The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; and Commissioner Michael Muldrow of the York City (Pennsylvania) Police Department.

According to his plea agreement, on February 27, 2019, Johnson robbed a bank in the 400 block of West Baltimore Street in Baltimore and robbed the same bank again on March 12, 2019.  On March 4 and March 5, 2019, Johnson unsuccessfully attempted to rob banks in the 300 block of West Baltimore Street and the 2100 block of Eastern Avenue, both in Baltimore.  On March 5, 2019, Johnson robbed a bank located in the 2000 block of East Monument Street in Baltimore.  On March 12, 2019, Johnson robbed a second bank located in the 1100 block of North Charles Street in Baltimore.  Finally, on March 19, 2019, Johnson robbed a bank in the unit block of West Market Street in York, Pennsylvania, throwing the demand note at the teller, then reaching into the victim teller’s cash drawer and stealing $430 in cash.  In that robbery, Johnson also inadvertently took a GPS tracker hidden in bait money, which he threw in a nearby dumpster.

On March 14, 2020, the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force issued a media release of the robbery surveillance images captured during the robberies in Maryland.  The Baltimore Police Department subsequently received an anonymous tip that the robber was Johnson.  Law enforcement obtained prior photos of Johnson which matched the physical appearance of the suspect in the bank robberies.  On March 22, 2019, the York City Police Department located and arrested Johnson in York, Pennsylvania.  A search of Johnson recovered a bank robbery demand note, the language of which was consistent with the language in the notes used in previous robberies.  Johnson waived his rights and during an interview with law enforcement admitted committing the robberies and identified himself in surveillance photos from the robberies.  Later investigation revealed the existence of Johnson’s latent fingerprints on the demand notes he left behind after the attempted bank robbery and successful bank robbery on March 5, 2019, and the two March 12, 2019, bank robberies.

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner praised the FBI, the Baltimore Police Department, and the York City Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul A. Riley, who prosecuted the case.

# # #

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel sentenced Douglas Brian Quander, age 39, of Bowie, Maryland to 100 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine, and for distribution of crack cocaine. 

The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner and Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division.

According to his plea agreement, from October 2017 to June 2018, Quander conspired with Keshia Renee Dawkins and others to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine.  During the course of the investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) used an undercover agent and a confidential source to conduct several controlled buys of cocaine and crack cocaine from Quander, or at Quander’s direction, from his co-conspirators. Over six drug transactions, Quander and his co-conspirators sold the undercover agent and confidential source a total of approximately 276.71 grams of cocaine or crack cocaine for $6,700. 

On June 25, 2018, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Quander and Dawkins’ residence.  Law enforcement seized two firearms, ammunition, 316.8 grams of cocaine, 5.5 grams of heroin, 6.2 grams of marijuana, two digital scales, and $19,122 in cash.

Keisha Renee Dawkins, age 41, of Bowie, previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced for her role in the conspiracy.

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner praised the DEA for its work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Dwight Draughon, who prosecuted the case.

# # #

Greenbelt, Maryland – Venkatesh Rao, age 67, of Bethesda, Maryland, pleaded guilty on March 18, 2021 to theft of government property from his former employer, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Federal Reserve Board or FRB).   

The guilty plea was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner and Special Agent in Charge John T. Perez of the Federal Reserve Board Office of Inspector General.

According to his guilty plea, in 2019, the Federal Reserve Board notified Rao that it considered his work performance to be unsatisfactory and Rao made a decision to voluntarily separate from the Board.  Over the course of five weekend days in November 2019, Rao entered the FRB building in Washington, D.C. approximately 16 times and printed more than 50 restricted government documents from his workstation and avoided FRB restrictions on the emailing and electronic copying of restricted materials.  Rao removed the restricted documents, which contained proprietary information used by the FRB to conduct bank stress tests, from the FRB building and stored the materials at his home.

Rao faces a maximum sentence of one year in federal prison for theft of government property.  U.S. Magistrate Judge Gina L. Simms has scheduled sentencing for May 28, 2021.

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the Federal Reserve Board Office of Inspector General for its work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Gruber and Peter J. Martinez, who are prosecuting the case.

# # #

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte sentenced Thomas Lee Keyes, a/k/a “Mac,” a/k/a “Richard Lee Dantzler,” a/k/a “Mark Anton Johnson,” age 56, of Wheaton, Maryland, to seven years in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine base.   Judge Messitte ordered that Keyes’ federal sentence is to be served consecutive to the 15-year sentence Keyes is currently serving a for a state burglary and firearm conviction.

The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Interim Chief Hector Velez of the Prince George’s County Police Department.  

According to his plea agreement, from February 2014 to July 2017, Keyes conspired with others to possess and distribute quantities of heroin and cocaine base (“crack”) in Maryland and the District of Columbia.  Keys distributed heroin and crack from his residence in Hyattsville, Maryland, and later from a condominium unit in Beltsville, Maryland, and from hotels in College Park, Maryland.  At the hotels, Keyes and others rented rooms where they used, stored, and sold drugs. At times, Keyes hand delivered the narcotics to customers at their homes.  From April 2015 to January 2017, Keyes sold at least 595 grams of heroin and 457 grams of crack sporadically amongst four individuals.   One individual bought $300 of narcotics on almost a daily basis.

Keyes was arrested by law enforcement on June 20, 2017 at a hotel in College Park. Keyes acknowledges that the distribution of at least 700 grams of heroin and at least 225 grams of cocaine base were foreseeable to him during the time of the conspiracy. 

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner praised the ATF, the FBI, and the Prince George County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer R. Sykes and Daniel C. Gardner, who prosecuted the case.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm today sentenced Justin Antoine, a/k/a Justo, age 24, of Baltimore, Maryland, a member of a drug trafficking organization operating in Southwest Baltimore, to 270 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and for discharging a firearm resulting in death during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.  In addition to the murder, Antoine admitted that he was part of a shoot-out where a bystander was shot.

The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.

“This case exemplifies the danger to the people of Baltimore resulting from the illegal drug trade,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner. “Justin Antoine and his co-conspirators brought the deadly combination of guns and drugs into their community.  This sentence sends a strong message that the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners are working together to remove violent drug dealers like Antoine from our streets.”  

“Today’s sentencing exemplifies the successful teamwork of Maryland law enforcement agencies to target and dismantle violent street gangs that threaten the safety and stability of our neighborhoods,” said FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone.  “The citizens of Maryland have the FBI’s commitment that we will continue to work with our local, state and federal partners to investigate and prosecute dealers like Justin Antoine and remove violent criminals from the neighborhoods of Baltimore.”

According to his plea agreement, from at least April 2018 through January 2019, Antoine participated in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating in and around the Edmondson Village neighborhood of southwest Baltimore.  The DTO sold heroin and crack cocaine on a daily basis in street-level quantities.  Antoine regularly sold heroin and crack cocaine, which he obtained from other members of the DTO.

As detailed in his plea agreement, on several occasions in early 2018, individuals in the Edmondson Village robbed Antoine, stealing drugs, drug proceeds, and a cell phone that Antoine used to communicate with drug customers.  Antoine admits that on May 8, 2018, he sought out victim “J.D.” because Antoine believed J.D. was one of the participants in these robberies.  Antoine was armed with a loaded pistol and went to the Mary Rodham Recreation Center.  Once at the location, Antoine walked up to J.D. and shot him two times in the head, killing J.D.  Antoine acknowledged that this was an intentional killing and occurred during and in relation to his drug trafficking activities.  Following the murder of J.D., Antoine continued to distribute heroin and crack cocaine.  In November 2018, Antoine was standing on the block where he frequently distributed drugs when a vehicle operated by friends of J.D. arrived.  At least one occupant of that vehicle fired a gun at Antoine.  Antoine was armed with a handgun and shot back at the vehicle.  During this exchange of gunfire, a bystander was struck by gunfire.

As detailed in the government’s sentencing memo and presented at today’s hearing, on November 26, 2018, Antoine planned to rob an unlicensed taxi driver whom Antoine believed refused to return a gun that he had left in the driver’s vehicle.  During a wiretapped call, Antoine said that if the driver gave him any issues during the robbery that he was “splatting that sh*t,” meaning he would murder the driver. Another wiretapped call captured Antoine discussing his attempt to illegally purchase an assault rifle.

Law enforcement arrested Antoine on January 10, 2019, as he was traveling to work.  Investigators seized a loaded firearm and heroin from Antoine.  Antoine admitted that he possessed the heroin with the intent to distribute the drugs.

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 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.    

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the FBI, the ATF, and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Anne Arundel County Police Department for its assistance.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew DellaBetta, who is prosecuting the case.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – A 10-month investigation by the Baltimore OCDETF Strike Force into violence and drug dealing in the area of Pennsylvania and North Avenues in West Baltimore has led to six federal indictments charging a total of 29 defendants for conspiracy, drug distribution, and firearms charges.  The defendants are allegedly members of six different drug crews, each using a different name for their drugs, operating in a several block area in Penn North.  The indictments remained sealed until today, as the majority of the defendants have now been arrested and had their initial appearances. Twenty-three defendants have been arrested.  Five defendants are fugitives and a sixth defendant absconded from pretrial release. 

The indictments were announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Secretary Robert Green of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner stated, “All too often, guns and drugs go hand in hand—and both tragically are killing a lot of people in Baltimore.  The Strike Force will continue to target areas where violence is fueled by armed drug dealers. We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to get both the guns and the drug dealers off of our streets and to reducing violent crime in our neighborhoods.  The indictments we are announcing today reflect our commitment toward achieving that goal.”

“The Baltimore Police Department is committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to target those involved in the illegal drug trade and those illegally carrying firearms in our city,” said Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison.  “These indictments represent the great collaborative work that our agencies are doing to combat drug trafficking in some of our most challenged neighborhoods. We know that drug trafficking fuels violence in our communities and we must remain vigilant in combating these criminals who continue to contribute to overdose deaths in our city.”

“This case is another example of the Baltimore County Police Department’s commitment to work in partnership with our federal counterparts to aggressively dismantle those criminal enterprises that threaten the safety of our communities,” said Baltimore County Police Chief Melissa Hyatt.

Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized approximately $935,000 in cash, $70,000 worth of luxury jewelry, including Rolex watches, four kilograms of fentanyl—enough to kill 200,000 people, as well as quantities of cocaine and heroin, and nine firearms.

The first indictment (20-0268), returned on August 25, 2020, charges Wesley Clash, age 38; Dashelle Claridy, age 24; Vincent Davis, age 41; Myesha Jones, age 25; and Kevin Riggins, age 26, all of Baltimore, with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, and crack and powder cocaine using the name “Dirty Sprite,” beginning no later than July 2019.  Jones, Clash, and Claridy are also charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.  Kevin Riggins is a fugitive and Vincent Davis absconded from his pretrial release.

The second indictment (20-0269) was also returned on August 25, 2020.  The 12-count indictment charges Jerold Gilliam, age 40; Akeem Ross, age 29; Charles Bond, age 25; Trevor Connors, age 50; Gilbert Conway, age 44; James Meekins, age 35; Isaiah Timms, age 28; Marquese Ward, age 30; and Welton Whittington, Jr., age 30, all of Baltimore for their participation in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and crack cocaine, using the name “Bullseye,” beginning in August 2019.  Ross, Bond, Meekins Connors, and Gilliam are also charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.  Ward, Ross, Connors are charged with being felons in possession of a firearm and Ross and Connors are also charged with possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Akeem Ross is a fugitive.

Five defendants are charged in a nine-count indictment (20-0385) that was returned by a federal grand jury on November 10, 2020.  Ronald Green, age 47; Kinnard Riggs, age 46; Malik Gilmore, age 25; Edward Baker, age 36; Clifton Bryant, age 51; and Lawrence Nichols, age 50, all of Baltimore, allegedly participated in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl using the name “Special,” from August 2019 through at least December 2019.  Green, Riggs, Bryant, and Nichols are also charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.  Green and Riggs are each charged with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and with possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense.  Lawrence Nichols is believed to be deceased.

A federal grand jury indicted (20-0386) Jerome Willingham, age 33, of Baltimore on November 10, 2020, charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl that Willingham branded as “Lamar Jackson,” beginning in at least January 2020.  Willingham is also charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.  Willingham is a fugitive.

Torico Reaves, age 48; Michael Bowles, age 57, Shawn Jackson, age 48; Lafonte Johnson, age 40; Robert Ross, Jr., age 54; Albert Shields, age 51; and Kevin Toppin, age 33, all of Baltimore, are charged in a five-count indictment (20-0443) with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl between at least October 2019 and April 2020, using the brand name “Master P” for their fentanyl.  The indictment was returned on December 9, 2020.  Reaves, Toppin, Bowles, Jackson, and Ross are also charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.  Jackson is a fugitive.

Finally, Jacquez Maith-Bost, age 29, of Baltimore was indicted (20-0440) on December 9, 2020, charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin and crack cocaine on March 11, 2020, using the name “D. Rose”.  Maith-Bost is also charged with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.

The defendants face a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison for the conspiracy; a maximum of 20 year in federal prison for each count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances; a maximum of life in federal prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.  All of the defendants have had an initial appearance.  Gilliam, Bond, Connors, Conway, Ward, Riggs, and Shields were ordered to be detained and the remaining defendants were released with conditions, under the supervision of U.S. Pretrial Services.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. 

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and 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 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.

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the DEA, the Baltimore Police Department, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services for their work in the investigation and thanked the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City for its assistance.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles D. Austin and James T. Wallner, who are prosecuting the case.

# # #

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Douglas Amilcar-Vasquez, age 35, of Mexico, to 100 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for the armed robbery of a Takoma Park, Maryland, jewelry store on February 16, 2019, and for brandishing a gun during the robbery.  Judge Grimm also ordered Amilcar-Vasquez to pay restitution of $174,967, which is the full amount of the victim’s loss.  According to information presented at yesterday’s sentencing hearing, Amilcar-Vasquez has two previous convictions for illegally re-entering the United States after being deported.

The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department.

According to his plea agreement, Amilcar-Vasquez and his co-defendant, Ever Ramiro Torres Enriquez (“Torres”) robbed a Takoma Park jewelry store on February 16, 2019.  Torres entered the jewelry store and pretended to be looking for jewelry for his girlfriend.  Moments later, Amilcar-Vasquez entered the store brandishing a handgun and demanded cash and jewelry.  At the same time, Torres pulled out a black rifle, which had been hidden under his clothes and, pointing the rifle at his victims, demanded money and jewelry.  At one point during the robbery, Amilcar-Vasquez forcibly removed a necklace from around one customer’s neck.  Torres and Amilcar-Vasquez stole $7,900 in cash and over 400 pieces of jewelry valued at $167,067.11.  The defendants left the store and Amilcar-Vasquez used the gun to forcibly carjack two male victims in a nearby vehicle.  The defendants then fled the scene in the stolen vehicle, which was later recovered.

Following the robbery, Amilcar-Vasquez and his relatives pawned some of the stolen jewelry.  Video surveillance from a pawn shop in Houston, Texas showed Amilcar-Vasquez wearing the necklace that he forcibly removed from the neck of the victim at the jewelry store.

Neither defendant wore gloves during the robbery.  Amilcar-Vasquez’s left palm print was lifted from one of the jewelry store’s glass counters and DNA found on gloves recovered from the carjacked vehicle matched DNA from Torres. 

Upon his arrest, a vehicle used by Amilcar-Vasquez was searched.  Law enforcement recovered the gun Amilcar-Vasquez brandished during the robbery—a 9mm pistol—which was loaded with 12 rounds of ammunition.  Amilcar-Vasquez’s DNA was found on the gun.

Ever Ramiro Torres Enriquez, age 25, of Silver Spring, Maryland, was sentenced on January 12, 2021 to seven years and a day in federal prison for the armed robbery and for brandishing a gun during the robbery.  Torres Enriquez was also ordered to pay restitution of $174,967.

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.                     

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner praised the FBI and the Montgomery County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel C. Gardner, who prosecuted the case.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III today sentenced Thomas Corey Crosby, age 51, of Woodlawn, Maryland, to 10 years in federal prison, followed by eight years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, specifically, 40 grams or more of fentanyl.  Judge Russell also ordered that Crosby must forfeit $134,499 in cash, which was seized on August 14, 2020.

The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.

According to his guilty plea, from at least May 2020 through August 2020, Crosby participated in a conspiracy to distribute illegal narcotics, including heroin and fentanyl.    

Beginning in May 2020, investigators began wiretapping a cell phone known to be used by a co-conspirator, which revealed that the co-conspirator was operating an open-air drug market (commonly called a “drug shop”) that sold cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, in Northwest Baltimore City in the area of Palmer and Spaulding Avenues and that the co-conspirator was communicating with Crosby regarding the drug business.  Investigators also obtained authorization to intercept a phone used by Crosby.  Investigation revealed that Crosby and the co-conspirator communicated approximately every 7 to 14 days concerning the sale of narcotics, including heroin and fentanyl.  Crosby and the co-conspirator spoke in code during these calls, but it was clear that they were discussing the distribution of narcotics.  After these conversations, Crosby and his co-conspirator would meet at a gas station, located at the intersection of Druid Park Avenue and Liberty Heights in Baltimore, where Crosby supplied the co-conspirator with drugs.  Investigators conducted surveillance on several of these meetings and obtained video surveillance from the gas station.

On August 9, 2020, law enforcement executed a vehicle stop on the co-conspirator’s vehicle after Crosby had met the co-conspirator at the gas station, where Crosby was seen placing an item in the center console area of the vehicle.  During a search of the vehicle, investigators recovered over 100 grams of fentanyl from a bag inside the center console of the vehicle.  After this traffic stop, the co-conspirator immediately called Crosby and the pair then met at the same gas station.  After this additional meeting, Crosby disposed of his cell phone, which investigators had obtained authorization to intercept and track.  Crosby distributed the 100 grams of fentanyl to the co-conspirator.

On August 14, 2020, investigators executed a series of search warrants at locations related to the investigation, including a residence in the 2500 block of Park Heights Terrace in Baltimore, a location used by Crosby to manufacture and store drugs.  Inside the residence, investigators recovered fentanyl, as well as drug paraphernalia and packaging material including: sifters, razor blades, plastic baggies, a digital scale, and cutting agents.  Investigators also executed a search warrant at Crosby’s residence, where they recovered $134,499 in cash, which Crosby admitted constituted proceeds from his drug trafficking activities.

Crosby admitted that he distributed over 160 grams of fentanyl during his participation in the conspiracy.  Additionally, Crosby acknowledged that he was previously convicted in federal court for possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. 

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.

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the DEA and Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew DellaBetta and Daniel A. Loveland, Jr., who prosecuted the case.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland- Christopher Russell Fox, age 42, of Brooklyn, Maryland, pleaded guilty on March 9, 2021 to distribution of child pornography. Fox is a registered sex offender, previously convicted of a third-degree sex offense in 2016, in Howard County Circuit Court.

The guilty plea was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

According to his guilty plea, between March and May of 2018, a technology company sent numerous CyberTip Reports regarding child pornography incidents occurring on its video conference platform. Files submitted with the reports depicted prepubescent males engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

As detailed in his plea agreement, investigation revealed that Fox repeatedly used a video conferencing platform to pose as a minor male, in order to communicate with other users.  Fox routinely sought out minor males on the video conferencing platform, engaged them in sexual conversation, asked them to trade sexually explicit images and videos, and asked them to stream live images.  While he was on probation for his 2016 sex offense conviction, Fox used three separate accounts on the video conferencing platform in order to trade images and videos of minor males engaged in sex acts on at least eleven occasions between December 10, 2017 and May 19, 2018.  For example, on March 24, 2018, Fox posed as an 8th grade male and engaged in sexually explicit conversation with a user who stated he was in the 10th grade. During the conversation Fox sent the user a video of three prepubescent males engaging in sexual acts.

On May 10, 2019, investigators executed a federal search warrant at Fox’s residence and seized digital items including Fox’s computer and a mini thumb drive. A forensic review of those items revealed that Fox possessed over 158 images of child pornography on the digital devices.  These images, along with the videos Fox traded online, demonstrate that Fox distributed, received, and possessed over 600 images of child pornography.

As part of his plea agreement, Fox must register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).

Fox faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 40 years in prison for distribution of child pornography.   U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for June 10, 2021 at 11 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.         

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the FBI for its work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine L. Duey and Matthew Maddox, who are prosecuting the federal case.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – In the last week, U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander has sentenced three members of the Monument Street drug trafficking organizations to at least five years in federal prison related to their roles in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine and/or fentanyl in the Monument Street area of East Baltimore.  Specifically, on March 4, 2021, Judge Hollander sentenced Tony Solomon, age 55, of Baltimore, to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release on charges of conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.  On March 9, 2021, Judge Hollander sentenced Perez Scruggs, age 25, and Noah Walston age 30, both of Baltimore, to 65 months and five years in federal prison, respectively, each followed by three years of supervised release.  Scruggs had previously pleaded guilty to the drug conspiracy and to possession with intent to distribute cocaine.  Walston pleaded guilty to the drug conspiracy and to being a felon in possession of a firearm.  A fourth co-defendant, Windeer Washington, age 45, of Baltimore is scheduled to be sentenced on March 12, 2021.  Washington and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts his plea agreement, Washington will be sentenced to three years in federal prison.

The sentences were announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.

“The Baltimore OCDETF Strike Force is a critical part of our strategy to make Baltimore safer by identifying and focusing on those groups responsible for the most violent crime in our city,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner.  “The Monument Street area is one of the first areas the Strike Force has targeted and we anticipate that Strike Force cases will make these neighborhoods safer for the law-abiding citizens that live there.”

According to their guilty pleas, in July of 2018, Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) Strike Force Group 1 began an investigation of the Monument Street corridor in East Baltimore, which is known to support a high volume of street-level drug distribution and acts of violence associated with the drug trafficking.  During the investigation, law enforcement identified multiple street-level drug trafficking “shops,” with the two most prominent located in the 400 block of North Montford Avenue at Jefferson Street (“the Montford DTO”) and in the 2400 block of East Monument Street at Port Street (the “Out the Mud,” or “OTM DTO”). 

As detailed in their plea agreements, investigators identified Solomon as a source of supply in the conspiracy; identified Scruggs and Washington as wholesale drug customers; and identified Walston as a drug distributor.  Walston also operated another street level shop in the 800 block of North Milton, in conjunction with the OTM shop.  On numerous occasions law enforcement intercepted calls in which the defendants discussed the distribution of drugs, including powder cocaine and crack cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, among others.

Solomon admitted that he maintained at least two stash locations used for storing, cutting, and packaging controlled dangerous substances with other members of the conspiracy, located in the 1600 block of North Spring Street and the 3200 block of Brighton Street, both in Baltimore. Solomon conspired with coconspirators to use the North Spring Street location to meet with drug customers for the purposes of collecting money and providing controlled substances to them.

In January 2019, law enforcement executed search warrants at both stash locations, and at residences associated with Solomon, recovering a total of approximately 200 grams of crack cocaine, five grams of powder cocaine, and 147 grams of a heroin/fentanyl mixture; drug paraphernalia, including a small hydraulic press, small and large kilo presses, digital scales, gel caps, and packaging materials; more than $41,000 in cash, believed to be drug proceeds; and a loaded .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol with eight .45-caliber cartridges, which Solomon admitted he possessed in connection to his drug trafficking activities. 

As detailed in their plea agreements, on January 2, 2019, investigators executed a search and seizure warrant at Washington’s residence in the 2900 block of McElderry Street in Baltimore, where they recovered approximately 118 grams of cocaine and fentanyl mixture and 34 grams of crack cocaine, a small hydraulic press and mail in Washington’s name.  On May 23, 2019, investigators executed a search warrant at Scruggs’ residence in the 2400 block of Woodbrook Avenue in Baltimore.  Investigators seized approximately 255 grams of a mixture containing cocaine; an electric scale with drug residue; and three firearms and ammunition.  Specifically, law enforcement recovered a .22 caliber semi-automatic long rifle; a 12 gauge shotgun pump action, with no serial number; a 12 gauge semi-automatic shotgun with an extended magazine and five 12 gauge cartridges mounted on the side of the weapon; and six 9mm cartridges, as well as one additional 12 gauge shotgun shell found in a china cabinet.  Washington and Scruggs admitted that they possessed the drugs with the intent to distribute them for sale. 

Additionally, on June 9, 2020, Baltimore Police officers (BPD) attempted to initiate a traffic stop of Walston in the area of the 200 block of North Caroline Street in Baltimore.  However, the vehicle failed to stop, and attempted to speed away to evade law enforcement.  Due to high traffic, the vehicle could not escape the officers, and the driver, later identified as Walston, fled the vehicle, throwing a black gun away with his right hand as he ran.  The gun, a 9mm Luger semi-automatic pistol, loaded with six rounds of ammunition, was later recovered in the same area that Walston was observed throwing the gun.

Solomon, Scruggs, and Walston are all prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition as a result of previous felony convictions.

Throughout the course of their involvement, it was reasonably foreseeable to Solomon and Scruggs, and within the scope of the conspiracy that they or other members of the conspiracy would distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, as well as quantities of cocaine base, heroin, and fentanyl during the course of and in furtherance of the conspiracy.  It was reasonably foreseeable to Washington, and within the scope of the conspiracy that he would distribute between 500 grams and two kilograms of cocaine, as well as quantities of cocaine base and fentanyl, during the course of and in furtherance of the conspiracy.  It was reasonably foreseeable to Walston, and within the scope of the conspiracy that he or other members of the conspiracy would distribute more than 280 grams of cocaine base (“crack”), as well as quantities of cocaine, heroin and fentanyl during the course of and in furtherance of the conspiracy. 

Of the 25 defendants indicted in this case, 14—including Solomon, Scruggs, Walston, and Washington—have pleaded guilty.  The remaining defendants have trial dates in May or November 2021.

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.

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the DEA and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys LaRai Everett and James T. Wallner, who are prosecuting the case.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A federal criminal complaint has been filed charging Clayton Alexander McCoy, age 30, of Chesterland, Ohio, with transporting explosives with intent to injure and with with using, carrying, or possessing a destructive device during and in relation to a crime of violence, in connection with a bombing in Manchester, Maryland on October 30, 2020.   The criminal complaint was filed on March 3, 2021 and unsealed today. McCoy will have an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Cleveland, Ohio on March 12, 2021.  McCoy will be transported to Maryland for an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Baltimore at a later date.

The federal charges were announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Maryland State Fire Marshal Brian S. Geraci; Carroll County Sheriff James T. DeWees; and Carroll County State’s Attorney Brian DeLeonardo.

According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, on October 30, 2020, a victim sustained serious injuries and burns consistent with an explosion, after opening a package.  Another resident of the home found the package, which was addressed to the victim, on the front porch of the home that morning at approximately 8:30 a.m., after the victim had left for work.  The resident brought the package into the house and placed it in the kitchen to await the victim’s return.  At approximately 5:30 p.m., the victim returned home and saw the cardboard box that was addressed to him.  He opened the cardboard box and observed a smaller white box with a red ribbon inside.  The victim took both boxes into his bedroom to open in private.  According to the victim, as he opened the smaller white box, a small nail that appeared to be inserted into the white box was pulled outward.  When he removed the nail, the victim heard a whistling or hissing sound followed by an explosion.  The victim was struck in the front of his body by shrapnel and sustained injuries to his chest, legs, and front of body.  He was transported to the hospital where he was treated for injuries caused by the shrapnel and explosion.  The victim was released from the hospital on November 17, 2020 and is continuing with rehabilitation.  Investigation revealed that the explosive device was likely a type of pipe bomb containing shrapnel.   

The victim’s girlfriend advised law enforcement of a recent interaction with McCoy, with whom she had been friends for approximately seven years.  As detailed in the affidavit, the victim, his girlfriend, and McCoy were all friends through their participation in Dagorhir, a live action role-playing battle game with full contact melee fighting and ranged combat as its primary focus.  Sometime in early October 2020, McCoy told the victim’s girlfriend that he had feelings for her.  She advised McCoy that she did not feel the same way and that she was in a relationship with the victim.  She and McCoy agreed to remain friends. 

Search warrants obtained by law enforcement found that in the very early morning of October 30, 2020, a device associated with McCoy and located at his residence allegedly searched for and obtained directions to the victim’s home address.  McCoy’s cell phone then allegedly traveled from his home to the victim’s home, and a pickup truck, similar to a pickup truck registered to McCoy’s mother, was seen in front of the victim’s home and was depicted on home security video taken that day from a neighbor’s security camera.  In addition, a review of McCoy’s online accounts revealed that a week before that the bombing, McCoy allegedly searched for the gas tank capacity of a 1994 Toyota pickup, the same make and year of the pickup truck registered to McCoy’s mother.

If convicted, McCoy faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for transporting explosives with intent to injure and a mandatory minimum of 30 years and a maximum of life in federal prison for using, carrying, or possession of a destructive device 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. 

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 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.

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the ATF, the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, and the Carroll County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and thanked Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio Bridget M. Brennan and her office, and the ATF Columbus Field Division for their assistance with the searches and arrest.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow, who is prosecuting the case.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm today sentenced Nigerian national Seun Banjo Ojedokun, age 37, to nine years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for a money laundering conspiracy related to a romance scam and other fraud schemes.  Judge Grimm also ordered Ojedokun to pay $325,100 in restitution.

The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner stated, “I hope that this sentence serves as a deterrent to those who, like Ojedokun and his co-conspirators, take advantage of vulnerable and elderly victims across the United States, defrauding them through lies and laundering the funds internationally.  These heartless fraudsters left their victims heartbroken, embarrassed, and financially devastated.  Bringing to justice fraudsters who prey upon the elderly is one of the highest priorities of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners. We will continue our outreach efforts to make the public aware of scams and frauds targeting elderly victims.  I encourage anyone who believes they or someone they know who may be a victim to contact the Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311).”

According to the evidence presented at his six-day trial, between 2013 and March 2015, Ojedokun conspired with Gbenga Benson Ogundele, Mukhtar Danjuma Haruna, a/k/a “Mukky,” and others to use money deposited into bank accounts by fraud victims to engage in financial transactions in order to promote the fraud scheme and conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the fraud proceeds. Ojedokun was in Nigeria when he was committing these crimes.  Law enforcement was able to arrest him when he came to the United States to attend school here.

According to evidence presented at trial, members of the conspiracy searched online dating websites to initiate romantic relationships with vulnerable men and women.  They phoned, e-mailed, texted and used Internet chat messenger services to form romantic relationships with the victims, who lived throughout the United States. 

Specifically, witnesses testified that members of the conspiracy used false stories and promises to convince the many victims to provide money to the conspirators, including fake hospital bills, plane trips to visit the victims, problems with overseas businesses, and foreign taxes.  Ogundele and other conspirators opened bank accounts, called “drop accounts,” in order to receive millions of dollars from the victims.  Testimony at trial showed that victims provided money to the conspirators as a result of the false stories and promises, either depositing money directly into drop accounts controlled by the conspirators, or by checks sent to the conspirators.  The loss to the eight victims who testified at trial was well over $1 million and the overall total loss was substantially higher.

In addition, the evidence at trial showed that the conspirators engaged in other types of fraud, including a fraudulent employment scam in which the victim was led to believe she had been hired by a company, and was instructed to deposit the proceeds of a fraudulent check into a drop account controlled by the conspirators.

According to the evidence, Ojedokun, Ogundele, Haruna, and their co-conspirators laundered money received from the fraud victims by buying used cars and shipping them to Nigeria, among other methods.  As part of the fraud schemes, Ojedokun and his co-conspirators transmitted and used images of financial transactions, including bank deposit receipts and wire transfer forms, as proof that a deposit of fraud money had been made by a victim.

Ogundele, age 61, formerly of Laurel, Maryland, was convicted in 2016 after a 17-day trial, of conspiracies to commit money laundering and wire fraud, as well as aggravated identity theft, and was sentenced to 234 months in federal prison.  Haruna, age 46, of Nigeria, remains a fugitive and charges against him are still pending.  In addition to Ogundele, eight other defendants were convicted for their roles in the fraud scheme and were sentenced to between a year and a day and 234 months in federal prison.

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the FBI for its work in the investigation.  Mr.  Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas P. Windom, who prosecuted the case.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – A newly filed federal superseding indictment adds bank fraud and aggravated identity theft charges against Glenda Hodges, age 69, of Clinton, Maryland, who was already facing wire fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft charges in connection with the misuse of federal funds and other fraud related to non-profit and for-profit entities that Hodges operated. The new bank fraud charges relate to a fraud allegedly committed while Hodges was on pretrial release for the wire fraud charges.  The superseding indictment was returned on March 10, 2021.  At a hearing today in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, Hodges was ordered to be detained pending trial for violating the conditions of her pre-trial release.

The superseding indictment was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner;  Special Agent in Charge Kenneth R. Dieffenbach of the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Inspector General, Fraud Detection Office; Maryland State Prosecutor Charlton T. Howard III; and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

According to the 12-count superseding indictment, between October 9, 2020 and October 21, 2020, while on pretrial release, Hodges allegedly defrauded her fourth victim by claiming she would monitor the victim’s finances while the victim prepared to move out of state. Hodges assured the victim that she would return the funds once the victim was settled in her new location. Hodges drove the victim to her financial institution and procured a check for $71,731.85, which Hodges deposited into her own bank account. Hodges then allegedly spent the victim’s money on personal expenditures, without the victim’s authorization, and failed to repay the victim.

According to the superseding indictment, Hodges owned and was the Chief Executive Officer of Still I Rise Incorporated, a non-profit entity which purported to provide services and resources to minority survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking; Still I Rise Comprehensive Support & Training Services LLC (“CSST”), a for-profit entity; and the Women’s Wellness Center (WWC), a for-profit medical weight loss clinic operated under the umbrella of CSST. Between 2010 and 2017, Hodges was awarded more than $2 million in grants from the United States Department of Justice’s (“DOJ”) Office of Violence Against Women (“OVW”) and Prince George’s County to implement a violence against women program through Still I Rise.

The three grants that DOJ OVW awarded Hodges and Still I Rise were authorized only for the stated purpose of implementing Still I Rise’s non-profit program to address violence against women.  Specifically, Hodges represented that the funds would be used to provide community services related to violence against women, including crisis intervention, support groups, financial and employment counseling, material assistance, job training, advocacy, court and medical accompaniment, language services, and transportation.  Hodges allegedly represented that she would accept only a $12,000 stipend each year as the Director of Still I Rise.  However, the superseding indictment alleges that Hodges converted funding from the grant awards to her personal benefit and to pay WWC payroll and other WWC expenses.  By 2016, Hodges had exhausted the grant funding and her companies were financially distressed.  The superseding indictment alleges that Hodges then used fraudulent means to inject additional funding into WWC and Still I Rise.

Specifically, the superseding indictment alleges that on October 9, 2015, Hodges caused $134,800 to be stolen from Victim 1—a mutual fund in Pennsylvania—and wired into a bank account associated with Still I Rise, and then used the stolen funds for expenditures at WWC and for her personal benefit.  In addition, on April 8, 2016, Hodges deposited a $72,938 altered business check related to a federal cancer research grant that had allegedly been stolen from Victim 2, a prominent university in Texas, into a different bank account opened in the name of Still I Rise and over which Hodges was the sole authorized signer. 

Further, the superseding indictment alleges that between March 10 and August 26, 2016, Hodges fraudulently opened credit accounts at two financial institutions using the identifying information of Victim 3, an elderly volunteer at Still I Rise, without the victim’s knowledge or permission, accumulating at least $45,000 in debt.  According to court documents, to secure one of the lines of credit, Hodges had Victim 3 medically transported to a nearby bank. When Victim 3 was brought to the bank, Victim 3 was in pain and in a wheelchair, and had an antibiotic catheter line running to her heart.

Finally, the superseding indictment alleges that, as the owner of WWC, and to preserve the medical clinic’s capital, Hodges directed her medical practitioners to inject saline solution into patients rather than Lipo-C, a weight-loss injection therapy requested by patients, and issued nonsufficient funds checks to her employees..

If convicted, Hodges faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each of three counts of bank fraud and seven counts wire fraud.  Hodges also faces a mandatory sentence of two years in federal prison, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, for each of two counts of aggravated identity theft.  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.  Hodges is expected to have an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, but no date has been scheduled.

A superseding indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by superseding indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. 

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General, the Office of the Maryland State Prosecutor, and the FBI for its work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes, who is prosecuting the case.

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Baltimore, Maryland – Today, Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner announced that the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland has established a Civil Rights Unit to enhance the Office’s focus on the enforcement and protection of the civil and constitutional rights of all Maryland residents, including the most vulnerable members of our communities.   

In announcing the new Civil Rights Unit, Acting United States Attorney Lenzner stated: “The U.S. Attorney’s Office has always enforced federal laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, sex, color, disability, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, familial status and citizenship.  We are making it a priority to have the capabilities to address all forms of discrimination that may exist in any sector or community.  It is important that our focus and capabilities in the area of civil rights be well known throughout all Maryland communities. The establishment of the Civil Rights Unit to vigorously enforce federal civil rights laws will help foster a community where individuals live free from unlawful barriers and ensure equal opportunity to all citizens regardless of any protected status.”

Specifically, the Civil Rights Unit will investigate and prosecute violations of criminal statutes, including hate crimes and deprivation of rights made under the color of law, and will bring civil cases to address patterns or practices of discrimination in housing, education, health care and employment, among other areas.  The Unit will also coordinate with the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s National Security Section on allegations and investigations related to domestic terrorism to ensure that civil rights statutes, including those related to hate crimes and racially motivated offenses, are considered and employed, as appropriate. 

To accomplish its goals, the Civil Rights Unit will be staffed by assistant U.S. Attorneys from both the Civil and Criminal Divisions, who will work together to ensure that a full arsenal of statutes and remedies are employed to address all forms of discrimination.  The Civil Rights Unit will develop working relationships with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies throughout Maryland that are focused on enforcing civil rights, and will increase outreach efforts to public, private, and not-for-profit entities.  The Office will also continue to partner and coordinate with the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice, as well as assist county and municipal jurisdictions in Maryland to identify and seek grants and other funding and training opportunities administered by the Department of Justice.

Through the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s prioritization and strengthened partnerships, civil rights violations in Maryland will be investigated and as appropriate, prosecuted by federal or state prosecutors.  To report suspected violations of civil or criminal civil rights statutes, you may contact the FBI at 410-265-8080 or [email protected].

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao/md.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – Christopher Lee Dubry, age 25, of La Plata, Maryland, pleaded guilty on March 9, 2021, to possession of child pornography. 

The guilty plea was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; 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.

Dubry was convicted for four counts of attempted sex offense fourth degree and five counts of possession of child pornography in November 2018. He was sentenced to a total of three years in prison, followed by five years of supervised probation.  Dubry was registered as a Tier I registered sex offender in the State of Maryland.

According to his guilty plea, while serving his prison sentence at the Charles County Detention Center, Dubry was granted work release beginning in December 2018.  Dubry typically left the detention center each evening at 8:00 p.m. and drove his personal vehicle to his place of employment in Landover, Maryland, where he worked overnight, then returned to the detention center at approximately 5:00 a.m. 

As detailed in his plea agreement, on August 26, 2019, an online file storage application sent a cybertipline report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.  The report stated that the user account associated with Dubry’s email address uploaded eleven files to the account, including two video files depicting sexual abuse of prepubescent children.  The IP address used to access the user account four times on February 14, 2019 between 9:08 p.m. and 9:10 p.m. related back to a cell phone registered to Dubry.  Dubry’s account contained approximately 33 images and 33 videos of child pornography. Dubry admitted that from April 2019 to September 12, 2019, he accessed child pornography on his cell phone on multiple occasions while on work release.  Dubry’s work release privileges were revoked on September 12, 2019, after violating the terms of his release by taking too long to travel between the detention center and his workplace.

On February 27, 2020, law enforcement seized Dubry’s cell phone.  A subsequent forensic analysis of the cell phone revealed approximately 250 images and 3 videos of child pornography, including the sexual abuse of prepubescent children.  At least one video depicts sadistic or masochistic conduct.  In total, Dubry received and possessed the equivalent of 600 images of child pornography on his cell phone.

Dubry and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Dubry will be sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.   Upon his release from prison, Dubry will also be required to register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).  U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel has scheduled sentencing for June 8, 2021 at 2:00 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.         

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended HSI and Maryland State Police for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes who is prosecuting the federal case.

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Baltimore, Maryland – Frank William Robertson Perry, age 39, of Dundalk, Maryland, pleaded guilty on March 9, 2021, to illegal possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.  Perry admitted that he is an adherent of the Boogaloo Movement.  “Boogaloo” is a term referencing a violent uprising or impending civil war and is sometimes used by militia extremists and others.  Militia extremists have adopted it to reference an impending politically-motivated civil war or uprising against the government following perceived incursions on Constitutional rights—including the Second Amendment—or other perceived government overreach.  The Boogaloo is not a single cohesive group, but rather a loose concept arising from internet platforms which has become a rallying point for some extremists.

The guilty plea was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division.

According to his plea agreement, Perry was previously convicted for second degree burglary on November 19, 2012 in Baltimore County Circuit Court.  As a result of that conviction, Perry is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. 

As detailed in his plea agreement, in April 2020 Perry caused his girlfriend to purchase the lower receiver of an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 rifle, from a firearms dealer in Eastern Baltimore County for his own use.  The lower receiver of a firearm, while not a completed and functioning weapon, is legally defined as a firearm.  Purchasers are required to go through a background check and complete an ATF form truthfully and under penalty of perjury, which the seller of the firearm is required to maintain. The form, as completed, indicated that Perry’s girlfriend was the purchaser of the AM-15 lower receiver and that the receiver was “multi-cal,” denoting a firearm that could be assembled into a variety of calibers.  The AM-15 lower receiver, once assembled, is nearly identical to the AR-15 assault rifle.

Perry admitted that from March 31, 2020 to September 6, 2020, he purchased a number of firearm-related items online, including a gun cleaning mat with a diagram of the parts of an AR-15 style rifle; grease for lubricating firearms; a sling and sling assembly for a rifle; a weapon mounted light commonly found on AR-15 style weapons; a weapons mounted sight; and a device to calibrate a weapons sight.  Perry caused the items to be delivered to his girlfriend’s residence in her name and used the items to build an operational AM-15 weapon. 

As detailed in the plea agreement, on October 7, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Perry’s residence in Dundalk, Maryland and seized an Anderson Manufacturing rifle model AM-15; a black tactical vest containing two ballistic plates; three loaded rifle magazines; eight rounds of .223 caliber ammunition and other firearm related accessories.  During an interview with law enforcement, Perry insisted that the rifle was purchased and owned by his girlfriend for self-defense purposes.  He also claimed to have built the rifle and conceded that the FBI would find his fingerprints on the weapon.  Perry also admitted he would have used the weapon himself for self-defense if the situation required it. 

Perry faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.  U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake has not yet scheduled sentencing.

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, which includes the ATF, for their work in the investigation and thanked the Baltimore County Police Department for its assistance.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen O. Gavin and P. Michael Cunningham, who are prosecuting the case.

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Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte sentenced Patricia Sahadachny, age 74, of Riverdale, Maryland to two years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for theft of government property.  Judge Messitte also ordered Sahadachny to pay restitution in the amount of $256,244.

The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner and Special Agent in Charge Michael McGill of the Social Security Administration (SSA) - Office of Inspector General (OIG), Philadelphia Field Division.  

“This sentence reflects the egregious nature of the defendant’s conduct over more than two decades, as she perpetuated this fraud against all taxpayers,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Michael McGill. “The SSA OIG will continue to use every available resource and work closely with SSA to identify beneficiary deaths and pursue those who misuse Social Security benefits after someone dies. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for its support of this investigation and its efforts to recover these funds for Social Security.”

According to her plea agreement, from February 1994 to January 2018, Sahadachny stole monthly Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits payments intended for her son, who died on February 25, 1994.  Sahadachny concealed and failed to disclose to SSA that her son had died, resulting in a loss to the U.S. government of $256,244. 

As detailed in her plea agreement, at the time of his death, Sahadachny’s son was receiving his SSDI checks by mail at his residence, which he shared with Sahadachny, who served as his caretaker.  When her son died, Sahadachny did not notify SSA of his death, and as a result, SSA continued to send checks in her son’s name to the residence.  Sahadachny continued to deposit the benefits checks into her account, forging her son’s signature.  This continued for nearly 24 years until SSA discovered through an audit that her son was likely deceased and terminated payments in January 2018.

During an interview with SSA OIG agents on October 24, 2018, Sahadachny admitted forging her son’s signature and depositing her son’s benefits checks into her account after his death.  Sahadachny spent the stolen funds either by withdrawing them as cash, or using them to pay for personal expenses, including credit card debt she incurred on accounts she opened using her son’s name and social security number after he died. Sahadachny opened at least 11 credit accounts using her son’s identity after his death, of which, at least four were ultimately settled for less than the full amount owed.

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner praised the Social Security Administration for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Davio, who prosecuted the case.

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Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Estel Henry Cook, Jr., age 56, of North East, Maryland, to 95 months in federal prison, followed by 25 years of supervised release, for possession of child pornography. Jude Bennett ordered Cook to pay $3,000 in restitution. Judge Bennett also ordered that, upon his release from prison, Cook 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 Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Colonel Woodrow W. Jones III, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; and Cecil County State’s Attorney James Dellmyer.

According to his guilty plea, in April 2019, an internet search engine sent two Cyber Tip reports to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCEMC) after a user uploaded child pornography.  After investigation, Maryland State Police and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) discovered the IP addresses and subscriber information associated with the upload child pornography resolved to Cook’s North East residence.

On August 27, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant a Cook’s residence and seized his cell phone.  A forensic analysis revealed that Cook possessed approximately 976 files of graphic child exploitive material including 348 videos and 628 images.  The images depicted the sexual abuse of minors, including prepubescent minors and an infant.

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.         

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended HSI, the Maryland State Police, and the Cecil County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine L. Duey, who prosecuted the federal case.

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Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland has seized “usaregenermedicals.com,” which purported to sell and distribute REGEN-COV2, an antibody drug cocktail approved for the treatment of COVID-19 virus. However, the website was fraudulent and instead appears to have been used to collect the personal information of individuals visiting the site, in order to use the information for nefarious purposes, including fraud, phishing attacks, and/or deployment of malware.  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.

The seizure of the domain name was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner and Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations - Baltimore.

“This is the fifth fraudulent website taking advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic that we have seized in recent months,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner.  “We urge all Maryland residents to be skeptical - don’t provide personal information or click on links in unsolicited e-mails and remember that the COVID vaccine is not for sale.  The Federal government is providing the vaccine free of charge to people living in the United States. We will continue to aggressively prosecute these fraudsters who seek to prey on unsuspecting residents and their families.”

“Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Use extreme caution on the internet, especially as it relates to COVID-19 treatments, vaccines, or financial relief,” said Special Agent in Charge James Mancuso. “Scams like the one alleged to have occurred here take advantage of people’s desire to protect themselves and their families and collect personal information that may be used for nefarious purposes.”

According to the affidavit filed in support of the seizures, REGEN-COV2, developed by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for emergency use for the treatment of COVID-19 in November 2020.  The HSI Intellectual Property Rights Center (“IPRC”) and the HSI Cyber Crimes Center (“C3”) discovered an apparent fraudulent website, named “usaregenermedicals.com.”  A domain analysis conducted by an HSI Cyber Operations Officer (“COO”) indicated the subject domain name was created on January 21, 2021, by a registrar listed as NameCheap, Inc. located in Phoenix, Arizona. The COO also reviewed the subject domain name’s online content and found it displayed the name, address, and trademarked logos for Regeneron, as well as links or buttons that also appear on the official Regeneron website.  The COO found that the links and buttons on the fraudulent site did not function and the fraudulent site also displayed three individuals listed in the “Corporate Leaders” section that do not appear on the official Regeneron website. 

The “usaregenermedicals.com” website is the fifth such fraudulent site seeking to exploit the COVID-19 pandemic that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland and its law enforcement partners have seized and disrupted in recent months.  Other such efforts include:

On March 1, 2021, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland seized “remdesivirmx.com,” which purported to sell and distribute Remdesivir, an antiviral drug approved for the treatment of the COVID-19 virus, in Mexico.  However, the website was fraudulent and had been used to collect the personal information of individuals visiting the site, in order to use the information for nefarious purposes, including fraud, phishing attacks, and/or deployment of malware.

On January 15, 2021, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland seized a fraudulent replication of the website of a biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts that focuses on drug discovery, drug development, and vaccine technologies, including a vaccine for COVID-19.  The fake domain, “modernatx.shop,” included a link offering to sell COVID-19 vaccines.  Three men were subsequently charged with a scheme to allegedly sell purported COVID-19 vaccines.

On December 18, 2020, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland seized two domain names, “mordernatx.com” and “regeneronmedicals.com,” which purported to be the websites of actual biotechnology companies developing treatments for the COVID-19 virus, but appear to have instead been used to collect the personal information of individuals visiting the sites.

The seizure of these five sites by the government has prevented third parties from acquiring the names and using them to commit additional crimes, as well as prevented third parties from continuing to access the fraudulent sites in their present form.

Federal law enforcement agencies are united in our efforts to fight against COVID-19 fraud.  HSI has identified tips to recognize and report COVID-19 fraud.  If you believe you are a victim of a fraud or attempted fraud involving COVID-19, you may also call the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or for more information visit justice.gov/coronavirus.    

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended HSI for its work in these investigations.  Mr. Lenzner recognized the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection and the Baltimore County Police Department for their assistance and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron S.J. Zelinsky and Sean R. Delaney, who are handling the case.

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Baltimore, Maryland - Mathew Palmer, age 44, of Severna Park, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to the distribution of child pornography.  At the time of the conduct, Palmer held positions with the Maryland state government, including as Deputy Legislative Officer for the Maryland Governor’s Office and Chief Operating Officer with the Maryland Department of Commerce.

The guilty plea was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; 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.

“The exploitation of children is a serious threat and problem that has grown over the course of the pandemic,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan Lenzner.  “Individuals like Palmer who trade and possess this illegal material online are essentially facilitating an underground criminal market.  This case should serve as a reminder that law enforcement will pursue anyone who endangers children, and that no one is above the law.”

“No crime affects us more deeply than the sexual abuse of innocent children. Those who trade exploitative material participate in and perpetuate that abuse,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge James Mancuso. “HSI will utilize all available resources and authorities to investigate and seek prosecution of those who harm and exploit children.”

According to his plea agreement, investigators at HSI received reports from an instant messenger application advising that multiple accounts using similar usernames, that all included “anonjohnny” as part of the name, had uploaded at least one image of child pornography or child-sensitive material between April 2019 and September 2019.  Each time the application detected the child exploitative material, it shut down the offending account.

Investigation revealed that the same Internet Protocol address (IP address) was used to access the five “anonjohnny” accounts and was serviced by the same cellular service provider registered under Palmer’s  phone number, e-mail address, and home address in Severna Park, Maryland.   The records showed that the messaging application account had also been accessed by IP addresses that resolved to the State of Maryland, demonstrating that the user was accessing the materials from state government Internet services.

On August 11, 2020, investigators executed a search warrant at Palmer’s residence in Severna Park and seized several electronic devices, including Palmer’s laptop and personal cell phone.  Palmer’s cell phone was also linked to his office e-mail address.   Palmer’s phone was logged into a new “anonjohnny” account on the instant messaging application.  Palmer admitted that he used this account to engage in chats with several other users concerning child exploitation.

For example, in a conversation with one user, in his very first message Palmer said, “Hi I have naughty thoughts about my teen daughters.”  Palmer then sent the user images of two minor girls whom Palmer represented were his daughters.  In fact, these minor children were not Palmer’s children.  In a conversation with a second user, Palmer stated that his preference was for children aged eight and up.  Palmer again sent pictures of two minor girls, falsely representing to the second user that they were his own daughters.

At least 936 images and 368 videos of child pornography were found on Palmer's cell phone, including prepubescent minors; child pornography involving toddlers; and child pornography involving bondage and other sadistic acts.

In addition to possessing hundreds of images and videos constituting child pornography, Palmer admitted that he both received and distributed child pornography.  Palmer had an application on his phone which is used to send covert and encrypted messages.  Palmer possessed two additional videos of child pornography on that application, and the evidence showed that Palmer used that application to distribute a video of child pornography to a chat group of 58 people.  Palmer's phone also included several links under the “notes” section to active child pornographic websites. 

As detailed in his plea agreement, Palmer will be required to register as a sex offender where he resides, is an employee, and is a student pursuant to the sex offender registration and nonfiction act (SORNA).

Palmer faces a minimum mandatory sentence of five years in prison and a maximum of twenty years in prison for distribution of child pornography.  U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher has not yet scheduled sentencing.

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.         

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended HSI and the Maryland State Police for their work in the investigation.  Acting U.S. Attorney Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel A. Loveland, Jr., who is prosecuting the federal case.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has indicted Jacky Lynn McComber, formerly Jacky Lynn Kimmel age 48, of Elkridge, Maryland, on the federal charges of submitting false claims and making false statements, in connection with the hours she claimed to have worked on a federal contract.  McComber is the CEO and owner of InfoTeK, an information technology (IT) services corporation.  At her initial appearance and arraignment today in U.S. District Court in Baltimore, McComber pleaded not guilty and U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas M. DiGirolamo ordered that she be released pending trial.  The indictment was returned on February 25, 2021.

The indictment was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Robert P. Storch, Inspector General of the National Security Agency; and Special Agent in Charge Chris Dillard of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service - Mid-Atlantic Field Office.

The National Security Agency (NSA) is a component of the United States Department of Defense.  According to the indictment, from July 2011 until February 2018, the NSA had an ongoing contract, known as the Ironbridge contract, with InfoTeK to provide maintenance and enhancement support for the information technology and software requirements of the NSA’s National Security Operations Center (NSOC) and the Counter Terrorism Mission Management Center (CTMMC).  Because the subject matter of these contracts involved classified information, all of the work had to be performed at secure, access-controlled locations.  McComber was therefore required to be physically present at her assigned duty locations to do her work. InfoTeK billed the NSA on a monthly basis for the hours worked by its employees and contractors.

According to the 20-count indictment, the Ironbridge contract required InfoTeK to identify a Program Manager (PM) who would be responsible for overseeing InfoTeK’s performance of its contractual obligations and serving as InfoTeK’s point of contact with government officials.  From 2011 to 2013, several individuals, including McComber, served as the PM on the Ironbridge contract.  Starting in the summer of 2013, Individual A held the position of Senior Program Manager on the Ironbridge contract, until she was replaced by McComber in mid-March 2016.  McComber held the position through September 2017.  The indictment alleges that for 17 months, beginning in mid-March 2016 when McComber took over the PM position, she billed an average of 144 hours per month to the NSA for her supposed work.  In all, between March 14, 2016 and September 8, 2017, InfoTeK billed NSA for 2,603.5 hours of work on the Ironbridge contract allegedly performed by McComber in her role as Senior Program Manager.  NSA paid these charges in full, at a total cost of $388,878.78.

The indictment alleges that a subsequent review and comparison by the NSA OIG in the fall of 2017 of McComber’s NSA key card with the time InfoTeK billed for her work on the Ironbridge contracts established that McComber was not present at her duty station for 2,342.5 (90%) of the 2.603.5 hours she had recorded on her timesheets and that InfoTeK subsequently billed to NSA.  In addition to allegedly not being physically present at the worksite for the vast majority of hours she billed to the Ironbridge contract, the indictment alleges that McComber did not work the number of hours on the Ironbridge contract that she recorded on her timesheet.  For example, the indictment alleges that on occasions when McComber billed a full eight-hour day to the Ironbridge contract, she participated in charity events, attended her high school reunion,  vacationed in Texas and in Ocean City, Maryland, and performed other business development efforts on behalf of InfoTeK that were unrelated to the Ironbridge contract.  As a result of McComber’s alleged false claims as to the time she worked on the Ironbridge contract between April 2016 and September 2017, the indictment alleges that NSA substantially overpaid InfoTeK.

Finally, the indictment alleges that on October 3, 2017, McComber participated in a voluntary interview with NSA OIG investigators concerning allegations that she had charged the government for hours that she did not actually work.  McComber allegedly falsely claimed that she did not falsely fill out her timesheet or put any false information on it.  

If convicted, McComber faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each of 19 counts of submitting false claims and for one count of making false statements.  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. 

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the National Security Agency Office of Inspector General and DCIS for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jefferson M. Gray and Joyce K. McDonald, who are prosecuting the case.

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A Maryland tax return preparer pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to defraud the United States and aiding in the preparation of a false tax return.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Anita Fortune, 56, of Upper Marlboro, provided return preparation services under multiple business names, including Tax Terminatorz Inc. Fortune prepared and filed returns using co-conspirators’ electronic filing identification numbers and identifiers, which they provided in exchange for fees and office space. For the tax years 2011 to 2018, Fortune and her associates fraudulently reduced their clients’ tax liabilities and increased their refunds by adding fictitious or inflated itemized deductions and business losses to the clients’ returns. In total, Fortune caused a tax loss to the IRS of $189,748.

Fortune is scheduled to be sentenced on June 4, 2021, and faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for the conspiracy count and three years for the preparing a false return count. Fortune also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan Lenzner for the District of Maryland made the announcement.

The IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

Trial Attorney Kathryn Sparks of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah Grossi are prosecuting the case.

Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury has indicted the owner and operator of a purported pain management clinic, as well as two nurse practitioners who were employed at the clinic, on the federal charges for conspiracy to distribute and dispense oxycodone and for distribution and dispensing of oxycodone.  Charged in the indictment are:

Joyce Shawanda Edwards, age 45, of Largo, Maryland;

Justina Aburime, age 53, of Bowie, Maryland; and

Thomas Charles Johnson, Jr., age 56, of Baltimore, Maryland.

The indictment was returned on March 3, 2021 and unsealed today at the initial appearances of the defendants.

The indictment was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; 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 the eight-count indictment, from February 2017 to February 2020, Joyce Shawanda Edwards owned and operated Personal Touch Medical Spa, LLP (“PTMS”), formerly known as Holistic Health and Wellness Medical Spa LLP, a purported “pain management” clinic located in Largo, Maryland, which the indictment alleges was, in reality, a “pill mill.”   A pill mill is a health care provider’s office, clinic, or health care facility that routinely prescribes and dispenses controlled substances outside the scope of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose.  According to the indictment, Justina Aburime was a nurse practitioner who worked at PTMS from February 2017, until she left in August 2018, at which time Thomas Charles Johnson, Jr., who was also a nurse practitioner, began working at PTMS.  Aburime and Johnson were both authorized to prescribe controlled substances for legitimate medical purposes and in the course of professional practice. 

Specifically, the indictment alleges that Edwards, Aburime, and Johnson distributed and dispensed oxycodone that was not prescribed for a medical purpose or in the usual course of professional practice.  Edwards typically charged customers who came to PTMS a fee of $280 for an initial visit and $250 for any subsequent visit.  Although Edwards, Aburime, and Johnson allegedly required customers of PTMS to provide certain paperwork, generally a magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”) report, a prescription history, and a “plan of care” purportedly signed by the customer’s primary care physician, to include in the customer’s patient file to support a false claim that there was a legitimate medical need for the prescription of oxycodone, the indictment alleges that the conspirators prescribed oxycodone even when the medical records revealed that there was no legitimate medical need for the prescription.  The conspirators allegedly directed customers to physical therapy and provided massages to create the false appearance that PTMS provided other treatment options to controlled substances.   

The indictment alleges that Aburime and Johnson pre-signed blank prescriptions, allowing Edwards to issue prescriptions for oxycodone under their names.  Further, the indictment alleges that even though Edwards was not authorized to prescribe controlled substances, she wrote and issued prescriptions for oxycodone using blank prescriptions that Edwards signed under the name of a nurse practitioner.  Edwards allegedly issued prescriptions for controlled substances at times when a nurse practitioner was not present and did not see the patient, including on dates when Aburime and Johnson were out of town.  Edwards, Aburime, and Johnson also allegedly: conducted cursory, incomplete, and inadequate medical examinations; prescribed controlled substances on the basis of diagnoses that were not corroborated by the medical record; increased the customer’s dosage over time without a medical justification; falsified urine drug test results for customers receiving oxycodone prescriptions; and permitted the customer to determine the drug type and dosage, rather than prescribing controlled substances according to legitimate medical need.  

The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of approximately $278,951.72, seized on July 11, 2019, after the execution of seizure warrants on bank accounts held in the name of Personal Touch Medical Spa, LLP. 

If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of 20 years for the conspiracy and for each count of distribution and dispensing of controlled substances.  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.

The defendants had an initial appearance today in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt and were ordered to be released under the supervision of U.S. Pretrial Services pending trial.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. 

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the DEA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General for their work in the investigation and thanked the Charles County Sheriff’s Office, the Prince George’s County Police Department, the Virginia State Police, and the Metropolitan Police Department for their assistance.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica C. Collins and Elizabeth Wright, who are prosecuting the case.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – Anita Fortune, age 56, of Alexandria, Virginia, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to defraud the United States and to assisting in the preparation and filing of false tax returns.    

The guilty plea was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division; and Special Agent in Charge Kelly R. Jackson of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.

According to her guilty plea, Fortune was convicted of wire fraud in 2007 resulting in her Internal Revenue System (IRS) e-filing privileges being revoked.  Following her release from prison, co-conspirator 2 agreed to allow Fortune to use co-conspirator 2’s unique electronic filing identifiers, in exchange for a fee of $29 per tax return.  Beginning in 2012, Fortune and co-conspirator 2 agreed to operate a business that would allow Fortune to misrepresent her identity on the clients’ tax returns by using co-conspirator 2’s identifiers to prepare and electronically file client tax returns with the IRS.  In August 2015, the IRS expelled co-conspirator 2 from its electronic tax return filing program due to a criminal investigation into fraudulent tax returns filed with co-conspirator 2’s unique identifiers.  At that time co-conspirator 3, who was also participating in the IRS’s electronic tax return filing program agreed to allow Fortune and co-conspirator 2 to use co-conspirator 3’s unique identifiers in exchange for the use of Fortune and co-conspirator 2’s shared office space in Temple Hills, Maryland. 

Fortune and co-conspirator 2 misrepresented their identities on their clients’ tax returns by using co-conspirator 3’s identifiers to prepare and electronically file the tax returns with the IRS. Co-conspirator 3 also joined in Fortune and co-conspirator 2’s practice of falsifying tax returns and fraudulently claiming refunds.  Specifically, Fortune, co-conspirator 2, and co-conspirator 3 falsified tax returns by: fabricating, inflating, and improperly claiming deductions on the Schedules A that were attached to clients’ federal individual income tax returns; and engineering business losses by fabricating, inflating, and improperly claiming purported business expenses.  As a result, Fortune, co-conspirator 2, and co-conspirator 3 artificially lowered their clients’ taxable income, thereby lowering the taxes that the clients owed to the IRS and inflating their refunds.

On December 15, 2017, co-conspirator 3 was also expelled from the IRS’s electronic tax return filing program due to a criminal investigation into fraudulent tax returns filed using co-co-conspirator 3’s unique identifiers.  Co-conspirator 3 then misled a third-party electronic return originator (“ERO”) about the criminal nature of her issues with the IRS in order to obtain their assistance.  The ERO allowed co-conspirator 3 to file tax returns using its unique identifiers, which co-conspirator 3 shared with Fortune and co-conspirator 2.  Using the ERO’s identifiers, Fortune and her co-conspirators continued to prepare and file fraudulent federal tax returns through at least April 2019.

In total, the tax loss caused to the IRS as a direct result of Fortune and her co-conspirators’ conspiracy for the tax years 2012 through 2018 was $189,748.  As part of her plea agreement, Fortune will be required to pay restitution in the full amount of the loss, which the parties stipulate is at least $189,748.

Fortune faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for the conspiracy and three years in federal prison for aiding and assisting in the preparation and filing of false tax returns.  U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm has scheduled sentencing for June 4, 2021 at 10:00 a.m.

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the IRS-Criminal Investigation for its work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah Grossi and Trial Attorney Kathryn Sparks of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III today sentenced David Robinson, age 51, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 171 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for the federal charges of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and alprazolam and for murder for hire.  Robinson, formerly a licensed pharmacist who owned and operated the Frankford Family Pharmacy, located in the 5400 block of Sinclair Lane in Baltimore pleaded guilty on October 10, 2018, to a federal drug conspiracy involving the distribution of oxycodone and alprazolam outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose.  On December 17, 2020, Robinson pleaded guilty to a federal charge of murder for hire, admitting that he ordered a “hit” on the person he believed had cooperated with law enforcement that led to his indictment on those charges.  Robinson’s pharmacist license was suspended on August 7, 2017.

The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon, Office of Investigations, Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; and Secretary Robert L. Green of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.

“Pharmacists who divert pharmaceutical drugs for illegal purposes further the tragic cycle of addiction and the epidemic of opioid overdose deaths,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner.  “David Robinson not only betrayed the trust placed in him by diverting drugs in order to line his own pockets, he then attempted to have the person killed whom he believed had reported his abuses.  We have zero tolerance for any effort to intimidate or retaliate against witnesses.”

According to Robinson’s plea agreement for the drug distribution conspiracy, a confidential source (CS-1) advised law enforcement that the pharmacist at Frankford Family Pharmacy knowingly filled fraudulent prescriptions for alprazolam and oxycodone at the pharmacy.  During the DEA’s investigation, between January and July 2016, the confidential source made a number of controlled purchases from Robinson at the pharmacy, using blank prescriptions provided to the source by DEA.  Robinson knew that the prescriptions were fraudulent because he told the confidential source what name to use on the prescriptions and what quantity of oxycodone tablets to write on the prescriptions.  Robinson also told the source to include non-controlled medications on the same prescriptions in order to evade law enforcement.  Between April 2015 and June 2017, Robinson fraudulently distributed approximately 12,330 units of alprazolam and 10,000 milligrams of oxycodone.

On June 22, 2017, a federal grand jury in Maryland indicted Robinson for a drug conspiracy involving the distribution of oxycodone and alprazolam.  Robinson was arrested on June 27, 2017 and was released from custody on June 29, 2017, under the supervision of U.S. Pretrial Services. On October 10, 2018, Robinson pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone and alprazolam and one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute oxycodone and alprazolam.  Robinson was allowed to continue on conditions of release until his sentencing, scheduled for February 15, 2019.

DEA investigators also learned that during Robinson’s tenure as a pharmacist working the night shift at a pharmacy in Waldorf, Maryland, Robinson also filled fraudulent prescriptions for oxycodone.  Robinson admitted that he wrote prescriptions using the names of prominent athletes provided to him as the purported patients.  Between September and December 2015, Robinson admitted that he dispensed at least 85,500 milligrams of oxycodone outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose.

On October 27, 2018, Baltimore City’s Citi-Watch camera system captured a drug transaction, which led to the arrest of an individual, CS-2.  A search of CS-2’s vehicle resulted in the recovery of two shoeboxes containing a total of 35 stock pharmacy bottles of the prescription medications promethazine and clonidine. 

CS-2 had obtained the prescription medications from David Robinson.  CS-2 had known Robinson for approximately three years, and had previously purchased oxycodone, Xanax, clonidine, and promethazine from Robinson at the Frankford Family Pharmacy.  After the search warrant was executed at Robinson’s pharmacy on June 27, 2017, Robinson began providing CS-2 with boxes of medications in exchange for cash without requiring a prescription.  Robinson continued to sell promethazine and clonidine and six months after the raid, Robinson was still ordering pills from his vendors.  

As detailed in his plea agreement for the murder for hire, following his arrest in 2017, Robinson told CS-2 about an individual that Robinson believed had cooperated with law enforcement and led to his arrest (i.e., CS-1).  CS-2 and Robinson had a discussion about CS-1 being killed.  After some time, the two agreed to have CS-1 killed.  Robinson provided CS-2 with some information about CS-1.  CS-2 told Robinson that he/she knew someone that could do a “hit” on CS-1.  CS-2 told Robinson that the fee would be $5,000 up front and $5,000 when CS-l was killed.  

Robinson admitted that from December 13, 2018 through February 7, 2019, CS-2 made three controlled purchases of drugs from Robinson, at the direction of law enforcement, using cash provided by DEA agents.  CS-2 purchased a total of 118 stock pharmacy bottles of clonidine, each containing 100 tablets; and 24 stock pharmacy bottles of 50 mg promethazine tablets, with each bottle containing 100 tablets.  Robinson did not request, nor did CS-2 provide, a prescription for any of the drugs.

During a controlled purchase on January 24, 2019, CS-2 and Robinson discussed the murder of CS-1 (which was audio-recorded).  During this conversation, they discussed a $5,000 fee that had already been paid to the hitman, and that an associate of the hitman had information about the location of CS-1.  The associate wanted an additional $3,000 to be paid to him/her in order to provide CS-1’s location to the hitman.  Robinson was upset over this additional fee required to identify the location and accomplish the murder of CS-1 and did not agree to pay the additional fee.  On February 4, 2019, CS-2 sent a text message to Robinson’s cell phone advising that he had provided the additional $3,000 in order to obtain CS-1’s address. 

On February 14, 2019, CS-2 called Robinson and told Robinson that the murder was done and that the hitman would want his money.  CS-2 then met with Robinson, who provided CS-2 with $2,000.  CS-2 put the cash in his pocket and Robinson asked CS-2 for proof that the murder had been completed.  CS-2 showed Robinson several fake photos in which it appeared that CS-l had been bound with zip ties, shot several times, and killed.  After the meeting, law enforcement arrested Robinson.

Robinson will also forfeit items seized on June 27, 2017 during the execution of search warrants at his residence, the Frankford Family Pharmacy, his vehicle, and a safe deposit box rented by Robinson.  These include: $159,862 in cash from Robinson’s home; $46,927 in a briefcase, blank prescriptions, a prescription pad, and a loaded 9mm pistol from Robinson’s car; $60,486 in cash, an AR-15 rifle with a magazine, several boxes of ammunition for the rifle from the pharmacy; and $25,041 in cash, $4,500 in gold coins, and $1,010 in silver coins from the safe deposit box.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the DEA, HHS OIG, the Baltimore Police Department, and the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services for their terrific work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth S. Clark and Samika N. Boyd, who are prosecuting the case.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury today returned an indictment charging Travis Joseph Crawford, age 33, of Edgewood, Maryland, for production and possession of child pornography and for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. 

The indictment was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey R. Gahler; and Colonel Woodrow W. Jones III, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police.

According to the five-count indictment and other court documents, Harford County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Crawford at a residence in Edgewood, Maryland, based on a warrant issued for Crawford by Maryland State Police for firearm related offenses.  At that time, law enforcement also recovered a fully-loaded .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol.  During the investigation, a witness advised law enforcement that Crawford had videos on his cell phone depicting Crawford sexually touching a 13-year-old girl, Jane Doe, while the girl appeared to be asleep. 

As detailed in court documents, law enforcement seized the phone, which was in Crawford’s possession.  A search warrant subsequently executed on the phone revealed three sexually explicit videos allegedly involving Jane Doe, all of which appeared to be recorded without her knowledge or permission.  The indictment also alleges that at the time of his arrest, Crawford on his phone possessed visual depictions of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  Finally, the indictment alleges that Crawford was previously convicted of a felony and therefore was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

If convicted, Crawford faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for each of three counts of production of child pornography; a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for possession of child pornography; and a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for illegal possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.  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 initial appearance will be scheduled in U.S. District Court in Baltimore.  Crawford remains detained on related federal charges.

If convicted, Crawford will also be required to register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). 

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.         

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended HSI, ATF, the Maryland State Police, and the Harford County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow, who is prosecuting the federal case.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow today sentenced Roslyn Wedington, age 50, of Rosedale, Maryland, to two years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, on the federal charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States and for five counts of filing false tax returns. Judge Chasanow also ordered Wedington to pay restitution of $121,592.50.

The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Kelly R. Jackson of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.

“Roslyn Wedington went to great lengths to avoid paying the taxes she owed,” said Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner. “When criminals cheat the IRS, they are also stealing from all of us as taxpayers.  As we head into tax season, let Ms. Wedington’s case and prison sentence be reminders to everyone about the consequences of tax fraud.” 

“Roslyn Wedington tried to cheat the government and was caught,” said Jennifer C. Boone, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore field office. “People who file fraudulent tax returns are committing a crime and, as the sentence today shows, risking serious jail time. The FBI and our law enforcement partners are committed to rooting out violations of the law."

“Wedington engaged in a scheme to receive a salary free of tax withholdings, yet that was not enough for her.  Wedington continued her fraudulent behavior by submitting false income tax returns to the IRS, furthering her efforts to avoid paying taxes,” said Special Agent in Charge Kelly R. Jackson. “The prosecution of individuals, such as Wedington, is vital to maintaining confidence and compliance with our tax laws. Tax fraud investigations remain the core of our agency’s law enforcement efforts.”

According to Wedington’s plea agreement, she was a full-time salaried employee of the Maryland Center for Adult Training, Inc. (MCAT) from 2009 through 2019, initially serving as MCAT’s student coordinator and in 2012 becoming the organization’s Executive Director.  MCAT was a non-profit entity that provided training and employment certifications for jobs in the healthcare field.  MCAT represented itself to be a private career school accredited by the Maryland Higher Education Commission and the Maryland Board of Nursing.  MCAT was an approved “Eligible Training Provider” (ETP) and its name appeared on the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation’s Eligible Training Provider List.  As a recognized ETP, MCAT received federal funds, as well as funding from private philanthropic organizations, such as the Abell Foundation and Associated Black Charities.  In 2015, former Baltimore City employee Gary Brown, Jr. became Chairman of MCAT’s Board of Directors and obtained signatory authority on MCAT’s bank account.

Wedington admitted that she conspired with Gary Brown to avoid tax withholdings from her payroll checks while Wedington was the Executive Director of MCAT and Brown was the Chairman of the Board of Directors.  Specifically, in 2013, Wedington’s salary was garnished due to outstanding student loan debt and medical bills.  In order to avoid further garnishments, Wedington asked Brown to take her “off payroll,” which meant that MCAT would no longer submit her name to the payroll service provider for the purpose of calculating taxes to be withheld from her salary.  Brown agreed to the arrangement and had MCAT make electronic deposits into his personal bank account in an amount that exceeded the annual salary owed to Wedington, creating the pretense that he was doing work for MCAT as an independent contractor.  Brown then wrote checks to Wedington and/or gave her cash equal to or greater than her salary, which was more than $80,000 per year.  No taxes were withheld from the funds Brown paid to Wedington, nor did Wedington’s salary go through her bank account, where it could be garnished. 

In addition, Wedington admitted that she paid Brown a small fee to prepare fraudulent tax returns for her for tax years 2013 through 2017.  The fraudulent tax returns did not report Wedington’s MCAT income and made a variety of false entries, resulting in refunds to which Wedington was not entitled and avoiding over $121,000 in total taxes due and owing. 

Former Baltimore City employee Gary Brown, Jr., age 38, of Baltimore, was previously sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts of conspiracy to defraud the United States, and for filing a false tax return.  Judge Chasanow also ordered Brown to pay restitution of $14,000.

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the FBI and the IRS Criminal Investigation for their work in the investigation and thanked the U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations - Labor Racketeering and Fraud, the Maryland State Prosecutor’s Office, and the Baltimore City Office of Inspector General for their assistance.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Martin J. Clarke and Leo J. Wise, who are prosecuting the case.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett today sentenced Peter Na’Shon Greer, age 42, of Laurel, Maryland, to six years in federal prison, followed by 25 years of supervised release, for distribution of child pornography.  Judge Bennett also ordered that, upon his release from prison, Greer 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 Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner and Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore.

According to his guilty plea, Greer has been involved in the receipt and distribution of child pornography, specifically, as a member and then administrator of an online chat group that focused on the sexual exploitation of children. During the time of the offense, Greer was employed as a middle school special education aide.

In August 2018, investigators from the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began an investigation into a chat group on an online mobile application. The investigation revealed that users in the chat group were distributing child pornography, posting messages or commenting on child pornography images or videos, and expressing a sexual interest in children.  Greer was a member of this chat group and posted video files of child pornography on at least four occasions in March and April 2019.  Between March and June 10, 2019, Greer also posted comments on sexually explicit videos documenting the sexual abuse of children and responded to comments posted by other members of the chat group.  

In June 2019, the chat group was shut down by the application. Shortly thereafter, the chat group started again under a different name and Greer again joined the chat group.  On August 1, 2019, a search warrant was executed at Greer’s residence. During the search, investigator’s seized Greer’s mobile phone, which was subsequently found to have the chat group application in a hidden folder, protected by a password.

As detailed in his plea agreement, Greer admitted that he distributed child pornography and that he was an administrator of the chat group, as well as of other sexually based chat groups, including those dedicated to BDSM and incest.  Further, Greer advised that he is part of a group of people who pretend to be minors online, as a form of role playing.

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.         

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended HSI for its work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow, who prosecuted the case.

# # #

Greenbelt, Maryland – Ricco Darnell Taylor, age 32, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to manufacturing and passing counterfeit currency.    

The guilty plea was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner and Special Agent in Charge Matthew S. Miller of the United States Secret Service - Washington Field Office.

According to his guilty plea, from at least 2017 to December 2019, Ricco Darnell Taylor, conspired with others, including co-defendants Keara Davis and Deon Jones, to manufacture and pass counterfeit currency.  Taylor manufactured the counterfeit currency using a printer at his home.  Taylor gave the counterfeit currency to his co-conspirators or occasionally sold it.  Taylor and his co-conspirators took the counterfeit currency to retailers in the area, where they used it to purchase merchandise.  The conspirators subsequently returned the merchandise and received genuine currency.

During a search warrant executed by law enforcement on March 23, 2018, at the residence Taylor and Davis shared, officers recovered cell phones, three counterfeit $100 bills, gift cards, receipts from a victim retailer, linen copy paper, a printer, a scale and baggies, two shell casings, and a .38-caliber revolver.  The linen copy paper was a type commonly used in counterfeit operations and subsequent testing by the United States Secret Service established that the ink contained in the printer’s ink cartridge was indistinguishable from ink analyzed from various counterfeit notes in this case. 

The Secret Service collected evidence from dozens of instances in which Taylor and his co-conspirators passed counterfeit currency.  For example, on June 19, 2019 Taylor purchased one package of diapers for $26.49 using one counterfeit $100 bill.  The next day, Taylor returned the diapers, as well as some items purchased by Jones, in exchange for genuine currency.  The Secret Service recovered eight counterfeit $100 bills used by Taylor and his co-conspirators during transactions on June 19, 2019, as well as video recordings and receipts reflecting their criminal activity. 

On July 26, 2019 and October 10, 2019, officers conducted traffic stops on vehicles operated by Taylor.  In the first instance, Taylor attempted to run away, but was apprehended.  His vehicle was then searched, and officers recovered 18 counterfeit $100 bills, as well as Taylor’s cell phone, which contained text messages indicative of passing counterfeit bills.  In the second instance, Taylor again ran away and attempted to discard counterfeit currency into a trash can.  Law enforcement searched the trash can and recovered 13 cut counterfeit $100 bills displaying the same serial number, 27 pages of uncut $20 bills displaying three repeating serial numbers, and a key to the vehicle from which Taylor fled.  Taylor’s fingerprints were subsequently found on the first three pages of the uncut counterfeit $20 bills.

In total, Taylor and his co-conspirators are responsible for passing between $95,000 and $150,000 in counterfeit currency.  As part of his plea agreement, Taylor will be required to pay restitution in the full amount of the victims’ losses, which the parties agree is at least $95,000.

Taylor faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for conspiracy to pass counterfeit currency and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for manufacturing counterfeit currency.  U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has scheduled sentencing for June 4, 2021 at 2:30 p.m.

Deon Kelsey Jones, age 30, of Temple Hills, Maryland, and Keara Unique Davis, age 29, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy.  Judge Chuang has scheduled sentencing for Jones on March 23, 2021, and for Davis on June 2, 2021.  Charges remain pending against a third co-defendant.

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the U.S. Secret Service for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Morgan Michael and Dana J. Brusca, who are prosecuting the case.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III sentenced Cephus Albert Powell, age 54, of Baltimore, today to 188 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, after Powell pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.  

The guilty plea and sentence were announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone 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 Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner stated, “All too often, guns and drugs go hand in hand—and we are committed to getting both off of our streets and to reducing violent crime in Baltimore.  As an armed career criminal who possessed a gun, Cephus Powell now faces nearly 16 years in federal prison, where there is no parole.  Please, put down the guns and save a life—maybe even your own.”

“Guns and drugs take far too many lives in our communities, and Cephus Powell was contributing to the devastating impact of both in Baltimore City,” said Jennifer C. Boone, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to disrupt and dismantle criminal drug operations.”

According to Powell’s guilty plea, in April 2019, law enforcement officers were investigating drug trafficking activity in the 1400 block of Mosher Street and installed a covert camera to monitor the area.  Between April 23 and April 29, 2019, law enforcement observed Powell conduct suspected hand-to-hand drug transactions in this area.  Powell followed the same basic pattern each day:  He arrived to the location in the morning using a ride service, then placed a white bag inside the first-floor window of a vacant rowhouse at 1417 W. Mosher Street.  Powell conducted what investigators believed were hand-to-hand drug transactions using a large white Styrofoam cup to store the suspected narcotics.

As detailed in his plea agreement, on April 30, 2019, law enforcement officers were watching the covert camera and saw Powell engage in what they believed to be a hand-to-hand drug transaction.  At approximately 7:20 a.m., moments after they observed the suspected drug transaction, law enforcement officers located and detained Powell, retrieving his Styrofoam cup, which he had placed in a nearby trash can.  Inside the cup, investigators seized 23 red and clear gelcaps, each containing a mixture of heroin and fentanyl; 20 clear top vials each containing crack cocaine; and 13 green top vials containing cocaine.  Powell also had $2,161 in cash on his person.  Investigators then looked inside the window of the vacant rowhouse at 1417 W. Mosher Street and retrieved a white bag.  Inside the bag was a .40-caliber handgun, loaded with seven live rounds; 230 red and white gelcaps containing a mixture of heroin and fentanyl; two knotted plastic bags each containing crack cocaine; 46 clear top vials each containing crack cocaine; 20 green top vials each containing cocaine; and a digital scale.

Subsequent DNA analysis conducted pursuant to a federal search warrant confirmed that the handgun contained Powell’s DNA.  A review of the video footage from the covert camera revealed that, at approximately 6:45 a.m., Powell had opened the front window at 1417 W. Mosher Street and placed a white bag inside.

In total, law enforcement recovered approximately 96 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl; 20 grams of crack cocaine; and three grams of cocaine.  Powell admitted that he possessed the drugs with the intent to distribute them.  Powell further admitted that he had a previous felony conviction which he knew prohibited him from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  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.

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the FBI Strike Force Group, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, the DEA, and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Anatoly Smolkin, who is prosecuting the case.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland has seized “remdesivirmx.com,” which purported to sell and distribute Remdesivir, an antiviral drug approved for the treatment of the COVID-19 virus, in Mexico.  However, the website was fraudulent and instead appears to have been used to collect the personal information of individuals visiting the site, in order to use the information for nefarious purposes, including fraud, phishing attacks, and/or deployment of malware.  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.

The seizure of the domain name was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner and Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations - Baltimore.

“I urge citizens to remain vigilant.  Don’t provide personal information or click on websites or links contained in unsolicited e-mails.  Don’t become a victim,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner. “My office and the entire law enforcement community will continue to do everything possible to bring to justice fraudsters who prey on citizens during this unprecedented public health crisis.” 

“This is the fourth COVID-related website seizure in Maryland and clearly demonstrates that fraudsters are motivated and actively trying to take advantage of Marylanders during a challenging time,” said Special Agent in Charge James Mancuso.  “Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.  Use extreme caution on the internet, especially as it relates to COVID-19 treatments, vaccines, or financial relief.”

According to the affidavit filed in support of the seizures, Remdesivir, developed by Gilead Sciences, Inc. and marketed under the brand name Veklury, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of COVID-19 in October 2020.  The HSI Intellectual Property Rights Center (“IPRC”) and the HSI Cyber Crimes Center (“C3”) discovered an apparent fraudulent website, named “remdesivirmx.com.”  A domain analysis conducted by an HSI Cyber Operations Officer (“COO”) indicated the subject domain name was created on February 4, 2021, through a company located in Lithuania, with no personal information for the registrar listed.  The COO also reviewed the subject domain name’s online content and found it displayed the name and trademarked logos for Gilead and contained an incorrect spelling of Remdesivir.  The contact information presented by the subject domain name listed a Mexican telephone number and an address associated with a Mexican telemarketing website.

The “remdesivirmx.com” website is the fourth such fraudulent site seeking to exploit the COVID-19 pandemic that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland has seized and disrupted in recent months.  Other such efforts include:

On January 15, 2021, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland seized a fraudulent replication of the website of a biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts that focuses on drug discovery, drug development, and vaccine technologies, including a vaccine for COVID-19.  The fake domain, modernatx.shop, included a link offering to sell COVID-19 vaccines.  Three men were subsequently charged with a scheme to allegedly sell purported COVID-19 vaccines.

On December 18, 2020, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland seized two domain names, “mordernatx.com” and “regeneronmedicals.com,” which purported to be the websites of actual biotechnology companies developing treatments for the COVID-19 virus, but appear to have instead been used to collect the personal information of individuals visiting the sites.

The seizure of these four sites by the government has prevented third parties from acquiring the names and using them to commit additional crimes, as well as prevented third parties from continuing to access the fraudulent sites in their present form.

Federal law enforcement agencies are united in our efforts to fight against COVID-19 fraud.  HSI has identified tips to recognize and report COVID-19 fraud.  If you believe you are a victim of a fraud or attempted fraud involving COVID-19, you may also call the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or for more information e-mail justice.gov/coronavirus.    

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended HSI for its work in these investigations.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron S.J. Zelinsky and Sean R. Delaney, who are handling the case.

# # #

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm today sentenced Christopher Andrew Smith, age 31, of Beltsville, Maryland, to 18 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for involuntary manslaughter, reckless driving, driving without a license, and failure to place a child in a safety seat, in connection with a fatal car crash on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway on February 5, 2018, in which a three-year-old child was killed.  A federal jury convicted Smith of those charges on January 29, 2020, after a two-day trial.

The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner and Chief of Police Pamela A. Smith of the U.S. Park Police.

According to trial testimony and court documents, on February 5, 2018, Smith drove a 2011 Nissan Altima on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway accompanied by a male passenger in the front seat and the passenger’s three-year-old daughter in the back seat.  An eyewitness reported that Smith was driving at a high rate of speed when he attempted to pass the witness’s vehicle on the right shoulder, near the exit for Route 198.  Smith lost control of the vehicle on the shoulder then swerved into the left lane of the Parkway before crashing into a tree in the wooded median.  Smith was found partially ejected from the sunroof while the male passenger was found underneath the vehicle.  Both men sustained critical injuries and were evacuated by helicopter to hospitals for immediate treatment. The three-year-old girl was declared deceased at the scene.  She was not secured with a child’s safety seat or seatbelt. 

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the U.S. Park Police and the Anne Arundel County Fire Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hollis Raphael Weisman and Dwight Draughon, who prosecuted the federal case.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – A federal criminal complaint has been filed charging Donald Hildebrandt, age 51, of Bel Air, Maryland, with the possession and production of child pornography and obstruction of justice.  

The federal charges were announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Colonel Woodrow W. Jones III, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey R. Gahler; Lieutenant Paul Marziale of the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, Director of the Harford County Child Advocacy Center; and Harford County State’s Attorney Albert J. Peisinger, Jr.

Hildebrandt is a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) officer with the Baltimore City Police Department and is currently suspended without pay.  According to the criminal complaint, on October 18, 2020, law enforcement received a complaint that Donald Hildebrandt had been discovered in a room with a minor female with his erect penis exposed.  Another minor had reported the incident.  During an interview at the Harford County Child Advocacy Center (CAC), one of the minor victims disclosed that Hildebrandt exposed himself to her and demanded that she engage in sexually explicit conduct with him. 

As detailed in the affidavit, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Hildebrandt’s home on October 20, 2020 and seized several electronic devices.  A forensic examiner subsequently decrypted a file found on Hildebrandt’s laptop computer and discovered videos allegedly documenting the sexual abuse of a minor female.  Another nearly three-hour long video discovered on Hildebrandt’s laptop depicted a compilation of multiple instances of child sexual abuse, including prepubescent victims. Additionally, over 100 still shots believed to be derived from covert video recordings allegedly taken by Hildebrandt were uncovered by investigators.  The images included two minor female victims, including some images displaying their breasts and genitalia.

In January 2021, a witness informed investigators that Hildebrandt had reset his tablet.  A forensic review of the previously seized tablet showed signs consistent with a factory reset.  In Hildebrandt’s iCloud account, analysts also discovered a web address to an anonymous communication network within Hildebrandt’s notes application, which opened to a child pornography website.  The website allowed customers to anonymously purchase child pornography with cryptocurrency.  The site claimed to be a “safe zone for pedo folks.” 

If convicted, Hildebrandt faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for production of child pornography; a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for possession of child pornography; and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for obstruction of justice.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.  No date has been set for Hildebrandt’s initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Baltimore.  Hildebrandt remains detained on related state charges.

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.         

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended HSI, the Maryland State Police, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, the Harford County Child Advocacy Center, and the Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel A. Loveland, Jr., who is prosecuting the federal case.

# # #

Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal criminal complaint was filed late this afternoon charging Jeremiah Peter Watson, age 22, of Hyattsville, Maryland, with being a felon in possession of a firearm.  

The criminal complaint was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner and Acting Chief of Police Gregory T. Monahan of the U.S. Park Police.

According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, on the evening of February 25, 2021, a dark four-door sedan, with significant damage to the passenger front and side, pulled up to the gated entry of the Secret Service facility within the National Agricultural Research Center, which is federal property.  The driver of the vehicle was having a conversation on speaker on his cellular phone, which had a green case.  The driver got out of the car and approached the security guard in an aggressive manner.  Another security officer arrived to assist.  Despite being given verbal commands to stop, the driver continued to approach and the security officer deployed pepper spray at the driver.

As detailed in the affidavit, the driver returned to his vehicle and began to drive from the area.  Another security officer and a Secret Service Officer arrived to assist and the Secret Service Officer called the U.S. Park Police for further assistance.  The first security officer was able to see and report to the Park Police the license number of the vehicle.  The driver then made a U-turn and began to fire a handgun at the victims, who fled into the guard house, which has bullet-proof glass.  The driver made another U-turn and continued to fire at the victims through the passenger window of his car.  A subsequent search of the scene recovered three .9mm shell casings.

The affidavit alleges that Watson was identified as the registered owner of the vehicle and one of the victims identified a photo of Watson as the person who had shot at the victims.  Watson’s vehicle was located where he has been residing.  A federal search warrant was executed earlier today at the residence and on Watson’s vehicle.  Law enforcement recovered a .9mm handgun loaded with three .9mm rounds in the magazine and a fourth in the chamber from the vehicle.  From the trunk jamb law enforcement recovered three .9mm shell casings, allegedly similar to the shell casings recovered from the scene of the shooting.  When law enforcement executed the search warrant at the residence, Watson was present.  Law enforcement seized a cellular phone with a green case from Watson’s vicinity and Watson subsequently provided law enforcement with the access code for the phone.

If convicted, Watson faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for illegal possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.  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.  Watson is detained and is expected to have an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt on Monday, March 1, 2021, although no time has been formally set.

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 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.

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the U.S. Park Police for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Wright, who is prosecuting the case.

# # #

Greenbelt, Maryland – Olayinka Wahab, a/k/a Sulaimon Olayinka Wahab, age 45, of Bowie, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to copyright infringement in connection with his sale of counterfeit DVDs containing copyrighted works, including popular movies, television shows, and fitness programs.    

The guilty plea was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner and Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore.

According to his guilty plea, between May 2009 and May 2018, Wahab sold approximately 18,306 DVDs or DVD sets, with a total retail value of $315,761.44.  Wahab knowingly sold counterfeit DVDs containing copyrighted works belonging to ABC Studios/Disney, Anchor Bay Entertainment; Beachbody; Disney; Fox; HBO Home Entertainment; Lionsgate; MGM; Netflix; Paramount; Sony; Universal; and Warner Brothers.

In 2017, representatives from the Motion Picture Association (MPA) identified a seller on an Internet marketplace offering DVD movies for sale at a discount.  MPA purchased an item and analyzed the DVD upon receipt.  The packaging and labeling were substantially indistinguishable from the packaging and labeling found on legitimate copies of the movie.  The MPA was able to determine that the movie was counterfeit. Records obtained from the Internet marketplace revealed that this seller had made over 10,000 sales of DVD or Blu-Ray discs of popular movies, television shows, or fitness programs between August 2016 and April 2018.

Law enforcement officers, operating in an undercover capacity, subsequently conducted purchases from the seller, including DVD titles of “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Walking Dead,” “Grimm,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Peter Pan,” “The Lion King,” “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “The Fate of the Furious,” and “Finding Dory,” among others.  The DVDs purchased by the undercover officers were provided to MPA representatives for authentication and were determined to be counterfeit.  Law enforcement determined that Wahab was the individual selling the counterfeit items.

A search warrant was executed at Wahab’s residence and law enforcement seized two laptop computers, cellular phones, printers, and 589 counterfeit DVDs, all used by Wahab to commit copyright infringement.  Wahab also advised law enforcement that he purchased the counterfeit DVDs that he sold from China, because the prices were much lower than normal prices.

As part of his plea agreement, Wahab will be required to forfeit the items seized from his home during the search, as well as $20,243.25 in cash seized from several bank accounts, 0.65595896 bitcoins sized from a Coinbase account, and $230.40 seized from a PayPal account used by Wahab to facilitate copyright infringement. Wahab has also agreed to pay restitution for the full amount of the victims’ losses, which will be determined by the Court.

Wahab faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for copyright infringement.  U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis has scheduled sentencing for Wahab on May 18, 2021, at 10:00 a.m.

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended HSI for its work in the investigation and thanked the MPA for its substantial assistance in this matter.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rajeev R. Raghavan and Thomas M. Sullivan, who are prosecuting the case.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A federal criminal information has been filed charging Charles “Chuck” Nabit, age 64, of Baltimore, Maryland with transportation of an individual to engage in prostitution.  Specifically, the criminal information alleges that on July 29, 2019, Nabit transported an individual from Maryland to Florida with the intent that the individual engage in prostitution.

Nabit was previously charged by federal criminal complaint for using a phone and the Internet to promote a prostitution business.  The criminal complaint alleged that Nabit arranged for commercial sex workers to be brought to his office and other locations in and around Baltimore to engage in commercial sex acts.

The new charge was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; and Chief Lisa Myers of the Howard County Police Department.

“Sex trafficking continues to be a significant problem in our society, forcing, threatening and otherwise pressuring victims to engage in commercial sex acts,” said Acting United States Attorney Jonathan Lenzner.  “This defendant allegedly used his wealth, business, and position in society to facilitate a pattern of commercial sex.  No one is above the law, no matter their wealth or stature, and this case reflects our commitment to prosecute commercial sex crimes - whether they occur on the street or the halls of high society.”

According to the federal criminal information and court documents, as part of a federal sex trafficking investigation, commercial sex workers allegedly identified Nabit as a regular wealthy client.  Beginning in March 2019, on at least 52 occasions Nabit allegedly used a cash app to pay for commercial sex acts performed by the women.  Further, Nabit allegedly engaged in commercial sex acts with commercial sex workers, using his office in downtown Baltimore and his vehicle to facilitate the activity.  The payments allegedly made by Nabit for commercial sex during that time frame total more than $90,000.

If convicted, Nabit faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for transporting an individual to engage in prostitution.  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.  Nabit is not yet scheduled for an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Baltimore.  Nabit remains released under the supervision of U.S. Pretrial Services.

A federal criminal information is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by information is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. 

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the HSI and Howard County Police for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary W. Setzer and Daniel A. Loveland, Jr., who are prosecuting the case.

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