District of Maryland
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Government Contractor Pleads Guilty to Making False Claims and False StatementsRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4885
Baltimore, Maryland –Shawn Penn, age 41, of Pasadena, Maryland, pled guilty today in federal court to making false claims and false statements. Penn falsely represented to her employer that she was working as a security guard at a government facility, when she was actually elsewhere.
The guilty plea was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning and Special Agent in Charge Robert E. Craig Jr. of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service - Mid-Atlantic Field Office.
According to the plea agreement, Penn worked full-time, during regular business hours, as an active duty U.S. Army Intelligence Officer at Fort Meade, Maryland. In addition, Penn worked as a contract employee performing security guard services for the U.S. Department of Defense in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
Penn performed her security guard services for a sensitive compartmented information facility (SCIF), which required that she hold a Top Secret-Sensitive Compartmented Information security clearance, possess a gun permit, and carry a government issued duty cell phone while on duty. Penn’s work locations had surveillance cameras that monitored her work station area, and areas inside and outside the building. Penn’s duties included reviewing computer monitors with live video from security cameras, checking for alarms, monitoring the temperature in the facility and performing exterior security sweeps.
According to court documents, from September 2015 to August 2016, Penn regularly abandoned her work station and falsely represented to her employer that she had been working as a security guard when she was actually elsewhere. According to the statement of facts supporting the plea agreement, Penn’s false claims regarding her security work hours caused the government to pay more than $40,000 to her employers to which they and Penn were not entitled.
In addition, on October 6, 2016, Penn falsely stated to investigators from the Defense Criminal Investigative Service that she had not abandoned her security guard duties until January 2016, when in fact, she had been abandoning her duties since at least September 2015. Penn falsely claimed that she “sat in her car,” was “across the street,” or “drove around the parking lot,” during her guard shifts, when Penn knew she was elsewhere during those shifts.
Penn faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for each of the four counts of making false claims, and for making false statements.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the DCIS for its work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry M. Gruber, who is prosecuting the case.
Former Government Employee Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Receipt of Illegal Gratuities and Impersonation of A United States Immigration OfficerRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4885
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell sentenced John Theis, age 40, of Sparrows Point, Maryland, today to 15 months in prison, followed by 1 year of supervised release for the receipt of illegal gratuities and impersonation of a United States officer.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Mark Tasky of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of Inspector General (OIG); Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Kimberly Lappin of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.
According to his plea agreement, from January 2015 through his resignation in September 2015, Theis worked at the Department of Homeland Security, United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) in Baltimore, Maryland. Theis was an Immigration Services Officer (ISO), whose duties and responsibilities included adjudicating immigration and citizenship cases and granting permanent residence status. Theis was required to obtain approval for any outside employment and no such requests had been submitted by Theis seeking or gaining such approval.
From 2014 and through his departure from federal service, Theis accepted cash in return for promising favorable immigration adjudications for a number of aliens. On one occasion, while working at USCIS, Theis advised an alien on the documents needed for a green card approval. Additionally, Theis took photos of the applicant’s case file from a USCIS database. In exchange, Theis received approximately $500 from the alien applicant.
Beginning in December of 2014 through February 2015, Theis and a co-conspirator agreed to work together in an immigration business to assist immigrants with getting their paperwork approved through USCIS. Theis would do presentations at an immigration program known as Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA). There, Theis would wear clothes that identified him as an immigration officer in order to influence new clients into paying him for assistance with immigration paperwork.
In April 2015, Theis went on disability leave after making false statements about his ability to work. He also took various forms of paid leave and never returned to the USCIS.
On September 29, 2015, Theis resigned from government service and left for Brazil in October 2015. He continued to do immigration work in Brazil while holding himself out to be a special agent with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) until his return to the United States and arrest in December 2016.
The approximate value of gratuities Theis received was over $15,000. He also received over $1,600 in disability benefits to which he was not entitled. Judge Russell ordered Theis to pay $1,600 in restitution to the Department of Labor.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended DHS OIG, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of Professional Responsibility, USCIS, FBI, and IRS for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sandra Wilkinson and Paul E. Budlow, who prosecuted the case.
Richmond Business Owner Sentenced to Five and A Half Years in Prison for Fraud in Credit Repair SchemeRead the Press Release
August 4, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4885
Baltimore, Maryland – Senior U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz sentenced Benjamin Bland, age 41, of Richmond, Virginia, to five and a half years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and social security fraud.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning and Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
According to evidence presented at his five day trial, Bland was the owner and registered agent of a company headquartered in Richmond, Virginia that hosted a website which purported to provide individuals with a legal means to start a new credit file through the issuance of a “secondary credit number.” Bland falsely told his customers that these “secondary credit numbers” were “100% legal” and issued “by lawyers.” However, Bland had invented the term “secondary credit number,” there were no lawyers involved with his business, and the “secondary credit numbers” were actually social security numbers that had been previously issued to other individuals, predominantly children.
According to the trial evidence, one of the primary purposes of the fraud scheme was to obtain bank loans, private loans, auto loans, and lines of credit using the stolen social security numbers, counterfeit social security cards, and personal identity information (“PII”) of actual persons to create a false (improved) credit score.
The trial evidence also established that Bland obtained and sold the misappropriated social security numbers to Michael Westbrook and at least 20 others located throughout the country, whom Bland called his “affiliates.” These “affiliates” in turn sold those numbers to buyers. For an additional fee, Bland would provide fraudulent social security cards bearing the stolen number and the name of the “buyer.” Bland also provided fraudulent driver’s licenses to the “customers.” These items were provided so that “customers” could defraud banks and other lenders by drawing upon lines of credit using the stolen social security numbers.
According to the trial evidence, Bland compromised the social security numbers of at least 1,500 people during the conspiracy. The majority of the stolen social security numbers belonged to children all over the United States.
A co-conspirator, Michael Westbrook, also pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft and was sentenced to 24 months in prison.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended HSI Baltimore for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Perry and Aaron Zelinsky, who prosecuted the case.
Former Pastor of St. Mary’s County Church Sentenced to 18 Months Home Confinement for Federal Bank Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4855
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced John S. Mattingly, age 71, of Charlotte Hall, Maryland, to 3 years supervised release that includes 18 months of home confinement for bank fraud in connection with a scheme to steal funds from St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, while he was the pastor. Judge Chasanow also ordered Mattingly to pay $400,000 in restitution, which Mattingly paid prior to the sentencing hearing.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, St. Mary’s County Sheriff Tim Cameron, and St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney Richard Fritz.
According to his plea agreement, Mattingly was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest in 1972 and was the pastor of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church (St. Francis), in Leonardtown, Maryland, from 1994 until September 1, 2010, when he resigned. While serving as a parish priest, Mattingly was paid a salary and stipend by St. Francis.
From September 2006 through September 2010, Mattingly fraudulently deposited checks from parishioners made payable to St. Francis and to the St. Vincent de Paul Society, which were intended by the St. Francis parishioners to be charitable donations, into a bank account he controlled. In order to conceal the scheme, Mattingly falsely represented that that the checks he deposited into his bank account would be used for charitable purposes and/or church maintenance and renovations. Mattingly did not use the charitable contributions from the St. Francis parishioners for their intended purposes, but instead transferred the fraudulently obtained funds from his bank account to his personal individual retirement account. He also wrote unauthorized checks from the St. Francis bank account payable to himself and deposited those checks into his personal individual retirement account.
Mattingly fraudulently deposited more than 500 checks, totaling at least $400,000, written by more than 135 parishioners and made payable to St. Francis or the St. Vincent de Paul Society, and not to Mattingly.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the FBI, St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, and St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan E. Foreman, who prosecuted the case.
Ellicott City Man Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for $4.4 Million Insurance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4885
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell sentenced Glenn R. Fischer, age 70, of Ellicott City, Maryland, to four years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft arising from a scheme to defraud businesses seeking insurance. Fischer admitted that he fraudulently collected more than $4.4 million in insurance premiums, which he did not remit to an insurance company, causing losses in that amount to the victims who thought they were insured.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning and Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
According his plea agreement, from 2002 to about 2014, Fischer was a partner at TriArc Financial Services, Inc. (TriArc Services), which provided automotive and mortgage insurance products, including residual value insurance. Residual Value Insurance (“RVI”) helped companies leasing vehicles to consumers to manage the risk from decreases in the value of the vehicle during the term of an auto lease. RVI typically provided for payments to the owner of a leased vehicle if the value of the vehicle at the end of the lease was less than a certain amount specified in the terms of the insurance coverage when the lease began. In the early 2000s, RVI policies were widely issued by insurance companies and TriArc Services generated substantial revenue for the company and its partners, including Fischer, who served as insurance brokers for RVI products. In 2008 and 2009, in conjunction with the financial recession and changes in consumers’ desires for used automobiles, many insureds suffered substantial losses under RVI insurance policies.
Fischer admitted that from 2009 until 2014, he persuaded victim businesses to purchase RVI insurance coverage, which Fischer knew did not exist, so that Fischer could use a substantial portion of the victims’ insurance premiums for his personal benefit. Specifically, in the summer of 2009, Fischer created a Nevada corporation called TriArc Marketing Solutions (TriArc Solutions) and opened bank accounts for TriArc Solutions. During the course of the scheme, Fischer caused prospective insureds to believe that he that he was authorized to issue RVI policies on behalf of TriArc Services, a multinational property and casualty insurance company specializing in coverage for small to medium sized businesses, and one of that business’ subsidiaries. Fischer also concealed the creation and use of TriArc Solutions from his partners at TriArc Services.
Fischer created and sent false insurance coverage documents, fraudulent emails, premium invoices, lists of covered vehicles, and other documents to victim companies, causing them to falsely believe that they had purchased RVI insurance through Fischer. Fischer used the identity of an employee of a multinational property and casualty insurance company in furtherance of the fraud, including his name, title and purported signature on the declaration pages of the fake insurance policies. Fischer concealed from the employee and the company that Fischer was pretending to issue RVI insurance policies on behalf of the company.
Fischer collected more than $4.4 million in RVI insurance premiums from the victims, which he deposited into the TriArc Solutions bank accounts. Fischer and his relatives used the proceeds of the insurance premium payments for their personal benefit.
Fischer also admitted that he failed to report a significant portion of the money he obtained from the fraud on his annual tax returns for the 2009 through 2014 calendar years. The total income Fischer received, but did not report to the IRS for these tax years exceeded $3.3 million, which generated a substantial tax loss to the United States.
As part of his plea agreement, Fischer will be required to forfeit all property constituting, derived from, or traceable to the proceeds of the fraud, in the amount of $4.4 million. In addition, Fischer was ordered to pay $3,823,529.00 in restitution.
Today’s sentence is part of the efforts undertaken in connection with the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices, and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets; and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Since fiscal year 2009, the Justice Department has filed over 18,000 financial fraud cases against more than 25,000 defendants. For more information on the task force, please visit www.StopFraud.gov.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Gruber and David Metcalf, who prosecuted the case.
Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Robbing the University of Maryland Inn and Conference CenterRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4885
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel sentenced Jamal Ulysses Green, age 24, of Bowie, Maryland, to 16 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release for commercial robbery and using, brandishing and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Chief David B. Mitchell of the University of Maryland Police Department; Chief Hank Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela D. Alsobrooks.
According to his plea agreement, on September 6, 2016, Green and a co-conspirator robbed the University of Maryland University College Inn and Conference Center (UMUC). Green, who was armed and was not wearing a mask, approached a security guard and advised the guard that he was making a delivery to UMUC. The guard followed Green to the loading dock, where Green grabbed the security guard. The security guard fought back. During the altercation Green fired his gun, but did not strike the guard.
Shortly after that, Green’s co-conspirator, wearing a mask and brandishing a handgun, entered the security office of UMUC demanding money and ordering the occupants to the ground. During this time, the security guard involved in the physical altercation with Green on the loading dock returned to the Security Office. As the security guard returned to the Security Office, the co-conspirator appeared in the doorway and fired his gun at the security guard, striking the security guard in the upper left arm, with the bullet going through his/her arm, and lodging next to the security guard’s spine. The injury to the security guard required emergency medical attention. A few seconds later, Green entered the security office. Green and his co-conspirator took three safes from the security office, and fled the area.
Prince George’s County Police Department’s (PGPD) K-9 Unit and Air One helicopter unit responded to 911 emergency calls, and performed a search for the two suspects. Several hours later, a K-9 unit tracked to a wood line directly across the street from the UMUC loading dock. PGPD K-9 found Green in the woods adjacent to the wood line, hiding in overgrown shrubs and trees. Green matched the physical description of the unmasked person seen in the UMUC security video, and was wearing clothing similar in color as one of the suspects who committed the robbery.
Two of the safes taken from the UMUC Security Office were located in the immediate vicinity of where Green was hiding. A third, larger safe, that Green was seen on video carrying out of the security office, was found near the loading dock area concealed amongst trees, next to a.40 caliber semi-automatic pistol. The pistol had a magazine in it, and was loaded with seven rounds of .40 caliber ammunition. The caliber of the firearm was the same as the shell casing found by the loading dock where the security guard was involved in the physical altercation with Green. A forensic analysis of the magazine recovered from the firearm revealed a fingerprint that matched Green’s fingerprint.
Green was arrested and subsequently charged in Prince George’s County District Court with several criminal offenses. Green was detained, at the Prince George’s County Correctional Center (PGCCC). By PGCCC policy, any calls made to or from inmates are recorded. Prior to any conversation, the inmate and the person calling the inmate are advised that the conversation is being recorded. On September 7, 2016, Green made a recorded call to an unidentified male during which he admitted that he fired his gun, but did not hit anybody.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the FBI, the University of Maryland Police Department, the Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas M. Sullivan and Nicolas A. Mitchell, who prosecuted the case.
Two Cousins Sentenced to Nine and Seven Years in Federal Prison for the Armed Robbery of A Cellular Phone StoreRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4885
Greenbelt, Maryland – On Monday, July 24, 2017, Terry Terrell Clipper, age 27, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland was sentenced to nine years in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm. On Thursday, July 20, 2017, Andre Denan Sanders, age 28, of Upper Marlboro, and Clipper’s cousin, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm to 84 months and one day in federal prison. Both Clipper and Sanders pleaded guilty to interference with commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence in February.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Chief Hank Stawinski of the Prince George’s Police Department; and Chief Douglas Holland of the Hyattsville Police Department.
On April 7, 2016, at approximately 10:02 a.m., Clipper and Sanders entered the T-Mobile store located at 3601 East West Highway, in Hyattsville, Maryland. Upon entering the store, Clipper brandished a firearm, pointed it at store employees, and demanded cellular telephones. Clipper and Sanders forced the employees to a stockroom in the rear of the store. Sanders then locked the store entrance, and returned to the stockroom. Clipper and Sanders demanded cellular telephones and other electronic items. The store employees complied and put various electronic items into two plastic bags. Clipper and Sanders then fled the scene in a vehicle at a high rate of speed with two large clear plastic bags containing approximately $16,900 worth of cellular telephones, tablets and watches.
One of the electronic devices stolen by Clipper and Sanders contained a Global Positioning System (“GPS”) device. Law enforcement was alerted that the GPS tracking device was traveling in the vicinity of Jefferson Street and 42nd Avenue in Hyattsville, Maryland. When law enforcement officers arrived, they observed Clipper and Sanders fleeing from the area of the getaway vehicle.
After a brief foot chase, Clipper and Sanders were taken into custody. Officers recovered a clear plastic bag containing cellular telephones and other electronic items from the ground along the path that the suspects took during the foot chase. Law enforcement also recovered from the vehicle in which the defendants fled a large clear plastic bag containing multiple cellular telephones, tablets and watches, along with a .38 caliber Smith & Wesson handgun loaded with six rounds of ammunition.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the FBI’s Cross-Border Task Force, the Hyattsville Police Department, and the Prince George’s County Police Department, for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. Sullivan, who prosecuted the case.
Cockeysville Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Production of Child Pornography and CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4885
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz sentenced Kevin Graham Conlon, age 30, of Cockeysville, Maryland, to 20 years in prison followed by 25 years of supervised release for the production of child pornography and cyberstalking. Judge Motz ordered that, upon his release from prison, Conlon must register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Chief Terrence B. Sheridan of the Baltimore County Police Department.
According to his plea agreement, between 2014 and January 2017, Conlon used online social media accounts pretending to be both a minor female and minor male to induce four minor females and two minor males to take photographs and videos of themselves engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The victims then sent the content to Conlon. Conlon also created fictitious accounts using the identities of some of the victims, and distributed the child pornography he induced them to create to others, in order to entice the others to produce and send him sexually explicit images and videos. When the victims stopped complying with Conlon’s demands to produce and send images, Conlon sent the explicit files to the victim’s families and friends. Conlon also repeatedly created additional online accounts to contact the victims and their families, with the intent to cause the victims and their families substantial emotional distress.
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 Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "resources" tab on the left of the page.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the FBI and Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow, who prosecuted the federal case.
Previously Convicted Bank Robber Sentenced to More Than 12 ½ Years in Federal Prision for Multiple Bank Robberies Committed While on Federal Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
JULY 24, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact BAILEY DRUMM
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4854
Baltimore, Maryland – Roger Irwin Harp, age 50, of Baltimore, Maryland was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz. Harp pleaded guilty to bank robbery and to violating conditions of supervised release.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department.
In August 2002, Harp pleaded guilty in federal court in Baltimore, Maryland to charges related to a string of twelve bank robberies in 2001. He was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release, which began in May 2014. According to his plea agreement, between June 2014 and October 2015, Harp committed multiple violations of supervised release.
While under conditions of supervision pending a hearing in federal court on his supervised release violations, Harp absconded from supervision and committed eight bank robberies and attempted bank robberies in Baltimore throughout the month of March 2016. For example, on March 16, 2016, Harp walked into a bank and handed a note to a teller stating, “Give me all the money NOW!! Before I blow your head OFF!!” The teller removed $2,620 from a cash drawer and handed it to Harp, who then walked out of the bank. In total, Harp robbed three different banks of $10,750 on different dates in March 2016.
After three attempted robberies of other banks on March 21, 2016, Harp was apprehended by Baltimore Police Department officers and eventually admitted his involvement in the eight robberies.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the FBI and Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. Maddox, who prosecuted the case.
Two Baltimore Police Detectives Plead Guilty to Committing Armed Robberies in Racketeering CaseRead the Press Release
JULY 21, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact AUSA Vickie LeDuc
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4912
Baltimore, Maryland – Baltimore Police Department detectives Evodio Calles Hendrix, age 32, of Randallstown, Maryland, and Maurice Kilpatrick Ward, age 36, of Middle River, Maryland, pled guilty today in federal court to charges of racketeering conspiracy.
The guilty pleas were announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning and Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
According to their plea agreements, Hendrix admitted to participating in three robberies from March to August 2016. Ward admitted to participating in four robberies from February through August 2016. Hendrix and Ward also admitted that they were armed with their Baltimore Police Department service firearms during the robberies. Individual victims of the robberies were physically restrained, and the defendants wrote false incident reports and other documents in order to conceal their criminal conduct and otherwise obstruct justice.
For example, on February 17, 2016, Ward and one of his co-defendants stole $500 from an arrestee. Ward then authored a false Baltimore Police Department incident report to conceal the robbery.
Hendrix and Ward admitted that on March 22, 2016, they and two of their co-defendants stole more than $200,000 from a safe they found in the basement of a house they were searching. The four co-defendants then divided the money, and Hendrix and Ward received $20,000 each.
Similarly, on June 24, 2016, while executing a search warrant in a home, Hendrix stole money and later gave a portion to Ward. On August 24, 2016, Hendrix stole money from an arrestee and then gave a portion of the cash to Ward.
Hendrix and Ward also admitted that they and their co-defendants routinely submitted false individual overtime reports, defrauding the Baltimore Police Department and the public. Ward, Hendrix and their co-conspirators falsely certified that they worked their entire regularly assigned shifts, or overtime hours, when they did not. Hendrix and Ward also admitted that they submitted false overtime reports on behalf of their co-defendants, at their co-defendants’ direction, and that their co-defendants submitted false overtime reports on their behalf in return.
Hendrix and Ward admitted that the practice at the police department’s Gun Trace Task Force (GTTF) was that if some of the GTTF members made a gun arrest, all members of the GTTF, regardless of whether they had actually participated in the arrest, would submit individual overtime reports, as if they did, and receive salary and overtime. The GTTF was a specialized unit within the Operational Investigation Division of the Baltimore Police Department, whose members were to track and trace recovered firearms in order to identify and suppress the possession, purchasing, and trafficking of illegal firearms within Baltimore City, and assist with the investigation and prosecution of firearms-related offenses.
U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar has scheduled sentencing for Hendrix on February 20, 2018 at 2:00 p.m., and for Ward on February 21, 2018 at 10:00 a.m.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leo J. Wise and Derek E. Hines, who are prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
Virginia Woman Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison for Sex Trafficking a 16 Year Old GirlRead the Press Release
July 20, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact BAILEY DRUMM
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4885
Baltimore, Maryland – Heather Wagoner, age 31, of Buchanan, Virginia was sentenced to eight years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander. Wagoner pleaded guilty to a sex trafficking conspiracy involving a 16 year old girl.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Chief Edward G. Hargis of the Frederick City Police Department.
According to court documents, Wagoner and a co-conspirator conspired to engage in sex trafficking of a minor who was 16 years old at the time. From October 15, 2014 through December 19, 2014, Wagoner and her co-conspirator used the internet to solicit individuals for prostitution in Maryland. Wagoner instructed the victim to engage in sexual acts and provided condoms.
For two weeks in December 2014, the victim resided with Wagoner at various hotels in West Virginia and Maryland. Wagoner received calls from customers inquiring about the victim, and then relayed the information to her co-conspirator who facilitated the victim’s “date” with the customers. Wagoner and the victim would split the proceeds from the dates, and Wagoner would use some of her proceeds to pay her co-conspirator for driving the victim.
On December 19, 2014, detectives, acting in an undercover capacity, contacted the phone number provided on the website for the victim and spoke with Wagoner. The detectives arranged a meeting at a hotel in Frederick, Maryland, where investigators subsequently identified the victim as a minor and arrested the co-conspirator.
On the same day, investigators obtained a search warrant for the co-conspirator’s phone, which indicated numerous communications between the co-conspirator and Wagoner regarding sex trafficking of the victim. After police seized the co-conspirator’s phone, Wagoner continued to text the co-conspirator regarding the conspiracy to sex traffic the victim. Investigators arrested Wagoner on July 1, 2016.
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 Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "resources" tab on the left of the page.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the FBI and Frederick City Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron S. J. Zelinsky, who worked on the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers who prosecuted the case.
Clinton Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Court for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
July 19, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact BAILEY DRUMM
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4885
Baltimore, Maryland – John Calvin Baltimore, age 37, of Clinton, Maryland was sentenced to 30 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release and restitution of $239,609 by U.S. District Judge Marvin J. Garbis. Baltimore pleaded guilty to wire fraud in a scheme where he defrauded his employer by stealing cash from a large safe under his control.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Caruso of the United States Secret Service, Baltimore Field Office.
According to court documents, Baltimore was employed as the Controller for Delaware North Companies (DNC), who provide food, beverage and retail services at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Baltimore was responsible for overseeing financial transactions in the accounting office, which included managing a large cash safe. Baltimore’s thefts were discovered in September 2014, after a DNC employee filed an internal complaint against Baltimore that led to Baltimore’s suspension. As part of DNC’s standard procedures, an audit was conducted of the cash safe, revealing approximately $14,700 in missing cash.
Further investigation revealed that during the three years that Baltimore was the Controller, Baltimore stole over $230,000 in cash from the safe. The thefts initially went undiscovered because Baltimore deposited checks intended for other accounts – such as accounts receivable –into the account that funded the cash safe. The mis-deposited checks were then covered up by improper journal entries that “wrote off” the receivables, all approved by Baltimore. During the course of the scheme, Baltimore mis-deposited 28 checks through 16 separate deposits. The 28 checks totaled $239,609.56 and Baltimore stole the same amount from cash safe.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the United States Secret Service for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Budlow, who prosecuted the case.
Philadelphia Attorney Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison for Laundering Drug Proceeds and Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
July 18, 2017 Contact BAILEY DRUMM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE at (410) 209-4854
www.justice.gov/usao/md
Greenbelt, Maryland – James Michael Farrell, age 65, of Wenonah, New Jersey was sentenced to 42 months in prison followed by 18 months of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Roger W. Titus. Judge Titus also imposed a $15,000 fine. A federal jury had convicted Farrell on February 2, 2017 for money laundering, witness tampering, and obstruction of official proceedings in connection with his activities on behalf of a drug trafficking organization.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Karl C. Colder of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Gary Tuggle of the Drug Enforcement Administration – Philadelphia Field Office; Acting Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Holloman of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office; Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department; Chief Hank Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Chief Terrence B. Sheridan of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department.
“The jury’s verdict and the evidence that supported it show that James Farrell not only aided drug traffickers but betrayed his professional obligations as a member of the bar and officer of the Court,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Stephen M. Schenning.
According to the evidence presented at his 15-day trial, Farrell was admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and maintained a law office in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Matthew Nicka, Gretchen Peterson, David D’Amico, and others were part of an extensive drug trafficking operation discovered by the DEA when a search warrant was executed at a residence in the 3500 block of Hickory Avenue in Baltimore on March 18, 2009. The residence was a center of operation for the group. Agents seized more than 80 pounds of marijuana, 30 cell phones, and tally sheets showing over $14 million in marijuana sales, among other items.
Trial testimony showed that beginning in 2009 and continuing through at least April 2013, Farrell conspired with Nicka, D’Amico, Peterson and others to conduct financial transactions using the proceeds of the Nicka Organization in order to conceal the source and control of the drug proceeds. Testimony showed that Farrell received drug proceeds in the form of cash. Farrell then deposited some of the cash into his commercial bank accounts, recording the deposits as payments in the names of individuals who had not provided the cash to Farrell. Using the drug proceeds, Farrell wrote checks and disbursed cash to pay for the legal representation of grand jury witnesses and individuals under investigation in connection with the activities of the Nicka Organization, which included payments to two Baltimore area attorneys. Trial evidence also established that Farrell used drug proceeds to purchase money orders, which he directed to be sent to the inmate account of an incarcerated individual who was part of the Nicka organization.
According to trial evidence, in February 2011, Farrell met with a member of the Nicka organization to discuss filing a claim with the DEA to seek the return of certain property DEA had seized upon arrest. Farrell advised that individual not to disclose to the DEA that drug co-conspirator Anthony Marcantoni, had given him an expensive luxury watch for a “good year”. On February 28, 2011, Farrell caused four affidavits in support of the forfeiture of the property to be filed with the DEA that contained the forged signature of this individual and the forged signature of the notary public.
According to trial evidence, on July 11, 2012, Farrell met with another member of the Nicka organization who Farrell knew was represented by other counsel. During the recorded meeting, Farrell advised the member of the Nicka organization to meet with federal law enforcement officers and federal prosecutors, but to only tell them what they already knew, rather than sharing all the information about the drug and money laundering conspiracy. According to trial evidence, Farrell had previously laundered $10,000 in cash by obtaining a check from this person so that Farrell’s books would falsely reflect he had received $10,000. Farrell acknowledged in the recorded meeting, that he had given $10,000 in cash to this person in exchange for the check. In the recording, Farrell said he would get $25,000 to assist with that person’s legal expenses because “the sources of the cash” would feel “a whole lot better subsidizing” the person’s attorney if that attorney was “comfortable” with Farrell.
District Judge Roger W. Titus previously sentenced: David D’Amico, age 52, of Baltimore, to 10 years in prison; Matthew Nicka, age 46, of Baltimore, to 188 months in prison; and Gretchen Peterson, age 37, of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, to seven years in prison. D’Amico, Nicka and Peterson pleaded guilty on January13, 2016, to conspiracy to distribute at least 1,000 kilograms of marijuana and conspiracy to commit money laundering. D’Amico, Nicka and Peterson were fugitives from the time the indictment was returned in December 2010, until Nicka and Peterson were arrested in Canada in early August 2013, and D’Amico was extradited from Colombia, South America. Judge Titus also entered forfeiture orders requiring Nicka to pay a money judgment of $15 million; and D’Amico to pay a money judgment of $1 million, which represents the proceeds of the offense. In addition, the investigation resulted in the conviction of twelve other defendants.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning praised the DEA Washington and Philadelphia Field Offices, IRS-CI, and the Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, Baltimore County and Baltimore City Police Departments for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Deborah A. Johnston, Leah J. Bressack, Mara Greenberg, and Sandra Wilkinson, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
Baltimore County Man Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact BAILEY DRUMM
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4854
Baltimore, Maryland – Allen D. Isner, age 52, of Nottingham, Maryland was sentenced to four years in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Marvin J. Garbis. Isner pled guilty to possession of child pornography. Judge Garbis ordered that, upon his release from prison, Isner must register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Baltimore County Police Chief James W. Johnson; and Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger.
According to the plea agreement, on July 24 and 25, 2014, undercover Baltimore County Police Detectives downloaded child pornography videos that were made publically available over a peer-to-peer file sharing network by a user later determined to be connecting to the internet from Isner’s residence. During execution of a search warrant at the home, investigators searched two of Isner’s computers and located hundreds of videos and images of prepubescent children being made to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Isner admitted to investigators that he searched for and obtained pornography depicting preteen children on the internet. He also admitted to deleting the child pornography after viewing it, and using anonymization software in an attempt to conceal his conduct.
- 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 Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "resources" tab on the left of the page.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the FBI, HSI-Baltimore, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers who prosecuted the federal case.
Baltimore County Man Sentenced to 36 Months in Federal Prison for Money Laundering and Bankruptcy FraudRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4885
Baltimore, Maryland – On July 11, 2017, U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz sentenced Eric Myles Gordon, age 49, of Baltimore County, Maryland, to 36 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. Gordon was also ordered to pay restitution of $545,875. On April 7, 2017, a jury convicted Gordon of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and falsification of records in bankruptcy.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Gordon Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and U.S. Trustee Judy Robbins and the Baltimore office of the United States Trustee Program.
According to evidence presented at the three-week trial in April 2017, Gordon opened two businesses in 2009, the Gordon Institute for Sports Performance and the Gordon Institute for Human Performance. By May of 2012, Gordon filed a petition for bankruptcy under Chapter 11 for GISP, and on August 9, 2012, filed a joint petition in bankruptcy under Chapter 7 on behalf of himself and his wife. The petition sought the discharge of over $2 million in both secured and unsecured debt.
In this same time frame, Gordon and co-conspirator, Saleh Stevens, discussed a way for Gordon to get funds that were “tainted,” would not “pass the smell test,” and had to be “kept off the government’s radar.” These funds were stolen by Stevens from his employer, Hanover Insurance.
In total, $545,875 was funneled through Gordon’s business bank account, with Gordon realizing approximately $36,000 as his fee for laundering the funds for Stevens. Ultimately, over $500,000 of these funds were provided to an individual who ran a NASCAR racing team.
In connection with the Chapter 7 petitions in bankruptcy, Gordon was required to produce bank records, which showed the deposits in September of 2012 totaling $545,875. In an effort to falsely explain the movement of funds, Gordon provided a pdf file styled as a “bridge loan” agreement, along with an explanation for the deposit of $545,875 and nearly immediate dissipation of funds in the account. This document purported to be executed on September 13, 2012, but was signed by Gordon as the borrower on September 10, 2012; the document was not signed by the lender. The bridge loan agreement was drafted after the fact by Stevens as part of the false story crafted by Gordon to explain the movement of funds through his bank account.
Stevens pled guilty in August 2014 to mail fraud and is awaiting sentence.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the FBI, and the United States Trustee’s Baltimore Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Judson T. Mihok and P. Michael Cunningham, who prosecuted the case.
President of Baltimore Tax Preparation Business Indicted for Assisting in the Filing of Four Years of False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4885
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has indicted Tynisha Martin Kadiri, age 39, of Baltimore, Maryland, on charges of filing false income tax returns and failure to file tax returns. The indictment was returned yesterday, and unsealed today upon the arrest of the Kadiri.
The indictment was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning and Special Agent in Charge Kimberly Lappin of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation.
According to the 21-count indictment, Kadiri, who owned three tax preparation businesses in west Baltimore, filed false and fraudulent tax returns for her client-taxpayers for tax years 2012 through 2016. These false returns included business receipts that the taxpayer did not receive, business losses the taxpayer did not incur and false or fictitious businesses. These falsities resulted in the clients receiving larger refunds than they were entitled to. In addition, the indictment alleges that Kadiri has not filed federal corporate income tax returns for her businesses from tax years 2013 through 2015.
Kadiri faces a maximum sentence of up to three years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for aiding or assisting in the filings of false income tax returns and one year in prison for willful failure to file a return. Kadiri had her initial appearance today in U.S. District Court in 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.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the IRS for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip Selden who is prosecuting the case.
Twelve Alleged Baltimore TTG Members and Associates Indicted on Federal Racketeering and Drug Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
JULY 11, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
www.justice.gov/usao/md Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
at (410) 209-4855
Baltimore, Maryland –A federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment charging ten defendants with conspiring to participate in a violent racketeering enterprise known as Trained To Go (TTG). The superseding indictment, which was returned on June 30, 2017 and unsealed today, charges ten alleged TTG gang members and TTG associates with conspiring to violate federal racketeering and drug trafficking laws. Four defendants are also charged with committing murder in aid of racketeering. Twelve defendants, including all ten defendants charged in the RICO count, are also charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, and marijuana. Four defendants are charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin; two are charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and with possession of a firearm by a felon.
The indictment was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department; and Acting Chief of the Department of Justice Organized Crime and Gang Section, Special Agent in Charge Daniel L. Board Jr. of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division.
According to the ten-count indictment, the defendants are members of Trained To Go (TTG), a criminal organization whose members engaged in drug distribution and acts of violence involving murder, kidnapping, assault, robbery, and witness intimidation. TTG operated in the Sandtown neighborhood of West Baltimore. Members and associates of TTG sold narcotics, including heroin, cocaine, and marijuana, and worked to defend their exclusive right to control who sold narcotics in TTG territory. The murders, assaults, and kidnappings included that of rival gang members, rival drug dealers, and individuals cooperating with law enforcement, as well as engaging in murder-for-hire schemes. As part of the conspiracy, each defendant agreed that a conspirator would commit at least two acts of racketeering activity for TTG.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Baltimore Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force, which included five Baltimore City Police Officers.
The following defendants, all of Baltimore, are charged in the indictment unsealed today:
Montana Barronette, a/k/a Tana, and Tanner, age 22;
Terrell Sivells, a/k/a Rell, age 26;
John Harrison, a/k/a Binkie, age 27;
Taurus Tillman, a/k/a Tash, age 28;
Linton Broughton, a/k/a Marty, age 24;
Dennis Pulley, a/k/a Denmo, age 30;
Roger Taylor, a/k/a Milk, age 26;
Brandon Wilson, a/k/a Ali, age 23;
Brandon Bazemore, a/k/a Man Man, age 24;
Timothy Floyd, a/k/a Tim Rod, age 27
Hisaun Chatman, age 31; and
James Woodfolk, age 20.
The indictment alleges that between May 20, 2010 and May 25, 2016, the defendants committed acts of violence, including 10 murders, and one non-fatal shooting. The violent acts were intended to further the gang’s activities, including intimidating witnesses to prevent them from cooperating with law enforcement, protecting the gang’s drug territory, and for the purpose of maintaining and increasing their position within the organization.
The defendants face a maximum sentence of life in prison on the racketeering and drug conspiracies. Barronette, Bazemore, Harrison, Floyd and Taylor also face mandatory life in prison for murder in aid of racketeering, a charge which is death penalty eligible as a Federal Capital offense. Wilson also faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Ten defendants have been detained, one defendant is under supervision with pretrial services and the whereabouts of Roger Taylor are unknown.
Anyone who may have information on the whereabouts of Roger Taylor is asked to contact the FBI- Baltimore Field office at (410) 265-8080.
FBI Baltimore Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force is responsible for identifying and targeting the most violent gangs in the Baltimore metropolitan area. The squad utilizes drug and violent crime investigations to address gang violence and the associated homicides in Baltimore, MD. The vision of the program is to use the Enterprise Theory of Investigation (ETI), through criminal and civil provisions of RICO Act and in accordance with the FBI and Department of justice national strategies, to disrupt and dismantle significant violent criminal threats and criminal enterprises affecting the safety and well-being of our citizens and our communities. The FBI Baltimore Violent Crimes Gangs Task Force includes FBI special agents and task force officers from the Baltimore, Baltimore County and Anne Arundel County Police Departments.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the FBI, Baltimore City Police Department, and ATF for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning recognized Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Sullivan for his work on this case. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Christopher J. Romano and Daniel Gardener, and Department of Justice Organized Crime and Gang Section Trial Attorney John C. Hanley, who are prosecuting the case.
Maryland Real Estate Flipper Pleads Guilty to Obstructing IRS and Failing to File Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
A Maryland man who bought, improved and sold residential real estate pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland to one count of obstructing the lawful functions of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and four counts of failing to file personal and corporate income tax returns, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Stephen M. Schenning for the District of Maryland.
According to the indictment and information presented to the court, David J. Simard, 58, purchased and sold real estate in Maryland and elsewhere since the mid-1980s. In January 2008, Simard received notice that the IRS, in connection with an audit of his personal income taxes, had requested documents and information from third parties regarding his real estate transactions. Less than one month after receiving this notice, Simard created Pegasus Home Corporation and began buying and selling properties in its name instead of his own. From 2009 through 2010, Simard purchased and sold 96 properties in the name of Pegasus. Simard attempted to conceal his ownership and control of Pegasus by falsely representing that his relative was the owner. Simard had the same relative apply with the IRS for an employer identification number for Pegasus and used this when buying and selling properties. This caused the IRS to receive information falsely indicating that the relative owned Pegasus. Simard also instructed the relative to open a bank account for Pegasus. Simard did not file personal tax returns for tax years 2009 and 2010, despite earning income requiring him to file. He also did not file corporate tax returns for Pegasus for the same years despite having an obligation to do so.
Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 12 before U.S. District Judge Roger W. Titus. Simard faces a statutory maximum penalty of three years in prison for obstructing the IRS and one year in prison for each count of failure to file tax returns. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg and Acting U.S. Attorney Schenning thanked special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorneys Michael C. Vasiliadis and Kenneth C. Vert of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting this case.
Additional information about the Tax Division’s enforcement efforts can be found on the division’s website.
Baltimore CFO Charged with Wire FraudRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4885
Baltimore, Maryland – Jay Edward Wilkins, age 47, of Stoney Beach, Maryland, was charged with wire fraud in a scheme to defraud his employer of more than $200,000. The criminal complaint was issued on July 6, 2017, and unsealed today upon the arrest of the Wilkins.
The charges were announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning and Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
According to the criminal complaint, Wilkins, had been improperly diverting corporate funds for his own personal use for multiple years. In or about 2012, Wilkins filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy, citing primarily consumer debts. According to the bankruptcy petition, Wilkins had several pending loans relating to real estate and a boat, as well as more than $30,000 in credit card debt.
Wilkins allegedly diverted more than $200,000 in corporate funds using the identities of three former employees. In one instance, one of the employee whose identity was used had not been an employee for over five years.
Wilkins faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the wire fraud. His initial appearance is today at 3:15 p.m.
A criminal charge is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by criminal complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the FBI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Harry Gruber and Paul Riley, who are prosecuting the case.
Hyattsville Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges Related to A FirebombingRead the Press Release
July 7, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4885
Greenbelt, Maryland – On July 6, 2017, Richard Butler III, age 35, of Hyattsville, Maryland, pled guilty in federal court to being a felon in possession of explosives and malicious use of explosive materials.
The guilty plea was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Daniel L. Board, Jr. of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; and Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Chief Marc S. Bashoor.
According to the plea agreement, on or about March 4, 2016, at approximately 3:25 a.m., the Prince George’s County Fire Department (PGFD) responded to the Overland Garden Apartments in Landover, Maryland for an automated general fire alarm. PGFD personnel arrived on scene and subsequently located the remnants of a fire in the master bedroom.
Fire investigators arrived on scene and conducted an investigation inside and around the apartment. Investigators located a concrete brick inside the master bedroom on the floor between the bed and window. Investigators located, in close proximity to the brick, an improvised incendiary device,—specifically, a clear plastic water bottle, which contained an unknown liquid, and a brown paper towel material protruding from the mouth of the bottle. Investigators also located a similar plastic bottle melted to the top of the burned bed. On the exterior of the apartment, in close proximity to the broken master bedroom window, investigators located a blue plastic one-quart motor oil container. The three bottles were submitted to the ATF Forensic Science Laboratory for examination and were found to contain the presence of gasoline.
At the time of the incident, two adults and three minors were inside the apartment.
Surveillance video recordings revealed that at approximately 2:27 a.m. on March 4, 2016, an individual matching the description of Butler walking into a local gas station where he purchased the gasoline and filled three plastic containers.
According to his plea agreement, Butler had previously sustained a conviction for an offense punishable by more than one year of imprisonment, which made him ineligible to possess destructive devices.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the ATF and Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Sykes and Thomas Sullivan who prosecuted the case.
Former Johns Hopkins Physician Pleads Guilty to Fraud Scheme Involving Travel Expense ReimbursementsRead the Press Release
July 7, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4885
Baltimore, Maryland – On July 7, 2017, Dr. Jean-Francois Geschwind, age 53, of Westport, Connecticut, pled guilty to four counts of mail fraud arising from a multi-year scheme to unlawfully obtain travel expense reimbursements from his former employer, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Geschwind was employed as a physician in the Division of Vascular and Interventional Radiology between 1998 and 2015.
The guilty plea was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Baltimore Field Office; and Marilyn J. Mosby, the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City.
According to his plea agreement, between 2007 and July 2015, Geschwind made material misrepresentations and omissions in travel expense statements that he submitted or caused to be submitted to the JHU-SOM, for the purpose of obtaining travel expense reimbursements to which he was not entitled. During this time period, Geschwind submitted multiple travel expense statements for purported business expenses, when he knew that the claimed expenses were personal, such as family vacations and meals. For example, during the summer of 2013, Geschwind obtained reimbursement from the JHU-SOM for a 13-day vacation to the United Kingdom and France by falsely representing that the he traveled to those locations to give lectures in connection with his work for the JHU-SOM. As a result of Geschwind’s material misrepresentations, the JHU-SOM issued three separate checks that included reimbursements for his family vacation.
Geschwind also obtained reimbursement from the JHU-SOM for expenses that he knew had already been paid, or would later be paid, by a second (and in some cases a third) entity. In seeking reimbursement for such expenses, Geschwind did not disclose to the JHU-SOM that he was seeking two (and in some cases three) reimbursements for the same expense.
For example, between July 1 and July 5, 2015, Geschwind traveled to Japan to attend the Asia Pacific Primary Liver Cancer Expert (APPLE) meeting. By the time he attended the APPLE meeting, Geschwind had joined the Yale School of Medicine faculty as Chair of the Department of Diagnostic Radiology. Prior to his departure for the APPLE meeting, Geschwind arranged for reimbursement of his round-trip airfare to Japan by Company No. 1, a life-sciences company based in France. Notwithstanding this arrangement, on May 8, 2015, Geschwind sought reimbursement for the same expense from the JHU-SOM but did not disclose that he had already sought reimbursement for his round-trip airfare from Company No. 1. As a result of this material omission, the JHU-SOM issued a check to Geschwind that included reimbursement for his round-trip airfare to and from Japan.
On or about June 22, 2015, Geschwind sought reimbursement from the Yale School of Medicine for the above-referenced round-trip airfare to Japan. Geschwind did not disclose to Yale that he had already arranged for payment of the same expense by Company No. 1, or that he had in fact been reimbursed for that expense by the JHU-SOM. On or about July 21, 2015, as a result of Geschwind’s material omissions, Yale University issued a check to Geschwind for the cost of the round-trip airline ticket.
In July of 2015, Company No. 1 initiated a wire transfer to Geschwind’s Bank of America checking account that included reimbursement for his round-trip airline ticket to Japan. Accordingly, as a result of the material omissions, Geschwind obtained three separate payments, from three separate entities, for the round-trip airfare to Japan in July of 2015.
Through the various methods identified above, Geschwind obtained money with an aggregate value of hundreds of thousands of dollars, in the form of travel expense reimbursements by the JHU-SOM.
Johns Hopkins investigators in the Office of Hopkins Internal Audit (OHIA) conducted an extensive audit of Geschwind’s reimbursement requests and upon discovering he had requested and received significant sums of inappropriate payments, they referred the case to law enforcement. Hopkins investigators worked closely with authorities to assist with their investigation.
Geschwind faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz has scheduled sentencing for September 7, 2017 at 12:00 p.m.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the FBI and the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant United States Attorney Peter J. Martinez and Special Assistant United States Attorney Alexander Huggins, who are prosecuting the case.
Calvert County Man Sentenced to 72 Months in Federal Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
JULY 7, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4855
Greenbelt, Maryland – On July 6, 2017, U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel sentenced Andre Barbins, age 46, formerly of Solomons, Maryland, to 72 months in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, for receipt of child pornography. Barbins pled guilty to the charge on January 26, 2017.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Colonel William M. Pallozzi, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; and Sheriff David Clague of the Knox County (Illinois) Sheriff’s Department.
According to his plea agreement, Barbins used experienceproject.com, a social media application accessible through the internet, to chat with and exchange pictures with a 12-year-old victim located in Illinois. The victim told Barbins directly that she was only 12 years old, nevertheless, Barbins continued chatting and exchanging pictures with the victim over the course of five days. Barbins persuaded the victim to send him pictures containing child pornography. Barbins also sent pornographic pictures of himself to the child. When a search warrant was executed at Barbins’ residence in Solomons, Maryland, officers located several items of furniture that were visible in the photographs that Barbins sent to the victim.
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 Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “resources” tab on the left of the page.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended HSI, the Maryland State Police, and the Knox County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant United States Attorney Joseph R. Baldwin, who prosecuted the case.
Indicted Baltimore City Police Officers Charged with Additional RobberiesRead the Press Release
July 6, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4885
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging three previously indicted Baltimore City Police Officers with additional robberies. The superseding indictment charges the defendants with racketeering conspiracy, racketeering, robbery, extortion, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. The superseding indictment was unsealed today and charges the following defendants:
Sergeant Wayne Earl Jenkins, age 37, of Middle River, Maryland;
Detective Daniel Thomas Hersl, age 48, of Joppa, Maryland; and
Detective Marcus Roosevelt Taylor, age 30, of Glen Burnie, Maryland.
A federal grand jury also returned a separate indictment charging two additional defendants, who are not police officers but were posing as police officers, with robbing two Baltimore City residents and with brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. The indictment alleges that the two named defendants committed the robbery with a Baltimore City police officer. The second indictment was unsealed today and charges the following defendants:
Thomas Robert Finnegan, age 38, of Easton, Pennsylvania; and
David Kendall Rahim, age 41, of Baltimore, Maryland.
Defendants Jenkins, Hersl, and Taylor had previously been ordered detained pending trial. Defendants Finnegan and Rahim will have their initial appearances in court today.
The superseding indictment and indictment were announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning and Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
SUPERSEDING INDICTMENT
The 6-count superseding indictment alleges that Jenkins, Hersl and Taylor engaged in 13 robberies, extortion and time and attendance fraud. According to the superseding indictment, beginning in 2011, the defendants stole money, property, and narcotics by detaining victims, entering residences, conducting traffic stops, and swearing out false search warrant affidavits.
For example, as charged in the superseding indictment, in spring 2015, Jenkins stole at least 20 pounds of high-quality marijuana and at least $20,000 from two individuals who were conducting a drug sale at Belvedere Towers in Baltimore City. Jenkins falsely told the buyer and seller that he was a Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) agent, to conceal his identity, and that he was seizing the money and drugs and would make a decision about whether to charge them later. Jenkins then drove Taylor and a co-defendant to a wooded area off Northern Parkway and gave them $5,000 each from the stolen money. After the incident, Jenkins went to a strip club in Baltimore County where he robbed a stripper.
Similarly, as charged in the superseding indictment, in summer 2016 Hersl stole money from the car of an arrestee. Hersl drove one of his co-defendants to the parking lot of a local high school, which was near the incident, and gave him a portion of the stolen money. While Hersl and the co-defendant were splitting the stolen money, Jenkins broke into the arrestee’s storage unit and stole 2 kilograms of cocaine.
The superseding indictment alleges that in June 2016 Jenkins believed that a co-defendant owed him money, so Jenkins gave the co-defendant drugs and a firearm that had been seized in a law enforcement operation, and told him to sell them. The co-defendant, along with another co-defendant, sold the firearm to a drug dealer.
The superseding indictment also alleges that the defendants committed systemic time and attendance fraud, including claiming overtime when they were at home and on vacation.
According to the superseding indictment, between spring 2011 and October 2016, the defendants allegedly conducted 13 separate robberies, taking over $280,000 in US currency, more than 2 kilograms of cocaine, other narcotics, a 9mm handgun, a $4,000 wristwatch, and other property.
The superseding indictment alleges that the defendants obstructed law enforcement by alerting each other about potential investigations of their criminal conduct, and turning off their body cameras to avoid recording encounters with civilians.
ROBBERY INDICTMENT
Thomas Robert Finnegan and David Kendall Rahim were indicted on charges of conspiracy, robbery, and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.
On June 27, 2014, police officers with the BPD’s Gun Trace Task Force, executed a search warrant on a store in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Baltimore City. During the search, one of the police officers asked whether there was any large amounts of money in the store. The storeowner indicated that she had $20,000 in cash in her pocketbook that she was intending to use to pay off a tax liability. At this point, members of GTTF did not make arrests, nor seize anything from the property. Later that day, a member of the GTTF informed Finnegan and Rahim about the money and they agreed to set up a robbery at the home of the store owner. Using a law enforcement database, the GTTF detective located the home address of the victims. The defendants surveilled the house, agreed to impersonate the police when conducting the home invasion, and were given tactical gear by the Detective. The GTTF detective remained outside in the vehicle so that he could intercept any police officers who responded to the home invasion by telling them he was a BPD officer. Finnegan and Rahim entered the residence and robbed the victims at gunpoint of the $20,000.
REARRAIGNMENTS
The following four Baltimore City Police, who were previously indicted, have rearraignments scheduled for the following dates:
Detective Momodu Bondeva Kenton Gondo, age 34, of Owings Mills, Maryland - October 12, 2017;
Detective Evodio Calles Hendrix, age 32, of Randallstown, Maryland - July 21, 2017;
Detective Jemell Lamar Rayam, age 36, of Owings Mills, Maryland - November 9, 2017; and
Detective Maurice Kilpatrick Ward, age 36, of Middle River, Maryland - July 24, 2017.
Defendant Gondo’s rearraignment has been scheduled in the RICO case and a separate drug trafficking conspiracy with non-BPD defendants.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leo J. Wise and Derek E. Hines, who are prosecuting these Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force cases.
Former Teller at Maryland Check Cashing Business Indicted for Conspiring to Defraud the United States and Stealing Government FundsRead the Press Release
A grand jury in the District of Maryland returned an indictment, unsealed today, charging a former teller at a check cashing business in Maryland with theft of public money and conspiring to defraud the United States, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Stephen M. Schenning for the District of Maryland.
According to the indictment, from approximately 2011 through 2013, Krystal Proctor conspired with others to negotiate refund checks that were fraudulently obtained by co-conspirators who filed tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) using stolen IDs. Proctor is alleged to have used her position as a teller at a check-cashing business to negotiate and facilitate the negotiation of the refund checks. The indictment charges that Proctor entered false information into the check cashing business’s database, including processing the checks under the names of existing customers rather than the names of the individuals listed on the checks. The indictment further alleges that Proctor recruited another teller to join the scheme, and orchestrated the negotiation of additional fraudulent tax refund checks through that teller. According to the indictment, between 2011 and 2013, Proctor and the teller she recruited, negotiated more than 100 tax refund checks totaling more than $500,000.
An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
If convicted, Proctor faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison for the conspiracy count and 10 years in prison for each count of theft of public money. She also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg and Acting U.S. Attorney Schenning commended special agents of the Treasury Department’s Office of the Inspector General and IRS Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Packard and Trial Attorneys Kimberly Ang, William Guappone and Tom Koelbl of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Former Teller at Maryland Check Cashing Business Indicted for Conspiring to Defraud the United States and Stealing Government FundsRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4885
Greenbelt, Maryland –A grand jury in the District of Maryland returned an indictment, unsealed today, charging a former teller at a check cashing business in Maryland with theft of public money and conspiring to defraud the United States. The indictment was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.
According to the indictment, from approximately 2011 through 2013, Krystal Proctor conspired with others to negotiate refund checks that were fraudulently obtained by co-conspirators who filed tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) using stolen IDs. Proctor is alleged to have used her position as a teller at a check-cashing business to negotiate and facilitate the negotiation of the refund checks. The indictment charges that Proctor entered false information into the check cashing business’s database, including processing the checks under the names of existing customers rather than the names of the individuals listed on the checks. The indictment further alleges that Proctor recruited another teller to join the scheme, and orchestrated the negotiation of additional fraudulent tax refund checks through that teller. According to the indictment, between 2011 and 2013, Proctor and the teller she recruited, negotiated more than 100 tax refund checks totaling more than $500,000.
An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
If convicted, Proctor faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison for the conspiracy count and 10 years in prison for each count of theft of public money. She also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties.
Acting U.S. Attorney Schenning and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg commended special agents of the Treasury Department’s Office of the Inspector General and IRS Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation. Schenning also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Packard and Trial Attorneys Kimberly Ang, William Guappone and Tom Koelbl of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.
Gaithersburg Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
JULY 3, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4885
Greenbelt, Maryland – On June 27, 2017, U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel, sentenced Glenn K. Wilcott, age 55, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, to 5 years in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release for aggravated identity theft and being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Richard Ingram of the Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, Washington Field Office; Special Agent in Charge, Daniel L. Board of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Marshal Johnny Hughes of the United States Marshals Service; Special Agent Michael McGill of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
According to court documents, on or about April 12, 2014, Wilcott submitted via mail a U.S. Department of State passport renewal form to acquire a new passport in the name of Victim A because the original passport was set to expire on May 17, 2014. During the renewal process, passport adjudicators determined that there were several fraud indicators associated with the application, including a death report related to the Social Security number that Wilcott used in the application. This social security number belonged to Victim A, who died March 6, 2012.
According to his plea agreement, when law enforcement executed a search warrant on Wilcott’s residence, they recovered various firearms and ammunition including a .22 caliber pen gun. Wilcott had previously sustained a conviction for an offense punishable by more than one year of imprisonment, which made him ineligible to possess firearms and ammunition.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, ATF, the Social Security Administration, the United States Marshal’s Office, and ICE. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Sykes and Thomas Windom who prosecuted the case.
Montgomery County Man Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Distributing Acetyl Fentanyl Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
June 30, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4885
Greenbelt, Maryland – On Thursday, June, 29, 2017, U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Justin Larson, age 30, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, to life in prison, for distribution of acetyl fentanyl, which resulted in death, as well as conspiracy to distribute narcotics, five counts of possession or attempted possession of a controlled substance and controlled substance analogue with intent to distribute, and one count of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of a controlled substance. Larson was convicted by a federal jury on January 25, 2017. The jury was not able to reach a verdict on a second count of distribution of acetyl fentanyl, resulting in death.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Postal Inspector in Charge Robert B. Wemyss of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy.
According to the testimony at his three-week trial, from May 2014 through March 17, 2016, Larson conspired to distribute acetyl fentanyl, and furanyl fentanyl, a controlled substance analogue. The evidence showed that on May 9, 2014, Larson distributed acetyl fentanyl to an individual, resulting in the death of that individual.
Larson remains detained.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning praised HSI Baltimore, the FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Montgomery County Police Department, and Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly O’Connell Hayes and Erin Pulice, who prosecuted the case.
Baltimore Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking of A MinorRead the Press Release
June 30, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4855
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Steven B. Boyd, a/k/a “Gotti,” age 38, of Baltimore, to 16 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for sex trafficking of a minor.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby.
According to his plea agreement, an undercover enforcement operation conducted by Baltimore City Police officers during an investigation of sex trafficking of minors, identified Boyd as a pimp who caused two minor girls to engage in commercial sex acts for his own financial benefit. Boyd knew the two girls were under 18 years of age when he recruited them to work for him. During the investigation, five other women over the age of 18 were also identified as working for Boyd, including two women who traveled from other states to Maryland to work for Boyd.
According to his plea agreement, Boyd paid for hotel rooms for the women to engage in commercial sex acts. Forensic examination of Boyd’s phone, as well as information provided by the women and girls working for Boyd, showed that he also paid for online ads for the women and girls to engage in commercial sex acts. According to the girls and women working for him, Boyd took all the money they made from commercial sex acts. Boyd transported the girls and women on “outcalls,” taking to them to hotel rooms and residences to engage in prostitution, as well as transporting them to other states. Boyd provided the girls and women with telephones to communicate with him about their commercial sex activities.
Boyd remains detained.
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 Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "resources" tab on the left of the page.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended HSI Baltimore, the Baltimore City Police Department, and Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary A. Myers and Rachel M. Yasser, who prosecuted the case.
Drug Counselor Under Contract with U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Obstruct JusticeRead the Press Release
June 28, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact Bailey Drumm
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4885
DRUG COUNSELOR UNDER CONTRACT WITH U.S. PROBATION AND PRETRIAL SERVICES PLEADS GUILTY TO CONSPIRING TO OBSTRUCT JUSTICE
Licensed Drug Counselor Did Drugs with Federal Defendant, Helped him Obtain Drugs while in Jail, and Attempted to Conceal his Violations from Federal Judge
Baltimore, Maryland – A licensed drug counselor Jennifer Hamersky, a/k/a Jennifer Maroney a/k/a Jennifer Hurt, age 33, of Severn, Maryland, pled guilty to obstruction of justice and conspiring to conceal alleged violations of pretrial release by one of Hamersky’s clients who was a Federal pretrial defendant.
The guilty plea was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; William F. Henry, Chief, U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office, District of Maryland; and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office.
According to the open plea agreement, Hamersky was a Clinical Professional Addictions Counselor, licensed by the State of Maryland’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and a contractor who provided services for United States Probation and Pretrial Service Office (“USPO”). Specifically, Hamersky worked with defendants in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, including mental health and substance abuse counseling, and urinalysis testing.
Person A, who was on pretrial release under the supervision of USPO, met Hamersky in September 2015, when she conducted an initial substance abuse screening as part of his pretrial release supervision. Hamersky recommended and USPO concurred, that Person A attend individual and group counseling sessions and submit to random urinalysis testing..
Hamersky served as Person A’s pretrial release substance abuse and mental health counselor from September 2015 through February 2016, and again from August 2016 through February 2017, with a break due to Person A’s incarceration. Hamersky was responsible for communicating Person A’s compliance with pretrial release conditions regarding potential violations involving counseling and urinalysis testing to USPO.
Court documents show that Hamersky conspired with a co-conspirator, whose initials are A.S., who was a defendant on federal supervised release. The conspiracy involved obstruction of justice in an effort to conceal from USPO officers and U.S. Magistrate and District Court Judges, Person A’s violations of his conditions of release. The violations include use of narcotic drugs or other controlled substances; failure to appear for urinalysis testing; and failure to appear for counseling sessions.
Specifically, court documents show that Hamersky included false information and material omissions in Person A’s monthly treatment reports which were submitted to USPO, and that she provided false information to Person A’s attorney and USPO regarding Person A’s compliance with conditions of release. In November of 2016, Hamersky submitted to USPO Person A’s urinalysis testing log that Hamersky knew had the forged initials of the urinalysis collector on reports in order to make it appear that Person A had participated in urinalysis testing, when in fact, he had not. To facilitate these false submissions, both Hamersky and her co-conspirator A.S., communicated with Person A to have him sign and complete the required urinalysis testing log for submission to USPO.
According to the open plea, between October 2015 and through February 2017, Hamersky and her co-conspirator A.S. conspired to prevent the communication to a law enforcement officer or judge of the United States information relating to violations of Person A’s conditions of release. Hamersky also used narcotic drugs, including using Oxycodone, with Person A.
While Person A was incarcerated at the Chesapeake Detention Facility, Hamersky facilitated his obtaining narcotic drugs for his personal use, then sent a report to Person A’s attorney to be used in court, which she knew contained false representations.
On January 24, 2017, Hamersky discussed with her co-conspirator A.S. how to conceal from Person A’s USPO officer the fact that Person A had missed a urinalysis test. The Defendant then called Person A’s USPO and left a voice message, falsely indicating that Person A had not missed his urinalysis test.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office, and Drug Enforcement Administration for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phil Selden and Rachel Miller Yasser, who prosecuted the case.
Woman Sentenced to 34 Months in Prison for Aggravated Identity Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
JUNE 28, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact Bailey Drumm
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4885
WOMAN SENTENCED TO 34 MONTHS IN PRISON FOR AGGRAVATED IDENTITY THEFT SCHEME
Used the Personal Information of Victims to Perpetrate a Fraud Scheme
Greenbelt, Maryland – On June 26, 2017, U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Michelle Renee Marshall, 47, of Washington, D.C., to 34 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for aggravated identity theft and wire fraud. Marshall was also ordered to pay $27,671.03 in restitution.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; and Special Agent in Charge Kimberly Lappin of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Division, Washington, D.C. Field Office.
According to court documents, September 2013 and September 2014, Marshall represented to six different victims that she could assist them in preparing and filing federal and state tax returns. She then obtained the victims’ personally identifiable information, which she used to prepare and file their tax returns. However, the victims never received the requested tax refunds. Without authorization from the victims, Marshall instead directed tax refunds into bank accounts she controlled.
In total, Marshall intended to obtain $67,713 from the IRS and the states of Maryland and Virginia. Marshall did, in fact, obtain $27,671 through this scheme.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning thanked the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. Mr. Schenning commended Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin B. Pulice and Leah J. Bressack who prosecuted the case.
Defense Contractor Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison for $53 Million Procurement Fraud and Illegal Gratuities SchemeRead the Press Release
JUNE 27, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4885
Baltimore, Maryland – On June 27, 2017, U.S. District Judge Marvin J. Garbis sentenced Andrew Bennett, age 37, of Tampa, Florida to 30 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release, for a wire fraud conspiracy and for paying illegal gratuities to a government official, in connection with the award of more than $53 million in federal government contracts. Judge Garbis also ordered Bennett to pay forfeiture and restitution in the amount of $500,000.00
Co-conspirator John Wilkerson, age 51, of Moultrie, Georgia was previously sentenced to five years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. James T. Shank, who was separately charged and has pled guilty, was a Program Manager at the United States Navy’s Space and Naval Warfare (SPAWAR) Systems Center.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Commander of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI); Special Agent in Charge Robert Craig, Special Agent in Charge, Robert E. Craig Jr, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Mid-Atlantic Field Office; and U.S. Small Business Administration Acting Inspector General Mike Ware.
According to Bennett’s plea agreement, he was a program manager for Advanced C4 Solutions, or AC4S, from 2005 until 2011. AC4S was an information technology company headquartered in Tampa, Florida. In 2011, Bennett left AC4S and went to work for Co-conspirator Wilkerson at Superior Communications Solutions, Inc. (SCSI). According to co-conspirator Shank’s indictment, from August 28, 2006 until he retired on June 30, 2011, Shank was employed as a Program Manager at the United States Navy’s Space and Naval Warfare (SPAWAR) Systems Center. Shank worked with agencies within the Department of Defense to procure telecommunications equipment, software, and related services. According to his plea agreement, Wilkerson was a Department of Defense Account Manager for Iron Bow Technologies, LLC (Iron Bow), which provided IT consulting and other services to government and industry customers. Wilkerson was also part-owner and operated Superior Communications Solutions, Inc. (SCSI).
From September 2009 through August 2012 Bennett conspired with Wilkerson, to give them and the companies they worked for and/or owned an unfair competitive advantage in obtaining government contracts. Court documents state that Wilkerson offered, and Shank accepted, employment with SCSI while Shank was still a government employee and while he was taking official actions that benefited Wilkerson. In addition, Wilkerson paid Shank $86,000 in the year after Shank retired from government service, funneling the payment through two other companies in order to conceal the source of the funds.
According to Bennett’s plea agreement, Shank improperly shared information with Bennett and Wilkerson, and worked with them to structure the government contracts so as to give their companies an unfair advantage over other potential bidders.
For example, according to Bennett’s indictment, Bennett and Wilkerson developed a request for proposal (RFP) for DO27, a contract to supply labor services for an Air Force technology project, including for overall project management services, so that AC4S would win the contract. On June 10, 2010, DO27 was awarded to AC4S in the amount of $18,332,738.10. Wilkerson provided Bennett with a quote for labor for the installation of specific technology on behalf of SCSI that was less than the quote he had previously submitted on behalf of Iron Bow as their sales representative. After SCSI was selected as a subcontractor on DO27, it subcontracted with Iron Bow to provide most of the labor SCSI was supposed to provide under DO27 for the installation of the technology. Wilkerson was able to earn income from the work Iron Bow employees were doing by having SCSI act as a middleman and charging a mark-up on Iron Bow’s work. Bennett and Wilkerson then directed an SCSI employee to create false invoices supposedly documenting the hours SCSI employees spent working on DO27, which were submitted to AC4S and paid by the United States government. SCSI received $6,794,432.98 on DO27 out of the $18 million AC4S received for providing labor for the project.
In February 2011, Bennett left AC4S and went to work for Wilkerson at SCSI. According to the plea agreement, Bennett received a $500,000 bonus when he joined SCSI, which was paid for by profit Wilkerson had earned on the Air Force contracts.
By March 2011, the Air Force project was incomplete and there were numerous contract disputes related to the project. Shank was directed not to take any other action related to the project without the approval of a senior manager. Nevertheless, in April 2011, Shank accepted more than $3.7 million worth of invoices that benefited SCSI without informing the senior manager. In May, 2011, after Shank accepted employment with SCSI, but was still working for SPAWAR, he allegedly approved more than $1.1 million worth of invoices that benefitted SCSI and Wilkerson.
The National Procurement Fraud Task Force was formed in October 2006 to promote the early detection, identification, prevention and prosecution of procurement fraud associated with the increase in government contracting activity for national security and other government programs. The Procurement Fraud Task Force includes the United States Attorneys’ Offices, the FBI, the U.S. Inspectors General community and a number of other federal law enforcement agencies. This case, as well as other cases brought by members of the Task Force, demonstrate the Department of Justice’s commitment to helping ensure the integrity of the government procurement process.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning thanked Air Force OSI, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of the Inspector General for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning commended Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leo J. Wise and Philip A. Selden, who are prosecuting the case.
The United States Attorney’s Office to Host A One Stop Reentry FairRead the Press Release
JUNE 26, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4854
Baltimore, Maryland – The United States Attorney’s Office will host the first One-Stop Reentry Fair at the War Memorial in Baltimore City on Wednesday, June 28, 2017 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. The fair will bring together non-profits, service providers and state and local government organizations from across Baltimore to assist returning citizens to connect with resources.
Returning citizens, individuals who have completed their sentences and have been released from prison, will have access to information on transitional housing, shelters, substance abuse and mental health programs, GED and college courses, job training and job placement programs, food, clothing and infant assistance, identification and legal support and information on Parole and Probation.
According to an Open Society Foundation study, every year, over 10, 000 people are released from state or federal prisons in Maryland and approximately sixty percvent of those individuals return to Baltimore City.
In coordination with federal, state and local agencies and community service providers, the U.S. Attorney’s Office supports reentry initiatives as means of reducing recidivism and keeping communities safe.
“The mission of the United States Attorney’s Office is public safety as well as preventing crime. We believe providing access to resources and services will aid in assisting those with a criminal records from reoffending,” noted Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning.
Additionally, as part of a federal reentry initiative, the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office has published a list of governmental and private-sector agencies throughout Maryland that are available to assist people recently released from state and federal jails and prisons, announced Mr. Schenning. The resource list can be accessed through a link on the U.S. Attorney’s Office home page, at www.justice.gov/usao/md.
Former Vice President of National Construction Company Sentenced to 51 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
JUNE 26, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4854
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Marvin J. Garbis sentenced Wendy Collins, age 46, of Woodbine, Maryland, to 51 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for wire fraud, in connection with a scheme in which she stole more than $4.5 million from her employer. Judge Garbis also ordered Collins to pay forfeiture and restitution in the amount of $4,273,749.83.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Postal Inspector in Charge Robert B. Wemyss of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division.
According to her plea agreement and court documents, Collins worked at a national construction company (the “Company”) with projects throughout the United States. In 2010, Collins was promoted to Vice President of Administration, and was responsible for managing the Company’s finances, including payroll, accounting, petty cash, and health reimbursement account (HRA,) and overseeing payments to the Company’s subcontractors and employees. Collins also had access to the Company’s bank and credit card accounts, including multiple American Express credit card accounts.
Collins admitted that from April 2012 through September 2016, she stole money from the Company in several different ways. Specifically, Collins caused unauthorized withdrawals from the Company’s petty cash account and HRA account transfers to her personal accounts, totaling at least $367,435.52; used $3,814,578.17 in Company’s funds to pay the credit card bills for herself, family members and others; and caused unauthorized increases to her company bonus checks, totaling at least $164,970. In addition, Collins approved invoices related to payments for construction work to be completed at her residence with Company funds, and signed a $25,000 check from the Company’s funds to be paid to a family member’s business.
In some instances, in order to facilitate and conceal the unauthorized credit card charges, Collins created fraudulent expenses and accounting entries in the Company’s financial ledgers and internal credit card reports, which she then paid with the Company’s funds. To further her scheme, Collins “linked” the personal credit card accounts held by her, her family, and her friends, to the Company’s bank accounts so that automatic payments would be made by the Company’s bank account toward the balances owed on Collins’ personal credit card accounts and those associated with her family and friends. Collins, her family members, and her friends charged luxury items that were paid for with Company funds, including: more than $90,000 at Del Frisco’s Steak House; more than $90,000 at Ethan Allen, Williams Sonoma and Pottery Barn; more than $55,000 for Washington Redskins tickets; more than $14,500 at a Napa, California Vineyard as well as $1,400 for beauty products at Estee Lauder and Kiehl’s. Also purchased with the credit cards were: a Porsche 911 Carrera, a Porsche Macan GTS, a Mercedes-Benz G550, a Dodge Ram Truck, a Mazda CX-3, a Mazda MX-5 race car, as well as a Haulmark Trailer, using the Company’s funds.
Further, Collins admitted that she forged the signature of her longtime employer, the President of the Company, multiple times from 2014 through 2016, in order to conceal and complete the unauthorized increases to her bonus checks.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phil Selden and Evan T. Shea, who prosecuted the case.
Bladensburg Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Credit Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
JUNE 26, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4854
Baltimore, Maryland – On Friday June 23, 2017, U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III sentenced Alfred Musa, a/k/a “Gucci,” age 29, of Bladensburg, Maryland to 120 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit access device fraud, identification document fraud, and aggravated identity theft. Judge Russell also ordered Musa to pay $109,297.04 in restitution.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Superintendent of the Maryland State Police, Chief William M. Pallozzi; and Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department.
According to his plea agreement, from October 2014 through August 2015, Musa conspired with others to obtain gift cards, cellular telephones, and goods from retailers by fraudulently obtaining access devices and driver’s licenses in the names, addresses, dates of birth, social security numbers, and other means of identification of real persons. Musa and his co-defendants used the means of identification of at least 90 real people and obtained over $250,000 in fraud proceeds.
Musa obtained personal identifying information of real people and used that information to obtain fraudulent driver’s licenses bearing the victim’s information and a co-conspirator’s photograph. Those driver’s licenses were used to open lines of credit at various retail stores, including Lowes Home Improvement, Nordstrom, and others across Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia and Delaware. Once the lines of credit were opened, Musa and the others used them to purchase gift cards as well as high end designer goods. The fraudulent driver’s licenses were also used at Apple stores to open lines of credit and purchase cellular telephones that were resold to a third party for a profit.
In November 2014 a search warranted was executed at Musa’s residence in Montgomery County, Maryland. During the execution of the search warrant, Musa hid in a trash chute to avoid detection. Fraud documents, including screen shots from Bank of America’s internal computer systems containing personal identifying information of several victims were recovered. A box of ammunition with Musa’s fingerprints was also recovered. Musa is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition based on a prior felony conviction.
In March 2015, Musa and co-defendant Abubakah Kromah used the identity of a law enforcement officer to open a line of credit at a Lowes in Glen Burnie, Maryland, then used that line of credit to purchase over $11,000 in gift cards at various Lowes stores. On March 26, 2015, Musa and Kromah were apprehended outside the Christiana Mall in Delaware after attempting to open new lines of credit in the law enforcement officer’s name at Nordstrom and Macy’s. When Musa was arrested, a credit application in the officer’s name as well as receipts of other fraud purchases were recovered from his vehicle.
Abubakah Chiko Kromah was also convicted of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft. On February 9, 2017, he was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment.
Co-defendant Terri Ashely Hooks was convicted of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft related to this scheme. On April 27, 2017, she was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment.
Co-defendant Jasmine Young was convicted of Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft related to this scheme. On May 10, 2017, she was sentenced to 66 months imprisonment.
Co-defendant Olayinka Amidatu Bangura, a/k/a “Amida,” was convicted of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft related to this scheme. On May 17, 2017, she was sentenced to 12 months and one day imprisonment.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended HSI Baltimore, the Maryland State Police, and the Montgomery County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Perry and Sandra Wilkinson, who prosecuted the case.
Three Baltimore Area Residents Convicted in Arson and Wire Fraud Scheme, Obstruction, Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact Elizabeth Morse
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4877
Baltimore, Maryland – On June 21, 2017, Greg Ramsey, 55, of Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty to use of fire to commit wire fraud, malicious destruction of property by fire, and attempted witness tampering. Ramsey’s plea came on the third day of trial.
The conviction was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Daniel L. Board Jr., Baltimore City Police Commissioner Kevin Davis, Baltimore City Fire Chief Niles R. Ford, PhD, Maryland State Police Superintendent Colonel William M. Pallozzi, United States Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Christopher Caruso, and Department of Homeland Security Special Agent in Charge Andre Watson.
According to his plea agreement, Ramsey and Teryaeva-Reed set three separate residences between October 2012 and August 2013, two in Baltimore, and one in Weatherly, PA. The fires spread to adjoining residences and did substantial damage. Two of the residences were occupied at the time. In addition, the pair set two vehicles on fire in August of 2013 in the area of Walbrook Ave. and N. Dukeland Street, which spread to a nearby church. The fires were set in an effort to obtain money from insurance companies for the claims related to the fire damage.
Teryaeva-Reed was initially charged by the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office and arrested at JFK airport as she was about to board a flight to Ukraine in 2013. In 2015, Ramsey planned to have a relative, Tyesha Roberts, testify falsely for Teyaeva-Reed at trial for $2,000. Ramsey also plotted to assist in the murder of another witness. In November 2015, Ramsey produced a loaded .357 Ruger revolver, which was to be used for the murder, and he was arrested.
Ramsey’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 15, 2017, before the Honorable George L. Russell III.
Coconspirator Julia Teryaeva-Reed, 33, a citizen of Ukraine, previously pled guilty to use of fire to commit a federal felony, wire fraud, and malicious destruction of real property by fire. Coconspirator Tyesha Roberts, 38, of Baltimore, previously pled guilty to Attempted Obstruction of an Official Proceeding. Both are pending sentencing.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the DCIS for its work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew J. Maddox, Judson T. Mihok, and Zachary Myers, who prosecuted the case.
Ms-13 Member Sentenced to 160 Months in Prison for Racketeering-Related ChargesRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact Elizabeth Morse
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4877
Greenbelt, Maryland – On June 22, 2017, an MS-13 gang member was sentenced to 160 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring and attempting to murder on behalf of the gang.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Stephen Schenning of the District of Maryland, Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Chief James Tom Kemp of the Greenbelt Police Department; Chief Hank Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela D. Alsobrooks made the announcement.
“Transnational criminal organizations like MS-13 cannot continue to devastate our communities and our children. They must be stopped. Today’s sentencing sends a warning to all gang and cartel members: we are coming for you,” said Attorney General Sessions. “This outcome shows how strong cooperation between federal, state and local law enforcement can help us win the fight against violent gangs. I applaud the efforts of the fine Assistant U.S. Attorneys and all the dedicated men and women who brought this violent criminal to justice.”
Celvin Eulice Ramos-Meija, aka “Cadejo,” 21, of Columbia, Maryland, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte of the District of Maryland. Ramos-Mejia previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering and attempted murder in aid of racketeering.
MS-13 is an international gang composed primarily of immigrants or descendants of immigrants from El Salvador. Branches or “cliques” of MS-13, one of the largest street gangs in the U.S., operate throughout the U.S., including in Prince George’s County, Montgomery County, and Frederick County, Maryland. Members engage in racketeering activity including murder, extortion, robberies, obstruction of justice and other crimes. MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence within the gang and against rival gangs. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, known as “chavalas,” whenever possible.
According to his plea agreement, Ramos-Mejia admitted that for the purpose of maintaining and increasing his position in MS-13, he conspired with other MS-13 members to murder a victim that he and his co-conspirators had identified as a “chavala.”
Specifically, the Ramos-Mejia admitted that on June 6, 2016, he and other members and associates of MS-13 approached the victim in Greenbelt, Maryland. Ramos-Mejia admitted that he made an MS-13 sign in the face of the victim, and that he and his co-conspirators then began to attack the victim. According to the plea agreement, the victim survived the attack, but sustained multiple stab wounds and injuries, including lacerations to his abdomen, liver and diaphragm. The victim was hospitalized for 10 days as a result of the attack.
HSI Baltimore, the Greenbelt Police Department, the Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office investigated the case. Trial Attorney Francesca Liquori of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys William D. Moomau and Lindsay Eyler Kaplan of the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case.
Leader of Fraudulent Credit Card Scheme Sentenced to Five Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
June 23, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
www.justice.gov/usao/md
Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
(410) 209-4885
Greenbelt, Maryland – On June 23, 2017, U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel sentenced Hussain Abdullah, age 39 of Forestville, Maryland, to 60 months in prison, followed by 3 years supervised release, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, related to a scheme to use victims’ stolen identity information to obtain credit. The conspirators used the fraudulent credit cards to obtain money and merchandise. In addition, Abdullah was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $225,588.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Brian J. Ebert of the United States Secret Service, Washington, D.C. Field Office; Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Chief Hank Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to his plea agreement, Abdullah obtained and helped obtain the personal identifying information (PII) of others, without their knowledge or consent. From October 2014 through July 2016, Abdullah used the victim’s stolen personal information to create fake driver’s licenses in the names of the victims. As part of the conspiracy, Abdullah provided over 30 fake driver’s licenses to co-defendants Shazad Khan, Patricia Lynn Hiter, James Edward Foster, and others, and directed them to use the victims’ personal information to open instant credit cards in the victims’ names. Khan, Hiter, Foster, Shivers, and others used the fraudulent driver’s licenses to apply for credit at retail stores, and used the credit cards they obtained to purchase merchandise, including electronics and jewelry, and gift cards.
On September 30, 2016, Abdullah was arrested in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and law enforcement seized a backpack and suitcase belonging to Abdullah. Inside the suitcase law enforcement recovered a .45/.410 caliber handgun, which Abdullah had transported to Pennsylvania from Maryland a few days earlier. Abdullah was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to a previous felony conviction.
Investigation showed that the handgun had previously been reported stolen during a residential robbery in Virginia. On October 1, 2016, law enforcement executed a search at Abdullah’s residence in Baltimore. During the search, law enforcement recovered a thumb drive containing approximately 799 documents bearing suspected victim names, including credit reporting information relating to those victims, and approximately 187 identification card templates bearing the photographs of 36 different suspects. A search of Abdullah’s suitcase recovered blank identification card stocks containing Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. holograms. Abdullah’s fingerprints were found on the card stock. Finally, law enforcement also recovered a phone with additional victim names, and a laptop computer containing the names of 32 victims.
The total loss to the card issuers was over $225,000, and the names of at least 65 victims – most of them Maryland residents - were used at retail stores without their permission. In addition, law enforcement has identified approximately 1,000 suspected victims based on their investigation of this scheme.
James Edward Foster, age 61, of Woodbridge, Virginia, previously plead guilty to the wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft and was sentenced to 16 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $100,180.44. Patricia Lynn Hiter, age 51, of Lawrenceville, Georgia also plead guilty to the wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft and was sentenced to 16 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $51,454.44.
Bland Shivers, age 50, of New Bern, North Carolina, previously plead guilty to the wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft and was sentenced to 16 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $18, 984.92.
Shazad Khan, age 56, of Baltimore, Maryland also has plead guilty and will be sentenced July 31, 2017. He faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison for wire fraud conspiracy, and a mandatory two years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, for aggravated identity theft.
The Maryland Identity Theft Working Group has been working since 2006 to foster cooperation among local, state, federal, and institutional fraud investigators and to promote effective prosecution of identity theft schemes by both state and federal prosecutors. This case, as well as other cases brought by members of the Working Group, demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement agencies to work with financial institutions and businesses to address identity fraud, identify those who compromise personal identity information, and protect citizens from identity theft.
Today’s sentencing is part of the efforts undertaken in connection with the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets; and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Since fiscal year 2009, the Justice Department has filed over 18,000 financial fraud cases against more than 25,000 defendants. For more information on the task force, please visit www.StopFraud.gov.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the U.S. Secret Service National Capitol Region Multi-Agency Task Force, the Montgomery County Police Department and Prince George’s County Police Department for their investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Arun G. Rao who prosecuted the case.
Hyattsville, Maryland Woman Convicted of Mail and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact Elizabeth Morse
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4885Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal jury convicted Ana Maritza Gomez, age 44, of Hyattsville, Maryland, today on one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and five counts of mail fraud arising from a scheme to defraud victims through a foreclosure rescue fraud scam.
Two co-defendants, Rene De Jesus De Leon, age 48, and Pedrina Rodriguez Bonilla, age 38, both of Silver Spring, Maryland, have also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud for their involvement in the same scheme.
The conviction was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning, Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Rene Febles of the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Cary A. Rubenstein of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General (HUD-OIG); Chief Henry P. Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Postal Inspector in Charge Robert B. Wemyss of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; and Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department.
According to evidence presented at the six-day trial, from at least late 2011 to August 2015, Gomez and her co-conspirators claimed that they could help homeowners who wanted to modify their mortgage loans and prevent foreclosure of their homes. The conspirators sold the victims on a “principal reduction” program that included an upfront fee, typically between $3,000 and monthly payments for 10 to 15 years. Gomez and her co-conspirators told the victims to make monthly payments to the conspirators and to companies they controlled, in lieu of to the homeowners’ lenders, as part of the conspirators program. The companies controlled by Gomez’s co-conspirators were named Marketing Multiservices LLC and Innovative Solutions Services LLC.
According to the indictment and court documents, the conspirators mailed monthly invoices to the homeowner victims that falsely indicated that the “principal balance” was being paid down. Some of the victims paid Gomez in person each month at her residence; or some of the victims deposited their payments directly into bank accounts controlled by Gomez’s co-conspirators. The conspirators told the victims not to open any mail from their lenders and instead provide it to the conspirators. The conspirators did not, however, negotiate with lenders of behalf of the homeowners. Many of the victims lost their homes.
Sentencing for Ana Maritza Gomez is scheduled for October 12, 2017 , at 10:00 a.m. Sentencing for Rene De Leon is scheduled for September 7, 2017, at 1:00 p.m., and Pedrina Bonilla is scheduled for sentencing on September 7, 2017, at 10:00 a.m.
Each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine for each count.
The Maryland Mortgage Fraud Task Force was established to unify the agencies that regulate and investigate mortgage fraud and promote the early detection, identification, prevention and prosecution of mortgage fraud schemes. This case, as well as other cases brought by members of the Task Force, demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement agencies to protect consumers from fraud and promote the integrity of the credit markets. Information about mortgage fraud prosecutions is available http://www.justice.gov/usao-md/financial-fraud-and-identity-theft.
Today’s announcement is part of the efforts undertaken in connection with the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices, and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets; and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Since fiscal year 2009, the Justice Department has filed over 18,000 financial fraud cases against more than 25,000 defendants. For more information on the task force, please visit www.StopFraud.gov.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the FHFA-OIG, HUD-OIG, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Prince George’s County and Montgomery County Police Departments, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant United States Attorney Kristi N. O’Malley and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jolie F. Zimmerman, who are prosecuted the case.
Five Baltimore Men Plead Guilty Under Federal Gun StatutesRead the Press Release
June 23, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
www.justice.gov/usao/md
Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
at (410) 209-4885
Baltimore, Maryland – Five men pleaded guilty this week, 4 on Baltimore City gun cases and one Anne Arundel County gun case. The guilty pleas were announced today by Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning.
The United States Attorney’s Office continues in its efforts to address the gun violence plaguing Baltimore area by using Federal Statutes prohibiting felons from possessing firearms.
Five defendants, listed below, pleaded guilty in 5 separate cases in United States District Court this week.
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Robert Butler, age 43, of Baltimore, Maryland
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Ryan King, age 25, of Baltimore, Maryland
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Demonte T. Jones, age 25, of Brooklyn, Maryland
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Calvin Thompson, age 38, of Baltimore, Maryland
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Craig Tucker, age 30, of Baltimore, Maryland
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning said that the United States Attorney’s Office, through its Exile Program, will continue to pursue felons with guns who constitute a clear and present danger to the safety and welfare of the citizens of Baltimore. These guilty pleas reflect the ongoing commitment of the United States Attorney’s Office to address violent crime in the City of Baltimore and the District of Maryland.
Sentence proceedings for the five are pending. All five defendants continue to be detained.
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MS-13 Member Sentenced to 160 Months in Prison for Racketeering-Related ChargesRead the Press Release
Today, an MS-13 gang member was sentenced to 160 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring and attempting to murder on behalf of the gang.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Stephen Schenning of the District of Maryland, Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Chief James Tom Kemp of the Greenbelt Police Department; Chief Hank Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela D. Alsobrooks made the announcement.
“Transnational criminal organizations like MS-13 cannot continue to devastate our communities and our children. They must be stopped. Today’s sentencing sends a warning to all gang and cartel members: we are coming for you,” said Attorney General Sessions. “This outcome shows how strong cooperation between federal, state and local law enforcement can help us win the fight against violent gangs. I applaud the efforts of the fine Assistant U.S. Attorneys and all the dedicated men and women who brought this violent criminal to justice.”
Celvin Eulice Ramos-Meija, aka “Cadejo,” 21, of Columbia, Maryland, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte of the District of Maryland. Ramos-Mejia previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering and attempted murder in aid of racketeering.
MS-13 is an international gang composed primarily of immigrants or descendants of immigrants from El Salvador. Branches or “cliques” of MS-13, one of the largest street gangs in the U.S., operate throughout the U.S., including in Prince George’s County, Montgomery County, and Frederick County, Maryland. Members engage in racketeering activity including murder, extortion, robberies, obstruction of justice and other crimes. MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence within the gang and against rival gangs. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, known as “chavalas,” whenever possible.
According to his plea agreement, Ramos-Mejia admitted that for the purpose of maintaining and increasing his position in MS-13, he conspired with other MS-13 members to murder a victim that he and his co-conspirators had identified as a “chavala.”
Specifically, the Ramos-Mejia admitted that on June 6, 2016, he and other members and associates of MS-13 approached the victim in Greenbelt, Maryland. Ramos-Mejia admitted that he made an MS-13 sign in the face of the victim, and that he and his co-conspirators then began to attack the victim. According to the plea agreement, the victim survived the attack, but sustained multiple stab wounds and injuries, including lacerations to his abdomen, liver and diaphragm. The victim was hospitalized for 10 days as a result of the attack.
HSI Baltimore, the Greenbelt Police Department, the Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office investigated the case. Trial Attorney Francesca Liquori of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys William D. Moomau and Lindsay Eyler Kaplan of the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case.
Silver Spring Sex Offender Sentenced to 25 years in Federal Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
June 19, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact Elizabeth Morse
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4885Greenbelt, Maryland – On June 19, 2017, U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Clarence Henry Andrews, age 28, of Silver Spring, Maryland, to 25 years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for production of child pornography.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy.
Andrews is a registered sex offender as a result of a 2011 conviction in Prince George’s County Circuit Court for fourth degree sex offense and second degree assault, in connection with his abuse of a nine-year-old boy in the bathroom of a church located in Laurel, Maryland.
According to his plea agreement, in March 2015, Andrews communicated with an 11-year-old male residing in Georgia, via a video game system, Skype, FaceTime, text messages, and telephone. During the course of the communications, Andrews promised to provide the male minor with Advanced Warfare, a video game, in exchange for sexually explicit images and videos of the victim. At times, Andrews invoked religion in order to persuade the minor to produce and share sexually explicit images and videos. Andrews admitted that between approximately 2013 and April 2015, Andrews – using similar means and pattern of conduct – attempted to coerce at least eight additional victims aged 16 and younger to produce images and videos of sexually explicit conduct.
In addition, Andrews admitted that between April 2013 and October 2014, Andrews befriended, through church, a family with an eight-to-nine-year-old female and a seven-to-eight-year-old male, residing in Maryland. Andrews visited the family’s home on several occasions. On one occasion Andrews took the female victim to a downstairs bathroom in the home, told her he would give her cash if she pulled down her pants, and touched and photographed the child’s buttocks. On other occasions while visiting the family, Andrews took the male victim to the downstairs bathroom, engaged in sexual conduct and photographed the child’s buttocks. In January 2017, Andrews was sentenced to a total of ten years imprisonment in Montgomery County Circuit Court for this conduct.
Also as part of his plea agreement, Andrews will be required to continue to register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
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 Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "resources" tab on the left of the page.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the FBI, Montgomery County Police Department, and Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation, and thanked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Butts County, Georgia, District Attorney’s Office for their assistance. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicolas A. Mitchell and Menaka S. Kalaskar, who are prosecuting the federal case.
Greensboro, North Carolina Co-Conspirator Convicted of Defrauding Victims of Millions of DollarsRead the Press Release
June 16, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
www.justice.gov/usao/mdContact Elizabeth Morse at (410) 209-4885
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal jury convicted defendant Olusola Olla, 50, of Greensboro, NC, on June 16, 2017, for conspiracy to commit money laundering and structuring financial transactions arising from a scheme to defraud vulnerable victims of millions of dollars. The following defendants were previously convicted at trial or pleaded guilty:
Gbenga Benson Ogundele, a/k/a “Benson Ogundele,” age 58, of Laurel, Maryland;
Victor Oyewumi Oloyede, age 42, of Laurel;
Olusegun Charles Ogunseye, a/k/a “Charles O. Ogunseye,” age 58, of Laurel;
Babtunde Emmanuel Popoola, a/k/a “Emmanuel Popoola” and “Tunde Popoola, age 34, of Bowie, Maryland; his sister,
Mojisola Tinuola Popoola, a/k/a “Mojisola Oluwakemi Tin Popoola” and “Moji T. Popoola,” age 42, of Laurel;
Adeyinka Olubunmi Awolaja, Jr., a/k/a “Yinka O. Awolaja, Jr.,” age 34, formerly of New Carrolltown, Maryland; and
Olufemi Wilfred Williams, a/k/a “Wilfred Olufemi Williams” and “Femi Williams,” age 26, of Owings Mills, Maryland.
The conviction was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning and Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to evidence presented at the 11-day trial, from January 2011 to May 18, 2015, members of the conspiracy searched online dating websites to initiate romantic relationships with vulnerable male and female individuals. They phoned, emailed, texted and used internet chat messenger services to form romantic relationships with the victims, who lived in Maryland and around the country.
Witnesses testified that members of the conspiracy used false stories and promises to convince the victims to give them money, including fake hospital bills, plane trips to visit the victims, and problems with overseas businesses. Olla and co-conspirators opened bank accounts, called “drop accounts,” that received millions of dollars from the victims. Testimony at trial showed that victims provided money to the defendants as a result of the false stories and promises, either by depositing money directly into drop accounts controlled by the defendants, or by checks sent to them. Payments from victims ranged from $1,720 to $50,000.
Olla and the co-conspirators dispersed money received from the victims by transferring funds to other accounts they controlled, by obtaining cashier’s checks, and by writing checks to individuals or entities, all done to conceal the nature, source, and control of those assets. Relatedly, many of the currency transactions were “structured,” or designed to avoid the filing of currency transaction reports, which financial institutions are required to file with the Internal Revenue Service for currency transactions exceeding $10,000.
Olla faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for conspiring to commit money laundering and a maximum of 5 years in prison for structuring financial transactions. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled for Olla.
Today’s announcement is part of the efforts undertaken in connection with the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices, and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets; and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Since fiscal year 2009, the Justice Department has filed over 18,000 financial fraud cases against more than 25,000 defendants. For more information on the task force, please visit www.StopFraud.gov.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the FBI for its work in the investigation and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas P. Windom and Ray D. McKenzie, who are prosecuting the case.
Deputy Attorney General Recognizes District EmployeeRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Elizabeth Morse
Friday, June 16, 2017 410-209-4885
www.justice.gov/usao-md
WASHINGTON – Sujit Raman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Maryland was one of 179 members of the Department of Justice recognized by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, and Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) Director Monty Wilkinson at the 33rd Director’s Awards Ceremony today in Washington D.C.
The District of Maryland was one of 35 districts represented at the ceremony which was held in the Great Hall at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building.
In his prepared remarks, Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein told the awardees, “These 179 award recipients embody the best of the Department of Justice.… Today’s honorees have earned the esteem of their colleagues. But most importantly, you have earned the gratitude of your fellow citizens — whose communities you have made safer, whose lives you have improved, and whose trust you have rewarded. ”
Sujit Raman was recognized for his exceptional contributions to the briefing and argument of appellate cases and for his outstanding leadership in managing the appellate practice of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. Mr. Raman has played a pivotal role in developing and persuasively advocating the government’s positions on cutting-edge Fourth Amendment issues at the intersection of privacy, technology, and national security.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning noted “As a counselor to his colleagues and as an advocate in court, Mr. Raman is trusted for the quality of his advice, the integrity of his positions, and the exceptional and understated manner in which he represents the interests of the United States.”
EOUSA provides oversight, general executive assistance, and direction to the 94 United States Attorneys’ offices around the country. For more information on EOUSA and its mission, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao.
Historian Charged in Federal Court with Theft of Government Records from the National ArchivesRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
www.justice.gov/usao/mdContact Elizabeth Morse
at (410) 209-4885
Greenbelt, Maryland – Antonin DeHays, age 32, of College Park, Maryland, a historian, was charged by federal criminal complaint today with theft of government records from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).
The complaint was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning and Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Jason Metrick of the National Archives and Records Administration - Office of Inspector General.
Archivist of the United States David Ferriero stated, “The theft of our history should anger any citizen, but as a veteran I am shocked at allegations that a historian would show such disregard for records and artifacts documenting those captured or killed in World War II. Although we have increased our security measures in recent years, this case highlights the constant threat our records and artifacts face and why the security of the holdings of the National Archives is my highest priority.”
According to the affidavit filed in support of the complaint, between in or about October 2015 and on or about June 9, 2017, DeHays, a historian, repeatedly visited the National Archives at College Park, Maryland, and stole dog tags and other documents belonging to U.S. servicemen whose planes had crashed during World War II. DeHays sold the stolen dog tags on eBay. In addition, on at least one occasion, DeHays gave a stolen dog tag assigned to a Tuskegee Airman to a museum in Virginia, in exchange for an opportunity to sit inside a Spitfire airplane.
On June 9, 2017, investigators executed a federal search warrant at DeHays’s residence and seized six dog tags and other documents that had been stolen from National Archives at College Park.
If convicted, DeHays faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison. An initial appearance was held for DeHays in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt on June 13, 2017.
A complaint is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
NARA Inspector General James Springs thanked all of the federal employees involved in this investigation, stating “Thefts from the Archives are thefts of history. We will work tirelessly to find those who would try to steal any record from the American people.”
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended NARA – Office of Inspector General for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning also thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Nicolas A. Mitchell and Arun G. Rao, who are prosecuting the case.
Chesapeake City Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Edward Tillinghast, age 47, of Chesapeake City, Maryland, today for production of child pornography.
The sentencing was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Colonel William M. Pallozzi, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; and Cecil County State’s Attorney Steven Trostle.
According to his plea agreement, on May 17, 2016 Maryland State Police, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Elkton Police Department, executed a search warrant for the Defendant’s residence. The agents recovered several electronic devices. Tillinghast admitted he had viewed child pornography using his computers and had used peer-to-peer file sharing programs to obtain the child pornography. The total number of relevant images recovered is at least 600. The defendant also admitted to sexually abusing a minor victim over the past year. Images recovered from at least one of the defendant’s electronic devices showed that he had abused the minor victim starting when the minor victim was eleven years old.
As part of his plea agreement, Tillinghast must register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
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 Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "resources" tab on the left of the page.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended Homeland Security Investigations, the Maryland State Police and the Cecil County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Ayn Ducao, who prosecuted the federal case.
Two New Defendants Charged in Racketeering Conspiracy Related to Involvement in “Murdaland Mafia Piru” Bloods GangRead the Press Release
Gang Members Allegedly Committed Five Murders, Six Attempted Murders, Assaults, Abduction, Witness Tampering, And Drug Distribution Resulting in Overdoses
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury returned a second superseding indictment on June 1, 2017, charging two additional defendants with conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise known as Murdaland Mafia Piru (MMP) and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. The indictment also adds new charges against six of the defendants charged in the previous indictment, including murder charges against the gang’s alleged leader, Dante Bailey, a/k/a Gutta, and Dontray Johnson, a/k/a Gambino.
One of the defendants newly charged in the case is Sydni Frazier, a/k/a “Sid,” a/k/a “Perry,” age 25, of Baltimore, Maryland. The name of the second defendant remains under seal while law enforcement officers work on bringing the defendant into custody.
This brings to 26 the total number of alleged MMP gang members and associates charged in the case. Ten of the 24 defendants in the previous indictment have pleaded guilty to their participation in the racketeering conspiracy. Fourteen of the 24 remain in the second superseding indictment.
The second superseding indictment was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Daniel L. Board, Jr. of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives—Baltimore Field Division; Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department; Chief Terrence B. Sheridan of the Baltimore County Police Department; Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby; and Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger.
According to the indictment, MMP, also known as the “Mob” or “Mobsters,” is a violent subset of the Bloods gang that for many years controlled the drug trade in large swaths of Northwest Baltimore City and neighboring Baltimore County. MMP was modeled after the Italian Mafia. Members and associates of MMP operated street-level drug distribution “shops” in various locations in Baltimore City and distributed heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, fentanyl, and marijuana, among other controlled substances. The gang’s drug shop in the 5200 block of Windsor Mill Road was particularly lucrative due to its close proximity to Interstate 70, and it frequently attracted drug customers driving from western Maryland and neighboring states. MMP members were required to pay dues to the gang consisting of a portion of the proceeds of their criminal activities, and they were subject to reprisal—and sometimes murder—for failing to do so. Non-members who wished to sell drugs in MMP’s territories were forced to pay a “tax” or were targeted for violence by MMP members. MMP members enhance their status within the gang by carrying out acts of violence against rivals; for instance, members can earn a “lightning bolt” tattoo for “killing for the Mob.”
The 32 count indictment alleges that from at least 2011 through 2017, the defendants were members and associates of MMP who engaged in criminal activities in furtherance of the gang, including five murders, six attempted murders, assaults, abduction, witness tampering, and drug distribution resulting in nonfatal overdoses.
For instance, the indictment alleges that on May 30, 2015, Shakeen Davis attempted to murder two victims in the gang’s territory in Northwest Baltimore by firing at least nine rounds at them with a 5.56x45mm caliber rifle. One victim suffered two graze wounds to his back, and both victims suffered cuts to their arms and hands from broken glass.
The indictment further alleges that on September 29, 2015, Dontray Johnson murdered an MMP member because he refused to pay gang dues Johnson was attempting to collect for Dante Bailey and his wife Tiffany Bailey. Dante Bailey approved the murder afterward in a recorded conversation, telling Johnson to continue enforcing the dues system even if it meant killing more people.
According to the indictment, on April 28, 2016, Dante Bailey and Jamal Lockley armed themselves and went looking to retaliate against members of a rival drug organization they believed were responsible for killing an MMP member. Bailey and Lockley drove to the rival drug organization’s territory, where they observed a victim who they suspected—wrongly—had been involved in the MMP member’s murder. Bailey shot the victim in the head, killing him. Lockley was the getaway driver.
The indictment further alleges that in August 2016, Dante Bailey directed the murder of a victim based on a belief that he was cooperating with law enforcement. On August 10, 2016, Sydni Frazier and one or more co-conspirators abducted, bound, and murdered the victim, and then attempted to set his body on fire. Later that day, Frazier fled from police and discarded the two murder weapons.
In addition, the indictment alleges that on January 8, 2017, Delante Lee attempted to murder a victim because he lingered on MMP’s drug turf after being asked to leave. Lee chased the victim into oncoming traffic, firing multiple shots at him and striking him once in the arm. Shortly afterward, Lee shot himself as he was attempting to put away the gun.
The two new defendants face a maximum sentence of life in prison for the racketeering conspiracy, as well as a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison for the drug conspiracy. Dante Bailey and Dontray Johnson face a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison and the possibility of the death penalty for new charges of murder in aid of racketeering. Dante Bailey, Dontray Johnson, Corloyd Anderson, Shakeen Davis, Delante Lee, and Sydni Frazier also face new gun charges. Ayinde Deleon, Shakeen Davis, and Sydni Frazier also face new drug distribution 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.
The following 14 defendants were charged in the superseding indictment unsealed on September 27, 2016, and charges remain pending against them in the second superseding indictment:
Dante Bailey, a/k/a “Gutta,” “Almighty,” and “Wolf,” age 37, of Windsor Mill, Maryland;
Dontray Johnson, a/k/a “Gambino,” “Bino,” and “Tray,” age 31, of Windsor Mill;
Adrian Jamal Spence, a/k/a “Spittle,” “SP,” and “AJ,” age 29, of Baltimore;
Randy Banks, a/k/a “Dirt,” age 38, of Baltimore;
Ayinde Deleon, a/k/a “Murda,” and “Yin,” age 31, of Baltimore;
Jamal Lockley, a/k/a “T-Roy,” and “Droid,” age 37, of Baltimore;
Jacob Bowling, a/k/a “Jakey,” “Ghost,” and “Fred,” age 30, of Gwynn Oak, Maryland;
Corloyd Anderson, a/k/a “Bo,” age 33, of Owings Mills, Maryland;
Devon Dent, a/k/a “Tech,” age 26, of Gwynn Oak;
Tiffany Bailey, a/k/a “Tiff,” age 31, of Windsor Mill;
Takuma Tate, a/k/a “Oop,” and “Ook,” age 37, of Baltimore;
Maurice Pollock, a/k/a “Reese,” age 22, of Baltimore;
Shakeen Davis, a/k/a “Creams,” age 22, of Baltimore;
Delante Lee, a/k/a “Tay Tay,” age 21, of Baltimore; andThe following 10 defendants were charged in the previous indictment and have pleaded guilty to their participation in the racketeering conspiracy:
William Banks, a/k/a “Trouble,” age 27, of Baltimore;
Dominick Wedlock, a/k/a “Rage,” and “Nick,” age 29, of Baltimore;
Dwight Jenkins, a/k/a “Huggie,” and “Unc,” age 48, of Baltimore;
Melvin Lashley, a/k/a “Menace,” age 26, of Baltimore;
William Jones, a/k/a “Bill,” and “Smalls,” age 27, of Baltimore;
Jarmal Harrid, a/k/a “J-Rock,” and “PJ,” age 27, of Gwynn Oak;
Jamal Smith, a/k/a “Mal,” and “Lil Mal,” age 25, of Gwynn Oak;
Charles Blackwell, a/k/a “Ci-Bo,” and “Lil Charlie,” age 21, of Woodlawn, Maryland;
Kenneth Torry, a/k/a “Kenny,” age 39, of Owings Mills;
Jay Greer, a/k/a “Champagne,” “Montana Gold,” and “Slick,” age 24, of Baltimore.Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the ATF, Baltimore City and Baltimore County Police Departments, and the Baltimore City and Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Offices for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Christina A. Hoffman, Lauren E. Perry, and Jason D. Medinger, who are prosecuting the case.
Two Army National Guardsmen Convicted in Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Used Cards Re-encoded with Stolen Credit/Debit Card Numbers to Buy Merchandise at Army and Air Force Exchange Service Stores and Elsewhere
Greenbelt, Maryland – On June 1, 2017, a federal jury found James Stewart, age 27, of District Heights, Maryland guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The jury also found Vincent Grant, age 28, of Laurel, Maryland guilty of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft.
The convictions were announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Robert Craig of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service - Mid-Atlantic Field Office (DCIS); and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Thorpe of the DCIS - Cyber Field Office.
According to evidence presented to the jury, from July 2014 to May 2015 the defendants used Bitcoin, a form of digital currency, to purchase stolen credit and debit card numbers of individuals and businesses from foreign internet websites. The defendants selected and purchased stolen credit and debit card numbers of individuals and businesses holding federal credit union accounts, and those with billing addresses in or near Maryland. They bought magnetic strip card-encoding devices and software to re-encode credit, debit, and other cards with the stolen credit and debit card numbers. The defendants then used the cards they fraudulently re-encoded to buy merchandise, including gift cards, electronic items, and luxury goods, from Army and Air Force Exchange Service stores on U.S. military bases, also known as PX stores, and other locations in Maryland and elsewhere. They used the merchandise themselves or resold the merchandise to individuals they knew.
Coconspirators Derrick Shelton and Quentin Stewart previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Coconspirator Jamal Moody pled guilty to conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Moody, Shelton, James Stewart, and Grant were specialists, and Quentin Stewart was a former sergeant, all in the District of Columbia Army National Guard.
Shelton, James Stewart, and Quentin Stewart face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for conspiring to commit wire fraud, and wire fraud. Grant and Moody face a maximum sentence of seven and half years in prison for conspiring to commit access device fraud. All five defendants also face a mandatory minimum of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft, consecutive to any other sentence imposed.
The Maryland Identity Theft Working Group has been working since 2006 to foster cooperation among local, state, federal, and institutional fraud investigators and to promote effective prosecution of identity theft schemes by both state and federal prosecutors. This case, as well as other cases brought by members of the Working Group, demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement agencies to work with financial institutions and businesses to address identity fraud, identify those who compromise personal identity information, and protect citizens from identity theft.
Today’s announcement is part of the efforts undertaken in connection with the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices, and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets; and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Since fiscal year 2009, the Justice Department has filed over 18,000 financial fraud cases against more than 25,000 defendants. For more information on the task force, please visit www.StopFraud.gov.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the DCIS for its work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan E. Foreman and Thomas P. Windom; Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Gustav William Eyler, of the U.S. Justice Department, Criminal Division - Fraud Section; and Trial Attorney Jessee Alexander-Hoeppner, of the U.S. Justice Department, Criminal Division - Fraud Section, who prosecuted the case.
Three Facing Federal Charges for Drug Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
41 kilograms of suspected heroin seized
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal criminal complaint was filed on June 1, 2017 charging three defendants with intent to distribute narcotics and conspiracy to distribute narcotics.
The criminal complaint was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office.
The criminal complaint charges the following defendants:
Perry Brown, age 53, of Baltimore, Maryland;
Juan Olvera Morales, age 34, of St. Anthony, Idaho; and
Alfredo Manuel Nevares, age 41, of West Valley, Utah
According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, beginning in October 2015, federal and state law enforcement began investigating drug trafficking activities of various persons. On May 30, 2017, investigators received confidential information concerning a possible drug transaction. Based on that intelligence, law enforcement began monitoring Brown. On May 31, 2017, at a truck stop in Jessup, law enforcement observed Brown, Morales, and Nevares, transfer multiple bags from a truck to a van. On the same day, 41 kilograms of suspected heroin was seized, and the three defendants were taken into custody.
If convicted of either conspiracy to distribute or possession with the intent to distribute narcotics, Brown, Morales, and Nevares faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in 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.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the DEA for its work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hanlon, who is prosecuting the case. Mr. Schenning would also like to thank the following agencies for their cooperation and dedication to this investigation: Baltimore City Police Department, Baltimore City Sheriff's Office, Baltimore County Police Department, Immigration Custom Enforcement (ICE-ERO), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and Maryland Transportation Authority Police (MTAP).
Maryland State Senator Indicted for Accepting Payments in Exchange for Official ActionsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has indicted Maryland State Senator Nathaniel Thomas Oaks, age 70, of Baltimore, Maryland, with wire fraud, honest services wire fraud, and violations of the Travel Act for allegedly accepting illegal payments in exchange for using his official position or influence to benefit an individual on business-related matters. The indictment was returned on May 31, 2017.
The indictment was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning and Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint filed previously, and the nine-count indictment returned on May 31, 2017, Oaks was a Maryland State Delegate representing District 41 (Baltimore City) from 1994 until being appointed to the Maryland Senate in February 2017, representing the same District.
The affidavit alleges that on September 21, 2015, a cooperating individual (the Cooperator) introduced Oaks to an FBI confidential human source (the CHS) who portrayed himself as an out-of-town businessperson interested in obtaining contracts in the City of Baltimore through a minority-owned business (the Company). The Company is a real business that is operated by a different cooperating defendant who is assisting the FBI with the investigation. The meeting took place at a restaurant in Pikesville, Maryland, and was consensually recorded by the Cooperator and the CHS. During the meeting, Oaks offered to assist the CHS with business development in Maryland.
During the months following the September 21, 2015 meeting between the CHS and Oaks, the CHS consensually recorded numerous telephone and in-person conversations with Oaks during which they discussed possible development and business-related opportunities that may be available to the CHS in Maryland. One such opportunity was a United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) project (the Project) that the CHS told Oaks that he was interested in developing in the City. Oaks told the CHS that he wanted to help with the HUD project.
According to the indictment, between the months of April 2016 and July 2016, Oaks issued two letters on his official House of Delegates letterhead to a person whom he believed to be a HUD official which contained materially false and fraudulent representations in order to assist the CHS in obtaining federal grant funds from HUD. The CHS paid Oaks $10,300 for his assistance.
Further, the indictment alleges that on September 22, 2016, the CHS paid Oaks $5,000 in exchange for Oaks’ agreement to file a bond bill request with the Maryland Department of Legislative Services (DLS) seeking $250,000 in state funds for the Project. Oaks filed the bill request with DLS later that day. On November 21, 2016, Oaks forwarded an email to the CHS that had been sent to him by DLS. The email attached the draft of the bill to establish a $250,000 bond to be used for the project.
All the money paid to Oaks by the CHS was supplied by the FBI and the meetings were recorded using audio/video recording equipment.
Oaks faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud; 20 years in prison for honest services wire fraud; and five years in prison for each count of the Travel Act. An initial appearance has not yet been been scheduled in U.S. District Court in 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.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen O. Gavin and Leo J. Wise, who are prosecuting the case.
Baltimore County Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz sentenced Santos Jovany Quintanilla, age 37, of Lutherville-Timonium, Maryland today to 25 years in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for production of child pornography.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Chief Terrence B. Sheridan of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger.
According to his plea agreement, from 2010 through 2015, beginning when the victim was five years old, Quintanilla sexually abused a young girl, producing images of himself and the victim engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Multiple instances of abuse occurred when Quintanilla visited the home of the victim’s father. On several occasions, Quintanilla was left alone to watch the victim and her younger sister when their father left the house. During these times, Quintanilla sexually abused the victim and took photographs documenting the abuse. Quintanilla transferred the photographs to his laptop computer.
In addition, Quintanilla used text messages to ask the victim for additional explicit photographs of herself. When he obtained those photographs, he viewed them and then deleted them. In March 2015, Quintanilla contacted the victim via Facebook and sent her a photograph of a fifty-dollar bill along with the message: “Do you want it? Do you want me to come over?”
In addition to photographs of the victim engaged in sexually explicit conduct, Quintanilla also took and possessed 40 images of child pornography, including sexually explicit pictures of a pre-pubescent male.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the FBI, HSI-Baltimore, Baltimore County Police Department and Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron S. J. Zelinsky and Paul E. Budlow, who prosecuted the case.