District of Maryland
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
MS-13 Associate Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge of Conspiracy to Commit Murder in Aid of Racketeering and is Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced MS-13 associate Luis Cruz Rodriguez, age 23, of Frederick, Maryland, to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, after Cruz Rodriguez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering. The guilty plea was entered on November 3, 2020, and Chief Judge Bredar imposed the sentence immediately following the plea.
The guilty plea and sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge John Eisert of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore Office; Acting Chief Dwight Sommers of the Frederick City Police Department; Frederick County State’s Attorney J. Charles Smith, III; Chief William Lowry of the Anne Arundel County Police Department; Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess; Interim Chief Hector Velez of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha N. Braveboy; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy.
MS-13 is a national and international gang composed primarily of immigrants or descendants from El Salvador. Branches or “cliques” of MS-13, one of the largest street gangs in the United States, operate throughout Frederick County, Anne Arundel County, Prince George’s County, and Montgomery County, Maryland. Cruz Rodriguez admitted that from at least January 2017, he was an associate of the Fulton clique of MS-13 and agreed with members of MS-13 to conduct and participate in the gang’s affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, including conspiracy to commit murder, extortion, and drug distribution.
At all times of this conspiracy, members of MS-13 were expected to protect the name, reputation, and status of the gang from rival gang members and other persons. To protect the gang and to enhance its reputation, MS-13 members were expected to use any means necessary to force respect from those who showed disrespect, including acts of intimidation and violence. MS-13 had mottos consistent with its rules, beliefs, expectations and reputation including “mata, viola, controla,” which translates as, “kill, rape, control,” and “ver, oir y callar,” which means, “see nothing, hear nothing and say nothing.”
MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence both to maintain membership and discipline within the gang, as well as against rival gang members. Participation in criminal activity by a member, particularly in violent acts directed at rival gangs or as directed by gang leadership, increase the respect accorded to that member, resulting in that member maintaining or increasing his position in the gang, and opens the door to a promotion to a leadership position. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, often referred to as “chavalas,” whenever possible.
According to his plea agreement, in April 2017, Cruz Rodriguez conspired with MS-13 gang members to murder Victim 14. According to court documents, the MS-13 members believed Victim 14 was a member of a rival gang. Cruz Rodriguez was present when gang members were talking about how to kill Victim 14, and who would participate in the murder. On the day of the murder, Cruz Rodriguez drove other gang members to a secluded area of Frederick, Maryland, where the MS-13 members were going to kill Victim 14. Cruz Rodriguez was aware that he was transporting gang members so that they could participate in a murder. At the spot in Frederick, MS-13 gang members murdered Victim 14, dismembered him, and buried his body. After the murder, Cruz Rodriguez (who was not present during the murder) traveled back to the site of the murder and picked up gang members who had participated in the murder.
In July 2017, investigators recovered Victim 14’s body from a clandestine grave in Frederick, Maryland. The body had suffered from sharp force traumas and had been severed into seven pieces and decapitated.
The murder of Victim 14 was intended to maintain and increase the status of MS-13 and to allow Cruz Rodriguez and other MS-13 members and associates to maintain or increase their status within the gang.
A total of 30 defendants have been charged in this case with participating in a racketeering conspiracy and/or other crimes related to their association with MS-13. A total of 20 defendants, including Cruz Rodriguez, have pleaded guilty to crimes related to their participation in MS-13 gang activities.
Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement. The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know. You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or you can call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI; HSI; the Frederick City Police Department; the Anne Arundel, Montgomery, and Prince George’s County Police Departments; and the Anne Arundel, Frederick, Montgomery, and Prince George’s County State’s Attorneys for their work in the investigation, and recognized the Baltimore County Police Department for its assistance. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth S. Clark, Catherine K. Dick, and Matthew DellaBetta, who are prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
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Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Mail Fraud Conspiracy Charge in Maryland for Scamming Elderly Victims of More Than $939,000Read the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – David Green, age 25, of Miami Gardens, Florida, pleaded guilty yesterday to a federal mail fraud conspiracy charge, in connection with a scheme in which he defrauded more than 28 elderly victims of more than $939,000.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
“Schemes where fraudsters falsely claim that a family member needs money to pay legal or other expenses—sometimes pretending to be the victim’s relative to convince them to send cash—prey on vulnerable and elderly victims,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to bring to justice those who perpetrate these heartless schemes that target 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).”
According to Green’s plea agreement, from about September 2018 through at least December 2019, he was 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 occurred or that the money would be sent to particular individuals at their addresses, rather than to members of the conspiracy falsely claiming to reside at those addresses. Green’s co-conspirators 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 detailed in the plea agreement, during the telephone calls, the co-conspirators directed victims to send cash to a particular address via an overnight delivery service. The co-conspirators allegedly even posed as the victims’ relatives to further induce them to send the cash. Once the victims did send money, the co-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 co-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.
Green admitted that, in order to conceal the crime, he and other co-conspirators identified residential locations across the country where the cash should be sent, including in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Florida. Green and his co-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, then retrieved the packages of cash when they were delivered. Green and other co-conspirators recruited and instructed additional people to assist in retrieving packages of cash from specified locations.
For example, in January 2019 Green and another co-conspirator flew from Florida to the Maryland area, for the purpose of retrieving packages containing fraud proceeds.
On January 7, 2019, Victim #4, 91 years old from Bainbridge Island, Washington, received a phone call from a co-conspirator who told the victim that his grandson was a passenger in a vehicle stopped with large amounts of cocaine and was being held on federal drug charges. The individual directed Victim #4 to send $13,000 cash for bail to an address in Baltimore, Maryland. On January 8, 2019, Green sent text messages to another co-conspirator with information about the package from Victim #4, including the tracking number. He further directed the other co-conspirator that the package required a signature upon delivery. The other co-conspirator collected the package, and falsely stated that he was the intended recipient. At the further direction of a co-conspirator, Victim #4 sent an additional $9,000 for the purported purpose of retaining an attorney.
Also in January 2019, Victim #5, an 89 year old from Westland, Michigan, was contacted by an individual representing himself to be “Officer Booth.” This individual told Victim #5 that her grandson had been in a car accident and that drugs were found in the trunk. At the direction of the caller, on January 14, 2019, Victim #5 sent $8,000 in cash to an address in Baltimore via FedEx. In total, Victim #5 lost $30,000 to the scam.
In January 2019, Victim #6, an 89 year old from Fort Pierce, Florida, received a phone call from someone purporting to be Victim #6’s niece. Victim #6 was told that his niece had been in a car accident. At the instruction of the caller, Victim #6 sent $8,000 in cash to an address in Baltimore via UPS. On January 18, 2019, Green retrieved this package along with another co-conspirator. In total, Victim #6 lost $17,500 to the scam.
On March 26, 2019, Green was arrested by New Castle County Police in Delaware while trying to retrieve a package sent from another victim to a location in Newark, Delaware.
As a result of the execution of the scheme to defraud, between September 2018 and March 2019, Green and his co-conspirators caused at least 28 different victims to send a total of at least $939,300, resulting in substantial financial hardship to between five and 24 of the victims.
Green faces 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. U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III has scheduled sentencing for March 26, 2021, at 11:00 a.m.
Co-defendant McArnold Charlemagne, age 33, of Miramar, Florida, pleaded guilty to the same charge on October 30, 2020, and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 26, 2021, at 1:00 p.m.
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.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean R. Delaney and Matthew J. Maddox, who are prosecuting the case.
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Baltimore Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake today sentenced Devan Mack, age 35, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 15 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; 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.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur stated, “We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to get guns out of the hands of criminals, like Devan Mack, and off of our streets, in order to reduce violent crime in our neighborhoods. Mack now faces 15 years of federal time, where there is no parole—ever. Please, put down the guns and save a life—maybe even your own.”
“Criminals like Devan Mack are contributing to the violent crime on the streets of Baltimore by selling illegal guns,” said Jennifer C. Boone, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “We are determined to work with our law enforcement partners to target repeat offenders and those illegally in possession of firearms in order to better protect our communities.”
According to his guilty plea, on November 29, 2018, a Baltimore Police Department undercover officer conducted a controlled purchase of two firearms from Mack in the 2900 block of Gwynns Falls Avenue. The controlled purchase was audio and video recorded. The first firearm was a 9mm-caliber semi-automatic pistol, loaded with 17 rounds of ammunition. The second firearm was also a 9mm-caliber semi-automatic pistol, which had been reported stolen. The undercover officer paid Mack $700 for each firearm. As the transaction was being completed, Mack advised that he had other firearms as well as an additional magazine for sale.
Mack was aware that he had a prior felony conviction and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm. Mack had three previous convictions for serious drug offenses and was therefore an Armed Career Criminal subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of fifteen years in prison.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI, the ATF and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina A. Hoffman, who is prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
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Owner of Temporary Staffing Companies Pleads Guilty in Maryland to Federal Tax Charges for Failing to Pay Employment TaxesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Jimmy Danh, age 60, formerly of Rosedale, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to the federal charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to failure to pay over employment taxes.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur and Special Agent in Charge Thomas Fattorusso of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Philadelphia Field Office.
According to his guilty plea, from 2007 to 2017, Danh and co-conspirator Darasomalee Thach operated a series of companies that supplied temporary staffing to businesses in Pennsylvania and Maryland. Although Danh and Thach were responsible for payment of employment taxes to the IRS, they purposely failed to withhold and pay over employment taxes in order to maximize their personal profit.
As detailed in the plea agreement, beginning in 2007, Danh and Thach incorporated a company, Team Work, Inc., to operate a labor-leasing business to secure day-labor contracts, and agreed to evade employment taxes in order to maximize profits. From October 1, 2011, to September 30, 2015, Team Work, Inc. paid wages totaling approximately $1,611,894.04 to its workers. Danh and Thach did not maintain business records relating to the operation of Team Work, including employees, payroll, and tax withholdings. Clients paid Team Work lump sum payments for all of the hours that employees worked, with the agreement that Team Work was responsible for paying its employees and for all employment-related withholdings.
Danh admitted that for tax years 2011 to 2015, he and Thach failed to consistently file an Employer’s Quarterly Federal Income Tax Return, and failed to report to IRS all wages paid to Team Work employees, resulting in underreporting the employee share of the Social Security and Medicare taxes in the amount of $113,144.19, and the withholding taxes in the amount of approximately $252,827.81.
From about October 31, 2015 to October 31, 2017, Danh conducted his business via a Maryland corporation, JD Team Work, Inc., and undertook the same scheme. During this time, Danh willfully failed to file Employer’s Quarterly Federal Income Tax Returns, and to withhold Social Security, Medicare, and employment taxes. During this time, the total amount of taxes Danh failed to pay was $183,758.23.
Danh admitted that the total amount of taxes he failed to pay from 2007 to the present was $549,730.23. As stated in his plea agreement, as a special condition of his supervised release, Danh will be required to execute a Closing Agreement with the IRS in order to resolve tax liabilities for tax years 2007 through 2017.
“Jimmy Danh’s insatiable greed for money placed his workers at risk of losing future Social Security and Medicare benefits,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Thomas Fattorusso. “His criminal conduct also resulted in a loss of revenue to the United States Government. His guilty plea today should serve as a stark warning that IRS Criminal Investigation will vigorously pursue anyone who seeks to profit at the expense of their workers and honest taxpayers.”
Darasomalee Thach previously pleaded guilty to related charges in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg and is awaiting sentencing.
Danh faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for each of the two counts. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III has scheduled sentencing for February 23, 2021, at 1:00 p.m.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the IRS-Criminal Investigation for its work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron S.J. Zelinsky, who is prosecuting the case.
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Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Mail Fraud Conspiracy Charge in Maryland for Scamming Elderly Victims of More Than $1.5 MillionRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – McArnold Charlemagne, age 33, of Miramar, Florida, pleaded guilty today to a federal mail fraud conspiracy charge, in connection with a scheme in which he defrauded more than 65 elderly victims of more than $1.5 million.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
“This defendant was part of a heartless scheme to prey on elderly victims by falsely claiming that a family member needed money to pay legal or other expenses—sometimes pretending to be the victim’s relative to convince them to send cash to the conspirators,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “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).”
“McArnold Charlemagne was a member of a criminal conspiracy that took advantage of the emotions and bank accounts of dozens of senior citizens,” said Jennifer C. Boone, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “Criminals who prey on, and steal from, seniors should know that their actions carry real consequences, both for their victims and for themselves. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will do everything in our power to find fraudsters and hold them accountable for their crimes.”
According to Charlemagne’s plea agreement, from about January 2018 through at least December 2019, he was 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 occurred or that the money would be sent to particular individuals at their addresses, rather than to members of the conspiracy falsely claiming to reside at those addresses. Charlemagne’s co-conspirators 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 detailed in the plea agreement, during the telephone calls, the co-conspirators directed victims to send cash to a particular address via an overnight delivery service. The co-conspirators allegedly even posed as the victims’ relatives to further induce them to send the cash. Once the victims did send money, the co-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 co-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.
Charlemagne admitted that, in order to conceal the crime, he and other co-conspirators identified residential locations across the country where the cash should be sent, including in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Florida. Charlemagne and his co-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, then retrieved the packages of cash when they were delivered. Charlemagne and other co-conspirators recruited and instructed additional people to assist in retrieving packages of cash from specified locations.
For example, Charlemagne flew from Miami, Florida to Washington, D.C. on May 28, 2018, for the purpose of retrieving packages containing fraud proceeds, renting a place to stay in the Baltimore area.
On May 30, 2018, Victim #1, 75 years old from Temperance, Michigan, received a phone call from someone pretending to be her grandson’s lawyer. Victim #1 sent two packages totaling $38,000 to addresses in Baltimore. On June 1, 2018, Charlemagne picked up the second package sent by Victim #1, then traveled to an address on North Payson Street in Baltimore, to pick up an additional package, sent from Victim #2, 78 years old from Salem, Oregon.
Victim #2 was contacted by phone by an individual purporting to be an attorney who told Victim #2 that Victim #2’s granddaughter was a passenger in a car driven by a man that was involved in a car crash and was jailed. The caller told Victim #2 that bail money was needed immediately to secure the release of Victim #2’s granddaughter. The caller warned Victim #2 not to contact anyone due to a “72 hour gag order.” Victim #2 was instructed to overnight mail $10,000 in cash to “John Miller,” who was described as an officer of the court, to an address on North Payson Street in Baltimore. Victim #2 did as instructed. The next day, the caller contacted Victim #2 again and stated that, because marijuana and a gun had been found in the car, an additional $10,000 was required. Victim #2 complied. Victim #2 was contacted again and told to send $20,000 for the victim’s medical bills, and Victim #2 complied. While authorities were not able to recover the first two packages sent by Victim #2, the third mailing containing $20,000 was intercepted by Baltimore Police and returned to Victim #2. Nonetheless, Charlemagne waited at North Payson Street for approximately 30 minutes on the morning of June 1, 2018, before catching a ride to a different address.
On June 6, 2018, Victim #3, an 83-year-old individual from Framingham, Massachusetts, received a phone call from a man who stated Victim #3’s son had caused a car crash by texting and driving and was being arrested. Victim #3 was told to send $8,000 to an address on Whittier Avenue in Baltimore in order to bail Victim #3’s son out. On June 7, 2018, Victim #3 did as instructed and sent the money via FedEx. Later that evening, Victim #3 realized the scam and called the police. The authorities were able to contact FedEx and located the package, which had already arrived in Maryland. The package was returned to Victim #3.
Charlemagne, who was still in the Baltimore area picking up packages containing fraud proceeds, learned that the package had been returned to the sender. Charlemagne contacted another co-conspirator and requested the co-conspirator travel from Miami to Massachusetts in order to wait in front of Victim #3’s house, pretend to be Victim #3, and take the package. Charlemagne texted the co-conspirator the address, a screenshot from Google Maps of where the co-conspirator should park, and a copy of the FedEx tracking number. Charlemagne told the co-conspirator that the co-conspirator needed to fly out that night to arrive in the morning, or that it would be too late. On June 8, 2018, the co-conspirator was caught outside the residence of Victim #3 in Framingham, Massachusetts, and arrested.
As a result of the execution of the scheme to defraud, Charlemagne and others caused at least 65 different victims to send a total of at least $1.5 million.
Charlemagne faces 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. U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III has scheduled sentencing for March 26, 2021, at 1:00 p.m.
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.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean R. Delaney and Matthew J. Maddox, who are prosecuting the case.
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Catonsville Man Sentenced to 24 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of Children and CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake today sentenced Bilal Mohammad Siddiqui, age 23, of Catonsville, Maryland, to 24 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for the federal charges of sexual exploitation of children and cyberstalking.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department.
“The facts of this case are disturbing and demonstrate how a sexual predator uses the Internet to victimize innocent children,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Our community is safer now that Bilal Siddiqui will serve 24 years in federal prison, where there is no parole—ever. I hope all parents will discuss this case with their children so that they will think twice before communicating with a stranger through the Internet. Law enforcement will continue to work to identify and prosecute those who would harm our children.”
“Bilal Siddiqui exploited and humiliated numerous children, some even as young as eight years old,” said Jennifer C. Boone, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “With nothing more than a computer and a few keystrokes, modern predators, like Siddiqui, have a limitless number of victims at their fingertips. We remain vigilant in continuing efforts to identify and hold accountable these offenders, but we also need the community to discuss the reality of online predators with children and report any suspected offenses to law enforcement.”
According to his guilty plea, between April 2017 and August 2018, Siddiqui used the Internet-based communication services LiveMe, Snapchat, Kik, and FaceTime to coerce at least six minor females, ages 8 to 14, into creating and sending him sexually explicit images and videos of themselves. Siddiqui also attempted to sexually extort one of those victims, a sixth-grader. When she refused to produce additional sexually explicit videos of herself, he sent images and videos that she had previously shared with him to her sixth-grade classmates and friends.
Prior to September 2017, Siddiqui created a fake account on LiveMe, a mobile application that allowed users to stream live video over the Internet and simultaneously chat with viewers, using an anonymous username and a photograph of a young boy as his profile picture, so that other users would not realize he was an adult male. One of the users misled by Siddiqui was Jane Doe 1, an 8-year-old girl.
On September 28, 2017, Jane Doe 1 was using LiveMe to broadcast a video of herself exercising in her pajamas. Siddiqui was among several LiveMe users watching the broadcast. When a number of those viewers asked Jane Doe 1 to show them her underwear, she refused, and eventually terminated the broadcast. Not long after, however, Jane Doe 1 began streaming a new LiveMe broadcast, and a number of viewers from her earlier broadcast—including Siddiqui—followed her to the new broadcast. During the new broadcast, Jane Doe 1 told her viewers that she was 13 years old. Again, they enticed her to undress and expose herself. While she initially refused their requests, Jane Doe 1 eventually did give in to the requests of Siddiqui and other viewers, undressing and exposing her genitals to the camera.
Toward the end of Jane Doe 1’s broadcast, Siddiqui persuaded her to end her live stream and to contact him privately. They communicated via FaceTime, and during these video chats, Jane Doe 1 again told Siddiqui that she was 13 years old. He nonetheless instructed her to remove her shirt, pants, and underwear, then instructed Jane Doe 1 to use a marker to write his first name on her skin next to her genitalia. He also instructed her to send him sexually explicit pictures of herself via text message. She complied with his instruction and sent Siddiqui at least one picture of herself.
Viewers of Jane Doe 1’s LiveMe broadcast reported the sexually explicit requests and conduct described above to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Law enforcement identified Siddiqui as the person who persuaded Jane Doe 1 to chat privately and obtained a search warrant for his residence. On September 5, 2018, officers executed the search warrant and located the cellphone that Siddiqui used to communicate with Jane Doe 1.
Siddiqui was present during the search, waived his Miranda rights, and voluntarily agreed to be interviewed by law enforcement. He admitted that the phone was his, that it was passcode-protected, that he had used LiveMe on the phone, and that he created the fake LiveMe profile using a photograph of a former classmate to disguise his identity. He admitted that he used his fake LiveMe account to communicate with Jane Doe 1, and later admitted—after initially denying—that he communicated privately with Jane Doe 1 through FaceTime, including instructing her to send him sexually explicit images of herself via text message, and that he believed Jane Doe 1 was 13 years old.
While Siddiqui was being interviewed, law enforcement conducted an on-scene forensic review of the phone and discovered evidence that he had also sexually exploited Jane Doe 2, a 9-year-old female. Siddiqui told law enforcement that he began communicating with Jane Doe 2 in August 2018 using Snapchat, and continued to do so as recently as September 3, 2018—two days before the execution of the search warrant. Siddiqui also admitted that he created videos of Jane Doe 2, and estimated that there were 10 videos of Jane Doe 2 engaging in sexually explicit conduct saved on his phone. Siddiqui advised that he captured the videos by using his phone’s screen recording function, and that he believed Jane Doe 2 was 11 or 12 years old.
During the interview Siddiqui advised law enforcement that he had engaged in similar conduct with between 10 and 50 girls using mobile applications. Siddiqui stated that he caused minor females to engage in sexually explicit conduct on video and that he derived sexual gratification from it.
Following Siddiqui’s interview, law enforcement obtained records associated with online accounts controlled and used by Siddiqui. Those records showed that Siddiqui had coerced Jane Doe 4, an 11-year-old sixth-grader, into producing and sending him a nude image and nude videos of herself. Siddiqui began communicating with Jane Doe 4 on September 15, 2017, and told her that he was 15 years old and lived in her town. Within days, he had convinced Jane Doe 4 that they were in a relationship, and she revealed the name of the middle school that she was attending.
On October 4, 2017, Siddiqui began demanding that Jane Doe 4 send him sexually explicit images, and threatened to send one of the videos of Jane Doe 4 to her classmates, friends, and family if she did not produce and send further videos of herself engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Siddiqui specifically told Jane Doe 4, “Don’t play games with me .... I’ll expose u [right now] and ruin your life.” Jane Doe 4 begged him not to follow through on his threats and sent him additional explicit videos. After she sent the videos, Siddiqui told Jane Doe 4 that it was “too late” because he had already sent them to her friends.
On October 7, 2017, Jane Doe 4 tried to end her relationship with Siddiqui through a conversation on Snapchat. Siddiqui reacted by demanding that she immediately produce videos of herself engaging in sexually explicit conduct. After she refused, Siddiqui sent one sexually explicit image and two sexually explicit videos of Jane Doe 4 to two unidentified Snapchat users. On October 12, 2017, a classmate of Jane Doe 4 alerted her middle school guidance counselor that images of Jane Doe 4 were being circulated. School administrators conducted a brief investigation to ensure the images had been deleted but did not contact law enforcement.
Electronic evidence further revealed that, between April 2017 and September 2018, Siddiqui used Snapchat and Kik to entice three additional minors, an 11-year-old, a 12-year-old, and a 14-year-old, to produce and send him sexually explicit images and videos. In each instance, he lied about his real age to persuade these minors to send him such materials.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office for its assistance. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey J. Izant and Paul E. Budlow, who prosecuted the case.
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Carroll County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges in Maryland for Sexually Exploiting a Young Girl to Produce Child Pornography and for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Shon Brian Beck, age 56, of Eldersburg, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to federal charges of production and receipt of child pornography.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Colonel Woodrow W. Jones III, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police.
According to his guilty plea, in September 2001, Beck and his family traveled to Bethany Beach, Delaware, where they shared a condominium with two other families, including the victim’s family. Jane Doe, the victim, was six years old at the time. Beck admitted that he sneaked into the victim’s room and used a digital camera to produce eleven sexually explicit images of the victim.
As detailed in the plea agreement, in 2018, another victim reported that Beck had sexually abused her. The investigation led to the execution of a search warrant at Beck’s residence on March 22, 2019. Law enforcement seized Beck’s computer equipment and digital cameras. Beck’s digital devices were forensically examined. Investigators found the eleven sexually explicit images of Jane Doe, as well as more than 450 images and videos documenting the sexual abuse of minor victims, including prepubescent minors, many of which Beck had downloaded from the Internet.
Beck and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Beck will be sentenced to 15 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander has scheduled sentencing for January 28, 2021, at 3:00 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.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI and Maryland State Police for their work in the investigation and thanked the Carroll County State’s Attorney’s Office for its assistance. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow, who is prosecuting the federal case.
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Beltsville Condo Owner Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Federal Prison for Managing a Drug-Involved PremisesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel today sentenced Wayne Deo Ramsaran, age 46, of Jessup, Maryland, to time served of 29 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for managing a drug-involved premises. Ramsaran must also forfeit all rights and interests to the condominium.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and Interim Chief Hector Velez of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to Ramsaran’s plea agreement, from October 2016 through at least February 2018, Ramsaran owned a condominium in the 11000 block of Cherry Hill Road in Beltsville, Maryland. Ramsaran did not reside at the residence but rented rooms and charged daily and/or monthly rent to other individuals, including Kenneth Wayne Hart, whom Ramsaran knew manufactured and sold narcotics at the location. The narcotics trafficking funded and fueled Hart’s sex trafficking operations within the drug-involved premises and at other locations in Maryland and elsewhere.
Ramsaran admitted that during this time, he visited the drug-involved premises several times a week, and sometimes daily, to obtain rent from tenants either in cash or quantities of narcotics—usually crack cocaine. Ramsaran also visited the drug-involved premises to use narcotics—at first heroin and then later crack cocaine—with other residents. When he went inside the drug-involved premises, Ramsaran admitted that he knew that the tenants used, sold, and manufactured narcotics, including powder and crack cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and prescription pills, in his condominium. Narcotics customers visited the premises every day, at all hours of the day.
Search warrants executed by law enforcement on April 21, 2017 and February 28, 2018, revealed and confirmed the ongoing manufacturing, storing, distribution, and use of controlled substances at the drug-involved premises, with law enforcement recovering quantities of heroin, crack cocaine, Xanax, amphetamine, and drug paraphernalia, including two water bongs, digital scales, cellular telephones, crack pipes and stems, and hypodermic needles.
It was foreseeable to Ramsaran that the tenants of the drug-involved premises distributed at least 525 grams of cocaine and 700 grams of heroin to their customers.
On October 7, 2020, Kenneth Wayne Hart, a/k/a Redds, Wayne Hawkins, Hawk, Big Daddy, Billy Reds, and Bill Red Hart, age 59, of Beltsville, Maryland, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison on federal charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute narcotics; a sex trafficking conspiracy; two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion; and witness tampering. Hart was convicted of those charges on March 12, 2020, after a seven-day jury trial.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur praised the ATF and Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer R. Sykes and Daniel C. Gardner, who prosecuted the case.
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Baltimore Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Fentanyl, Heroin, and Fentanyl Analogues and for Illegal Possession of a Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Brian Lockett, age 48, of Baltimore, Maryland, today to 12 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for the federal charges of possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and 100 grams of more of heroin, and to possession of a stolen firearm. Fentanyl analogues are chemical compounds designed to have effects similar to fentanyl and can be just as deadly. Lockett was charged in federal court as part of a federal-state initiative announced in December 2018 to combat the fentanyl crisis in Maryland.
Under this new initiative, titled the “Synthetic Opioid Surge,” or “SOS” for short, every arrest involving distribution of fentanyl made by law enforcement in Baltimore is reviewed jointly by the State’s Attorney’s Office for Baltimore City, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to determine whether the case will be handled in the state or federal system. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will prosecute more cases involving fentanyl as a result of this new program. The use of federal resources and statutes, which carry significant terms of imprisonment, is necessary to prosecute those individuals who pose the greatest threat to public safety in distributing lethal doses of fentanyl.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; and State’s Attorney for Baltimore City Marilyn Mosby.
“Just 2 milligrams of fentanyl—which is 50 to100 times stronger than morphine—can kill you,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “State and federal law enforcement and prosecutors in Baltimore City are working together to arrest and prosecute those who peddle deadly fentanyl on our streets and bring gun violence to our neighborhoods. Armed drug dealers who sell fentanyl, like Mr. Lockett, face federal time, where there are no suspended sentences and no parole—ever. We will continue to get guns off of our streets and reduce the supply of fentanyl and related substances that are causing so many tragic overdoses.”
According to his guilty plea, on May 24, 2018, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Lockett’s residence in the 1500 block of East Preston Street. Some of the agents knocked on the front door to announce their entry to execute the warrant. As they did so, Lockett and another individual were caught going out the rear door of the home in an attempt to get away.
From Lockett’s basement bedroom, law enforcement recovered approximately 1,644 gelcaps, which laboratory analysis found contained acetylfentanyl, fentanyl, or heroin, as well as smaller quantities of small ziplocks containing suspected cocaine. From under the mattress, agents recovered a 9mm handgun and a magazine for that weapon, loaded with 15 9mm cartridges. Also in the basement were bottles labeled as quinine and several bags of white and brown powdered substances, believed to be drugs and drug cutting agents. One of the bags was found to contain approximately 182.52 grams of a mixture of acetylfentanyl, fentanyl, and heroin. Agents also recovered cash, a cellular phone, and other supplies used in the packaging for drugs for street-level sale. The gun recovered from Lockett’s bedroom was found to be stolen.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the DEA and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey M. Hann, a cross-designated Baltimore City Assistant State’s Attorney, who prosecuted the case.
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Two Men Facing Federal Indictment in Maryland for Scheme to Steal Digital Currency and Social Media Accounts Through Phishing and “Sim-Swapping”Read the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has indicted Jordan K. Milleson, age 21, of Timonium, Maryland, and Kyell A. Bryan, age 19, of Kingston, Pennsylvania, on the federal charges of Wire Fraud, Unauthorized Access to Protected Computers in Furtherance of Fraud, Intentional Damage to Protected Computers, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Wire Fraud Conspiracy, in connection with their unauthorized takeovers of victims’ wireless phone and other electronic accounts and to steal digital currency and valuable social media accounts. The superseding indictment was returned on September 9, 2020, and was unsealed today at Bryan’s initial appearance. Milleson was arrested on July 29, 2020, and was ordered to be detained pending trial.
The superseding indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge John Eisert of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; and Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department.
According to the 15-count superseding indictment, from September 23, 2017, through January 27, 2020, Milleson registered fraudulent Internet domains, sent “phishing” e-mails, and took over wireless phone numbers in order to steal digital currency and valuable social media accounts. On June 25 and 26, 2019, Milleson and Bryan conspired to execute a scheme to take over individuals’ electronic accounts and steal digital currency for their own financial gain.
Specifically, the indictment alleges that Milleson was a computer “hacker” who accessed computers, computer networks, and electronic accounts without authorization in order to perpetrate the alleged fraud schemes, and that Bryan participated in some of the unauthorized takeovers of wireless telephone, electronic, and financial accounts that were part of the fraud schemes.
As detailed in the superseding indictment, Milleson allegedly set up Internet domains and fraudulent websites, designed to appear to be legitimate websites belonging to wireless providers, but which were intended to steal account credentials and enabled Milleson, Bryan, and others to access unsuspecting victims’ electronic accounts without authorization. Milleson used techniques such as phishing and vishing to deceive victims into visiting the fraudulent websites and providing their credentials to access their electronic accounts. Victims of phishing attacks were generally contacted by e-mail, phone, or text message by persons purporting to be from reputable companies in order to induce victims to reveal confidential information. Vishing is “voice phishing” where imposters use Internet phone services to trick victims into turning over critical financial or personal information over the phone.
The superseding indictment alleges that Milleson, Bryan, and others used electronic account credentials stolen from employees and affiliates of wireless providers to access those companies’ computer networks without authorization. After obtaining access to these networks, the defendants allegedly took over individual victims’ wireless accounts through “SIM swapping,” whereby customers’ mobile numbers, which are linked to unique subscriber identity modules (“SIM”), were instead linked to a SIM installed in a device controlled by the defendants or their co-conspirators. Once the defendants gained control over the victims’ mobile phone numbers, they were often able to also gain unauthorized access to victims’ other electronic accounts, including e-mail, social media, and cryptocurrency accounts. The defendants would frequently change the passwords to keep the victims from accessing their own accounts.
As a result of these criminal activities, Milleson allegedly took over the social media accounts of two victims, one of whom had thousands of followers and had monetized their account through sponsored links, product placements, and product reviews. The superseding indictment alleges that Milleson and Bryan, after conducting a successful SIM swap, were also able to steal more than $16,000 from the digital currency account of another victim after obtaining unauthorized access to that victim’s user accounts.
As detailed in the superseding indictment, on June 26, 2019, Bryan anonymously called the Baltimore County Police Department and falsely reported that he, purporting to be a resident of the Milleson family residence, had shot his father at the residence. During the call, Bryan, posing as the purported shooter, threatened to shoot himself and to shoot at police officers if they attempted to confront him. This call was a “swatting” attack, a criminal harassment tactic in which a person places a false call to authorities that will trigger a police or special weapons and tactics (SWAT) team response—thereby causing a life-threatening situation. The superseding indictment alleges that Bryan perpetrated the swatting attack in retaliation for Milleson failing to share the proceeds of the digital currency theft.
If convicted, the defendants faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for each count of wire fraud and wire fraud conspiracy; a maximum of 5 years in federal prison for each count of unauthorized access of a protected computer in furtherance of fraud; and a mandatory two years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, for each count of aggravated identity theft. Milleson also faces a maximum of 10 in federal prison for each count of intentional damage to a protected computer. 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 Baltimore, U.S. Magistrate Judge Beth P. Gesner ordered that Bryan be detained 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.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended HSI and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Manhattan, New York, District Attorney’s Office for its assistance. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary A. Myers and Christopher M. Rigali, who are prosecuting the case.
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Former President of Nuclear Transportation Company Sentenced to Prison for Foreign Bribery and Other OffensesRead the Press Release
The former president of Transport Logistics International Inc. (TLI), a Maryland-based transportation company that provides services for the transportation of nuclear materials to customers in the United States and abroad, was sentenced today to 48 months in prison and three years of supervised release for his role in a scheme to bribe a Russian official in exchange for obtaining contracts for the company.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur of the District of Maryland, Assistant Director in Charge Steven D’Antuono of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Inspector General Teri L. Donaldson of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Inspector General (DOE-OIG) made the announcement.
On Nov. 22, 2019, after a three-week trial, Mark T. Lambert, 57, was convicted of four counts of violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), two counts of wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to violate the FCPA and commit wire fraud. Lambert was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang of the District of Maryland. In addition to his prison sentence, Judge Chuang ordered Lambert to pay a $20,000 fine. Lambert must report to the U.S. Marshals Service by Feb. 15, 2021, to begin serving his prison sentence.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Lambert participated in a scheme to bribe Vadim Mikerin, a Russian official at JSC Techsnabexport (TENEX), a subsidiary of Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation (ROSATOM) and the sole supplier and exporter of Russian Federation uranium and uranium enrichment services to nuclear power companies worldwide. Mikerin was later president of TENEX’s wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary, TENAM Corporation. Lambert and other members of the conspiracy used code words like “lucky figures,” “LF,” “lucky numbers,” and “cake” to describe the bribes, and they communicated with Mikerin about the scheme at his alias e-mail account where Mikerin used the name “Marvin Jodel.”
The trial evidence demonstrated that, for approximately seven years, in order to secure contracts with TENEX, Lambert conspired with others at TLI to make over $1.5 million in corrupt and fraudulent bribe payments to Mikerin through offshore shell companies Mikerin directed them to pay. To conceal the bribe payments, Lambert and his co-conspirators caused fake invoices to be prepared, purportedly from TENEX to TLI, that described services that were never provided. Lambert and others then used the fake invoices to justify and conceal the bribes they caused to be transmitted by wire to shell company bank accounts in Latvia, Cyprus, and Switzerland.
Two other defendants have pleaded guilty in this matter. On June 17, 2015, Daren Condrey, Lambert’s former co-president, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the FCPA and commit wire fraud. He is awaiting sentencing. On Aug. 31, 2015, Russian national Vadim Mikerin pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. He was sentenced to 48 months in prison. On March 12, 2018, TLI entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the Department of Justice in connection with the bribery scheme.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and DOE-OIG. Assistant Chief Vanessa A. Sisti and Trial Attorney Derek J. Ettinger of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney David I. Salem of the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting all FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/foreign-corrupt-practices-act.
Former President of Maryland-Based Nuclear Transportation Company Sentenced to Four Years in Federal Prison on Charges, Including Paying Bribes to Russian OfficialRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang today sentenced Mark Lambert, age 57, of Mount Airy, Maryland, to four years in federal prison, followed by THREE years of supervised release, after his conviction at trial on four counts of violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), two counts of wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to violate the FCPA and commit wire fraud, for his role in a scheme to bribe an official at a subsidiary of Russia’s State Atomic Energy agency. In addition to his prison sentence, Judge Chuang ordered Lambert to pay a $20,000 fine. Lambert must report to the U.S. Marshals Service by February 15, 2021, to begin serving his prison sentence. Lambert is the former president of Transport Logistics International, Inc. (TLI), a Maryland-based transportation company that provides services for the transportation of nuclear materials to customers in the United States and abroad, including to the Russian Federation.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Inspector General Teri L. Donaldson of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Inspector General (DOE-OIG); and Assistant Director in Charge Steven D’Antuono of the FBI’s Washington, D.C. Field Office.
According to the evidence presented at his three-week trial, Lambert engaged in a scheme to bribe Vadim Mikerin, a Russian official at JSC Techsnabexport (TENEX), a subsidiary of Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation and the sole supplier and exporter of Russian Federation uranium and uranium enrichment services to nuclear power companies worldwide, in order to secure contracts with TENEX. Mikerin was later president of TENEX’s wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary, TENAM Corporation. Lambert and other members of the conspiracy used code words like “lucky figures,” “LF,” “lucky numbers” and “cake” to describe the bribes, and they communicated with Mikerin about the scheme at his alias e-mail account where Mikerin used the name “Marvin Jodel.”
The trial evidence demonstrated that, for approximately seven years, in order to secure contracts with TENEX, Lambert conspired with others at TLI to make the corrupt and fraudulent bribery and kickback payments to Mikerin through offshore bank accounts associated with shell companies, at Mikerin’s direction. To conceal the bribe payments, Lambert and his co-conspirators caused fake invoices to be prepared, purportedly from TENEX to TLI, that described services that were never provided. Lambert and others then caused TLI to wire the corrupt payments for those purported services to shell company bank accounts in Latvia, Cyprus, and Switzerland.
Two other defendants have pleaded guilty in this matter. Daren Condrey, age 55, of Glenwood, Maryland, Lambert’s former co-president, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the FCPA and commit wire fraud. He is awaiting sentencing. Vadim Mikerin, age 61, a Russian official formerly residing in Chevy Chase, Maryland, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering involving violations of the FCPA and was sentenced to four years in federal prison. On March 12, 2018, TLI entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the Department of Justice in connection with the bribery scheme.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur and Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian Rabbitt commended the DOE-OIG and the FBI for their work in the investigation, and thanked the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs and law enforcement in Switzerland, Latvia, and Cyprus for providing valuable assistance with the investigation and prosecution of the case. Mr. Hur and Mr. Rabbitt thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney David I. Salem and Assistant Chief Vanessa A. Sisti and Trial Attorney Derek J. Ettinger of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, who are prosecuting the case.
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Baltimore Man Indicted in Maryland on Federal Charges for Production and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Calvin Henry Sampson, III, age 21, of Baltimore, Maryland, with four counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. The indictment was returned on October 26, 2020.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; 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 Marilyn Mosby, State’s Attorney for Baltimore City.
According to the indictment, between July 26, 2019 and February 26, 2020, Sampson exploited two minor prepubescent female victims in order to produce images and videos documenting the sexual abuse of those victims. The indictment further alleges that from March 3, 2020, through April 7, 2020, Sampson maintained an Internet-based account that contained visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including images of the two minor victims.
If convicted, Sampson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison for each of the four counts of production of child pornography. Sampson also faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for possession of child pornography. 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. Sampson is expected to have an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Baltimore, although no date has been set for the hearing. Sampson is currently detained on unrelated state charges.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "Resources" tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI, the Baltimore Police Department, and Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Judson T. Mihok, who is prosecuting the federal case.
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Armed Career Criminal and Serial Armed Robber Convicted After Six-Day Federal Trial in MarylandRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Donte Lamont Dingle, a/k/a Kane, Donte Dingol, Donta Dingle, and Dante Dingle, age 47, of Baltimore, Maryland, was convicted after a six-day federal trial of the following charges: four counts of interference with commerce by robbery; a conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery; four counts of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. In each of four liquor store robberies, Dingle brandished a gun and wore various costumes and disguises. The jury returned its verdict on October 20, 2020.
The conviction was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Anne Arundel County Interim Police Chief William Lowry.
According to the evidence presented at trial, between June 6, 2018 and July 12, 2018, Dingle committed four armed robberies of liquor stores located in Baltimore and Anne Arundel Counties. During each of these robberies, Dingle entered the store and brandished a pistol at the victims, forcing them to empty the money from the cash registers into his bag and often threatening the victims with death or serious bodily injury. After getting the money from the registers, Dingle forced the victims into a room in the rear of the store, and then fled to a waiting getaway car. During the robbery on June 6, 2018, in Catonsville, Maryland, this resulted in the store owner suffering a fractured neck. During the robbery on July 12, 2018, in Reisterstown, Maryland, witnesses testified that Dingle racked the slide of his gun loading a bullet into the chamber, pointed the gun at the store clerk, and threatened to put a bullet in the clerk’s head if he didn’t comply with Dingle’s orders. In total, Dingle stole approximately $10,000 from the four stores.
According to trial testimony, DNA matching Dingle’s was recovered from a fake mustache that the robber had left on the floor behind the counter at the June 6th robbery. Dingle’s DNA was also recovered from clothing, wigs, glasses, and other disguises that matched items worn by the robber, as well as from a silver .380-caliber pistol, that were seized by law enforcement during the execution of a search warrant at Dingle’s residence. Dingle’s fingerprint was also recovered from a bag of chips grabbed by the robber then left on the counter at the July 12th robbery.
Dingle faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, and a maximum of life in prison for each of four counts of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to interfere with commerce by threats and violence, and a maximum of 20 years in prison for each of four counts of interfering with commerce by threats and violence. Finally, as an armed career criminal, with prior robbery convictions on his record, Dingle faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. As a result of his conviction on four counts of brandishing a firearm and his status as an armed career criminal, Dingle faces a total mandatory minimum sentence of 43 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine the final sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has not yet scheduled sentencing.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI and the Baltimore County and Anne Arundel County Police Departments for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Goldsticker and LaRai N. Everett, who are prosecuting the case.
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National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on October 24, 2020Read the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office are teaming up to publicize the Drug Enforcement Administration’s 19th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day being held in Maryland and across the country on Saturday, October 24. The service is free and anonymous. Maryland has approximately 100 available sites. The public can find a nearby collection site at www.DEATakeBack.com or by calling 800-882-9539. The nationwide event aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs and educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications.
“Pharmaceutical pills can be just as harmful as illegal drugs when they are used without proper medical supervision and without valid medical need,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “DEA’s Prescription Drug Take Back Day is a great opportunity to get rid of unused and unneeded prescription drugs and prevent drug abuse and I encourage Marylanders to take advantage of this free and anonymous service.”
“Thousands of Maryland residents die every year due to overdose, with a significant number of those overdose deaths caused by opioids. Take Back Day provides a vital opportunity for us to fight against the opioid problem here in Maryland,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene. “By participating in Take Back Day and disposing of unused prescription medication, you may be able to prevent someone from addiction or overdose.”
Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.
Collection sites will adhere to local COVID-19 guidelines and regulations in order to maintain the safety of all participants and local law enforcement.
Given the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency, DEA wants to ensure that the public is aware of other ways they can dispose of unwanted prescription drugs without having to leave their homes. Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency have tips on how to safely dispose of drugs at home.
In addition to DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, prescription drugs can be disposed of at any of the 11,000 DEA authorized collectors at any time throughout the year, and at many local law enforcement agency sites.
DEA and our state and local partners throughout the area will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms. DEA will also accept vape pens or other e-cigarette devices from individual consumers, only after the batteries are removed from the devices. If the battery cannot be removed, individual consumers can check with large electronic chain stores who may accept the vape pen or e-cigarette devices for proper disposal. Liquids, including intravenous solutions, syringes and other sharps, and illegal drugs cannot be dropped off. This service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
For more information on DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, and to find a collection site in Maryland, visit www.deatakeback.com.
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Maryland U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur Announces More Than $1.3 Million Investment by the Department of Justice in Research that Supports Public Safety Practices in MarylandRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur today announced $1,358,011 in Department of Justice grants to institutions, agencies and organizations for research and evaluation projects that identify data-driven programs for reducing crime and promoting justice. The awards span research topic priorities such as prisoner reentry, terrorism prevention, human trafficking and police officer safety and wellness.
The awards are part of a strategic plan developed by OJP’s National Institute of Justice to advance technology, strengthen scientific research and translate knowledge to practice. They represent NIJ’s broader effort to include more diversity of disciplines, such as physical and social sciences, to link areas of research that have not previously been connected.
“Research into the causes of criminal activity allows law enforcement and state and local agencies to develop best practices to prevent such crime, reduce recidivism, and keep our communities safe,” said United States Attorney Robert K. Hur. “While enforcement and consequences are essential parts of our crime-reduction strategy, it’s also wise to invest in measures to reduce and prevent crime before it happens, and to provide assistance to returning citizens to help them become productive members of the community.”
“The more we know about crime—the better we understand its causes and consequences—the greater our chances of finding sustainable solutions to the public safety problems confronting our communities,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “The research supported by these awards will expand our knowledge about what works to reduce crime, curb reoffending and protect our criminal justice professionals, and this new knowledge will put us a step closer to achieving a more just and lawful society.”
The research addresses critical needs such as prisoner reentry, emphasizing innovative strategies to reintegrate offenders into communities and reduce recidivism. Today’s announcement includes three projects that will study reentry initiatives, including those in rural communities. The research will advance the body of knowledge on promising practices in the field of offender reentry.
The following Maryland organizations received funding:
- The University of Maryland received $369,412, as part of $800,000 granted nationwide to fund research and evaluation projects that inform efforts to prevent and reduce intentional, interpersonal firearm violence and mass shootings in the United States.
- Development Services Group, Inc. received $998,599 of more than $2.2 million granted nationwide, to build knowledge and evidence related to strategies for effective prevention of terrorism in the United States. The research projects will primarily benefit criminal justice agencies and their attendant communities at the state and local levels.
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, click here. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years
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Former Baltimore County Correctional Officer Sentenced to More Than 33 Years in Federal Prison for Two Counts of Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher today sentenced Thomas Michael Mannion, Jr., age 46, of Parkville, Maryland, to 400 months in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for two counts of production of child pornography. Mannion previously admitted to engaging in sexually explicit conduct with two minor victims. Judge Gallagher also ordered that, upon his release from prison, Mannion must register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge John Eisert of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger.
“Thomas Mannion is a predator and our children and communities are safer because he will now serve more than 33 years in federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “We are grateful for the collaboration of our law enforcement partners to remove this sexual predator from the community so he can no longer victimize our children.”
“When the most vulnerable of our citizens – our children – are victimized we will do everything in our power to protect them and get predators such as this off the street,” said Jennifer C. Boone, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “This case started with one person who was concerned with what they witnessed. Their willingness to step forward was critical to our ability to protect additional children from this predator. I would ask anyone with such information in the future to contact the nearest FBI office or submit tips online at https://tips.fbi.gov. ”
“Mannion preyed upon and exploited children, documenting his crimes to contribute to the horrific child exploitation material industry,” said John Eisert, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations’ Baltimore field office. “Homeland Security Investigations, along with our federal and local law enforcement partners, is committed to investigating and seeking prosecution of predators in our community.”
According to his guilty plea, Mannion, who was a Baltimore County Correctional Officer at the time, rented the basement apartment of a townhome in Parkville, Maryland, where he lived alone. On May 6, 2019, Baltimore County Police were called to a residence after a neighbor had seen Mannion in bed naked with Minor Victim 1, who was also unclothed. When police arrived, they located the minor victim, who was 13 years old at the time, in the basement bedroom area. Investigation revealed that Mannion had met the victim a few months before on a social networking application. Mannion had initially met Minor Victim 1 on March 9, 2019, and brought him to his apartment, where they engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Mannion took photos and videos of Minor Victim 1 during the sexual encounter. Mannion admitted that on March 12, 2019 and March 17, 2019, as well as on additional occasions, he distributed the sexually explicit images of Minor Victim 1 to others. Mannion took additional sexually explicit photographs of Minor Victim 1 on May 6, 2019. A forensic analysis of Mannion’s cellphone revealed 21 images and two videos depicting Minor Victim 1 engaged in sexually explicit activity on March 9, 2019, and an additional eight images of Minor Victim 1 documenting the sexual activity on May 6, 2019.
As detailed in the plea agreement, Mannion also communicated with Minor Victim 2, a 14-year-old male, through the social networking application. Mannion admitted that on April 17, 2019, Mannion went to the home of Minor Victim 2, where he engaged in sexual activity with the victim and took photographs and videos documenting the sexual contact. Mannion distributed the child pornography images of Minor Victim 2 to multiple other users of the social networking application. The forensic analysis of Mannion’s cellphone recovered 18 images and two videos documenting the sexual activity with Minor Victim 2.
According to the plea agreement, Mannion attempted to meet with several other minors with whom he communicated on the social networking application, even after the minors advised Mannion of their ages. Mannion also discussed his sexual interest in other children that he knew or had contact with during sexually explicit chats with users of the application. In addition, a review of Mannion’s laptop computer revealed multiple images of child pornography.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "Resources" tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI, HSI, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary W. Setzer, who prosecuted the federal case.
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Nine Defendants Face Federal Charges in Alleged Racketeering Conspiracy to Smuggle Contraband into Maryland's Chesapeake Detention Facility in Exchange for BribesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging nine defendants with a racketeering conspiracy at the Chesapeake Detention Facility (CDF), in Baltimore, Maryland. The indictment charges three correctional officers (COs), four detainees, and two outside “facilitators” for their roles in the conspiracy, which allegedly involved paying bribes to correctional officers to smuggle contraband, including narcotics, tobacco, and cell phones, into the prison. The indictment was returned on October 14, 2020, and made public today.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Secretary Robert Green of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.
“Corrupt correctional officers endanger the lives of their co-workers and of the detainees entrusted to their care and supervision,” said United States Attorney Robert K. Hur. “They also endanger the entire community, as prisoners can use contraband cell phones to direct criminal activity outside prison walls. The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to root out prison corruption and prosecute correctional officers who abuse their positions of trust to facilitate and engage in criminal behavior.”
“In a city like Baltimore where fighting crime is a top priority, we cannot and will not accept perpetuation of a cycle of illegal activity inside prison walls,” said Jennifer C. Boone, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “Today’s indictment shows that no one in a position of public trust who carries out a criminal conspiracy is beyond the reach of the dedicated agents, officers and detectives from our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners.”
“The Department’s mission is to protect its employees, detainees and inmates, and the public. Any introduction of contraband or breach of integrity threatens that mission and will not be tolerated, which is precisely why we initiated the investigation and asked the U.S. Attorney to assist,” said Secretary Robert L. Green. “We are grateful for their partnership.”
According to the indictment, CDF is run by the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) pursuant to a contract with the United States Marshals Service (USMS) and used solely for the housing of federal pretrial detainees. CDF is a maximum-security prison that houses approximately 500 male and female detainees. There are six housing areas, or “pods” in CDF and in 2020, the facility has 198 correctional officers and other employees.
The indictments alleges that from at least 2016 through the date of the indictment, the COs smuggled contraband into CDF, including narcotics, cell phones, and tobacco. The indictment alleges that the narcotics smuggled into CDF included marijuana and synthetic cannabinoids (otherwise known as “K2”), and buprenorphine, commonly referred to as “Suboxone.” Detainees allegedly acted as both wholesalers and retailers of contraband and in the process made profits that far exceeded the profits that could be made by selling similar drugs on the street. For example, defendant detainees could purchase Suboxone strips for $8 each and sell them inside CDF for $75 each, or for a profit of more than 800 percent.
According to the indictment, although COs and other CDF employees were required to pass through security screening at the entrance to CDF, defendant COs were able to hide contraband on their persons, in their clothing, and in bags or containers of food. Further, COs took breaks during their shifts and returned to their cars to retrieve contraband. In other cases, the defendant COs avoided passing through the metal detector in the main lobby at CDF, enabling them to enter the facility and leave contraband in the lockers or in the Officer’s Dining Room, among other locations. Once the COs had the smuggled contraband inside the facility, they delivered it to: detainees in their cells; in private offices where detainees and staff interacted; in the hallways of detainee housing pods; and pre-arranged “stash” locations like janitorial carts or the laundry or property rooms within the jail. Detainees who were assigned jobs that enable them to move throughout the jail, also known as “working men,” took orders from fellow detainees, provided such orders to corrupt COs, and delivered contraband to other detainees on behalf of corrupt COs.
According to the indictments, the defendant detainees and facilitators paid the defendant COs for smuggled contraband using cash and electronic payment platforms, including Cash App. Some COs also engaged in sexual relations with detainees in exchange for smuggling contraband into CDF. The defendant detainees received payments from other detainees for contraband transactions via Cash App and other methods, often with the assistance of facilitators.
If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the racketeering conspiracy.
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.
The U.S. Attorney expressed appreciation to the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, whose staff initiated the CDF investigation and have been full partners in this investigation.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI and DPSCS for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter J. Martinez and Christina A. Hoffman, who are prosecuting the case.
CDF Indictment Defendants
Correctional Officers:
- Darren Parker, age 45, of Baltimore;
- Andre Davis, a/k/a 2Chainz, age 35, of Baltimore; and
- Talaia Youngblood, age 35, of Randallstown, Maryland.
Detainees:
- James Hair, a/k/a Mook, age 29;
- Donte Thomas, a/k/a Cruddy, age 33;
- Bernard Bey, a/k/a Tony Bey, age 50; and
- Andre Webb, a/k/a Arnie, age 33.
Facilitators:
- Lynette Carlest, age 48, of Baltimore; and
- Jasmine Coleman, age 28, of Baltimore.
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Maryland Man Facing Federal Charge for Threatening Former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Kamala HarrisRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal criminal complaint has been filed today charging James Dale Reed, age 42, of Frederick, Maryland, on the federal charge of threats against a major candidate for President or Vice President—specifically, former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris. Reed is currently in state custody and a federal warrant has been lodged as a detainer to ensure his appearance in U.S. District Court at a future date.
The federal charge was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur and Special Agent in Charge Bo Keane of the United States Secret Service - Baltimore Field Office.
United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur stated, “We take these types of threats extremely seriously. Such threats to commit violence are illegal and have no place in our democracy, and we will hold accountable those who make them. We are grateful for the assistance of the City of Frederick Police Department and to citizens who provided tips that ultimately led to Mr. Reed’s arrest and these federal charges.”
According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, on October 4, 2020, a letter threatening candidates for President and Vice President—specifically, former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris—was left on the doorstep of a resident in Frederick in the early hours of the morning. The likeness of the subject delivering the letter was captured by a door camera. The resident did not know the subject but had several signs in the yard supporting the candidates threatened in the letter. The letter, which is included in full in the attached Complaint, contains the following passage:
“This is a warning to anyone reading this letter if you are a Biden/Harris supporter you will be targeted. We have a list of homes and addresses by your election signs. We are the ones with those scary guns, We are the ones your children have nightmares about…When We capture Grandpa Biden We will all severely beat him to the point of death as for Mrs. Harris she will be bent over and Anally raped by my rifle barrel. Then for the Grand end the [sic] both will be executed on National Television.”
“The right to vote and peacefully support the candidate of your choice are bedrocks of our democracy,” said U.S. Attorney Hur. “Conduct like this that threatens major candidates and fellow citizens only undermines our democracy and the principles upon which America was founded. We will not tolerate threatening conduct that seeks to intimidate, harass or dissuade Americans from exercising their right to vote.”
Investigators worked to identify the subject in the door camera video and after receiving a citizen tip, focused on Reed. An individual familiar with Reed viewed the door camera likeness and confirmed that person was Reed. On October 13, 2020, Reed was interviewed at his residence and denied leaving a threatening letter or being the individual in the door camera video that was shown to him. Two days later, Reed admitted writing and delivering the letter and was arrested.
If convicted, Reed faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
A criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by criminal complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the U.S. Secret Service for its work in the investigation and thanked the Frederick Police Department for its assistance. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys James G. Warwick and Cassie Mathias, who are prosecuting the case.
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Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI Warn Marylanders about Election MisinformationRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland and the FBI are committed to protecting the rights of all Marylanders to vote. U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office are issuing this warning to educate voters about the dangers of misinformation about the time, place and manner of voting in Maryland. The Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, in partnership with the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section and the FBI, is launching a National Voter Disinformation Initiative to identify potential voter suppression schemes nationwide—including those using social media to disseminate disinformation regarding the time, place, or manner of voting—that may be federally prosecuted.
“The right to vote is one of the most important rights exercised by Americans,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Plan now to determine when, where, and how you will vote. Don’t let misinformation keep you from exercising your right to vote!”
What you can do to avoid being misinformed:
Seek out election information from trustworthy sources, verify who produced the content, and consider their intent.
If appropriate, make use of in-platform tools offered by social media companies for reporting suspicious posts that appear to be spreading false or inconsistent information about voting and elections.
Report disinformation about the manner, time, or place of voting in Maryland to the Baltimore Field Office of the FBI at (410) 265-8080 or submit a tip on the FBI’s website at https://www.fbi.gov/tips.
Know when, where, and how you will vote.
Voting Information:
Election Day is November 3, 2020. In Maryland you can vote by mail, use a ballot drop box or vote in in person during early voting or on Election Day.
- Voting By Mail
If you chose to receive your mail-in ballot by U.S. Mail, simply follow the instructions with your ballot and return it in the postage-paid return envelope that accompanies your ballot. Your mail-in ballot must be mailed AND postmarked on or before November 3, 2020, to be counted. Please be advised that putting your ballot in a mailbox on November 3 does not mean it is postmarked that day, so plan ahead.
- Ballot Drop Boxes
You can also put your ballot in a drop off box location up until 8 p.m. on Election Day, November 3. A list of drop box locations can be found on the website of the Maryland State Board of Elections at https://elections.maryland.gov/.
- In-Person Early Voting
In-person voting will begin during the early voting period from Monday, October 26 to Monday, November 2, 2020. On early voting days, approximately 80 vote centers will be open statewide from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters can cast their vote at any vote center in their county of residence. Visit the Maryland State Board of Election’s website at https://elections.maryland.gov/ to see the list of early voting centers.
- Voting In-Person on Election Day
On Election Day, approximately 315 vote centers will be open statewide, including the early voting centers. Voters can cast their vote at any vote center in their county of residence, and residents in the City of Baltimore may cast their vote at any vote center in the city. Your neighborhood polling place probably will not be open on Election Day, but there should be a vote center near you.
Vote centers will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. Visit the Maryland State Board of Elections website at https://elections.maryland.gov/ to see the list of Election Day vote centers.
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Former Department Head at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges in Maryland for Accepting GratuitiesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – David Laufer, age 63, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, formerly of Bethesda, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to acceptance of gratuities by a public official.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Robert E. Craig, Jr. of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service - Mid-Atlantic Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon, Office of Investigations, Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services; and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
According to his plea agreement, from 2009 until May 2019, Laufer worked as the Chief of the Prosthetics and Orthotics Department at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, the largest joint military medical center in the United States. Walter Reed is located in Bethesda and provides medical services, including orthotic and prosthetic services to U.S. service members and their dependents, including wounded soldiers. Person B lived in Montgomery County and owned, operated, and controlled Company B, located in Germantown, Maryland. Company B provided prosthetics and orthotics materials to Walter Reed in return for payments from the government. According to the plea agreement, Person B regularly interacted with Laufer about Company B’s business with Walter Reed.
As detailed in the plea agreement, from 2010 until May 2019, the Walter Reed Prosthetics and Orthotics department used Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs) to order and purchase prosthetics and orthotics materials. This allowed the department to obligate funds to purchase materials so that employees could order materials without charging a credit card each time or engaging in a formal contract for each purchase of materials. Company B was awarded multiple BPAs by Walter Reed, which the Prosthetics and Orthotics department used to order and purchase prosthetics and orthotics materials from Company B. Company B purchased prosthetics and orthotics materials from other manufacturers and distributors, then resold the materials to the Prosthetics and Orthotics department at Walter Reed at a higher price.
Laufer admitted that he restricted the availability of BPAs to some of the manufacturers and distributors from whom Company B purchased products, thereby inhibiting those companies from doing business directly with Walter Reed, and actively encouraged and directed those companies to sell to Walter Reed through Company B, knowing that it would result in a higher price to the government. At the same time that he was funneling business through Company B, Laufer was personally involved in ordering materials and causing materials to be ordered from Company B, as well as taking official acts that impacted Company B. From 2011 to May 2019, Laufer and the Prosthetics and Orthotics department at Walter Reed caused Company B to be paid more than $25 million for prosthetics and orthotics materials. Laufer further admitted that in exchange for his official acts benefitting Company B, he received financial benefits from Company B, including money, travel, and sporting event tickets.
According to the plea agreement, Laufer’s job required him to complete annual Confidential Financial Disclosure forms which required him to report: all sources of outside income greater than $200; any business outside the U.S. Government in which Laufer or his spouse was an employee or consultant, whether or not compensated; any agreements or arrangements concerning past, current, and future employment; and travel-related reimbursement or other gifts totaling more than $350 from any one source during the reporting period. Laufer’s financial disclosure filings from 2014 to 2019 failed to disclose the financial benefits received from Company B.
Furthermore, when interviewed by federal agents as part of a corruption investigation at Walter Reed, Laufer denied receiving any financial benefits from Company B. Laufer also was interviewed by federal agents several times between 2017 and 2019 concerning unexplained cash deposits. On each occasion, Laufer lied to the agents, initially stating that he earned extra money from the purchase and sale of bicycles and small collectibles at swap meets, then falsely stating that he earned cash by working for Person C and Company C, and finally stating that the unexplained cash came from moonshine and liquor sales.
Laufer faces a maximum sentence of two years in federal prison for accepting a bribe. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has scheduled sentencing for February 2, 2021, at 10:00 a.m.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the DCIS, HHS OIG, and the FBI for their work in the investigation and thanked the Veterans Administration Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit, the Office of Personnel Management Office of Inspector General, DOD Cyber Crimes Center Defense Cyber Forensics Laboratory, and the Defense Contract Audit Agency for their assistance. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Gruber and Dana Brusca, who are prosecuting the case.
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Five Alleged MS-13 Members Charged Federally for Their Participation in a Violent Racketeering Conspiracy, Including Eight Murders and Four Attempted MurdersRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury returned an eleventh superseding indictment yesterday, charging five men in connection with a conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise known as La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13. The eleventh superseding indictment adds a new defendant charged with a racketeering conspiracy related to his membership in MS-13, including a double homicide and drug trafficking.
Charged in the 10-count superseding indictment are Junior Noe Alvarado-Requeno, a/k/a “Insolente” and “Trankilo,” age 23, of Landover, Maryland; Luis Arnoldo Flores-Reyes, a/k/a “Maloso” and “Lobo,” age 39, of Arlington, Virginia; Miguel Angel Corea Diaz, a/k/a “Reaper,” age 38, of Long Branch, New Jersey; Jairo Arnaldo Jacome, a/k/a “Abuelo,” age 38, of Langley Park, Maryland; and Brayan Alexander Contreras-Avalos, a/k/a “Anonimo,” “Malia,” and “Humilde,” age 20, of Silver Spring, Maryland.
The 11th superseding indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge James A. Dawson of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge John Eisert of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Jesse R. Fong of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Washington Field Division; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; Interim Chief Hector Velez of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Chief Amal Awad of the City of Hyattsville Police Department; Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy; and Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy.
MS-13 is a national and international gang composed primarily of immigrants or descendants from El Salvador. Branches or “cliques” of MS-13, one of the largest street gangs in the United States, operate throughout Frederick County, Anne Arundel County, Prince George’s County, and Montgomery County, Maryland.
At all times of this conspiracy, members of MS-13 were expected to protect the name, reputation, and status of the gang from rival gang members and other persons. To protect the gang and to enhance its reputation, MS-13 members were expected to use any means necessary to force respect from those who showed disrespect, including acts of intimidation and violence. MS-13 had mottos consistent with its rules, beliefs, expectations, and reputation including “mata, viola, controla,” which translates as, “kill, rape, control,” and “ver, oir y callar,” which means, “see nothing, hear nothing and say nothing.”
MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence both to maintain membership and discipline within the gang, as well as against rival gang members. Participation in criminal activity by a member, particularly in violent acts directed at rival gangs or as directed by gang leadership, increase the respect accorded to that member, resulting in that member maintaining or increasing his position in the gang, and opens the door to a promotion to a leadership position. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, often referred to as “chavalas,” whenever possible.
The 11th superseding indictment alleges that from prior to 2015 through at least January 2018, the defendants, as members and associates of MS-13, engaged in a racketeering conspiracy that included extortion, drug trafficking, money laundering, murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and robbery. Jacome was a member and associate of the Langley Park Salvatrucha Clique of MS-13. All other defendants were members and associates of the Sailors Clique of MS-13.
All the defendants except Contreras-Avalos were charged in previous indictments with conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise for their involvement in a variety of violent acts committed by the Sailors Clique of MS-13, including multiple murders.
The 11th superseding indictment adds Contreras-Avalos as a new defendant and references his alleged involvement in the 2016 murders of two victims who were believed to be members of the rival 18th Street gang.
Specifically, the 11th superseding indictment charges that in June 2016, Alvarado-Requeno and other high-ranking MS-13 members planned with and directed other members and associates of MS-13 to search for and murder gang rivals known as “chavalas” in and around Hyattsville, Maryland. On June 8, 2016, Alvarado-Requeno directed Contreras-Avalos and lower-ranking members of MS-13 to murder two individuals who were believed to be members of the rival 18th Street gang. Pursuant to this plan and as directed by Alvarado-Requeno, Contreras-Avalos, and other MS-13 members and associates stabbed the two victims to death.
Alvarado-Requeno and Jacome also are charged in the 2016 murder of a victim in Germantown, Maryland. On Dec. 4, 2016, Alvarado-Requeno, Jacome, and other members and associates of MS-13 traveled to Germantown with a machete and other weapons with the purpose of murdering an individual as punishment for his infractions against the gang. They allegedly stabbed the victim to death, then fled the area leaving the victim’s body near a creek. The next day, Jacome and other members and associates of MS-13 returned to Germantown to bury the victim’s body.
Alvarado-Requeno, Flores-Reyes, and Corea-Diaz also are charged in the 2017 murder of a victim in Lynchburg, Virginia. On March 27, 2017, Alvarado-Requeno, Flores-Reyes, and Corea-Diaz arranged for members and associates of the Sailors Clique to travel from Maryland to Lynchburg for the purpose of murdering an individual in the Lynchburg area. Flores-Reyes provided the vehicle in which the members and associates drove and called them to provide encouragement to murder the victim. The victim was murdered that same day in Bedford County, Virginia. On March 27 and March 28, 2017, multiple individuals were arrested in connection with the murder. Alvarado-Requeno, Flores-Reyes, and Corea-Diaz made phone calls on those dates trying to locate the individuals who had traveled to Virginia to commit the murder. Two of the participants in the murder escaped from Bedford County and were hidden in Maryland by members and associates of the Sailors Clique.
If convicted, the defendants all face a maximum sentence of life in federal prison for the racketeering conspiracy. Alvarado-Requeno, Jacome, Corea Diaz, Flores-Reyes also face a maximum of life in federal prison for each count of murder in aid of racketeering and a maximum of 10 years in prison for each count of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering. Alvarado-Requeno, Corea Diaz, Flores-Reyes, and Contreras-Avalos face a maximum of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and Corea Diaz also faces 40 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Finally, Flores-Reyes and Jacome face a maximum of 20 years in prison for an extortion conspiracy. All defendants are in custody.
The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur and Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt thanked the FBI Washington and Baltimore Field Offices, HSI Baltimore, the DEA Washington Field Office, the Prince George’s County Police Department, the Montgomery County Police Department, the Prince George’s State’s Attorney’s Office, the Hyattsville Police Department, and the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in this investigation. Mr. Hur and Mr. Rabbitt commended Assistant U.S. Attorneys William D. Moomau and Catherine K. Dick and Trial Attorney Julie A. Finocchiaro of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, who are prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
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Five Alleged MS-13 Members Charged Federally for Their Participation in a Violent Racketeering Conspiracy Including Eight Murders and Four Attempted MurdersRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned an eleventh superseding indictment Monday, charging five men in connection with a conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise known as La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13. The eleventh superseding indictment adds a new defendant charged with a racketeering conspiracy related to his membership in MS-13, including a double homicide and drug trafficking.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge James A. Dawson of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge John Eisert of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Jesse R. Fong of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Washington Field Division; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; Interim Chief Hector Velez of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Chief Amal Awad of the City of Hyattsville Police Department; Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy; and Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy made the announcement.
Charged in the 10-count superseding indictment are Junior Noe Alvarado-Requeno, aka “Insolente,” aka “Trankilo,” 23, of Landover, Maryland; Luis Arnoldo Flores-Reyes, aka “Maloso,” aka “Lobo,” 39, of Arlington, Virginia; Miguel Angel Corea Diaz, aka “Reaper,” 40, of Long Branch, New Jersey; Jairo Arnaldo Jacome, aka “Abuelo,” 38, of Langley Park, Maryland; and Brayan Alexander Contreras-Avalos, aka “Anonimo,” aka “Malia,” and aka “Humilde,” 20, of Silver Spring, Maryland.
MS-13 is a national and international gang composed primarily of immigrants or descendants from El Salvador. Branches or “cliques” of MS-13, one of the largest street gangs in the United States, operate throughout Maryland, including in Montgomery County and Prince George’s County, Maryland.
At all times during the conspiracy, members of MS-13 were expected to protect the name, reputation, and status of the gang from rival gang members and other persons. To protect the gang and to enhance its reputation, MS-13 members were expected to use any means necessary to force respect from those who showed disrespect, including acts of intimidation and violence. MS-13 had mottos consistent with its rules, beliefs, expectations, and reputation including “mata, viola, controla,” which translates as, “kill, rape, control,” and “ver, oir y callar,” which means, “see nothing, hear nothing and say nothing.”
MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence both to maintain membership and discipline within the gang, as well as against rival gang members. Participation in criminal activity by a member, particularly in violent acts directed at rival gangs or as directed by gang leadership, increase the respect accorded to that member, resulting in that member maintaining or increasing his position in the gang, and opens the door to a promotion to a leadership position. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, often referred to as “chavalas,” whenever possible.
The eleventh superseding indictment alleges that from prior to 2015 through at least January 2018, the defendants, as members and associates of MS-13, engaged in a racketeering conspiracy that included extortion, drug trafficking, money laundering, murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and robbery. Jacome is an alleged member and associate of the Langley Park Salvatrucha Clique of MS-13. All other defendants are alleged members and associates of the Sailors Clique of MS-13.
All the defendants except Contreras-Avalos were charged in previous indictments with conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise related to their involvement in a variety of violent acts committed by the Sailors Clique of MS-13, including multiple murders.
The eleventh superseding indictment adds Contreras-Avalos as an additional defendant and references his alleged involvement in the 2016 murders of two victims who were believed to be members of the rival 18th Street gang.
Specifically, the eleventh superseding indictment charges that in June 2016, Alvarado-Requeno and other high-ranking MS-13 members planned with and directed other members and associates of MS-13 to search for and murder gang rivals known as “chavalas” in and around Hyattsville, Maryland. On June 8, 2016, Alvarado-Requeno allegedly directed Contreras-Avalos and lower-ranking members of MS-13 to murder two individuals who were believed to be members of the rival 18th Street gang. Pursuant to this plan and as directed by Alvarado-Requeno, Contreras-Avalos and other MS-13 members and associates allegedly stabbed the two victims to death.
Alvarado-Requeno and Jacome also are charged in the 2016 murder of a victim in Germantown, Maryland. On Dec. 4, 2016, Alvarado-Requeno, Jacome, and other members and associates of MS-13 allegedly traveled to Germantown with a machete and other weapons for the purpose of murdering an individual as punishment for his infractions against the gang. They allegedly stabbed the victim to death, then fled the area leaving the victim’s body near a creek. The next day, Jacome and other members and associates of MS-13 allegedly returned to Germantown to bury the victim’s body.
Alvarado-Requeno, Flores-Reyes, and Corea-Diaz also are charged in the 2017 murder of a victim in Lynchburg, Virginia. On March 27, 2017, Alvarado-Requeno, Flores-Reyes, and Corea-Diaz allegedly arranged for members and associates of the Sailors Clique to travel from Maryland to Lynchburg for the purpose of murdering an individual in the Lynchburg area. Flores-Reyes allegedly provided the vehicle in which the members and associates drove and called them to provide encouragement to murder the victim. The victim was murdered that same day in Bedford County, Virginia. On March 27 and March 28, 2017, multiple individuals were arrested in connection with the murder. Alvarado-Requeno, Flores-Reyes, and Corea-Diaz made phone calls on those dates trying to locate the individuals who had traveled to Virginia to commit the murder. Two of the participants in the murder escaped from Bedford County and were hidden in Maryland by members and associates of the Sailors Clique.
All defendants are in custody.
The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The Justice Department thanked the FBI’s Washington and Baltimore Field Offices, HSI Baltimore, the DEA Washington Field Office, the Prince George’s County Police Department, the Montgomery County Police Department, the Prince George’s State’s Attorney’s Office, the Hyattsville Police Department, and the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in this investigation. Trial Attorney Julie A. Finocchiaro of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys William D. Moomau and Catherine K. Dick are prosecuting this case.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur Announces More Than $622,000 to Support Mental Health Programs for Juveniles in Contact with Justice Systems in MarylandRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur today announced awards of $622,883 in Department of Justice grants to the Maryland Office of the Public Defender to support juvenile justice initiatives to reduce crime and recidivism associated with mental illness and co-occurring disorders.
“These grant funds will assist youth offenders with mental illness or co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Hopefully, linking these juveniles with treatment will prevent them from re-offending.”
“More and more people with mental illness are coming into contact with the criminal justice system, straining law enforcement resources and placing exceptional demands on our jails and prisons,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “By supporting partnerships between justice system professionals and treatment providers, we are making substantial investments in addressing the link between mental health and public safety.”
Provided through the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs, the funding supports efforts that establish collaborative anti-recidivism comprehensive care before, during and after incarceration for persons with serious mental illness. The funding also supports training and technical assistance to law enforcement, other criminal justice agencies and their partner mental health and substance abuse authorities to improve outcomes for youth with mental illness or co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders.
The following organization in Maryland received funding:
- The Maryland Office of the Public Defender will receive $622,883 from the Juvenile Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program.
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, click here. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years
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- The Maryland Office of the Public Defender will receive $622,883 from the Juvenile Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program.
U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur Announces More Than $2.9 Million in Justice Department Grants to Combat Addiction Crisis in MarylandRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur today announced awards of $2,905,629 in Department of Justice grants to fight drug abuse and addiction in the District of Maryland. The grants were awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and are part of more than $341 million going to communities nationwide.
“The addiction crisis has taken an enormous toll on America’s families and communities, eroding public health, threatening public safety and claiming tens of thousands of lives year after year,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Through comprehensive measures taken by this administration, we have been able to curtail the opioid epidemic, but new and powerful drugs are presenting exceptional challenges that we must be prepared to meet. The Justice Department’s substantial investments in enforcement, response, and treatment will help us overcome these challenges and work towards freeing Americans from abuse and addiction.”
“We must do everything we can to combat opioid addiction,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “These grants from the Department of Justice will help prevent opioid addiction through prescription drug monitoring programs, provide treatment to drug-addicted prisoners, and help prosecute drug dealers by enhancing our ability to evaluate evidence. These efforts are crucial to the fight to stop drug abuse and dangerous overdoses.”
Illegal drugs and illicit drug use have claimed the lives of nearly 400,000 Americans since the turn of the century. Powerful synthetic opioids like fentanyl are exacting an enormous toll on families and communities, and an emergence in the use of methamphetamines and other psychostimulants is drawing drug traffickers and driving up overdose rates. Three years ago, President Trump declared a Public Health Emergency and initiated a whole-of-government approach dedicated to ending this national tragedy. The Department of Justice has invested unprecedented levels of funding in combating the addiction crisis. The awards announced today build on those earlier investments.
“If we hope to defeat an enemy as powerful, persistent and adaptable as illicit drugs, we must be at least as determined and versatile, focusing our ingenuity and resources on curbing abuse and fighting addiction,” said OJP’s Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “These grants will enable criminal justice officials and substance abuse, mental health and other medical professionals to pool their assets and bring the full weight of our public safety and treatment systems down on this epidemic that has already caused so much harm.”
Funding is made available through OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, National Institute of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
The following organizations received funding:
- The Maryland Department of Health has received $1,930,382 to enhance the capacity of regulatory and law enforcement agencies and public health officials to collect and analyze controlled substance prescription data and other scheduled chemical products through a centralized database. Prescription drug monitoring programs help state and local governments to detect and prevent the diversion and abuse of pharmaceutically controlled substances such as opioids and other prescription drugs.
- The Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services has received $427,047 for residential substance abuse for state prisoners.
- The National Institute of Standards and Technology is receiving a total of $548,200 for research and development in forensic science for criminal justice purposes; and for research and evaluation for the testing and interpretation of physical evidence in publicly funded forensic labs.
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, click here. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years
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U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur Announces Almost $10.2 Million in Federal Grants to Support Wellness and Safety of Law Enforcement Officers in MarylandRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur today announced $10,199,380 in Department of Justice grants to benefit law enforcement officers in the District of Maryland. The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of over $54 million in funding nationwide to provide services that protect officers and improve overall public safety. OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance awarded grants to law enforcement departments, local jurisdictions, and training and technical assistance organizations throughout the United States.
The FBI’s official crime data for 2019, the most recent available, reflects a decrease in the number of law enforcement officers killed feloniously between 2018 and 2019, from 43 to 32 killed as of September 30, 2019. The number of law enforcement officers reported accidentally killed in 2019 decreased slightly from 33 to 29 in the same reporting period. Additionally, officers experienced nearly 59,000 assaults against them in 2018.
“We simply cannot close our eyes to the unique risks facing law enforcement officers,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “It is critically important to support our law enforcement officers and these grants will help provide the tools needed to keep them safe and healthy.”
“The Office of Justice Programs stands proudly with the Attorney General and the President in our commitment to the health and safety of 700,000 sworn law enforcement professionals who selflessly place their lives in jeopardy to keep us all safe,” said OJP’s Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “Bulletproof vests, body-worn cameras, professional training on wellness and safety—these resources, equipment and strategies will help officers do their jobs effectively, keep them safe from harm and protect their health.”
Nationwide, more than $19 million will support the training and implementation of law enforcement agencies’ body-worn camera programs. Another $23.6 million will reimburse jurisdictions for up to 50 percent of the cost of body-armor vests, while nearly $11 million will support law enforcement safety and wellness programs, research and services.
The following organizations in Maryland received funding:
- Morgan State University received $139, 380 under the Body-Worn Camera Policy and Implementation Program to enable it to improve the capacity to gather evidence and protect the safety of law enforcement officers and citizens.
- Towson University received $60,000 under the same program.
- Justice and Security Strategies received $10 million under the Supporting Small and Rural Agency Body-Worn Camera Policy and Implementation Program to provide funding and program development to assist small agencies nationwide.
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, click here. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office has Charged 86 Federal Gun Possession Cases in Maryland to Date in 2020Read the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged 55 federal gun possession cases in Baltimore and 31 in Greenbelt so far during the 2020 calendar year, and the office continues to investigate and charge defendants who illegally possess and use firearms. These gun possession cases are just one component of the District’s larger Project Safe Neighborhoods Program, which specifically targets violent crime by combining local, state, and federal law enforcement efforts; community action and revitalization; and public awareness. The use of federal resources and statutes, which carry significant terms of imprisonment—in federal prisons far from Maryland, with no suspended sentences, and no parole—is especially helpful in prosecuting repeat violent offenders, who pose the greatest threat to public safety.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby of the State’s Attorney’s Office for Baltimore City; and Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh.
“Reducing violent crime in Maryland is job one. We are proud of the work we have done to date, despite the challenges posed by the pandemic. In Baltimore, our relentless focus on reducing the gun crime that plagues the City has resulted in more federal gun possession cases charged to date this year than during the entirety of last year,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “We and our partners will continue together to focus on prosecuting the repeat violent offenders who wreak havoc in and terrorize our communities.”
“The application of federal charges against individuals who illegally possess or use firearms to commit a crime has been a game changer in our efforts to reduce gun violence and successfully prosecute criminal offenders throughout Maryland,” said ATF Baltimore Field Division Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones. “The ATF Baltimore Field Division and our partners will continue to aggressively pursue those who criminally possess or use a firearm in the commission of a crime, and we are grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their continued commitment to ensuring that these unlawful offenders answer for their crimes.”
The United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners are continuing our efforts to address gun violence by using federal statutes prohibiting felons from possessing firearms. These types of reactive gun cases are one part of Maryland’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), our violent-crime reduction strategy. The United States Attorney’s Office, through the use of Project Safe Neighborhoods, will continue to pursue felons with guns who constitute a clear and present danger to the safety and welfare of the citizens of Maryland.
One of the reasons for the success of the program in Baltimore is the use of Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys (SAUSAs) provided by the Maryland Attorney General’s Office and the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City and funded through grants from the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth & Victim Services. These SAUSAs, who almost exclusively handle federal gun and violent crime cases, are force multipliers in the fight against violent crime.
The Department of Justice announced on October 13, 2020, that it has charged more than 14,200 defendants with firearms-related crimes nationwide during Fiscal Year (FY) 2020, despite the challenges of COVID 19 and its impact on the criminal justice process. These cases have been a Department priority since November 2019 when Attorney General William P. Barr announced his commitment to investigating, prosecuting, and combatting gun crimes as a critical part of the Department’s anti-violent crime strategy. These firearms-related charges are the result of the critical law enforcement partnership between United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, led by Acting Director Regina Lombardo, who has made firearms-related investigations a priority.
“The number one priority of government is to keep its citizens safe,” said Attorney General Barr. “By preventing firearms from falling into the hands of individuals who are prohibited from having them, we can stop violent crime before it happens. Violating federal firearms laws is a serious crime and offenders face serious consequences. The Department of Justice is committed to investigating and prosecuting individuals, who illegally buy, sell, use, or possess firearms. Reducing gun violence requires a coordinated effort, and we could not have charged more than 14,000 individuals with firearms-related crimes without the hard work of the dedicated law enforcement professionals at the ATF, our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country, and especially all of our state and local law enforcement partners.”
“Protecting the public from violent crime involving firearms is at the core of ATF’s mission,” commented ATF Acting Director Regina Lombardo. “Every day the men and women of ATF pursue and investigate those who use firearms to commit violent crimes in our communities, many of whom are prohibited from possessing firearms from previous convictions. ATF, in collaboration with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the nation, is committed to bringing these offenders to justice for their egregious and violent criminal acts.”
Under federal law, it is illegal to possess a firearm if you fall into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon, illegal alien, or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to illegally purchase - firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, is also a federal offense. The Department is committed to prosecuting these firearms offenses as well as using all modern technologies available to law enforcement such as the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, known as NIBIN, to promote gun crime intelligence. Keeping illegal firearms out of the hands of violent criminals will continue to be a priority of the Department of Justice and we will use all appropriate, available means to keep the law-abiding people of this country safe from gun crime.
For more information on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atf-form-4473.
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Maryland U.S. Attorney Appoints District Election Officer to Receive Complaints and Allegations of Election Fraud and Voting Rights Violations as Part of the U.S. Department of Justice Nationwide Federal Election Day ProgramRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – United States Attorney Robert K. Hur announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Leo J. Wise will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 3, 2020, general election. AUSA Wise has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Maryland, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights concerns in consultation with state authorities, the FBI, and Justice Department Headquarters.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur said, “The vote is the foundation of our democracy. Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted accurately. We will always act appropriately to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open through election day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input, tampering with ballot drop boxes, altering or destroying mail-in ballots, and disseminating misinformation about the time, place and manner of voting. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy).
The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights concerns during the voting period that ends on November 3, 2020, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, United States Attorney Hur stated that AUSA/DEO Wise will be on duty in this District an available to the public from now through election day, November 3, 2020. He can be reached by phone at 410-209-4800.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 410-265-8080.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/.
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the cooperation of the American electorate. It is imperative that those who have specific information about discrimination or election fraud make that information available to my Office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division.”
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Former Maryland Police Officer Who Fled After Sentencing Arrested in IndianaRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – James Piccirilli, age 39, of Mt. Airy, Maryland, was arrested on October 13, 2020, in New Salisbury, Indiana. Piccirilli was sentenced on January 13, 2020, by U.S. Circuit Judge Stephanie Thacker, sitting by designation in Baltimore, to 30 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of an unregistered fully automatic firearm. Piccirilli fled after sentencing and did not meet his prison reporting date. He was located and arrested by law enforcement including federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore and Louisville Field Divisions, U.S. Deputy Marshals from Indiana, and officers from the Southeast Indiana Regional SWAT Team.
The arrest was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Tim Jones of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and U.S. Marshal Johnny Hughes.
On October 13, 2020, Piccirilli was arrested with his girlfriend, Kellie Warfield, age 29, of Mt. Airy, on criminal complaints charging Piccirilli with failing to surrender for service of sentence and Warfield with aiding and abetting. They both had initial appearances in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana on October 14, 2020, and were ordered to be detained and transported to Maryland.
The National Firearms Act regulates certain firearms, known as “NFA firearms,” such as short-barreled rifles; fully automatic firearms; firearms that can be readily made fully automatic; and parts that can make a firearm fully automatic. Individuals may not possess an NFA firearm that is not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFRTR), nor can a person sell or transfer an NFA firearm without the prior approval of the ATF.
According to his guilty plea, on October 5, 2018, Piccirilli took an MKE 5.56mm caliber firearm, which had been altered to convert it into a fully automatic short-barreled rifle, bringing the firearm under the regulation of the NFA, to the home of another individual, who was a licensed gun dealer in Maryland. Piccirilli, formerly a police officer in Brunswick, Maryland, legally owned non-NFA firearms and had the skill and expertise to convert non-NFA firearms into NFA firearms. Piccirilli admitted that the firearm belonged to him, but it was not registered to him, in violation of the NFA.
According to information presented to the Court, Piccirilli tried to launder the unregistered firearm by attempting to have the gun dealer register the illegal firearm and/or sell it, so that the sale of the gun would appear to be legal. In December 2018, Piccirilli attempted to sell the firearm to an ATF undercover agent without ATF’s prior approval and in text messages and recorded calls tried to conceal the nature of the transaction. On December 14, 2018, as Piccirilli left his house to complete the transaction, he was apprehended by ATF agents. Investigators executed search warrants on his house and two vehicles, seizing 10 unregistered fully automatic firearms, one unregistered short-barreled rifle, and seven unregistered silencers.
Piccirilli pled guilty to possession of an unregistered NFA weapon and was sentenced on January 13, 2020, to 30 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was ordered to remain on home monitoring and report to Bureau of Prisons custody by March 16, 2020. Instead, Piccirilli disabled his ankle bracelet and fled from Maryland with Warfield on January 24, 2020. ATF Baltimore Special Agents, assisted by U.S. Deputy Marshals from Baltimore, conducted an investigation to locate the couple, tracking multiple potential areas of the country and ultimately developing information that Piccirilli and Warfield were residing and working in the Harrison County area of Indiana. Search and arrest warrants were executed on October 13, 2020, in New Salisbury, Indiana, where the defendants were taken into custody, and in Ramsey, Indiana, where the couple was residing. ATF Special Agents executing the search warrants recovered ammunition and multiple firearms.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the ATF in Baltimore and Louisville, and the U.S. Marshals Service, for their work in locating and arresting Piccirilli and Warfield, and thanked the Southeast Indiana Regional SWAT Team, the Indiana State Police, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana for their assistance. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia C. McLane and Brandon Moore, who are prosecuting the case.
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Former Correctional Officer at Jessup Correctional Institution Pleads Guilty to Federal Racketeering Conspiracy ChargeRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Former Correctional Dietary Officer Chanel Pierce, age 27, of Pikesville, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to a federal racketeering conspiracy in connection with her work at the Jessup Correctional Institution (JCI). The conspiracy included former correctional officers, inmates, and outside “facilitators,” for paying bribes to correctional officers to smuggle contraband, including narcotics, alcohol, tobacco, and cell phones into the prison.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Secretary Robert Green, of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.
“Corrupt correctional officers endanger the lives of their co-workers and of the inmates entrusted to their care and supervision,” said United States Attorney Robert K. Hur. “They also endanger the entire community, as prisoners can use contraband cell phones to direct criminal activity outside prison walls. The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to root out prison corruption and prosecute correctional officers who abuse their positions of trust to facilitate and engage in criminal behavior.”
“The public expects its correctional officers to guard the wall that divides those who are in prison from the community. Chanel Pierce violated that trust and allowed a free flow of criminal activity in and out of the prison,” said Jennifer Boone, Special Agent in Charge of the Baltimore Field Office of the FBI. “Today’s guilty plea shows that no one in a position of public trust who carries out a criminal conspiracy is beyond the reach of the dedicated agents, officers and detectives from our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners.”
JCI was a maximum-security prison that housed approximately 1,800 male inmates, with approximately 423 Correctional Officers (COs).
According to her plea agreement, from at least 2017 until her arrest earlier this year, Pierce conspired with other COs, inmates, and outside facilitators to smuggle contraband into JCI, including narcotics, alcohol, tobacco, and cell phones, in order to enrich themselves and protect and expand their criminal operation. According to the plea agreement and other court documents, COs accepted or agreed to accept payments from facilitators and/or inmates or engaged in sexual relations with inmates as consideration for smuggling contraband into JCI. Inmates acted as both wholesalers and retailers of contraband and in the process made profits that far exceeded the profits that could be made by selling similar drugs on the street. For example, conspirator inmates could purchase Suboxone strips for approximately $3 each and sell them inside JCI for approximately $50 each, or for a profit of more than 1,000 percent.
As detailed in her plea agreement, Pierce conspired with inmates and outside facilitators to smuggle contraband, including controlled dangerous substances, such as Suboxone, into JCI and then distribute the contraband to inmates. Pierce met with outside facilitators at her residence and elsewhere to obtain contraband for smuggling. Pierce would then conceal the contraband on her person, smuggle it into JCI and distribute it to JCI inmates. Pierce admitted that she did this regularly while employed at the facility.
In exchange for smuggling the contraband, Pierce received thousands of dollars in bribe payments, which were sent to her by co-conspirators on behalf of JCI inmates. The memo line of the payments would often include the name or nickname of the inmate on whose behalf the bribe was made. For example, on April 12, 2019, Pierce received a $500 bribe payment from a co-conspirator along with the message “for Boosie,” who was JCI inmate Marshall Hill. Pierce transferred most of the bribe payments to her personal bank accounts and used the funds for her own benefit.
Early on the morning of May 25, 2019, Pierce met with a co-defendant outside facilitator at her home and obtained several balloons filled with controlled substances to smuggle into JCI. Pierce then went to work and was stopped by law enforcement as she entered the facility and searched. Law enforcement recovered a concealed purple balloon from Pierce’s person containing Suboxone. A subsequent search of Pierce’s home revealed several more balloons filled with contraband that she intended to smuggle into JCI.
Pierce faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the racketeering 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. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has scheduled sentencing for January 8, 2021, at 2:00 p.m.
Co-defendant inmates Page Boyd, age 35, and Marshall Hill, a/k/a “Boosie,” age 28, have pleaded guilty to their roles in the racketeering conspiracy and are scheduled to be sentenced on November 23, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. and December 2, 2020 at 2:30 p.m., respectively. Co-defendant facilitator Trinesse Butts, age 36, of Parkville, Maryland has also pleaded guilty to the racketeering conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on November 23, 2020, at 10:30 a.m.
The U.S. Attorney expressed appreciation to the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, whose staff initiated the JCI investigation and have been full partners in this investigation. United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI and the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Burden H. Walker and Lauren E. Perry, who are prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
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MS-13 Member Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Violent Racketeering Crimes, Including Two MurdersRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar today sentenced MS-13 gang member Albaro Rosa Moreno, a/k/a Slow, age 24, of Silver Spring, Maryland, to 30 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise, in connection with his gang activities, including two murders.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge John Eisert of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore Office; Acting Chief Patrick Grossman of the Frederick City Police Department; Frederick County State’s Attorney J. Charles Smith, III; Chief William Lowry of the Anne Arundel County Police Department; Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess; Interim Chief Hector Velez of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha N. Braveboy; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy.
“The violence perpetrated by MS-13 members in our communities is totally unacceptable—especially the extreme and barbaric violence such a beheading and dismemberment that is a calling card of the MS-13 gang. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland and our local and state partners are committed to keeping our communities safe from the violent threat of MS-13,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “We continue to work with our counterparts here and abroad to prevent gang violence and bring to justice those who bring danger to our streets. We need the continued help of members of our communities in order to carry on our work against MS-13.”
“Albaro Rosa Moreno thought he could steal lives and escape unscathed. Today’s sentencing should send a message to MS-13 members and their associates that medieval-style violence and senseless murder will not be tolerated,” said Jennifer C. Boone, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore Field Office “The FBI and our partners will aggressively pursue gangs wherever they surface and we are steadfast in our commitment to making Maryland a safe place for the people who call it home.”
MS-13 is a national and international gang composed primarily of immigrants or descendants from El Salvador. Branches or “cliques” of MS-13, one of the largest street gangs in the United States, operate throughout Frederick County, Anne Arundel County, Prince George’s County, and Montgomery County, Maryland. Rosa Moreno admitted that from at least January 2017, he was a member and associate of the Parkview Locos Salvatrucha (PVLS) clique of MS-13.
At all times of this conspiracy, members of MS-13 were expected to protect the name, reputation, and status of the gang from rival gang members and other persons. To protect the gang and to enhance its reputation, MS-13 members were expected to use any means necessary to force respect from those who showed disrespect, including acts of intimidation and violence. MS-13 had mottos consistent with its rules, beliefs, expectations and reputation including “mata, viola, controla,” which translates as, “kill, rape, control,” and “ver, oir y callar,” which means, “see nothing, hear nothing and say nothing.”
MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence both to maintain membership and discipline within the gang, as well as against rival gang members. Participation in criminal activity by a member, particularly in violent acts directed at rival gangs or as directed by gang leadership, increase the respect accorded to that member, resulting in that member maintaining or increasing his position in the gang, and opens the door to a promotion to a leadership position. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, often referred to as “chavalas,” whenever possible.
According to his plea agreement, in March 2017, Rosa Moreno participated in the murder of Victim 13. MS-13 gang members had decided that Victim 13 had betrayed the gang because he was in a relation with a female who they believed to be associated with the 18th Street Gang, a rival of MS-13. Under the ruse that they were going to a party, on March 31, 2017, MS-13 gang members brought Victim 13 to Wheaton Regional Park in Wheaton, Maryland. Other gang members had dug a grave and gathered weapons at that location. When Victim 13 arrived, Rosa Moreno and other MS-13 gang members attacked him with a machete and knives until he was dead. Victim 13’s body was then beheaded, dismembered, and buried in the grave.
In September 2017, investigators recovered Victim 13’s body from a clandestine grave in Wheaton, Maryland. The medical examiner found that the cause of death was homicide. The body had suffered numerous blunt and sharp force traumas, the victim’s head had been severed, and his heart had been removed.
As detailed in his plea agreement, April 2017, Rosa Moreno assisted with the murder of Victim 14, whom Rosa Moreno and his fellow gang members believed was a member of a rival gang. Gang members found Victim 14 in Silver Spring, Maryland. After they confirmed that he was a member of a rival gang – based on a review of his phone and tattoos – they arranged with other gang members to identify a place in Frederick, Maryland where the victim could be killed. The MS-13 gang members then contacted other gang members (from the Fulton, PVLS, and other cliques) to arrange to transport Victim 14 to Frederick. Rosa Moreno and other gang members also traveled from Silver Spring to Frederick. MS-13 gang members brought Victim 14 to the Frederick City Watershed off Gambrill Park Road in Frederick, Maryland, where they had dug a grave and gathered weapons. When Victim 14 arrived, gang members hit him with a tree branch and other gang members attacked him with a machete and knives until he was dead. Victim 14’s body was then dismembered and buried in the grave. Although Rosa Moreno assisted with the murder of Victim 14, he was not permitted to directly participate because he had actively participated in the murder of Victim 13 just a few days before. In June 2017, the remains of Victim 14 were found in the shallow grave where he had been buried.
The murders of Victim 13 and Victim 14 were intended to maintain and increase the status of MS-13 and allow Rosa Moreno and other MS-13 members to maintain or increase their status within the gang.
A total of 30 defendants have been charged in this case with participating in a racketeering conspiracy and/or other crimes related to their association with MS-13. A total of 19 defendants, including Rosa Moreno, have pleaded guilty to crimes related to their participation in MS-13 gang activities.
Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement. The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know. You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or you can call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI; HSI; the Frederick City Police Department; the Anne Arundel, Montgomery, and Prince George’s County Police Departments; and the Anne Arundel, Frederick, Montgomery, and Prince George’s County State’s Attorneys for their work in the investigation, and recognized the Baltimore County Police Department for its assistance. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth S. Clark, Catherine K. Dick, and Matthew DellaBetta, who are prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
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Former Baltimore Police Officer Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Prison for Federal Charge of Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III today sentenced James Robert Wissmann, IV, age 35, of Baltimore, Maryland, formerly a police officer with the Baltimore City Police Department, to 78 months in federal prison, followed by 25 years of supervised release, for possession of child pornography. Judge Russell also ordered that, upon his release from prison, Wissmann 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). Baltimore Police Department (BPD) officials suspended Wissmann on July 31, 2019, after a search at his residence. Wissmann subsequently resigned from the BPD.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; 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 Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, starting no later than July 2017, using fake names and fake e-mail addresses, Wissmann created accounts on a mobile application that allows users to join a “room” where they can message, video chat, watch videos and images, and share files, and used those accounts to distribute and receive files of child pornography and to discuss the sexual exploitation of children. The application monitored the activity on its platform and identified Wissmann’s accounts as sharing contraband files, shut down Wissmann’s accounts, and subsequently submitted reports to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”). Each time Wissmann’s accounts were shut down, Wissmann created a new account, using fake names and e-mail addresses, and continued to share child pornography and discuss child exploitation.
In 2018 and 2019, Wissmann created at least seven separate accounts on the application after being banned based on trafficking in child pornography. On October 11, 2018, the application sent five reports to NCMEC relating to child exploitation activity in Wissmann’s account. All five reports contained images that depict naked prepubescent females.
As detailed in his plea agreement, Wissmann took a variety of steps to avoid detection by the online platforms and law enforcement. Those steps included the use of fake names and e-mail addresses when creating accounts; the purchase of a Virtual Private Network account (a service that lets a user access the web privately by routing the connection through a server and hiding the user’s online actions); the use of the Tor anonymity network (used to conceal a user’s location, usage, and identity); regularly deleting, reinstalling, and then deleting various applications; and by using a file-wiping utility to permanently delete files.
On July 31, 2019, investigators executed a search warrant at Wissmann’s residence and seized Wissmann’s laptop computer, removable digital media, and mobile phones, which he used to commit the offense. During a forensic examination of the seized items, investigators found images and videos of child pornography on Wissmann’s laptop, including images depicting prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "Resources" tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI, the Baltimore City Police Department, and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow, who prosecuted the case.
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U.S. Attorney Robert K Hur Announces More Than $3.6 Million in Federal Department of Justice Grants to MarylandRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur today announced $2,505,686 in Department of Justice grants to seven entities in Maryland to fund crime laboratories, decrease DNA backlogs, support basic and applied forensic research, and help law enforcement identify missing persons, as part of $192 million in funding to advance forensic science nationwide.
In addition, U.S. Attorney Hur announced that Baltimore County received $1,129,288 in Department of Justice grants to help law enforcement agencies and crime labs process sexual assault evidence and increase the number of sexual assault kits submitted to crime labs in order to solve more crimes, including cold cases, as part of more than $45 million in funding to support the National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI).
The grants, totaling $3,634,974, were awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP).
“These grants will be used by local jurisdictions in Maryland to advance evidence processing, fund crime labs, decrease backlogs in DNA and sexual assault kit processing, and help identify missing persons,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Hopefully, this will allow law enforcement to solve more crimes, including cold case sexual assaults, and bring justice to victims and their families.”
“Developments in forensic science have given investigators an extraordinary array of tools that can be enlisted to solve crimes and bring answers to victims and survivors, often after many years and even decades,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “These investments in crime-fighting technology, from DNA analysis to drug toxicology to forensic anthropology, will help identify and convict perpetrators, ensure justice for innocent victims and keep communities safe by deterring future criminal activity.”
Since 2004, the Office of Justice Programs has received an annual appropriation for DNA and other forensic science activities. The funding, administered through OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance and National Institute of Justice, supports DNA analysis, laboratory capacity enhancement and forensic science research that provides knowledge and tools to improve the quality and practice of forensic science.
The following organizations received federal funding to advance forensic science:
- Baltimore County received $227,697
- Anne Arundel County received $228,151
- Montgomery County received $213,151
- Prince George’s County received $686,869
- Baltimore City received $389,256
- Maryland State Police received $434,484
- The Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention received $326,078
OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance also made 36 grants to strengthen jurisdictions’ capacity to act on evidence resulting from rape kits, and three grants to the Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence ‒ Inventory, Tracking and Reporting (SAFE-ITR) program.
The award of $1,129,288 made to Baltimore County will support law enforcement and prosecutorial activities related to the testing and use of evidence obtained in sexual assault investigations.“Far too many people endure the physical and emotional trauma of a sexual assault only to have evidence of the crime remain unanalyzed,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, OJP’s Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General. “These grants will help investigators get these kits to labs, where they can be tested, used to solve crimes and ultimately bring justice to victims.”
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, click here.
More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
St. Mary’s County Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for Stealing over $409,000 in Government BenefitsRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte sentenced Victor Demattia, age 64, of Mechanicsville, Maryland, yesterday to 18 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for stealing more than $400,000 in Civil Service Retirement benefits and Social Security benefits. Judge Messitte also entered an order requiring Demattia to forfeit and to pay a money judgment in the amount of $409,421.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General for the Social Security Administration; and Norbert E. Vint, Deputy Inspector General Performing the Duties of the Inspector General, of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) – Office of Inspector General (OIG).
“By not reporting his mother’s death and continuing to accept and use her retirement benefits, Victor Demattia stole more than $400,000 from the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Federal agents and prosecutors have a duty to pursue perpetrators of such crimes and try to recover money stolen from the United States Treasury.”
“The OPM OIG applauds the efforts of our investigators and law enforcement partners for their hard work on this case,” said Norbert E. Vint, Deputy Inspector General Performing the Duties of the Inspector General, OPM OIG. “Ensuring that tax payer funds are used for their designated purpose helps ensure the integrity of the system.”
According to Demattia’s plea agreement, from February 2009 through June 2018, Demattia stole monthly Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) pension payments and Social Security Retirement Insurance Benefit (RIB) payments intended for his mother after her death, resulting in a loss to the United States Government of $409,421.
As detailed in Demattia’s plea agreement, at the time of his mother’s death, she was receiving CSRS pension payments from OPM and RIB payments from SSA by direct deposit to a joint account held by Demattia and his mother. When his mother died, Demattia did not notify SSA or OPM of her death, and as a result, SSA and OPM continued to make monthly deposits into the joint bank account. Demattia admitted that he withdrew the CSRS and RIB funds each month, typically by checks he endorsed, payable to himself or to his now-defunct medical transport business, Patriot Medical Transport.
On March 5, 2019, during an interview conducted by agents of the SSA Office of Inspector General and OPM Office of Inspector General, Demattia admitted that he spent his mother’s RIB and CSRS payments after her death. He stated that he knew he was not entitled to the money, but spent the fund to cover expenses for his failing business such as payroll, fuel, receivables, and other operating expenses, as well as on personal expenses through debit card purchases after the closure of his business.
In total, Demattia stole $369,018 from OPM and $40,403 from SSA after his mother’s death.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur praised the SSA Office of Inspector General and OPM Office of Inspector General for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Davio, who prosecuted the case.
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Final Member of Violent Baltimore "Trained to Go" Gang Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Federal Prison for Racketeering and Drug ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
A Baltimore, Maryland, man was sentenced today to 138 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release for federal charges of conspiring to participate in a violent racketeering enterprise known as Trained To Go (TTG), and for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Roger Taylor, aka Milk, 28, a fugitive since July 2017, was arrested on June 30, 2019, and sentenced today before U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake. Taylor previously pleaded guilty to racketeering activities including narcotics distribution and robbery of rival drug dealers and gang members in TTG territory.
As detailed in his plea agreement, Taylor was associated with a drug trafficking organization that operated in the Sandtown neighborhood of West Baltimore. Taylor was a self-identified member of a group known as the “Young Go Getters” (YGG), which assisted members and associates of the drug trafficking organization in their activities. As of 2014, the organization became known as TTG. Taylor, along with other members of YGG, provided support to TTG in the form of money, drugs, and other types of assistance, such as providing a vehicle to TTG members looking for several individuals that had robbed a TTG member of narcotics. Further, Taylor and his co-conspirators agreed that each of them would commit at least two acts of racketeering activity.
On Aug. 10, 2015, Postal Inspectors interdicted four packages addressed to a fictitious residence and addressee in Windsor Mill, Maryland. Because of the false address and name, the packages could not be delivered. Taylor, in an effort to obtain the packages, contacted the post office and requested the packages be re-delivered to a different address in Windsor Mill. Additional investigation revealed that the four packages contained 9.9 kilograms of cocaine.
During the course of the conspiracy, the quantity of cocaine within the scope of Taylor’s agreement with his co-conspirators and reasonably foreseeable to Taylor was the equivalent of between 15 and 50 kilograms of cocaine.
The leader of the gang, Montana Barronette, aka Tana, and Tanner, 23, and his brother, Terrell Sivells, aka Rell, 27, both of Baltimore, were each sentenced to life in prison on Feb. 15 and April 26, 2019, respectively. Co-defendants Brandon Wilson, aka Ali, 24, and Taurus Tillman, aka Tash, age 30, both of Baltimore, were each sentenced to 25 years in prison on March 1 and May 21, 2019, respectively. Two other co-defendants, John Harrison, aka Binkie, 28, and Linton Broughton, aka Marty, 25, both from Baltimore, were sentenced to life in prison and to 30 years in prison, respectively, on March 15, 2019. Three other TTG members previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced to between five and 25 years in prison.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Baltimore Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force, which includes FBI special agents and task force officers from the Baltimore, Baltimore County, and Anne Arundel County Police Departments. FBI Baltimore Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force is responsible for identifying and targeting the most violent gangs in the Baltimore metropolitan area, to address gang violence and the associated homicides in Baltimore. The vision of the program is to use federal racketeering statutes to disrupt and dismantle significant violent criminal threats and criminal enterprises affecting the safety and well-being of our citizens and our communities.
This case was further assisted by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its 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.
The Justice Department commended the FBI, the Baltimore Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the ATF, the DEA, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, and the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City for their work in these investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Romano, Daniel C. Gardner, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Hanley formerly of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
California Fraudster Sentenced in Maryland to Three Years in Federal Prison for International Mail and Wire Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel yesterday sentenced Saulina Helen Eady, age 38, of Los Angeles, California, to three years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain goods using what appeared to be a military e-mail address, but was actually a registered Yahoo e-mail address. Judge Hazel also entered an order requiring Eady to forfeit and to pay restitution in the full amount of one of the victim’s losses, which is $640,172.80. Eady has been detained since her arrest in October 2018.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Robert E. Craig, Jr. of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service - Mid-Atlantic Field Office; Special Agent in Charge John Eisert of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; and Special Agent in Charge Nasir Khan of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement's Washington Field Office.
According to Eady’s plea agreement, a co-conspirator established and used what was purported to be a U.S. Navy e-mail address, authentic forms, titles, addresses and other indicia to pose as A U.S. government contracting agent and fraudulently obtain merchandise, including large-screen televisions, specialized communications equipment, cellular telephones and computers. Much of the fraud scheme was conducted from outside the United States, including from Nigeria. Three victim companies—one that provided wireless voice and data services that was headquartered in Washington State, one that was a wholesale audio-video distributor and manufacturer’s representative located in Virginia, and a defense contractor that designed, manufactured, and marketed communications equipment that was headquartered in Maryland—shipped merchandise, without prior payment, to Eady’s East Coast co-conspirators. Those individuals then shipped the stolen items to Eady and others on the West Coast.
Specifically, Eady admitted that from October 2015 until March 2017, she assisted in receiving, transporting, and storing the stolen televisions, ostensibly on behalf of the United States government, by renting trucks and transporting the stolen televisions to storage locations in the Los Angeles area, where Eady and others had rented storage units. Following the sale of the televisions, Eady was paid in cash for receiving and moving the televisions. According to her plea agreement, the organization obtained approximately 2,109 televisions over the course of the scheme, and the number of televisions and loss attributable to Eady is 493 televisions worth at least $1,181,290.80, but no more than $3.5 million.
However, based on bank records, surveillance footage, financial and business records of the victim companies, and other information, the Court determined at the sentencing that the loss foreseeable to Saulina Eady was between $1.5 million and $3.5 million.
Of the nine defendants charged in this case, seven have pleaded guilty to their roles in the fraud scheme, including Saulina Eady. In February 2020, Saulina’s brother, Saul Eady was sentenced to four years in federal prison and ordered to pay restitution of $640,127.80. One defendant, Eunice Nkongho, is scheduled for trial in December, and one defendant, Peter Unakalu, is a fugitive.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur praised the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement for their work in the investigation, and thanked the FBI Washington Field Office and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service for their assistance. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer R. Sykes and Joseph R. Baldwin, who are prosecuting the case.
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Twelfth and Final Member of Violent Baltimore “Trained to Go” Gang Sentenced to More Than Eleven Years in Federal Prison for Racketeering and Drug ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake today sentenced Roger Taylor, a/k/a Milk, age 28, of Baltimore, to 138 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for the federal charges of conspiring to participate in a violent racketeering enterprise known as Trained To Go (TTG), and for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Taylor, a fugitive since July 2017, was arrested on June 30, 2019. The racketeering activities to which Taylor pleaded guilty are: narcotics distribution and robberies of other individuals, including rival drug dealers and gang members in TTG territory.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; U.S. Marshal Johnny Hughes; Postal Inspector in Charge Peter R. Rendina of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Anne Arundel County Police Chief William Lowry; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby.
“Roger Taylor and his fellow gang members brought violence and misery to West Baltimore, in the form of murders, armed robberies, and drug dealing. Taylor will now likely spend over a decade in federal prison, where there is no parole—ever,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute criminals who are terrorizing our neighborhoods who will then face the reality of years spent in a federal prison far from home.”
"This case goes to show that no matter how long it takes, the FBI will work to get justice for the victims,” said Jennifer C. Boone, special agent in charge of the Baltimore Division. “The cooperation with our local, national, and international partners should send a message to those committing crimes that we will find you."
According to his plea agreement, Taylor was associated with a drug trafficking organization that operated in the Sandtown neighborhood of West Baltimore. As part of the conspiracy, each defendant agreed that a conspirator would commit at least two acts of racketeering activity. Taylor was self-identified member of a group, known as the “Young Go Getters” (YGG), which assisted members and associates of the criminal enterprise in their activities. As of 2014, the organization became known as “Trained To Go” or “TTG.”
As detailed in his plea agreement, Taylor, who referred to himself as YGG Milk, along with other members of YGG, provided support to TTG in the form of money, drugs, and other assistance. For example, on January 22, 2016, law enforcement learned that two members of TTG were looking for several individuals that had robbed a member of TTG of a small quantity of narcotics. The two members of TTG were spotted by law enforcement driving in the area of the 2500 block of West Lafayette Avenue in west Baltimore. In an effort to escape the police, the occupants of the car fled after crashing into a snow bank. Investigation revealed the car had been provided to them by Taylor.
On August 10, 2015, Postal Inspectors interdicted four packages addressed to a fictitious addressee in Windsor Mill, Maryland. Because the address was also a false address, the packages could not be delivered. Taylor, in an effort to obtain the packages, contacted the post office and requested the packages be re-delivered to a different address in Windsor Mill. Additional investigation revealed that the four packages contained 9.9 kilograms of cocaine.
During the course of the conspiracy, the quantity of cocaine within the scope of Taylor’s agreement with his co-conspirators and reasonably foreseeable as to Taylor was equivalent to between 15 and 50 kilograms of cocaine.
The leader of the gang, Montana Barronette, a/k/a Tana, and Tanner, age 25, his brother, Terrell Sivells, a/k/a Rell, age 29, and John Harrison, a/k/a Binkie, age 30, all of Baltimore, were each sentenced to life in prison. Three other co-defendants, Linton Broughton, a/k/a Marty, age 27, Dennis Pulley, a/k/a Denmo, age 33, and Timothy Floyd, a/k/a Tim Rod, age 30, all from Baltimore, were each sentenced to 30 years in prison. Co-defendants Brandon Wilson, a/k/a Ali, age 26, and Taurus Tillman, a/k/a Tash, age 31, both of Baltimore, were each sentenced to 25 years in prison. Three other TTG members previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced to between five and 25 years in prison.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Baltimore Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force, which includes FBI special agents and task force officers from the Baltimore, Baltimore County, and Anne Arundel County Police Departments. FBI Baltimore Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force is responsible for identifying and targeting the most violent gangs in the Baltimore metropolitan area, to address gang violence and the associated homicides in Baltimore. The vision of the program is to use federal racketeering statutes to disrupt and dismantle significant violent criminal threats and criminal enterprises affecting the safety and well-being of our citizens and our communities.
This case was further assisted by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its 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.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur and Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt commended the FBI, the Baltimore Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the ATF, the DEA, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, and the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City for their work in these investigations. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Romano, Daniel C. Gardner, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Hanley formerly of the Justice Department’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
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U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur Announces More Than $9.3 Million in Grant Funding from the U.S. Department of Justice to Support Mentoring and to Protect Children in MarylandRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur today announced awards of $9,380,000 in Department of Justice grants to support mentoring services for youth and to protect children from abuse, exploitation and threats such as sex trafficking. The awards were made by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and the Office for Victims of Crime, part of the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs.
“One of the best ways to stop violent crime is to equip young people with the skills necessary to meet the challenges they face,” said United States Attorney Robert K. Hur. “The organizations receiving these funds support youth and provide mentorships and strategies to help them to excel in any situation.”
“Young people in America face an array of challenges, from social and academic pressures to dangerous predators and lethal drugs. They are better equipped to meet those challenges with a model of care and compassion to guide them along,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “These awards will support outstanding youth-serving organizations like the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boys and Girls Clubs and their local affiliates across the country as they help youth discover their talents, find their purpose and realize their full potential. We are incredibly grateful to our mentorship programs, both nationally and locally. Badges in Blue and Badges for Baseball are great examples of successful community partnerships through law enforcement and mentoring.”
Today’s awards in Maryland are part of more than $261 million going to organizations and agencies across the country. Grants from OJP’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention will allow national, state and local organizations to provide mentoring to youth who are at risk of juvenile delinquency, victimization and juvenile justice system involvement. Mentoring programs supported by OJJDP help youth make connections with leaders and respected members of their communities, including law enforcement officers. Police and sheriffs’ departments have formed close and lasting bonds with young citizens, leading to greater trust and respect between law enforcement professionals and community members. Grants also address the impact of the addiction crisis on children and teens. Funds support mentoring in rural and other underserved communities hit hard by the opioid epidemic.
In addition, more than 100 sites are receiving grants from OJJDP and OVC to help find missing children, investigate and prosecute child exploitation cases, serve abused and neglected children, and assist minor victims of human trafficking.
The following organizations in Maryland received funding:
- The National 4-H Council received $3 million for national mentoring programs and $1.25 million for statewide and regional mentoring initiatives for youth impacted by opioids and drug addiction;
- The U.S. Dream Academy received $2.3 million, and the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation received $2.23 million for multi-state mentoring programs; and
- The Boys and Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Baltimore received $600,000 for mentoring strategies for youth impacted by opioid and drug addiction.
For a complete list of individual grant programs, amounts to be awarded and the jurisdictions that will receive funding, visit here and here.
Additional information about Fiscal Year 2020 grant awards made by the Office of Justice Programs can be found online at the OJP Awards Data webpage
More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Baltimore Felon Arrested on Federal Charge for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Frank William Robertson Perry, age 39, of Dundalk, Maryland, has been arrested on a federal criminal complaint, charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, Perry has been identified by law enforcement as a member of the Boogaloo Movement. “Boogaloo” is a term referencing a violent uprising or impending civil war, and is sometimes used by militia extremists and racially or ethnically motivated extremists. Perry was arrested late on October 7, 2020. A virtual initial appearance is scheduled in U.S. District Court in Baltimore at 4:00 p.m. today before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Mark Coulson.
The arrest was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; 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 the criminal complaint and court documents, a search warrant was executed at Perry’s residence, which he shares with his girlfriend. Agents recovered from the bedroom: a black tactical vest containing two ballistic plates on the interior of the vest; two loaded rifle magazines located in pouches affixed to the exterior of the vest; a third loaded rifle magazine located on top of the vest; an AM-15 rifle which was partially concealed behind a nightstand; eight rounds of .223-caliber ammunition located in the nightstand; and other firearms-related accessories.
As detailed in the criminal complaint, Perry’s girlfriend was in the home at the time of the search and agreed to speak with agents. She advised that she had purchased the AM-15 lower receiver in April at the suggestion of Perry, who said that she needed the weapon for self-defense. She told agents that she learned Perry was obtaining firearms parts and shipping them to the residence in her name, and law enforcement found that the items were purchased using Perry’s credit card. In addition, Perry’s girlfriend stated that she had not been involved in building the rifle—that was done by Perry and a neighbor. Perry was arrested while he was en route to the residence.
According to court documents, Perry is prohibited from possessing firearms and/or ammunition as a result of a previous felony conviction. Investigation revealed that while the firearm is registered to Perry’s girlfriend, a review of her social media indicates no apparent interest or involvement with firearms, hunting, the Second Amendment, or the Boogaloo Movement, nor was there any record of Perry’s girlfriend ever having a hunting license, or any other firearms registered in her name. In contrast, as detailed in the court documents, Perry’s social media reflects a substantial interest in firearms and militia extremist activities.
If convicted, Perry faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
A criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by criminal complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur 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. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen O. Gavin and P. Michael Cunningham, who are prosecuting the case.
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Sex Offender Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow today sentenced John Wright III, age 36, of Edgewood, Maryland, to 30 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for production of child pornography. Judge Chasanow also ordered that, upon his release from prison, Wright must register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge John Eisert of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey R. Gahler; Colonel Woodrow W. Jones III, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; and Harford County State’s Attorney Albert Peisinger.
According to his guilty plea, between December 2016 and January 2018, Wright sexually abused two minor female victims and was convicted in Harford County Circuit Court for two counts of sex abuse of a minor. The investigation also revealed that Wright produced sexually explicit images of one of the victims, who was nine-years-old at the time. In addition, Wright distributed at least one such visual depiction to another person in exchange for other child pornography. The investigation showed that Wright possessed and stored numerous images of child pornography on two cell phones and in cloud storage via the Internet.
As detailed in his plea agreement, between May and December 2017, Wright posted ads on an Internet marketplace requesting sexual services and referencing children, including ads looking for “pics/vids” of children. On December 3, 2017, Wright was contacted by Keith Taylor in reference to one of his ads. The communication between the two men was conducted through a mobile messaging application. During their conversations Wright offered to “pay for good links” of “kids or infant.” Taylor responded that he liked to trade. Taylor and Wright exchanged videos and Wright offered to send a sexually explicit image Wright had produced of the nine-year-old victim to Taylor, which he did. Over the course of several conversations, Taylor requested pornographic videos of the victim and requested that Wright have the victim “strip.” Wright agreed to try but requested “better” images from Taylor. Taylor sent Wright multiple links to child pornography stored on one of Taylor’s cloud storage accounts.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant on two of Wright’s cloud storage accounts, which revealed that Wright had saved 124 child pornography videos and numerous still images of child pornography.
In a separate case, on December 10, 2018, Judge Chasanow sentenced Keith Edward Taylor, age 33, of Kingsville, Maryland, to 27 years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for production of child pornography.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "Resources" tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended HSI-Baltimore, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, the Maryland State Police, and the Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and thanked the Harford County Child Advocacy Center for its assistance. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Maddox, who prosecuted the federal case.
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Manager of Sinaloa Cartel Cell in Baltimore Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett today sentenced Jesus Chaidez-Meza, age 40, residing in Baltimore, to 12 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine. Chaidez-Meza, a Mexican national, is a permanent legal resident of the United States.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; and Colonel Woodrow W. Jones III, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police.
“Drug dealing on the scale practiced by the Sinaloa cartel members in Baltimore fuels the violence that plagues the City,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “The Mexican Sinaloa cartel is one of the most dangerous international drug trafficking, money laundering, and organized crime syndicates threatening Americans today. By funneling wholesale quantities of drugs into the United States, the Sinaloa cartel drives up fatal overdoses and the gun violence in our streets that comes with the drug trade. We will continue to root out and bring to justice drug traffickers who bring deadly drugs to our neighborhoods and profit from the scourge of addiction.”
“The existence and influence of Mexican Drug Cartels in the city of Baltimore was well established through this investigation,” stated DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville Greene. “These relationships only further compound the challenges we already face in this city. With our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, we will endeavor to dismantle any organization that seeks to establish drug distribution networks in the city of Baltimore and the state of Maryland. “
According to evidence presented at his five-day trial, Chaidez-Meza was recruited and sent to Baltimore during the summer of 2016 to oversee drug distribution operations conducted by the Mexican Sinaloa cartel. His ability to lease premises and purchase vehicles for use in the drug operations made him well suited for spearheading this particular Sinaloa cell. He maintained a presence in the Baltimore area through the Spring of 2017, when two large money seizures by DEA agents and task force officers resulted in the cell changing personnel.
Testimony at trial showed that the Sinaloa cartel has been distributing large quantities of cocaine in the Baltimore area for years. The cartel uses various “cells” to accomplish its drug distribution, with truck drivers transporting drugs to the east coast and millions of dollars in drug proceeds to the west coast. Chaidez-Meza helped to manage the cell in Baltimore. Cartel members provided funds to Chaidez-Meza to purchase a car and to rent an apartment from which he conducted the illegal cartel business. According to trial evidence, Chaidez-Meza worked with another individual, known only as Chu-Chi. Chu-Chi was responsible for the distribution of cocaine to local customers and Chaidez-Meza was responsible for the collection of the proceeds of the sales.
Witnesses testified that from September through December 2016, trucks arrived monthly with loads of 60-70 kilograms of cocaine. The driver then transported money back to California, where it was unloaded, and ultimately sent to Mexico. In December 2016, the driver arrived in Baltimore without drugs. On December 11, 2016, Chaidez-Meza and Chu-Chi delivered bags of money to the driver, which the driver packed in a hidden compartment in the tractor portion of the truck, and began driving west. Law enforcement officers stopped the truck just outside Hagerstown, Maryland and recovered $1.2 million from the hidden compartment, representing the proceeds from the sale of approximately 35 kilograms of cocaine.
According to trial evidence, shortly after the seizure, Chaidez-Meza returned to Mexico, but resurfaced in Baltimore in the Spring of 2017, when he terminated the lease on his apartment and sold the car he had purchased, in an effort to cover his tracks and liquidate any remaining assets.
The evidence proved that over the course of the conspiracy, Chaidez-Meza was responsible for the distribution of almost 250 kilograms of cocaine and the collection of millions of dollars in drug proceeds.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur praised the DEA in Baltimore and Los Angeles, California and the Maryland State Police for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys James G. Warwick and Jeffrey J. Izant, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
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Beltsville Pimp Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Sex Trafficking and Narcotics Conspiracies, Witness Tampering, and Related ChargesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte sentenced Kenneth Wayne Hart, a/k/a Redds, Wayne Hawkins, Hawk, Big Daddy, Billy Reds, and Bill Red Hart, age 59, of Beltsville, Maryland, yesterday to 25 years in federal prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, on federal charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute narcotics; a sex trafficking conspiracy; two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion; and witness tampering. Hart was convicted of those charges on March 12, 2020, after a seven-day jury trial.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; 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.
“As this case demonstrates, sex trafficking is a cruel business—often using violence and threats to control victims,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Working to end human trafficking is a priority for the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office and we are proud to be one of the founding members of the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, which brings together law enforcement, victim service providers and survivor advocates to help human trafficking victims and bring the traffickers to justice.”
According to the evidence presented at his seven-day trial, beginning in December 2016 and continuing until April 2017, Hart conspired with a co-conspirator to run a prostitution business using force, threats, fraud, and coercion to cause women to engage in commercial sex acts. Hart and his co-conspirator also distributed narcotics, including to the women he recruited to work in the prostitution business. The evidence proved that Hart recruited women to engage in commercial sex acts in Maryland and Washington, D.C. Hart transported, photographed, and advertised the victims for commercial sex on websites set up for that purpose. According to trial testimony, Hart also supplied the victims with heroin and crack cocaine on a daily basis and threatened to withhold—and did withhold—the narcotics if the victims displayed any sign of disobedience or tried to leave the locations where the commercial sex acts occurred. According to trial evidence, in order to maintain control over the women he recruited to prostitute, Hart demanded that the women surrender to him their personal belongings, including identification cards, credit cards, cash, clothing, and cellular phones, and confiscated their earnings from the commercial sex acts. As detailed in trial testimony, Hart installed a padlock on the bedroom door of a condominium Hart used for the prostitution business, and locked the victims in the room for hours or days at a time, using a daily combination of heroin and crack cocaine to control and coerce the victims. Hart also used physical force, threatened physical force, and verbally abused the victims to force them to engage in prostitution against their will. Even if the door to the bedroom was left open, the victims feared leaving the room and the condominium because they believed that Hart would find them no matter where they went, and that Hart would punish them for trying to leave him.
The jury also found that the evidence proved that Hart used physical force and threatened physical force to prevent an individual from communicating to a law enforcement officer information related to the commission or possible commission of a federal offense.
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.
The sex trafficking charges were investigated by the FBI-led Maryland Child Exploitation Task Force (MCETF), created in 2010 to combat child prostitution, with members from10 state and federal law enforcement agencies. The Task Force coordinates with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Maryland State Police Child Recovery Unit to identify missing children being advertised online for prostitution.
MCETF partners with the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, formed in 2007 to discover and rescue victims of human trafficking while identifying and prosecuting offenders. Members include federal, state and local law enforcement, as well as victim service providers and local community members. For more information about the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, please visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/md/priorities_human.html.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the ATF, FBI, and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer R. Sykes and Daniel C. Gardner, who prosecuted the case.
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Ten Alleged Members of Crips Gang in Baltimore Face Federal Indictment for Racketeering and Drug Conspiracies, Murder, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Robbery, and Related Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment charging 10 alleged members of the Eight Tray Gangsta (ETG) Crips gang in Baltimore with racketeering and drug conspiracies, murder and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, robbery, and related firearms charges. The superseding indictment was returned on September 30, 2020, and unsealed upon the arrest of six of the defendants. Four other defendants were already in custody.
The superseding indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur stated, “This is the second federal indictment filed in several weeks charging Baltimore gang members who terrorize their neighborhoods with drug dealing, gun violence, and witness intimidation. We continue to root out the drivers of violent crime and deadly drug dealing and hold accountable those who bring them to our streets. These defendants now face decades in federal prison, where there are no suspended sentences or parole—ever. And witness intimidation and retaliation will not be tolerated—period. We need the community’s help to continue these efforts.”
“Members of the ‘ETG’ Crips used violence as their calling card, leaving that card all over this neighborhood with a goal of flooding the streets with fear while they tried to tear down our neighborhoods. We cannot let them get away with it,” said Jennifer C. Boone, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “These indictments send a message to all gang members in West Baltimore and beyond – we will be relentless in our pursuit of violent gang members who have besieged communities like Lexington Terrace and the Baltimore Hilton neighborhood for far too long.”
The ETG Crips were a violent subset of the Crip gang that operated on the streets and in correctional facilities in Maryland and elsewhere. For many years, the ETG Crips controlled the drug trade in particular territories in Baltimore City, including the area around the intersection between West Baltimore Street and South Hilton Street in West Baltimore (the “Baltimore Hilton neighborhood”), the area around the intersection between West Lexington Street and North Fremont Avenue (the “Lexington Terrace neighborhood”), and the area around the intersection between Frankford Avenue and Sinclair Lane in North Baltimore (the “Frankford Sinclair neighborhood”).
The ETG Crips originated in Los Angeles, California in the 1970s, and derived their name from 83rd Street, where they were formed. Within the ETG Crips, various cliques emerged corresponding to different neighborhoods in Los Angeles, such as the Baccwest ETG Crips in West Los Angeles and the Nutty North Side ETG Crips in North Los Angeles. Eventually, the ETG Crips spread across the country, and they became prevalent in Maryland beginning in the 2000s. In Baltimore, the ETG Crips members from the Baltimore Hilton and Lexington Terrace neighborhoods referred to themselves as the Baccwest ETG Crips—modeling themselves after the Baccwest ETG Crips in Los Angeles—and ETG Crips members from the Frankford Sinclair neighborhood called themselves the Nutty North Side ETG Crips. The two groups allegedly work together for common criminal purposes.
The ETG Crips were organized hierarchically, with members climbing the ranks from “BG” (Baby Gangster), to “YG” (Young Gangster), to “G” (Gangster), to “OG” (Original Gangster), to “OOG” (Original Original Gangster), and so on. ETG Crips members were required to follow certain rules of conduct. Members who violated these rules or who disobeyed an order from a superior were subjected to disciplinary measures called “sanctions,” which ranged from fines to murder. Violations that were punishable by murder included “snitching” (i.e., cooperating with law enforcement); “homosexuality”; and murdering a fellow Crip without a “greenlight” (i.e., authorization and approval from the gang leadership).
According to the 12-count superseding indictment, from at least 2008 through the date of the superseding indictment, the defendants participated in a racketeering conspiracy related to their gang activities, which included murder, robbery, drug distribution, witness tampering, and witness retaliation.
The superseding indictment alleges that the acting leader of the Baccwest ETG Crips in Baltimore was Trayvon Hall, who was referred to as a “G” of the gang. In or about 2013, Hall flew to California to meet with West Coast leaders of the ETG Crips and gain their official approval for his Baccwest ETG Crips set in Baltimore. The ETG Crips operated street-level drug distribution “shops” in Baltimore, distributing heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana, among other controlled substances. Non-members who attempted to sell drugs in the ETG Crips’ territories were targeted for violence by ETG Crips members. The gang’s primary drug shops were located in the Baltimore Hilton neighborhood (which the Baccwest ETG Crips considered to be their headquarters), the Lexington Terrace neighborhood, and the Franklin Sinclair neighborhood.
The ETG Crips allegedly used social media websites to assert their claim to particular drug territories, intimidate rival gangs and witnesses against the gang, enhance the ETG Crips’ status, and enhance individual members’ status within the gang. Members of the ETG Crips posted photographs and rap videos to these social media websites in which they flaunted firearms and threatened to kill those who stood in the way of the gang.
As detailed in the superseding indictment, the defendants sold drugs and committed robberies to earn money for the enterprise. Members of the gang allegedly purchased, maintained, and circulated firearms, which they used to commit murders and robberies, and to further their drug trafficking activity. For instance, from May 2016 through November 2016, ETG Crips conspired to murder members of the Black Guerilla Family (BGF) gang who operated a rival drug shop in the Lexington Terrace neighborhood. On June 23, 2016, ETG Crips members attempted to murder two BGF gang members, instead shooting two victims who were in the area at the time. On July 18, 2016, Hall murdered BGF member Albert Pittman, shooting him to death in the 4800 block of Midline Road. On November 11, 2016, in the 800 block of West Lexington Street, Hall opened fire on members of the rival BGF gang, murdering BGF member Shyheim Brown and wounding two other victims. Immediately afterward, Hall sent an unindicted co-conspirator a series of text messages about the shooting, saying he had “Jus bashed the monkeys” (a derogatory term for members of BGF), and they “Wasn’t exspecting [sic] me be out early lmGCao [laughing my Gangster Crip ass off].”
Further, the superseding indictment alleges that from July 2017 through July 2019, members of the ETG Crips conspired to murder members of the Abington Avenue drug trafficking organization, whose territory the ETG Crips had taken over. The ETG Crips allegedly murdered two members of the Abington Avenue organization and shot several others. According to the superseding indictment, ETG members also threatened a witness who testified against a fellow gang member in a state murder trial, posting the witness’s photograph on social media, labeling the witness as a “snitch,” and threatening to kill that witness as retaliation.
The following defendants, all from Baltimore, are charged in the superseding indictment:
Trayvon Hall, a/k/a Tru and G-Tru, age 29;
Ronnie Finney, a/k/a Fin, age 34;
Donnell Foster, a/k/a Fuss, age 30;
Daran Hickman, a/k/a Chizzle, age 28;
David Jackson, a/k/a Dev and Lil David, age 25;
Alvin Johnson, a/k/a Jug, age 29;
Keith Pinson, a/k/a Gotti, age 27;
Devon Powell, a/k/a Smuppy, age 29;
Ridgley Shipley, a/k/a Crazy, age 30; and
Marcus Williams, a/k/a Gangsta C and GC, age 32.If convicted, the defendants all face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the racketeering conspiracy and a maximum of 40 years in federal prison for the drug trafficking conspiracy. Hall also faces a maximum sentence of death or life in federal prison for each of two counts of murder in aid of racketeering. Powell faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for assault with a deadly weapon in aid of racketeering; Powell and Shipley face a maximum of life in prison for using, carrying, brandishing, and/or discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; Shipley faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for each of two counts of commercial robbery; and Shipley, Powell, and Hall face a maximum of 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. 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 their initial appearances today in U.S. District Court in Baltimore. U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Mark Coulson ordered the defendants be detained pending detention hearings scheduled to begin on Friday, October 9, 2020.
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 case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, the ATF, the Maryland Attorney General’s Office, the Baltimore County Police Department and the Anne Arundel County Police Department for their assistance. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christina A. Hoffman and Peter J. Martinez, who are prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
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Maryland U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur Announces More Than $1 Million in Grant Funding to Assist Victims in MarylandRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur today announced $1,047,593 in Department of Justice grants to Howard County to assist human trafficking victims in Maryland. The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of almost $1.8 billion distributed to state victim assistance and compensation programs to fund thousands of local victim assistance programs across the country and to provide millions in compensation to victims of crime.
The Office for Victims of Crime, a component of the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, administers a flagship formula grant program supported by the Crime Victims Fund (the Fund), which was established under The Victims of Crime Act. The Fund supports a broad array of programs and services that focus on helping victims in the immediate aftermath of crime and continuing to support them as they rebuild their lives. In FY 2019 alone, VOCA grants served over seven million victims and paid more than $399 million in compensation claims.
“Advocates, service providers, and law enforcement agencies from around the country stand ready to help crime victims exercise their legal rights and reclaim their lives,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “These new funding resources continue this administration’s unprecedented commitment to providing the support necessary for victims of crimes to be able to heal and recover.”
“I am so pleased that Howard County has received funds to support their collaborative task force to end human trafficking and to provide services to victims of this terrible crime,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Through these local task forces, as well as the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, local, state and federal law enforcement partners are working with non-profit organizations to help human trafficking victims and prosecute the traffickers. Working to end human trafficking is a priority for the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
The awards made to organizations in Maryland and other states will support local direct victim service programs, including children’s advocacy centers, domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, human trafficking and elder abuse programs, civil legal services, crime victims’ rights enforcement, as well as victim assistance positions in prosecutors’ offices and law enforcement departments.
State victim compensation programs will receive over $133 million to supplement the state funds that offset victims’ financial burdens resulting from crime. This compensation is often extremely vital to victims who face enormous financial setbacks from medical fees, lost income, dependent care, funeral expenses and other costs.
“The services made available by this funding represent a lifeline for tens of thousands of survivors each month, many of whom otherwise would have no place to turn in a moment of profound crisis,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Office of Justice Programs. “These awards will help service providers, as well as law enforcement agencies and prosecutors’ offices respond to the many emotional and material challenges that crime victims in our country face every day.”
The Fund is financed by fines and penalties paid by convicted federal offenders and does not include tax dollars. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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Maryland U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur Announces Almost $1.7 Million in Federal Grants to Improve Services for Crime Victims in MarylandRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur today announced $1,697,084 in U.S. Department of Justice grants to improve services for crime victims in Maryland. The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of over $144 million distributed nationwide to enhance the response to victims of crime throughout the United States.
“The Department of Justice is steadfast in its commitment to protecting public safety and bringing justice to those who have been victimized,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The investments we are making today will support service providers as they work to secure the legal rights of victims and put survivors of criminal acts on the road to recovery.”
U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur stated, “These grants will be used to provide services to children and youth in Maryland who are victims of crime as a result of the drug addiction crisis, and to assist Maryland jurisdictions to implement the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, which is designed to prevent children from becoming victims by identifying and registering those who have sexually abused a minor in the past. We must do all we can to heal and protect our children.”
The awards made to organizations in Maryland will advance the use of technology, improve community preparedness and law enforcement training, and provide emergency and transitional shelter to assist victims of crime. Programs will also support victims of child abuse and fund research projects related to perpetrators and victims of elder abuse. Nationwide, approximately $64.3 million was awarded under Office for Victims of Crime grant programs; over $54.1 million was awarded under Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention programs; over $19.9 million was awarded under Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking grant programs; and nearly $5.7 million was awarded under two National Institute of Justice grant programs.
“As lockdowns and lawlessness fuel crime in America’s homes and communities, more people are vulnerable to victimization and those who have been victimized face new hurdles,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “The Office of Justice Programs is committed to giving our victim service partners the tools they need to better serve their clients and protect victims’ rights.”
The following organizations in Maryland received funding:
- JBS International, Inc. received $1,499,960 to support training and technical assistance for the direct services grantees under the Enhancing Community Responses to America’s Drug Crisis: Serving Our Youngest Crime Victims program.
- The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services received $180,000; Dorchester County received $11,370; and Frederick County received $5,754 under the Adam Walsh program to assist with developing enhancing programs designed to implement the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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Gaithersburg Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to the Federal Charge of Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Bruce Ralph Sturtz, age 73, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to the federal charge of possession of child pornography.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Colonel Woodrow W. Jones III, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police.
According to Sturtz’s plea agreement, on February 26, 2017, a Maryland State Police (“MSP”) investigator conducted an online investigation of Sturtz after three separate law enforcement officers working through the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (“ICAC”) downloaded child pornography videos from a device at an IP address assigned to Sturtz’s residence. The investigator found that Sturtz’s computer was running software that allowed other users to download a video that had previously been identified as child pornography. The investigator downloaded and viewed the video, which documented the sexual abuse of a prepubescent female.
Less than a month later, on March 23 and March 24, 2017, investigators conducting online investigations for offenders sharing child pornography directed their focus to the Sturtz device because it was running the same computer software. The investigators downloaded and viewed videos shared by the Sturtz device, which contained images of prepubescent females engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including bondage and bestiality.
On October 25, 2017, a federal search warrant was executed on Sturtz’s residence. At the time the search warrant was executed, Sturtz was downloading child pornography onto his computer. Law enforcement seized a number of electronic devices. A subsequent forensic analysis of the seized electronic devices revealed at least 1,356 videos and 16 pictures depicting child pornography. The videos and images found on the seized electronic devices included child pornography of babies and toddlers, other children under 12 years of age, including incest, bondage, bestiality, and sexual acts between adults and victim children. Forensic analysts were also able to identify on the seized electronic devices the three video files that were downloaded by investigators from Sturtz’s device.
Sturz has previously been convicted of a sex offense involving a minor. On October 6, 2000, Sturtz pled guilty to a third-degree sex offense in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, Maryland and was later sentenced to 10 years in prison, with all but eighteen months suspended, plus five years of probation.
The Government plans to argue at Sturtz’s sentencing that Sturtz faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison for the possession of child pornography subsequent to sustaining a prior state conviction relating to sexual abuse or abusive sexual conduct involving a minor.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI, and the Maryland State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force for their work in this investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leah B. Grossi and Joseph R. Baldwin, who are prosecuting the federal case.
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Baltimore Felon Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for the Robbery of a Gas Station OwnerRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Levon Verian Butts, age 29, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 12 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for participating in the armed robbery of a gas station owner. The sentence was imposed on October 2, 2020. Butts has been detained since his arrest.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Ashan Benedict of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Division; and Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, on January 16, 2018, Butts and two co-conspirators robbed the owner of a gas station in the 10000 block of Reisterstown Road in Owings Mills, Maryland. As detailed in the plea agreement, Jesse James Elder was a frequent customer of the gas station and was friendly with the employees, including the owner. On January 16, 2018, Elder was at the gas station playing the lottery when the owner arrived. Shortly after his arrival, the owner placed $20,000, proceeds from the gas station, into a bank bag and left the store. As he was walking out, he stopped next to Elder’s vehicle, which was parked in the gas station lot, and began talking to Elder. While the owner and Elder were talking, Butts and Charvez Deonte Brooks approached from a neighboring parking lot and hid behind other parked cars. When the owner walked away from Elder’s vehicle, Butts and Brooks pushed the owner to the ground and grabbed the bank bag from his hand.
Butts and Brooks tried to run back to the adjacent parking lot. A bystander tripped Butts, causing him to run out of his shoes, which Butts left in the parking lot. Brooks dropped some of the money. Butts and Brooks got into co-conspirator Brooks’ silver Infiniti and fled the area. Elder drove around the owner, who was lying motionless in the parking lot, and left the gas station.
As a result of being pushed to the ground, the owner of the gas station hit his head on the pavement and was knocked unconscious. He was transported to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with multiple skull fractures, a cerebral hemorrhage, and remained in critical condition. He has not returned to normal function.
Baltimore County Police officers responded to the gas station and recovered the money that had been dropped by Brooks and Butts’ shoes from the gas station parking lot. They also recovered a .22-caliber handgun and additional money in the parking lot near where the Infiniti had been parked. DNA from the shoes matched Butts’ DNA.
Elder, age 45, of Owings Mills, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit a commercial robbery. Brooks, age 31, of Gwynn Oak, Maryland, was convicted of that charge after a five-day trial. Both defendants face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander has not scheduled sentencing for Elder. Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar has scheduled sentencing for Brooks on December 5, 2020 at 3:00 p.m. Elder and Brooks remain detained.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the ATF and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren E. Perry and Anatoly Smolkin, who are prosecuting the case.
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Baltimore Attorney Facing Federal Indictment for Attempted ExtortionRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has indicted Stephen L. Snyder, age 72, of Miami Beach, Florida, on the federal charges of attempted extortion and interstate travel and use of an interstate facility to carry on unlawful activity, also known as the Travel Act. Snyder was the senior partner at a Baltimore-based law firm specializing in plaintiff-side medical malpractice litigation.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
According to the eight-count indictment, between January and October 2018, Snyder attempted to obtain $25 million from the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) for himself, separate and apart from any claim by one of his clients, by using threats of economic and reputational harm to UMMS and its organ transplant program. Specifically, the indictment alleges that Snyder threatened that if UMMS did not pay him $25 million, Snyder would launch a public relations campaign against UMMS that alleged, among other things, that UMMS transplanted diseased organs into unsophisticated patients without informing them of the quality of the organs they were receiving in order to generate revenue. According to the indictment, Snyder told UMMS officials that the campaign would include: a front-page article in the Baltimore Sun; other national news stories; a press conference; advertisements on the Internet, including one that would run every time someone accessed the UMMS transplant site; and at least two videos Snyder produced and would air if his demand for a $25 million payment were not met.
Snyder allegedly demanded that UMMS disguise the $25 million payment as a sham consulting arrangement between Snyder and UMMS. Snyder also allegedly threatened that a lawyer (Lawyer 1) working for the insurance program insuring UMMS and its faculty physician groups would lose her job and threatened to harm the professional reputation of a UMMS doctor (Doctor 1) if they did not aid Snyder in obtaining the $25 million payment.
As detailed in the indictment, Snyder represented the spouse of a transplant patient who had died (Client 2). During a settlement conference that included the lawyer and doctor mentioned above, Snyder demanded a $25 million settlement for his client. In a later meeting, Snyder allegedly told UMMS representatives, including Lawyer 1 and Doctor 1, that the Client 2 case was “not worth that much money” and that Client 2’s case was worth between $3 and $5 million. Snyder confirmed several times that the $25 million would be a payment made just to him and would be in addition to the payment made to Client 2’s spouse to settle her case. When asked what he could do for $25 million, he told the UMMS representatives that he didn’t know, didn’t care, and could be “a janitor” at UMMS.
During both meetings, Snyder allegedly played videos that he had produced and said he would air if his demands were not met. The first video claimed that UMMS did not tell patients that organs UMMS transplanted were bad organs or that they accepted organs that other institutions rejected. The commercial said that Client 2 was told by the surgeon that transplanted his kidney that the surgeon would have transplanted the same organ into his own wife but wasn’t told that 250 other institutions had rejected the same kidney. The video showed images of Client 2 with necrotic fingertips and an amputated leg. The second video started with the words, in red, “PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT” as well as an alert sound associated with emergency alerts. It then showed a text that Doctor 1 had sent Snyder on April 20, 2018, that read: “Sue and I just spoke. She understands on hook for fraud and punitive damages. Ball is in your court.” The video then showed pictures of several doctors which the video claimed had left UMMS or had been demoted and were no longer performing surgery. Doctor 1 was pictured with the words: “DEMOTED NO LONGER DOING SURGERY – relegated to executive work” next to his picture. After UMMS representatives advised Snyder that the video contained inaccuracies, such as the fact that the doctor had not been demoted and was still performing surgeries, Snyder responded, “then I’m wrong.”
If convicted, Snyder faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for extortion and for each of seven counts of violating the Travel Act. 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. Snyder is expected to have an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Baltimore, although no date has been scheduled.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leo J. Wise and Matthew J. Phelps, who are prosecuting the case.
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El Salvadoran Native Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge of Illegally Reentering the United States After Being Convicted of an Aggravated FelonyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Erik Martinez-Melendez, age 24, a native of El Salvador residing in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to illegal reentry of a deported alien after being convicted of an aggravated felony, in this case, second-degree rape.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur and Acting Field Office Director Francisco Madrigal of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).
According to his guilty plea, Martinez-Melendez is not a citizen of the United States and has no legal status within the United States. In February 2015, Martinez-Melendez pleaded guilty to second-degree rape in the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County, for having sex with an 11-year-old girl when he was 18 years of age. Martinez-Melendez was sentenced to five years in prison, with all but 18 months suspended and was deported in June 2016, after serving his sentence.
Martinez-Melendez admitted that, after his deportation, he returned to the United States without authority and was apprehended in Maryland by immigration officials in February 2020, after an investigation revealed he was in the United States illegally.
Martinez-Melendez faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States after being convicted of an aggravated felony. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher has not yet scheduled sentencing.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended ICE-ERO for its work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel A. Loveland, Jr., who is prosecuting the case.
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Baltimore Man Facing Federal Indictment for Illegal Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury yesterday returned an indictment charging Brandon Goforth, age 36, of Baltimore, Maryland, with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person. A federal complaint was filed on September 25, 2020.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division and Baltimore Field Office; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to the complaint, on November 27, 2019, a Sergeant in the Baltimore Police Department was conducting a business check at a business located in Baltimore City. While inside the establishment, the Sergeant heard several gunshots coming from down the street, and exited the establishment to investigate. Brandon Goforth was seen firing a handgun toward a crowd of people standing on the corner of North Avenue and Mount Street in Baltimore’s Penn North neighborhood. Goforth continued firing the gun towards the crowd while running westbound on North Avenue, then placed the handgun inside his right coat pocket while running into an alley.
Once officers located Goforth, the Sergeant positively identified him as the individual that had fired a handgun into a crowd of people. At the time of the shooting, Goforth had been wearing a black, grey, and green jacket. Officers located the jacket, also containing 20 baggies of marijuana, in an adjacent yard. Officers also recovered a black hat, a face mask, and a pistol loaded with five rounds of ammunition along the retraced route.
Goforth was previously convicted of a felony offense and is therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm.
The United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners are continuing our efforts to address the gun violence plaguing the Baltimore area by using federal statutes prohibiting felons from possessing firearms. These types of reactive gun cases are part of the Exile program. Maryland EXILE is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), our violent-crime reduction strategy. The United States Attorney’s Office, through the use of Project Safe Neighborhoods and Project Guardian, will continue to pursue felons with guns who constitute a clear and present danger to the safety and welfare of the citizens of Baltimore.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the ATF and BPD for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney LaRai Everett, who is prosecuting the case.
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