District of Maryland

Baltimore, Maryland – Debra Kay Schindler, age 59, of Ridgely, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to theft of government property arising from a scheme to steal $173,529 in social security and Medicaid benefits.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Michael McGill of the Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General, Philadelphia Field Division.

According to her guilty plea, from June 2003 to July 2013, Schindler received Social Security Administration (SSA) Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid benefits due to back disorders and diabetes.  Schindler reported to SSA that she was married to E.S. but was living alone and had no income or resources.  In fact, however, during the entire period that she received SSA and Medicaid benefits, Schindler was living with her husband who worked at Giant Food.  Schindler shared a bank account with her husband, and was the co-beneficiary of her husband’s pension.  Had SSA been aware of Schindler’s income, resources or living arrangements, Schindler would not have qualified for any benefits.

Schindler fraudulently received a total of $173,529.81 in SSI and Medicaid benefits.

Schindler faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for theft of government property. Schindler has agreed to pay restitution of $173,529.81.  U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for April 27, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. 

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General for its work in the investigation and thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Perry, who is prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Andre Brewer, age 36, of Jessup, Maryland, today to 13 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute cocaine.  Judge Bennett entered an order requiring Brewer to forfeit the proceeds of the drug trafficking, including: cash; five vehicles, including a 2014 Mercedes Benz valued at $100,000; jewelry valued at over $62,000; several bank accounts; and property in Baltimore.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Special Agent in Charge Thomas Jankowski of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office; Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department; and Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department.

According to his plea agreement and court documents, from September 2012 until his arrest in October 2014, Kedrick Jenifer was the head of a drug organization (Jenifer DTO) that transported cocaine and cash between Baltimore and Houston, Texas.  Brewer assisted Jenifer with the DTO’s operations, including the distribution of cocaine to the organization’s customers.  The Jenifer DTO obtained its cocaine from sources of supply in and around Houston. The Jenifer DTO would hide money in secret compartments in “courier vehicles” that were transported from Baltimore to Houston.  The cocaine was then transported from Houston to Baltimore hidden in the courier vehicles.

In September 2012, Texas State Police stopped a courier vehicle in Chambers County, Texas.  Law enforcement officers discovered approximately 30 kilograms of cocaine hidden in secret compartments within the vehicle. In July 2013, a courier vehicle for the Jenifer DTO loaded on a car-carrier was intercepted in Arkansas.  The vehicle contained approximately 23 kilograms of cocaine hidden in a secret compartment, and was destined for Brewer’s residence.

Between August 2013 and October 2014, approximately 30 shipments of cocaine concealed in secret compartments in the courier vehicles were made to the Jenifer DTO.  During this time, Brewer was seen meeting with Jenifer and providing Jenifer with money to buy cocaine. Brewer was also seen with the Jenifer DTO’s courier vehicles before and after “drug runs” between Baltimore and Houston, receiving kilogram-quantities of cocaine after the courier vehicles, loaded with cocaine, returned from Houston.  Investigating agents also saw the courier vehicles parked at the apartment complex where Brewer resided.

During intercepted phone calls between Jenifer and Brewer, Brewer discussed his purchase of a 2014 Mercedes Benz S63 AMG, a vehicle valued at approximately $100,000.  Brewer indicated that the sales application for the vehicle requested his job information, and he told Jenifer that he did not know how to respond.  Wage and earning records, as well as tax records, indicated no legitimate income for Brewer.   

Brewer admitted that he was responsible for the distribution of at least 450 kilograms of cocaine between August 2013 and October 2014.

Kedrick Arnold Jenifer, a/k/a “Ricky Jenifer,” “James Howard Collier, Jr.” and “Rick,” age 44, of Bowie, Maryland, pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 4, 2016.  Eight other co-conspirators have pleaded guilty.  Brooke Renee Lunn, a/k/a “Brooke Thomas” and “Brooke Renee,” age 49; William Hegie, age 55; Kermit Clark, age 45; and Elroy Johnson, age 49, all of Baltimore; and Tyrone Allen, age 44, of Bowie, Maryland, and Thomas Simmons, age 38, of Hampton, Virginia, were sentenced to between 10 and 16 years in prison.  The other three defendants are awaiting sentencing.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the DEA, IRS Criminal Investigation and Baltimore City and County Police Departments for their work in the investigation, and expressed his appreciation to the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Texas and the Southern District of New York for their assistance.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney John W. Sippel, Jr. and Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Hoff, a cross-designated Baltimore City Assistant State’s Attorney, who are prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell III sentenced Mario Lamar Wair, a/k/a “Unda,” age 42, of Baltimore, today to 15 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine; and for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine.  During the course of the sentencing hearing, Judge Russell found that Wair obstructed justice by falsely testifying at trial.  A federal jury convicted Wair on November 5, 2015.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby.

According to evidence presented at his four day trial, from no later than June 2013 through June 2014, Wair conspired with others to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine in southwest Baltimore. Kareem Moore, Raymond Comegys, Stephon Lowery and other co-defendants operated a street-level drug shop in the southwest area of Baltimore City that sold crack cocaine daily to customers.  Trial evidence showed that two to three times per week Wair supplied cocaine to a co-defendant who cooked the cocaine into crack cocaine.  The crack cocaine was then sold to other distributors and in user-quantity amounts to street level customers.  Wair either was present when the cocaine was cooked into crack cocaine or would call to check in on the quality of the crack cocaine.   

According to the trial evidence, Wair distributed more than two kilograms of cocaine and crack cocaine. 

All nine defendants charged in this indictment have been convicted for their participation in the conspiracy. Raymond Comegys, age 31, of Baltimore, and Stephon Lowery, age 30, of Baltimore, were sentenced to 12 years and 10 years in prison, respectively.  Kareem Moore pleaded guilty before trial and was sentenced to 66 months in prison, and five other co-defendants have received sentences of between 30 and 78 months. 

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, Baltimore Police Department and Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Seema Mittal and Leo J. Wise, who prosecuted the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – Sorhib Omonov, age 27, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to a robbery conspiracy, in connection with the robbery of a jewelry store.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger.

According to his plea agreement, Omonov was part of a conspiracy to rob an Owings Mills jewelry store.  Specifically, on January 15, 2013, Omonov was present at the home of a co-conspirator while that person and other conspirators prepared for the robbery.  Omonov was aware that the plan was to commit the robbery of a jewelry store. 

According to court documents, a co-conspirator devised a plan to commit an armed robbery of a jewelry store, and recruited Marat Yelizarov, Igor Yasinov, Peter Magnis, Grigoriy Zilberman and Aleksey Sosonko to participate in the robbery. Prior to the robbery, the conspirators gathered intelligence, including conducting surveillance and attaching a GPS device to the car of an employee of the jewelry store in order to learn the employee’s travel routine and habits.  Zilberman also exploited his friendship with the employee to obtain information about the operation of the jewelry store and the habits of the employee.

According to Omonov’s plea agreement, on January 15, 2013, Zilberman enticed the employee to visit his home, in order to alert the other co-conspirators of the employee’s whereabouts.  In the early morning hours of January 16, Omonov and Yelizarov drove to Zilberman’s home in order to alert the other conspirators of the employee’s departure.  Yelizarov and Omonov followed the employee from Zilberman’s home for a while, and notified the other conspirators of the employee’s location so they could follow the employee.  Yelizarov and Omonov continued to drive around the area while Yasinov, Magnis, Sosonko and another co-conspirator driving in a rental car obtained by Yasinov, used a law enforcement-type light bar and a loudspeaker to impersonate a police officer and pull over the employee. Brandishing firearms, Yasinov, Magnis, Sosonko and the other co-conspirator removed the employee from his car, bound and blindfolded the employee, put him into the trunk of his own car, and drove him to a predetermined location. Once at the location, Yasinov, Magnis, Sosonko and the co-conspirator continued to brandish firearms and threatened to kill the employee’s family if he did not comply with their demands or if he reported the incident to police. The employee complied and at approximately 3:52 a.m., Sosonko and a co-conspirator drove the employee’s vehicle from the remote location to the jewelry store. Yasinov and Magnis stayed with the employee.

After the four other conspirators abducted the employee, Omonov and Yelizarov drove to the area of the jewelry store.  Yelizarov dropped Omonvo off a few hundred yards from the store to act as a “look-out” and notify the co-conspirators if he saw any signs of law enforcement.  Sosonko and the other co-conspirator entered the jewelry store and stole jewelry, stones, and watches, valued at about $500,000, then drove back to the remote location.  Omonov was in regular phone contact with three of his co-conspirators, including those who held the employee at gunpoint and those who robbed the jewelry store. 

After the robbery, Omonov returned to the home of one of the co-conspirators where he viewed the stolen jewelry along with other co-conspirators.  One of the co-conspirators subsequently gave Omonov $1,000 cash, proceeds from the sale of some of the stolen jewelry, for his part in the conspiracy.

Omonov’s sentencing is scheduled for March 25, 2016, at 10:00 a.m. before U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz.

Grigoriy (Greg) Zilberman, age 24, of Owings Mills, Maryland, and Peter Aleksandrov Magnis, age 27, of Hydes, Maryland, Igor Yasinov, age 26, of Baltimore, and Marat Yelizarov, age 28, of Pikesville, Maryland and Aleksey Sosonko, age 35, of Owings Mills, previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the robbery conspiracy and are awaiting sentencing.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI, Baltimore County Police Department, and Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Paul E. Budlow and Aaron S. J. Zelinsky, who are prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland - Jonathan M. Went, a/k/a “Jon Maxx,” and “Max Out,” age 31, of Massachusetts and Gwynn Oak, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a child. 

The guilty plea announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department; Colonel William M. Pallozzi, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; and Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger.           

According to Went’s guilty plea and other court documents, on March 5, 2014, co-defendant Rayvon O. Archibald encountered a girl under the age of 14 in New York City and provided her with alcohol and drugs.  The next day, Archibald transported the girl by bus from New York to White Marsh, Maryland, then by taxi to Went’s apartment in Gwynn Oak. Before they left New York, Archibald called Went to let him know that he and another woman were with the girl and would arrive in Baltimore later that day. That same day, Archibald and Went posted an ad on a commercial sex website soliciting customers for the girl which listed the number for a phone used by Went. They also instructed the girl on pricing for commercial sex acts and provided her with a document that included prices. After the ad was posted, customers responded to the ad on that phone through at least midnight.

At approximately 10:30 p.m. on March 6, 2014, the girl used Went’s phone to secretly send a message to her mother advising that she was not able to leave. After receiving the message, the girl’s mother reported her daughter missing to the police. The next morning, the girl secretly left Went’s apartment and called 911 from Went’s phone. The police found the girl at a nearby intersection. The girl gave police the address of Went’s apartment and told police that there were two men and a woman inside the location. The girl reported that she was held against her will inside Went’s apartment building. The girl identified Archibald as her captor and stated that he had assaulted her.

Police went to the apartment and arrested Went, Archibald and a woman. A search warrant was executed and police seized electronic devices, including the phone the girl used to contact her mother and the device used to place the ad on the commercial sex website. Both the girl and the woman who was arrested independently told police that one customer who came to the apartment demanded his money back because the girl was too young. The woman and the girl gave the money back to the customer, and when they told Archibald what happened, he slapped them both.

Rayvon O. Archibald, a/k/a “P Money,” “Keyvon M. Malone,” “Keyvon Smith,” and “Scoobie,” age 25, of Boston, Massachusetts, previously pleaded guilty to sex trafficking of a child and faces up to life in prison. He is awaiting sentencing

Went faces up to life in prison for conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a child. U.S. District Judge George L. Russell III has scheduled his sentencing for April 15, 2016, at 2:00 p.m. Went and Archibald remain detained.

The case was investigated by the FBI-led Maryland Child Exploitation Task Force (MCETF), created in 2010 to combat child prostitution, with members from10 state and federal law enforcement agencies.  The Task Force coordinates with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Maryland State Police Child Recovery Unit to identify missing children being advertised online for prostitution. 

MCETF partners with the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, formed in 2007 to discover and rescue victims of human trafficking while identifying and prosecuting offenders.  Members include federal, state and local law enforcement, as well as victim service providers and local community members.  For more information about the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, please visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/md/priorities_human.html.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, Baltimore County Police Department, Maryland State Police and the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary A. Myers and Sandra Wilkinson, who are prosecuting the case.

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte sentenced Diane Jensen, age 54, of Frederick, Maryland today to 15 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for wire fraud in connection with a scheme to embezzle at least $151,026.36 from her employer. Judge Messitte also entered an order that Jensen forfeit and pay restitution of $151,026.36.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

According to her plea agreement, from 2008 to 2012, Jensen was the executive assistant to the chief executive officer (CEO) of a company headquartered in Montgomery County, Maryland. During that time, Jensen, without authorization, would use an American Express card linked to the CEO’s American Express account to purchase expensive items and Green Dot Moneypaks for her personal use.  She then obtained reimbursement for those personal purchases from the company, claiming they were legitimate purchases for the CEO or the CEO’s family members.  Jensen purported to authorize the expenditures using the CEO’s signature stamp.  Jensen also stole tens of thousands of dollars from one of the CEO’s bank accounts to which she had access. 

Jensen admitted that the total amount of loss resulting from her conduct was at least $151,026.36. 

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI for its work in the investigation and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas P. Windom and David I. Salem, who prosecuted the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – Gloria Wilson, age 59, of Oxon Hill, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to theft of government property arising from a scheme to steal $176,874 in social security benefits.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Michael McGill of the Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General, Philadelphia Field Division.

According to her guilty plea, Wilson’s stepmother, E.W., received retirement benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA).  E.W. died on October 31, 1996.  Her death was not reported to SSA.  At the time of her death, the retirement benefits were paid by U.S. Treasury check and mailed to a post office box held in E.W. and Wilson’s names.  The checks were then deposited into a checking account held jointly by E.W. and Wilson.  Wilson endorsed the checks in her name and in the name of E.W.

In 2000, SSA stopped issuing paper checks to E.W. and instead paid the benefits by direct deposit into the jointly held account. SSA stopped paying the benefits in January 2014.

SSA paid a total of $176,874 in retirement benefits for E.W. after October 31, 1996.  After her stepmother’s death, Wilson withdrew substantially all of the benefits deposited in the bank account.

When she was interviewed by law enforcement on March 11, 2014, Wilson admitted that she knew she was not entitled to E.W.’s retirement benefits.

Wilson faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for theft of government property. Wilson has agreed to pay restitution of $176,874.  Chief U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake has scheduled sentencing for April 21, 2016 at 2:00 p.m.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General for its work in the investigation and thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Perry, who is prosecuting the case.

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte sentenced Amy Ranee Powell, age 41, of Huntingtown, Maryland today to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for interstate transportation of stolen money in connection with a scheme to embezzle over $414,000 from her employer. Judge Messitte also entered an order that Powell forfeit and pay restitution of $414,122.02.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department.

According to her plea agreement, from 2003 to 2013, Powell worked for an architectural firm in Bethesda, Maryland as a bookkeeper and office manager.  She wrote checks from the company’s bank account to pay the company’s bills.  The company’s owner endorsed the number of blank checks needed to pay the bills, and then gave the checks to Powell to be completed.

Powell admitted that from December 2010 through September 2013, she wrote at least 82 unauthorized checks from the company’s account, payable to herself.  The checks ranged in amounts from $500 to $8,000.  On occasion, Powell concealed her fraud by falsifying the check stubs for the unauthorized checks, making it appear that legitimate bills had been paid.

Powell admitted that she diverted at least $414,122.02 from the company’s bank account and deposited those funds into her own bank account.  According to evidence presented to the court, Powell spent all or nearly all of the funds she stole, including the following: at least $18,070 on tickets for Washington’s NFL team, at least $17,157 on wedding expenses, at least $2,994 at a florist, $2,855 at a consumer electronics store, and thousands of dollars more on vacations and numerous expensive meals.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the Montgomery County Police Department, Financial Crimes Section for its work in the investigation and thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sumon Dantiki and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sujit M. Raman, who prosecuted the case.

Greenbelt, Maryland - Sean Aude Gallman, age 39, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, and his brother Eric Maurice Gallman, age 42, of Huntersville, North Carolina, pleaded guilty today to a conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, mail fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, arising from a scheme in which they filed 30 fraudulent tax returns seeking refunds of over $218 million.  Sean Gallman also pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and money laundering.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Acting Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo of the Tax Division of the Department of Justice; and Special Agent in Charge Thomas Jankowski of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.

“These two criminals filed bogus tax returns claiming ‘refunds’ that were not owed, and stole over $16 million from the IRS,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “Federal agents and prosecutors have a duty to pursue perpetrators of such fraud schemes and try to recover money stolen from the United States Treasury.”

“With the 2016 tax filing season officially underway today, taxpayers can take comfort that the Department of Justice and IRS are aggressively pursuing those who seek to defraud the government through the filing of false tax returns,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Ciraolo.

According to court documents and evidence presented at the sentencing hearing Sean and Eric Gallman admitted that they established trusts and business entities, and used mailboxes at numerous private commercial postal carrier stores in Maryland and North Carolina as the addresses for the trusts and business entities. The defendants, acting as trustees and agents, mailed fraudulent tax returns to the IRS in the names of the trusts and businesses requesting refunds.

For example, in January 2013, Sean Gallman mailed to the IRS a fraudulent 2012 tax return in the name of the Gallman Charitable Trust, requesting a refund of $8,218,930.  Also around this time, the defendants mailed to the IRS a fraudulent 2012 tax return in the name of LEA Group Holdings Trust, requesting a refund of $8,293,562. The defendants knew that the trusts were not entitled to the tax refunds.  After receiving refund checks in these amounts, on February 15 and March 11, 2013, the defendants deposited the two refunds in bank accounts they controlled. To hide their receipt of these refunds, the defendants used cashier’s checks and other financial instruments to transfer a portion of the money to third parties and other bank accounts.

Altogether, the Gallman brothers filed approximately 37 fraudulent tax returns seeking refunds totaling $218,094,765, for which the IRS paid two refunds totaling $16,512,492.

The government seeks the forfeiture of the two refunds paid by the IRS, including $11,529,954 seized from numerous bank accounts; foreign currency, and gold and silver coins, seized from a residence in Upper Marlboro; nine residential properties located in Upper Marlboro and Laurel, Maryland, North Carolina and South Carolina; and two Mercedes-Benz vehicles and a Hyundai vehicle.

The defendants face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for conspiring to commit mail and wire fraud, conspiring to commit money laundering, and mail fraud.  Sean Gallman also faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for an additional count for mail fraud and for money laundering; and a mandatory minimum of two years in prison consecutive to any other sentence imposed for aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm has scheduled sentencing for May 17, 2016, at 10:00 a.m.

United States Attorney Rosenstein and Acting Assistant Attorney General Ciraolo praised IRS-Criminal Investigation for its work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Thomas P. Windom and Trial Attorney Erin Pulice of the Department of Justice Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Theodore J. Chuang sentenced Robert Michael Busching, age 26, of Clarksburg, Maryland, today to 10 years in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, for possession of and access with intent to view child pornography. Judge Chuang ordered that Busching must pay restitution of $5,000, to be apportioned among three victims whose sexual abuse was documented in some of the child pornography Busching possessed.  Judge Chuang also ordered that upon his release from prison, Busching 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 United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

According to Busching’s plea agreement, between February 13, 2014 and August 26, 2014, Busching used an internet-based cloud storage system to possess, and to access with intent to view, child pornography.  On March 7, 2014, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a CyberTipline report from the cloud storage system in reference to suspected files of child pornography being uploaded to one of their accounts.  The account was being accessed from an IP address assigned to Busching’s residence in Clarksburg.

On September 9, 2014, agents from the FBI executed a search warrant at Busching’s residence and seized his desktop computer. Agents also interviewed Busching, who advised that he had been communicating with someone in an online chat site who provided Busching with the username and password to access various cloud storage accounts containing child pornography.  Busching further admitted the he created two additional accounts, added videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct to both accounts, and shared links to the accounts he created with other people he met in the online chat site.  Investigation showed that Busching accessed the cloud storage accounts, which contained more than 600 images of child pornography, on a number of occasions between February 12, 2014 and August 26, 2014.

Judge Chuang ordered that the federal sentence be served concurrent to the sentence imposed for violating his probation in Maryland v. Robert Busching, Montgomery County Circuit Court, Case No. 117672C.  In that case, Busching was convicted of distribution of child pornography and on March 17, 2011, was sentenced to seven years in prison, with all but five days suspended, followed by five years of supervised probation.

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.              

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI for its work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsay Eyler Kaplan and Kristi N. O’Malley, who prosecuted the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Tyrone Allen, age 44, of Bowie, Maryland, today to 16 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute cocaine.  Judge Bennett entered an order requiring Allen to forfeit the proceeds of the drug trafficking, including cash, vehicles, jewelry, and his interest in property held in the name of New Millenium Investors, LLC and/or Tyrone Allen, including five properties in Baltimore.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Special Agent in Charge Thomas Jankowski of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office; Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department; and Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department.

According to his plea agreement and court documents, from September 2012 until his arrest in October 2014, Kedrick Jenifer was the head of a drug organization that transported cocaine and cash between Baltimore and Houston, Texas.  Allen was Jenifer’s lieutenant in the organization, assisting Jenifer with the day to day operations, including the collection of money for and the distribution of cocaine to the organization’s customers while Jenifer was out of town.  The Jenifer DTO obtained its cocaine from sources of supply in and around Houston. The Jenifer DTO would hide money in secret compartments in “courier vehicles” that were transported from Baltimore to Houston.  The cocaine was then transported from Houston to Baltimore hidden in the courier vehicles.

In September 2012, Texas State Police stopped a courier vehicle in Chambers County, Texas.  Law enforcement officers discovered approximately 30 kilograms of cocaine hidden in secret compartments within the vehicle. In July 2013, a courier vehicle for the Jenifer DTO loaded on a car-carrier was intercepted in Arkansas.  The vehicle contained approximately 23 kilograms of cocaine hidden in a secret compartment.

Between August 2013 and October 2014, approximately 30 shipments of cocaine concealed in secret compartments in the courier vehicles were made to the Jenifer DTO.  During this time, Allen was seen on numerous occasions providing kilogram quantities of cocaine to members of the organization.  For example, on June 12, 2014, law enforcement intercepted calls Jenifer made to other members of the organization indicating that Allen would meet with them to distribute kilograms of cocaine.  On June 14 and 16, 2014, law enforcement observed Allen meeting with members of the Jenifer DTO to supply them with cocaine.  On July 11, 2014, Allen and Jenifer were seen removing kilogram-sized packages from hidden compartments in one of the courier vehicles that had recently returned from Houston.

Allen admitted that he was responsible for the distribution of at least 450 kilograms of cocaine between August 2013 and October 2014.

Kedrick Arnold Jenifer, a/k/a “Ricky Jenifer,” “James Howard Collier, Jr.” and “Rick,” age 44, of Bowie, Maryland, pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine and is scheduled to be sentenced on January 26, 2016.  Eight other co-conspirators have pleaded guilty.  Brooke Renee Lunn, a/k/a “Brooke Thomas” and “Brooke Renee,” age 49; William Hegie, age 55; Kermit Clark, age 45; and Elroy Johnson, age 49, all of Baltimore, and Thomas Simmons, age 38, of Hampton, Virginia, were sentenced to between 10 and 12 years in prison.  The other three defendants are awaiting sentencing.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the DEA, IRS Criminal Investigation and Baltimore City and County Police Departments for their work in the investigation, and expressed his appreciation to the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Texas and the Southern District of New York for their assistance.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney John W. Sippel, Jr. and Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Hoff, a cross-designated Baltimore City Assistant State’s Attorney, who are prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.

Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal jury convicted Anthony Lamont Payne, age 27, of District Heights, Maryland, today for involuntary manslaughter in connection with a fatal car crash that occurred on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway on March 20, 2015.  The jury acquitted Payne of second degree murder.

“The evidence showed that Anthony Lamont Payne threatened the victim with a gun, then chased his car on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway at speeds of up to 115 miles per hour,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “Payne’s atrocious criminal conduct caused the tragic death of Terrance Terrelle Lagrue, a 19 year old man.”

The conviction was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Chief of Police Robert D. MacLean of the U.S. Park Police.    

According to evidence presented at the four day trial, Payne caused the death of the victim on March 20, 2015, following a high-speed chase on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway. Two eyewitnesses testified that Payne pointed a gun at the victim both before and during the chase on the Parkway. According to trial testimony, the victim’s car was hit by Payne’s vehicle, causing the victim’s vehicle to roll over and burst into flame. Scientific evidence presented at trial from the airbag module in Payne’s vehicle showed that Payne was driving 115 miles per hour at the time of the collision. The victim died at the scene.

Payne faces a maximum sentence eight years in prison. U.S. District Judge Theodore J. Chuang has scheduled sentencing for April 25, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. Payne has been detained since his arrest on April 28, 2015.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the U.S. Park Police for its work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Hollis Raphael Weisman and Special Assistant United States Attorney Conor Mulroe, who are prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – Erica Buffolino, age 25, of Hagerstown, Maryland pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute heroin and to distribution of heroin.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Washington County Sheriff Douglas Mullendore; and Acting Hagerstown Police Chief Paul Kifer.

According to Buffolino’s plea agreement, early on April 13, 2015 Buffolino met a 19-year old Clear Spring, Maryland, woman (the victim) at Buffolino’s mother’s residence in Hagerstown. Buffolino was a long-time heroin addict and the victim was a recovering heroin addict who had recently been released from jail. While at the residence, the victim asked Buffolino to give her heroin.  Buffolino initially refused, but sometime after 1:30 a.m., she agreed to share her “morning stash” of heroin with the victim, who injected the heroin and became high. 

Buffolino later called co-defendant Cory Kline to obtain more heroin. Cory Kline and another co-defendant arrived at the residence sometime after 3:00 a.m. and the victim purchased half a gram of heroin to repay Buffolino for the “morning stash” of heroin that she had shared earlier.  According to Buffolino, the victim again asked for some of the heroin and Buffolino initially resisted.  Eventually, Buffolino relented and provided some heroin to the victim. After injecting the heroin, the victim became very high and reported feeling ill and wanting to lie down. The victim fell asleep in Buffolino’s bed, but Buffolino woke her up when she noticed the victim was having difficulty breathing. Kline left the residence sometime before 6:00 a.m. Buffolino and the victim got into an argument and the victim left the residence in her car at about 6:15 a.m. The victim spoke to another individual on her cell phone from that time until approximately 7:06 a.m. on April 13. According to this individual, the victim stated she was very high and did not feel right, and the individual could hear the victim throwing up. The victim reported driving to a convenience store parking lot, and then to a nearby church. Toward the end of the call, the victim began nodding off and then stopped speaking.  The victim’s body was discovered the following day in her car in a church parking lot in Hagerstown. The medical examiner reported that the cause of death was heroin intoxication. There were no drugs or drug paraphernalia found inside the vehicle, nor does the victim’s cell phone reflect any completed calls or outgoing messages after 7:06 a.m. on April 13. 

Buffolino faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.  U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for March 22, 2016 at 3:00 p.m.

Cory Allen Kline, age 32, of Hagerstown, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 11, 2016, at 3:00 p.m.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the DEA and Washington County Narcotics Task Force for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christina Hoffman and Robert R. Harding, who are prosecuting the case.

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel sentenced Michael Anthony Heard, age 41, of Washington, D.C. and Earl Michael Kenney, age 56, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, to 181 months in prison and 147 months in prison, respectively, each followed by five years of supervised release, for bank robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence in connection with the armed robbery of two banks located in Odenton and Rockville, Maryland.

The sentences were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department; Interim Chief Henry P. Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Tim Altomare; Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy; and Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Wes Adams.

According to their plea agreement, on December 30, 2013, Heard, Kenney and a co-conspirator entered the Old Line Bank on Annapolis Road in Odenton, Maryland.  They each pointed handguns at bank employees and customers, demanded money and fled with $52,751.

On March 11, 2014, Heard and Kenney entered the Wells Fargo Bank located on King Farm Boulevard in Rockville, Maryland.  Heard and Kenney wore masks and brandished handguns.  Heard stood watch within the bank and ordered customers and employees to get on the floor.  Kenney approached the counter, pointed a handgun at a customer and two tellers and demanded money.  The tellers placed money in a bag provided by Kenney.  Kenney pointed his handgun at a third teller and demanded the teller put money in the bag.  Kenney then pointed the gun at each of the tellers and ordered them against the wall and to the floor.  Heard and Kenney fled the bank with $12,898, as well as a concealed GPS tracking device placed in the money by one of the tellers.  

Approximately 45 minutes later, law enforcement found Heard, Kenny and a third individual in an SUV on I-270.  Law enforcement had shut down the highway in order to locate and apprehend the defendants.  Law enforcement seized $7,050 from Kenney, hidden in his socks.  Law enforcement also recovered a loaded .357 revolver, a loaded H&R Inc. Model 949 handgun, ammunition, a black handgun holster, black gloves, two balaclavas, clothing, and a black mesh bag containing $5,789 in cash from the vehicle.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, Montgomery County, Prince George’s County and Anne Arundel County Police Departments, and Montgomery County and Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Offices for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Nicolas A. Mitchell and Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew L. Paeffgen, on detail from the Governor’s Office of Crime Control & Prevention, who prosecuted the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Mohamed Elshinawy, age 30, of Edgewood, Maryland, with conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a designated foreign terrorist organization; providing and attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization; terrorism financing; and making false statements in connection with a terrorism matter.  The indictment was returned late on January 13, 2016.

The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein of the District of Maryland; Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin; and Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the FBI’s Baltimore Division.

“This case demonstrates how terrorists exploit modern technology to inculcate sympathizers and build hidden networks, but federal agents and prosecutors are working tirelessly and using every available lawful tool to disrupt their evil schemes,” said U.S. Attorney Rosenstein. 

“According to the allegations in the indictment, Elshinawy conspired to provide material support to ISIL and received funds in order to carry out an attack,” said Assistant Attorney General Carlin.  “When confronted by the FBI, he lied in order to conceal his support for ISIL and the steps he took to provide material support to the deadly foreign terrorist organization.  This indictment is the next step in holding Elshinawy accountable.  The National Security Division remains committed to protecting the nation from terrorist threats, and we will continue to pursue and disrupt those who seek to provide material support to ISIL.”

The four-count indictment alleges that from February 2015 through about December 11, 2015, Elshinawy conspired with others to provide material support and resources, including personnel, services (including means and methods of communication) and financial services, to ISIL.  Elshinawy and his co-conspirators utilized various methods of surreptitious and other forms of communication in order to conceal their criminal association, the substance of their communications and their criminal activities from law enforcement. 

As part of the conspiracy, Elshinawy and Co-conspirator 1, an Egyptian national and childhood friend of Elshinawy, allegedly recruited and sought to recruit others to join ISIL and further its cause of violent jihad.  Elshinwy and Coconspirator 1 also provided themselves as personnel to assist ISIL.  The indictment alleges that on Feb. 17, 2015, during a discussion with Co-conspirator 1 over social media, Elshinawy pledged his allegiance to ISIL, described himself as its soldier, asked Co-conspirator 1 to convey his message of loyalty to ISIL leadership and commitment to perpetrating violent jihad.  From March 11, 2015, through May 29, 2015, Elshinawy had several discussions over social media with an individual believed to be his brother, during which Elshinawy repeatedly encouraged his brother to join ISIL.  During the conversations, Elshinawy also spoke of his support for ISIL and his desire to become a mujahideen and die as a martyr.  Over the course of the conspiracy, Elshinawy and Co-conspirator 1 discussed obtaining or making an explosive device and possible targets.

To conceal his illegal activities, the indictment alleges that Elshinawy purchased a cell phone, which he registered under a fake name and address, to communicate securely with Co-conspirator 1 and other ISIL operatives.  Elshinawy also directed his brother to take steps to conceal their communications regarding ISIL.  In an effort to conceal his connection to ISIL operatives, Elshinawy removed the name of an ISIL sympathizer from his list of friends on his social media account and blocked Co-conspirator 1’s access to that same account. 

According to the indictment, Elshinawy received money from overseas through transfers of funds by a company headquartered overseas into his online financial account, wire transfers and other methods to be used to conduct a terrorist attack on behalf of ISIL.  On July 17, 2015, in an effort to conceal and minimize his criminal involvement with ISIL, Elshinawy falsely claimed to FBI agents that he had only received a total of $4,000 from an ISIL operative overseas, and later amended the statement by falsely claiming that he had received no more than $5,200 from the ISIL operative. 

The maximum sentence for conspiracy to provide and for providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization is 15 years in prison; the maximum sentence for collection of terrorism financing is 20 years in prison; and the maximum sentence for making false statements in a terrorism matter is eight years in prison.  If convicted, Elshinawy’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal history, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.  No court appearance has been scheduled.  Elshinawy has been detained since his arrest on Dec. 11, 2015, on related charges.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein and Assistant Attorney General Carlin commended the FBI for its work in the investigation, and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Manuelian of the District of Maryland who is prosecuting the case, with assistance provided by Trial Attorneys John Gibbs and Jason Denney of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

Defendant Allegedly Received Money from Individuals Overseas to Be Used for “Operational Purposes” in the United States

A federal grand jury returned an indictment late yesterday charging Mohamed Elshinawy, 30, of Edgewood, Maryland, with conspiring to provide and with providing material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a designated foreign terrorist organization; terrorism financing; and making false statements in connection with a terrorism matter.

The indictment was announced by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin, U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein of the District of Maryland and Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the FBI’s Baltimore Division.

“According to the allegations in the indictment, Elshinawy conspired to provide material support to ISIL and received funds in order to carry out an attack,” said Assistant Attorney General Carlin.  “When confronted by the FBI, he lied in order to conceal his support for ISIL and the steps he took to provide material support to the deadly foreign terrorist organization.  This indictment is the next step in holding Elshinawy accountable.  The National Security Division remains committed to protecting the nation from terrorist threats, and we will continue to pursue and disrupt those who seek to provide material support to ISIL.”

“This case demonstrates how terrorists exploit modern technology to inculcate sympathizers and build hidden networks, but federal agents and prosecutors are working tirelessly and using every available lawful tool to disrupt their evil schemes,” said U.S. Attorney Rosenstein. 

The four-count indictment alleges that from February 2015 through about Dec. 11, 2015, Elshinawy conspired with others to provide material support and resources, including personnel, services (including means and methods of communication) and financial services, to ISIL.  Elshinawy and his co-conspirators utilized various methods of surreptitious and other forms of communication in order to conceal their criminal association, the substance of their communications and their criminal activities from law enforcement.

As part of the conspiracy, Elshinawy and co-conspirator 1, an Egyptian national and childhood friend of Elshinawy, allegedly recruited and sought to recruit others to join ISIL and further its cause of violent jihad.  Elshinawy and co-conspirator 1 also provided themselves as personnel to assist ISIL.  The indictment alleges that on Feb. 17, 2015, during a discussion with co-conspirator 1 over social media, Elshinawy pledged his allegiance to ISIL, described himself as its soldier, asked co-conspirator 1 to convey his message of loyalty to ISIL leadership and commitment to perpetrating violent jihad.  From March 11, 2015, through May 29, 2015, Elshinawy had several discussions over social media with an individual believed to be his brother, during which Elshinawy repeatedly encouraged his brother to join ISIL.  During the conversations, Elshinawy also spoke of his support for ISIL and his desire to become a mujahideen and die as a martyr.  Over the course of the conspiracy, Elshinawy and co-conspirator 1 discussed obtaining or making an explosive device and possible targets.

To conceal his illegal activities, the indictment alleges that Elshinawy purchased a cell phone, which he registered under a fake name and address, to communicate securely with co-conspirator 1 and other ISIL operatives.  Elshinawy also directed his brother to take steps to conceal their communications regarding ISIL.  In an effort to conceal his connection to ISIL operatives, Elshinawy removed the name of an ISIL sympathizer from his list of friends on his social media account and blocked co-conspirator 1’s access to that same account. 

According to the indictment, Elshinawy received money from overseas through transfers of funds by a company headquartered overseas into his online financial account, wire transfers and other methods to be used to conduct a terrorist attack on behalf of ISIL.  On July 17, 2015, in an effort to conceal and minimize his criminal involvement with ISIL, Elshinawy falsely claimed to FBI agents that he had only received a total of $4,000 from an ISIL operative overseas, and later amended the statement by falsely claiming that he had received no more than $5,200 from the ISIL operative. 

The maximum sentence for conspiracy to provide and for providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization is 15 years in prison; the maximum sentence for collection of terrorism financing is 20 years in prison; and the maximum sentence for making false statements in a terrorism matter is eight years in prison.  If convicted, Elshinawy’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal history, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.  No court appearance has been scheduled.  Elshinawy has been detained since his arrest on Dec. 11, 2015, on related charges.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Assistant Attorney General Carlin joined U.S. Attorney Rosenstein in commending the FBI for its work in the investigation, and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Manuelian of the District of Maryland who is prosecuting the case, with assistance provided by Trial Attorneys John Gibbs and Jason Denney of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

Elshinawy Indictment

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Timothy L. Ritchie, age 44, of Annapolis, Maryland, today to a year and a day in prison, followed by 12 months of home detention with electronic monitoring as part of three years of supervised release, for making false statements arising from a real estate closing.  Judge Bennett also entered an order requiring Ritchie to pay restitution of $1,385,444.83.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Rene Febles of the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General; and Special Agent in Charge Fran Mace, of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General.

Ritchie owned and operated Richland Homes, Inc., and was in the business of building, purchasing and selling homes.

According to his plea agreement, on July 7, 2005, Ritchie attended a residential closing for his purchase of three lots located at 24058 St. Michael’s Road in St. Michael’s, Maryland. John Davis, a real estate agent, conducted the closing, and listed Ritchie on the HUD statement as the buyer/ borrower.  The HUD statement falsely stated that Ritchie provided $1,153,937.23 in cash at the closing.  In fact, Ritchie did not provide any funds to Davis at the closing. As a result of the false statement, Ritchie fraudulently obtained approximately $2,445,102 from a mortgage lender by wire transfer to fund the settlement.

In a related case, John L. Davis, age 55, of Chestertown, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud arising from his participation in the scheme, and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 31, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. Davis admitted that the loss arising from his participation in the scheme is between $400,000 and $1 million. 

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/priorities_financialfraud.html.  

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FHFA - OIG and FDIC – OIG for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin V. Di Gregory and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen O. Gavin, who prosecuted the case.

Greenbelt, Maryland - David D’Amico, age 49, of Baltimore, Matthew Nicka, age 43, of Baltimore and his wife, Gretchen Peterson, age 34, of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute at least 1,000 kilograms of marijuana and conspiracy to commit money laundering.  D’Amico, Nicka and Peterson had been fugitives since the indictment was returned in December 2010.  Nicka and Peterson were arrested in Canada in early August 2013, and D’Amico was extradited from Colombia, South America.   

The guilty pleas were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Karl C. Colder of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Thomas Jankowski of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office; Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department; Interim Chief Henry P. Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department.

According to their plea agreements, the defendants were part of an extensive drug trafficking operation which was discovered by the DEA when they executed a search warrant 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, $20,000 in cash, 31 cell phones, documents regarding a plane purchased for $450,000, tally sheets showing over $14.5 million in marijuana sales, four money counters and false identifications. 

As part of the conspiracy, the defendants obtained large quantities of marijuana grown in Canada and northern California, which they transported by plane, tractor trailer and trains, to warehouses in Maryland.  The marijuana was then divided for distribution in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Kansas, Florida, Ohio, North Carolina, Georgia and elsewhere. The defendants used multiple cellular telephones to avoid detection by law enforcement, as well as aliases and false identifications to conceal their activities.  Nicka supervised and directed the conspirators’ activities, recruited conspirators and obtained marijuana in exchange for bulk cash payments, while D’Amico oversaw the day-to-day operations, received orders for marijuana, collected money, arranged for the purchase, operation and rental of planes used to transport marijuana and cash, arranged for the transportation and storage of marijuana, and transported bulk cash payments to marijuana suppliers. Gretchen Peterson received orders for marijuana, transported currency, delivered marijuana, and arranged for deliveries of marijuana to mid-level dealers.  Nicka, D’Amico and Peterson also counted drug proceeds with other conspirators at a stash house in Baltimore. 

From 2007 through June 2009, D’Amico, Nicka and Peterson used aliases and false identifications, and created and used shell corporations to hold and hide assets, conduct financial transactions, title vehicles, convert assets, and to conceal the source, ownership and control of the proceeds from the marijuana distribution. The defendants structured financial transactions to avoid IRS filing requirements for transactions involving more than $10,000 in cash payments in a single transaction, and further conceal from the government large cash transactions using drug proceeds.

As part of their plea agreements, the Court will order the forfeiture of all proceeds obtained or retained as a result of the offense.  For Nicka, this includes a money judgment of $15 million, and for D’Amico and Peterson it includes a money judgment of $1 million.

A total of 15 defendants, including D’Amico, Nicka and Peterson, have been convicted in this case.  The other 12 defendants have already been sentenced to up to 121 months in prison. 

Nicka, Peterson, and the government have agreed that if the Court accepts their plea agreements, Nicka will be sentenced to between 168 months and 228 months in prison; and Peterson will be sentenced to between 84 months and 144 months in prison.  D’Amico faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison for the marijuana distribution conspiracy; and a maximum of 20 years in prison for the money laundering conspiracy.  U.S. District Judge Roger W. Titus has scheduled sentencing for D’Amico and Peterson on May 2, 2016, and for Nicka on May 9, 2016.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the DEA, IRS-CI, and the Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, Baltimore County and Baltimore City Police Departments for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Deborah A. Johnston and Mara Zusman Greenberg, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Roger W. Titus sentenced Henry Lionel Garvin, age 36, of Hyattsville, Maryland today to 20 years in prison, followed by 13 years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug offense.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Special Agent in Charge William P. McMullan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; and Interim Chief Henry P. Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department.

According to his plea agreement, early on November 22, 2013, a search warrant was executed at Garvin’s home in Hyattsville.  Officers knocked and announced their presence, then made forced entry into the apartment.  Moments later, agencies outside saw Garvin use a handgun to break a window in the apartment and then throw two handguns out the window.  Garvin then attempted to get out the window, but when agents outside announced their presence he retreated back into the apartment where he was taken into custody.  Law enforcement recovered a loaded .45 caliber handgun and a loaded 9mm handgun, which Garvin had thrown from the window   Inside the apartment law enforcement seized: approximately 147 grams of heroin; a .223 caliber rifle with a loaded magazine; a loaded .380 pistol; .45 caliber ammunition; cellphones, scales, and other drug paraphernalia; and a currency counter and cash.

Garvin subsequently admitted that the heroin and guns were his.  He stated that he had obtained the guns in exchange for 10 grams of heroin.  Garvin further stated that he was able to purchase one and a half kilograms of heroin for $80 per gram.

Garvin had several previous felony drug convictions and was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the DEA, ATF, and Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Deborah A. Johnston and Ray D. McKenzie, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.

Baltimore, Maryland – Cory Allen Kline, age 32, of Hagerstown, Maryland pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute heroin.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Washington County Sheriff Douglas Mullendore; and Acting Hagerstown Police Chief Paul Kifer.

According to Kline’s plea agreement, early on April 13, 2015 Kline and a co-defendant went to a residence in Hagerstown, Maryland with a 19-year old woman from Clear Spring, Maryland. The woman was a recovering heroin addict who had recently been released from jail. While at the residence, Kline and his co-defendant agreed to provide heroin to the woman. After injecting the heroin, the woman became very high. Kline left the residence sometime before 6:00 a.m. The woman left the residence in her car at about 6:15a.m. and spoke to another individual on her cell phone from that time until approximately 7:06 a.m. on April 13. According to this individual, the victim stated she was very high and did not feel right, and the individual could hear the victim throwing up. The victim reported driving to a convenience store parking lot, and then to a nearby church. Toward the end of the call, the victim began nodding off and then stopped speaking.  The victim’s body was discovered the following day in her car in a church parking lot in Hagerstown. The medical examiner reported that the cause of death was heroin intoxication. There were no drugs or drug paraphernalia found inside the vehicle, nor does the victim’s cell phone reflect any completed calls or outgoing messages after 7:06 a.m. on April 13.  Kline admitted that his distribution of heroin resulted in the victim’s death.

Kline faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.  U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for April 11, 2016 at 3:00 p.m.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the DEA and the Washington County Narcotics Task Force for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christina Hoffman and Robert R. Harding, who are prosecuting the case.

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Jelani Omar Johnson, age 34, of Germantown, Maryland today to six years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin.  Judge Grimm ordered that this sentence be served consecutive to the 51 month sentence Johnson previously received for being a felon in possession of a gun, which was charged in a separate case.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge William P. McMullan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; and Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department.  

According to his plea agreement, from June through August 2013, Johnson conspired with others to distribute heroin in the Germantown area.  Johnson had other conspirators drive him to locations in Montgomery County, where he distributed the heroin, charging $100 to $120 per bag.  Johnson traveled to Washington, D.C. and to Richmond, Virginia to obtain the heroin.  Johnson cut the heroin he obtained with Xanax and other substances to increase the quantity of heroin.

According to documents filed in the case, at least two deaths occurred after individuals ingested heroin that Johnson had distributed.  Statements made by Johnson suggest that he was aware that cutting agents he had added to the heroin were causing harm and he didn’t care. During his participation in the drug conspiracy, he possessed with intent to distribute between 80 and 100 grams of heroin.

According to his plea agreement in the gun case, Johnson contacted a Montgomery County Police Department confidential source and discussed obtaining a gun from the source.  Johnson admitted that on October 1, 2013, he purchased a 9mm semi-automatic pistol from an undercover Montgomery County Police officer and the source, paying for the gun with cash and approximately one gram of heroin.  Johnson had previously been convicted of a felony and was prohibited from possessing a gun.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the ATF and Montgomery County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mara Zusman Greenberg, Deborah A. Johnston, and Lindsay Eyler Kaplan, who prosecuted the case.

Baltimore, Maryland –James J. Stanley, age 29, of Rising Sun, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to distribution of child pornography.  As part of his plea, Stanley also admitted to the attempted sexual exploitation of a minor.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; 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; Chief F.D. “Chip” Peterson, Jr. of the Rising Sun Police Department; and Cecil County State’s Attorney Ellis Rollins.

According to his plea agreement, Stanley used a website that hosts anonymous, randomized, one-to-one video and text chat. The website allows users to seek chat partners without creating an account or providing any identifying information, and markets itself as an opportunity for users to “Talk to strangers!” The website allows users to engage in text-based chat sessions with or without accompanying video from the user’s webcam.  On October 20, 2014, while Stanley was participating in a video chat session on the website he used his webcam to display an image documenting the sexual abuse of a prepubescent girl, which was stored on his computer or other digital storage media.

Stanley also admitted that prior to January 14, 2015, he placed a digital recording device in a shower that he knew would be used by a minor female (Girl1), with the intent to create video recordings of Girl 1 engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  Between November 14, 2014 and January 14, 2015, Stanley saved a video file to his computer that depicted Girl 1 taking a shower.  Girl 1’s genital area is not visible in the video.  Stanley stated that he used his mobile phone to record Girl 1 showering on approximately 10 occasions, although other videos of Girl 1 were not recovered.

As part of his plea agreement, Stanley 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).

Stanley and the government have agreed that if the Court accepts the plea agreement Stanley will be sentenced to between 10 and 20 years in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release.  U.S. District Judge George L. Russell III has scheduled sentencing for April 8, 2016 at 11:00 a.m.    

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States 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.              

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the HSI Baltimore, the Maryland State Police, Rising Sun Police Department, and the Cecil County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers, who is prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – Kevin Carden, age 55, formerly of Bel Air, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and to filing a false tax return, arising from a scheme to steal money from his clients and the IRS.  The guilty plea was entered just before Carden’s trial was scheduled to begin.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Thomas Jankowski of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

“When customers realized that the money they entrusted to AccuPay was not being used as intended to pay their taxes, Kevin Carden misled them with false cover stories,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “What really happened was that Kevin and Beverly Carden took money intended for the IRS and spent it themselves, causing millions of dollars in losses to their customers.”

According to his plea agreement, until its closure in March 2013, Kevin Carden and his wife, Beverly Carden operated AccuPay, Inc. which provided payroll and payroll tax services to small and medium businesses.  Kevin Carden ran the company’s “tax department,” which was responsible for handling the employment tax portion of the business.  AccuPay received funds from its clients that it held in trust to pay over to the IRS and the Comptroller of Maryland for AccuPay’s clients’ employment taxes. Kevin Carden was responsible for transferring the client funds to make the required tax payments.   

During the course of the fraud scheme, which Kevin Carden admitted lasted from 2010 to March 2013, AccuPay withdrew from the clients’ funds the full amount of payroll taxes owed, but then paid the taxing authorities only a portion of the funds.  While AccuPay falsely represented to its clients that it paid all of the taxes owed, in fact, Beverly Carden diverted some of those funds to a joint personal bank account that she and her husband maintained which the couple then used to pay personal expenses. 

Because of the Cardens’ failure to fully pay existing tax obligations owed by their clients, both the federal and state taxing authorities imposed interest and penalties on AccuPay’s clients, thereby further increasing the magnitude of their tax obligations. Thus, the payments that the Cardens did make to the taxing authorities in part were being applied to pay interest charges and penalties imposed as a result of underpayments earlier in the scheme.

The Cardens used various methods to cover up their diversion of funds and to allay their clients’ concerns when they learned that the taxing authorities had apparently not been paid the full amounts they were supposed to receive. For example, in the instances in which AccuPay’s clients confronted employees at AccuPay about the underpayment of their taxes, Kevin Carden either told those clients that the underpayment would be addressed or (in some cases) avoided their inquiries. Kevin Carden further represented to those clients with whom he spoke that the underpayment was due to (1) a mistake by the taxing authority; (2) an error made by AccuPay employees; and/or (3) problems with the software AccuPay used to file tax returns. These representations were often untrue.

In addition, as a further means of covering up their diversion of funds and allaying their clients’ concerns, in late 2011 AccuPay sent a letter to their clients stating that they had hired a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to audit all tax deposits and filings for all tax clients back to 2009 “for correctness, compliance, and completeness.” In fact, that individual was not AccuPay’s CFO, but rather was an independent tax preparer the Cardens had hired to prepare their own personal taxes and the corporate taxes of AccuPay, rather than those of the clients. 

In 2012, a client of AccuPay confronted representatives of AccuPay with the fact that the company had failed to pay over $300,000 in taxes owed from 2008 to 2012.  In response, AccuPay paid the client’s tax deficiencies.

Kevin Carden admits that the amount of loss arising from this scheme is at least $250,000, but the government will argue that the loss amount is approximately $2.6 million.

Carden also admits that he filed a false individual tax return for 2011 in which he did not report the amount of payroll taxes that had been diverted from AccuPay’s clients to the Cardens’ personal account.  Kevin Carden admits that the amount of loss arising from the false tax return offense is between $40,000 and $100,000, but the government will argue that the loss amount is approximately $144,720.

As part of his plea agreement, Kevin Carden will be ordered to pay restitution in the full amount of the victims’ losses, including both the IRS and the individual clients of AccuPay.

Kevin Carden faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for wire fraud, and a maximum of three years in prison for filing a false tax return.  U.S. District Judge Marvin J. Garbis scheduled sentencing for May 18, 2016, at 10:00 a.m.

Beverly Carden, age 53, formerly of Bel Air, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to mail fraud and filing a false tax return, and is also scheduled to be sentenced on May 18, 2016, at 10:00 a.m.

Today’s announcement is part of efforts underway by President Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force (FFETF) which was created in November 2009 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 the inception of FFETF in November 2009, the Justice Department has filed more than 12,841 financial fraud cases against nearly 18,737 defendants including nearly 3,500 mortgage fraud defendants. For more information on the task force, visit www.stopfraud.gov.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the IRS - Criminal Investigation and FBI for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein praised the Bel Air Police Department for their assistance in the investigation, and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evan T. Shea and Jefferson M. Gray, who are prosecuting the case.

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Roger W. Titus sentenced Mahdi Lawson, age 27, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, today to 15 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a gun; possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. 

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge William P. McMullan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; and Chief Mark A. Magaw of the Prince George’s County Police Department.

According to his plea agreement, law enforcement executed a search at Lawson’s residence in Upper Marlboro and recovered a black semi-automatic handgun from a backpack in the living room, marijuana and crack cocaine from the bathroom and MDMA (ecstasy) from an organizer next to the bed in the basement.  Lawson admitted that the handgun and drugs recovered from the residence belonged to him and that he had carried the firearm to conduct a drug transaction. Lawson had several previous felony convictions and was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the ATF and Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Deborah A. Johnston and Lindsay Eyler Kaplan, who prosecuted the case

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte sentenced former National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) police officer Christopher Bartley, age 41, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, late yesterday to 41 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for attempting to manufacture methamphetamine in a laboratory room on the NIST campus which resulted in an explosion.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Special Agent in Charge Karl C. Colder of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Field Division; and Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department.

"Methamphetamine is unsafe to produce and unsafe to use," said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. "Mr. Bartley damaged government property and jeopardized the health and safety of NIST employees by mixing dangerous chemicals."

 According to his plea agreement, on Saturday, July 18, 2015, Bartley reported to work at NIST where he worked as a lieutenant with the NIST police force.  That evening, Bartley entered a room inside a NIST building in order to use equipment to manufacture methamphetamine under a chemical fume hood.  While attempting to manufacture methamphetamine, Bartley caused an explosion that blew four of the room’s windows out of their frames. The shatterproof windows were found at distances ranging from 22 to 33 feet from the building. Bartley suffered burns on his head and arm.

 The explosion caused the temperature in the room to rise to 180 degrees, activating a silent heat alarm.  When firefighters entered the building shortly thereafter, they saw Bartley next to the room with a burn on his arm, as well as singed ears and hair.  The Court found that Bartley lied to the first responders and to his boss about the cause of the explosion, and thereby put them at risk of harm when they entered the location.

Before leaving the building, Bartley collected remnants of items from the scene of the explosion and later threw the items in a dumpster near the building.  He then drove to another NIST building where he discarded additional items in the trash related to his attempt to manufacture methamphetamine.

Law enforcement later searched the trash near those two buildings and seized a coffee grinder with white powder residue, rubber gloves, a funnel, a soda bottle containing white powder with a rubber tube coming out the top, coffee filters, burnt and melted plastic, a bottle of Drano crystals, a gas mask and protective safety glasses.

Law enforcement agents searched Bartley’s vehicle and recovered a book that contained Bartley’s handwritten notes of ingredients and equipment needed to manufacture methamphetamine, including tubing, a funnel, coffee filters, Coleman camp fuel and lye.

At 1:27 a.m. on July 19, 2015, Bartley sent an email to his supervisor titled “tonight’s explosion” in which he admitted he had attempted to manufacture methamphetamine.  A few hours later, Bartley also admitted to a law enforcement agent that he had been trying to manufacture methamphetamine at the time the explosion occurred. 

The total amount of methamphetamine involved in the offense was less than five grams.

 United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, DEA and Montgomery County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein praised the Department of Commerce – Office of Inspector General and NIST for their assistance in the investigation, and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leah Jo Bressack and Mara Zusman Greenberg, who prosecuted the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – Jeff V. Hare, age 53, of Berlin, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to armed bank robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. 

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Worcester County Sheriff Reggie T. Mason, Sr.; Colonel William M. Pallozzi, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; and Worcester County State’s Attorney Beau Oglesby.        

According his plea agreement, on March 13, 2015, Hare entered the BB&T branch located at 11000 block of Racetrack Road in Berlin, wearing a ski mask and brandishing a handgun.

Hare told the bank tellers present in the bank’s lobby that he had a gun and he was robbing the bank, demanding that the tellers give him only fifty and one hundred dollar bills, and that they not give him any dye packs. Hare moved through the lobby from employee to employee pointing the handgun at each employee and demanding money. Hare also demanded each teller give him their car keys and purse, but the tellers told Hare they did not have them available. Hare stole approximately $2,850 in cash from the bank.

Hare admitted that after robbing the tellers in the lobby, Hare found a bank employee who had locked herself in a back room of the bank. Hare forced open the locked door and demanded her car keys and her purse. The employee gave Hare her purse, which contained cash and personal effects, and the keys to her car, a 2007 Kia Spectra, which was parked in the bank’s parking lot. Hare exited the bank and fled in the stolen 2007 Kia Spectra, which he abandoned at a nearby business.

Hare was arrested later that evening at a residence in Ocean Pines, Maryland.  At the time of his arrest, Hare was still in possession of the money stolen from the bank

Hare has been detained since his arrest.  During that time, Hare attempted to impede the investigation of the armed bank robbery and carjacking by seeking to arrange for the disposal of evidence of the crimes.  On May 1, 2015, an associate of Hare visited him at the Worcester County Detention Center in Snow Hill, Maryland.  During that visit, Hare told his associate that he was being framed and that unidentified persons had a box of garbage that would incriminate him.  Hare asked the person to retrieve the box from an address in Ocean Pines, which was Hare’s former residence.  On May 6, 2015, Hare called his associate and asked him, “By going to that address, did you get rid of the trash,” referring to the box Hare had asked the associate to retrieve.  The box contained the ski mask Hare wore during the robbery and carjacking, a .38 caliber revolver believed to have been used during the robbery, and the purse Hare stole from the bank employee, including her driver’s license.

Hare faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison for armed bank robbery; and a mandatory minimum of seven years and up to life in prison for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar has scheduled sentencing for April 12, 2016, at 9:30 a.m.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI, Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, Maryland State Police and the Worcester County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Zachary A. Myers and Matthew J. Maddox, who are prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles, Jr. sentenced Richard Smith, age 31, of Baltimore, Maryland today to 12 years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute heroin.

Also today, Judge Quarles sentenced Derek Shorts, age 51, of Baltimore to six years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin.  On January 5, 2016, Judge Quarles also sentenced co-conspirator Dedrick Coates, age 26, of Baltimore to six years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for the same charges.

The sentences were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge William P. McMullan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby.

According to their plea agreements, beginning in at least January 2014 and continuing through December 10, 2014, Smith, Shorts and Coates conspired with others to distribute heroin in Baltimore. During the conspiracy, Smith and Bruce Jeffries met with other co-conspirators, including Coates, to provide heroin for distribution by members of the conspiracy.  Smith was the supervisor of this conspiracy and was responsible for providing the heroin distributed by the co-conspirators.  Shorts was responsible for “running” the narcotics to the distributors and for watching over the narcotics “stash.” Once Coates received heroin from another member of the organization, he would either distribute the heroin to other co-conspirators or to his personal use customers.

Between September and November of 2014, law enforcement intercepted telephone conversations between Smith, Jeffries, and other conspirators.  During these calls, Smith, Jeffries, Coates, and others were heard discussing the distribution and payment for various amounts of heroin.  Shorts was overheard discussing the quantity of narcotics available for distribution.  Smith was also intercepted giving members of the conspiracy instructions regarding the distribution of narcotics.  On November 14, 2014, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a “stash” house used by members of the conspiracy. During the search, law enforcement recovered 400 gel capsules of heroin from inside the stash house, along with another 100 gel capsules of heroin from Shorts.  This seizure precipitated intercepted phone conversations between Jeffries, Smith, and another co-conspirator regarding the seizure.

Smith, Shorts and Coates agree that during their participation in the conspiracy, the conspirators were responsible for the distribution of between one and three kilograms of heroin. 

Ten other co-conspirators have pleaded guilty to their roles in the heroin distribution conspiracy.  Bruce Jeffries, age 27; Brian Nettles, age 24; Kevin Gray, age 32; Brian Carr, age 26; Walter Timmons, age 27; Darrell Randolph, age 27; Pernell Randolph, age 28; Marvin Germany, age 26; and Vincent Jones, age 52, all of Baltimore, have been sentenced to between 70 and 84 months in prison.  The remaining defendant is awaiting sentencing.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the ATF, Baltimore City Police Department, and the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Matthew Hoff, a cross-designated Baltimore City Assistant State’s Attorney, part of the Baltimore initiative to combat violent crime, who is prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles, Jr. sentenced Nikolay Zakharyan, age 24, of Owings Mills, Maryland, and Zarakh Yelizarov, age 53, of Pikesville, Maryland, today to a year and a day in prison, and 18 months in prison, respectively, each followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to receive, possess, sell and distribute over $6.6 million in contraband cigarettes, that is, cigarettes on which the applicable state taxes have not been paid.  Judge Quarles entered an order requiring Yelizarov to pay restitution of $2.5 million to New York City and the state of New York and to forfeit $56,000, proceeds of the offense.   Judge Quarles also entered an order requiring Nikolay Zakharyan to pay restitution of $9,659,880.                      

The sentences were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department; Acting Special Agent in Charge Glen A. McElravy of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations’ Metro Washington Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Nicholas DiGiulio, Office of Investigations, Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services.        

According to their guilty pleas, Elmar Rakhamimov was the leader and organizer of the scheme, and he coordinated with Ilgar Rakhamimov (no relation) and Artur Zakharyan to collect the money to purchase the contraband cigarettes, and to arrange for the storage and transportation of the contraband cigarettes to Brooklyn, New York.  Elmar Rakhamimov, Ilgar Rakhamimov, and Artur Zakharyan purchased contraband cigarettes on 18 occasions between December of 2011 and November of 2013 from an undercover FBI agent operating in the Baltimore County, Maryland area. 

According to court documents and testimony at the five day trial, Artur Zakharyan recruited his son, Nikolay Zakharyan, to participate in the scheme. Nikolay Zakharyan assisted in the unloading, accounting, bagging, moving and loading of the master cases of contraband cigarettes.  Nikolay Zakharyan traveled to the home of Elmar Rakhamimov to assist during no less than 10 deliveries of contraband cigarettes.  Nikolay Zakharyan unloaded the cases of cigarettes from the truck into Elmar Rakhamimov’s garage and counted the number and types of cigarettes delivered to ensure that the delivery was complete.  Nikolay Zakharyan also traveled to Elmar Rakhamimov’s home in the days following the delivery of the cigarettes to load them into the vehicle used to transport the contraband cigarettes to Brooklyn, New York, where the cigarettes were sold at a profit to conspirators in New York, who further distributed the contraband cigarettes. 

Zarakh Yelizarov and Elmar Rakhamimov laundered the proceeds of the contraband cigarette sales through an international money laundering operation that wired funds from banks located in Latvia, Cyprus, Estonia, and New York, to a bank in Maryland, disguising the money as legitimate business payments for medical equipment or supplies. According to court documents, during the time he was a member of the conspiracy Yelizarov laundered $700,000 of cash he received from Rakhamimov, through 12 wire transactions from overseas bank accounts into a bank account in the United States. 

The cigarettes were sold and distributed in quantities of 10,000 cigarettes or more, and bore no evidence of the payment of applicable state sales taxes. At the time of the indictment the cigarette tax in Maryland was $2.00 per package of cigarettes ($20 per carton of cigarettes) and the cigarette tax in New York was $4.35 per package of cigarettes ($43.50 per carton of cigarettes).  The total tax evaded over the course of the conspiracy was more than $2.5 million.  

Judge Quarles sentenced Artur Zakharyan, age 54, of Reisterstown, Maryland, to one year of home detention, as part of four years’ probation and entered an order requiring Artur Zakharyan to pay restitution of $2,500,000 to New York City and the state of New York and to forfeit $50,000 believed to be proceeds of the offense, $11,947 and a five troy ounce gold bars and a gold coin seized during searches. 

Co-defendants Elmar Rakhamimov, a/k/a “Eric Rakhamimov,” age 42, of Owings Mills, Maryland, and his brother, Salim Yusufov, age 44, of Reisterstown, Maryland; Ilgar Rakhamimov, age 41, and Adam Azerman, age 60, both of Pikesville; and Shamil Novakhov, age 59, and Ruslan Ykiew, age 40, both of Brooklyn, New York, previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy and are awaiting sentencing.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI, Baltimore County Police Department, U.S. Food & Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations and Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Investigations for their work in the investigation and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Maryland Attorney General’s Office for its assistance in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Paul E. Budlow and John W. Sippel, Jr., who are prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – Trevin Montrez Sampson, a/k/a “Bucket,” age 30, of Frederick, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Sampson was the third and final member of the conspiracy to plead guilty to distributing cocaine in and around Frederick.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Frederick Police Department Chief Edward G. Hargis.

According to their plea agreements, from October 2014 through December 6, 2014, Trevin Sampson, his brother, Jacoby Sampson, and Peter Nicholson participated in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine in and around Frederick. During the investigation, Frederick Police initiated wiretaps on the Sampson brothers’ telephones and intercepted a series of calls in which they arranged for Nicholson to transport a large amount of cocaine from Baltimore County to Frederick.  On November 24, 2014, Nicholson was stopped in his vehicle by law enforcement as he was en route to deliver cocaine to Trevin and Jacoby Sampson, as well as other customers.  Nicholson attempted to run away and in the course of his flight, placed a white cloth bag into an empty recycling bin.  Nicholson was arrested and the white cloth bag was recovered by law enforcement.  The bag contained multiple smaller bags which contained a total of 609.5 grams of cocaine.  Two of the smaller bags were labeled “T,” for Trevin Sampson, and “Luv,” for Jacoby Sampson.

The Sampsons and Nicholson spent the evening of November 25, 2014 and the following morning attempting to locate the white cloth bag, finally concluding, in a series of intercepted phone calls, that the bag had probably been seized by law enforcement.  Later on November 26, 2014, Trevin Sampson persuaded Nicholson to transport additional cocaine to Frederick, which Nicholson agreed to deliver the next day.  On November 27, 2014, officers conducted surveillance as Nicholson traveled from Baltimore County to Frederick in a taxi.  The officers initiated a traffic stop and as the taxi was coming to a stop, Nicholson ran from the car towards the nearby woods, tossing one package as he ran and throwing another package over a fence before he was taken into custody.  The packages were retrieved and found to contain a total of 60.48 grams of cocaine, which Trevin Sampson admits was intended for him.

On December 1, 2014, Trevin Sampson exchanged a series of text messages with one of his customers and arranged to meet the customer at a residence in Frederick. Officers conducting surveillance saw the customer enter the residence and leave a short time later with Trevin Sampson.  Officers subsequently stopped the customer at a parking lot in Hagerstown, Maryland and recovered 125.8 grams of cocaine, which the customer had purchased from Trevin Sampson.

During their participation in the drug conspiracy, Trevin Sampson and his co-conspirators admitted to distributing at least 500 grams of cocaine.

As part of his plea agreement, Trevin Sampson and the government have agreed to recommend to the Court that a sentence of 10 years in prison is the appropriate disposition of this case.  U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar has scheduled sentencing for April 15, 2016 at 9:30 a.m. 

Peter Andrew Nicholson, a/k/a “White Boy Pete,” age 32, of Rosedale, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty and on December 23, 2015, was sentenced to nine years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine.  Jacoby Olajuwon Sampson, a/k/a “Luv/Luva,” and “Coby,” age 27, of Frederick, pleaded guilty to the same charge and is scheduled to be sentenced on January 20, 2016, at 3:00 p.m.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended HSI Baltimore and the Frederick Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter J. Martinez, who is prosecuting the case.

Greenbelt, Maryland – Romeo Joseph Hillman, age 29, of Rockville, Maryland, pleaded guilty late on January 4, 2016, to distribution of child pornography.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

According to Hillman’s plea agreement, on October 22, 2014, an undercover FBI Task Force Officer downloaded 82 image and video files depicting children from approximately ages three to 13 engaged in sexually explicit conduct from an IP address associated with Hillman’s residence.  On February 11, 2015, a search warrant was executed at Hillman’s residence and law enforcement sized two laptop computers, four USB drives and a cellular telephone. 

A subsequent forensic examination of the seized media revealed at least 12,765 images and 600 videos of child pornography, including the images previously downloaded by the FBI Task Force Officer.  At least 125 files recovered from the seized media depict children previously identified as victims of child pornography by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.  The forensic analysis also confirmed that Hillman had a file sharing program loaded on his computer.  Investigation showed that, in addition to the file sharing program, Hillman used Skype to exchange messages and files containing child pornography.

As part of his plea agreement, Hillman 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).

Hillman and the government have agreed that if the Court accepts the plea agreement Hillman will be sentenced to between 97 and 151 months in prison.  U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel has scheduled sentencing for April 20, 2016 at 9:00 a.m. 

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States 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.              

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI for its work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph R. Baldwin and Kristin N. O’Malley, who are prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Marvin J. Garbis sentenced Roger Wayne Woods, age 35, of Gwynn Oak, Maryland, today to 78 months in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for two counts of distribution of child pornography and three counts of possession of child pornography. Judge Garbis ordered that upon his release from prison, Woods 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 United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger.

According to court documents and information presented to the Court, Woods admitted that on September 20 and 21, 2014, he was using a file sharing program on his computer that shared information related to the location and contents of a collection of files that he was making available for others to download from his computer.  At least 50 of the 186 files that Woods made available for download contained visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.  Over the course of those two days, an undercover detective from the Baltimore County Police Department downloaded sexually explicit images of prepubescent females. 

On October 21, 2014, a search warrant was executed at Woods’ residence.  Although Woods was not home at the time, his desktop computer was powered on and running the file sharing program.  A forensic preview of Woods’ desktop computer showed a folder where approximately 3,652 image and videos files were saved, the majority of which related to child modeling, child erotica and child pornography.  Later that day, Woods arrived home and was taken to a Baltimore County Police Precinct and advised of his rights.  Woods subsequently admitted that he had been using the file sharing program for 15 years and that he downloaded and saved child pornography files to his computer.  A subsequent forensic analysis of Woods’ desktop and an external hard drive seized during the search of his home resulted in the recovery of over 16,000 images and videos that depicted minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  There were 222 distributed images of child pornography located on the desktop computer, including image and video files depicting prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States 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.              

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, HSI Baltimore, the Baltimore County Police Department and Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Judson T. Mihok, who prosecuted the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles, Jr. sentenced Avaun Johnson, age 29, of Glen Burnie, today to 151 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute heroin and being a felon in possession of a gun.    

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge William P. McMullan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Tim Altomare; Annapolis Police Chief Michael A. Pristoop; and Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Wes Adams.

According to his plea agreement, on February 7, 2014, law enforcement officers went to an apartment in Glen Burnie to execute a state arrest warrant for Johnson, when they saw him walking out of the apartment building with a trash bag.  Johnson saw the police and fled back into the building, dropping the bag inside. 

Johnson was arrested and a search warrant was executed at his apartment. Officers seized 62 grams of heroin, 21 grams of methylone, drug packaging paraphernalia, a semiautomatic firearm, an ammunition cartridge and about $3,700.  Prior to February 7, 2014 Johnson had been convicted of a felony and was prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition.  Johnson was also on federal supervised release for a drug trafficking conviction and thus, his possession of the firearm and drugs violated the conditions of his release.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the ATF, DEA, Anne Arundel Police Department, Annapolis Police Department and Anne Arundel City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Special Assistant United States Attorney Shelly S. Glenn, on detail from the Governor’s Office of Crime Control & Prevention, who prosecuted the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Jose Hector Laguerre, age 47, of Baltimore, today to eight years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiring to commit robbery in connection with several robberies of patrons of the Maryland Live Casino. 

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Colonel William M. Pallozzi, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department; Chief Mark A. Magaw of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Anne Arundel County Police Chief Tim Altomare.

According to his plea agreement, on three occasions from November 1 to November 10, 2013, Laguerre and co-conspirator Willie Fleming used a firearm to rob a total of eight patrons of the Maryland Live Casino located in Hanover, Maryland.  Fleming instigated the robberies in order to pay his gambling and marijuana trafficking debts.   Fleming obtained and maintained possession of the handgun used in the robberies, and committed an additional robbery with another co-conspirator of three casino patrons on October 27, 2013.

Video surveillance from the casino showed Laguerre and Fleming following patrons inside the casino, and then by car as they drove out of the casino garage.  The co-conspirators robbed the victims at gunpoint after the victims got out of their cars to enter their homes, or in one instance, as they rested in their car while parked in a shopping center lot on their way home.  The robbers stole a total of at least $26,000 in cash, a check and personal property such as jewelry, credit cards, cell phones, wallets, purses and clothing. 

On November 14, 2013, Fleming was arrested for drug and gun offenses in Baltimore while he was in the vehicle used to commit the robberies.  A search warrant was executed on the car and law enforcement seized ski masks, a vest worn by Laguerre in a casino video, jewelry stolen from the victims and a receipt for valet parking at the casino dated the same day as one of the robberies.

Willie Hernandez Fleming, age 37, of Baltimore, previously pleaded guilty to his role in the robberies and was sentenced to 137 months in prison.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, Maryland State Police, and the Montgomery County, Prince George’s County and Anne Arundel County Police Departments for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney John F. Purcell, Jr., who prosecuted the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz sentenced Ricky Tolson, age 45, of Baltimore, today to 15 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for robbery.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department; Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department; Chief Gary Gardner of the Howard County Police Department; Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby; and Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger.

According to his plea agreement, from June 7 to 20, 2015, Tolson entered the following eight businesses, located in Maryland, demanding money from their employees: Ramada Inn in Pikesville, Roland Park Exxon Gas station on Falls Road in Baltimore, Shell Gas station on Smith Avenue in Baltimore, Sunoco Gas station in Pikesville, SF Mini Mart in Clarksville, BP Gas station in Lutherville, Cricket Store in Owings Mills and the Game Stop on Old Court Road in Baltimore.

In each robbery, Tolson made it appear to the employees that he had a gun. After his arrest on June 24, 2015, however, he told investigators that he did not have a gun. Tolson fled from five of the robbery scenes with approximately $2,915 in cash. He fled from another two scenes with an undetermined amount of cash, and fled the BP gas station before he stole any money.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office, Baltimore County Police, Baltimore City Police, Howard County Police and Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew K. Hoff, a cross-designated Baltimore City Assistant State’s Attorney, who prosecuted the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – Michael Westbrook, age 37, of Parkville, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft arising from a scheme to sell fraudulent social security cards to buyers to obtain more than $550,000 in loans and credit accounts.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Westbrook owned The Westbrook Project, LLC, a home renovation company. According to his plea, from February 2012 to October 2014, Westbrook conspired with others to receive bank loans, private loans, auto loans and lines of credit using stolen social security numbers, counterfeit social security card and personal identity information (PII) of actual persons to create a false and improved credit score. 

Westbrook proposed to potential buyers that they re-establish a good credit score using misappropriated personal identity information.  Westbrook supplied the buyer’s PII to a co-conspirator who would then associate a misappropriated social security number of an actual person with that buyer.  Westbrook and his co-conspirator also provided buyers with counterfeit social security cards to match the stolen social security numbers.  The buyers then used the PII, stolen social security numbers and counterfeit documents to open personal bank accounts, and to obtain loans and lines of credit from commercial lenders. 

On at least eight occasions between February 2012 and August 2013, Westbrook opened bank accounts, credit card accounts and obtained auto loans using misappropriated social security numbers.  The total loss caused by the conspiracy was more than $550,000 and involved more than 10 victims.

Co-defendant Donneltric Johnson, age 38, of Baltimore, previously pleaded guilty to his participation in the conspiracy and awaits sentencing.

Westbrook faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the conspiracy and a mandatory minimum of two years in prison consecutive to any other sentence imposed for aggravated identity theft.  U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz scheduled his sentencing for April 1, 2016, at 9:15 a.m.

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.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the HSI Baltimore for its work in the investigation and thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Perry, on detail from the Social Security Administration, who is prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland –Patricia Green Jackson, age 63, of Baltimore, pleaded guilty today to theft of government property arising from a scheme to steal over $196,000 in social security benefits.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Michael McGill of the Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General, Philadelphia Field Division.

According to her guilty plea, Jackson was a friend of J.W. and a co-signer on J.W.’s bank account.  J.W. began receiving retirement benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA) in 1986, which were paid by direct deposit to her bank account.  J.W. died on December 31, 1997.  SSA was not aware of J.W.’s death, and continued to make monthly payments of J.W.’s retirement benefits until March 2015. 

Jackson admitted that, after J.W.’s death she withdrew and spent J.W.’s monthly SSA retirement benefits via debit card withdrawals and transactions. At the time J.W.’s benefits were suspended in 2015, SSA was paying $1,087 per month in benefits and paid a total of $196,323 in unauthorized benefits after J.W.’s death in 1997.  When she was interviewed by law enforcement on April 2, 2015, Jackson admitted that she knew she was not entitled to J.W.’s retirement benefits.

Jackson faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for theft of government property.  U.S. District Judge Marvin J. Garbis has scheduled sentencing for March 9, 2016 at 9:30 a.m. 

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General for its work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Perry, who is prosecuting the case.

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Lamelle Marquez Malone, age 35, formerly of Columbia, Maryland, today to 18 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiring to steal prescription drugs from a military hospital and for interstate transportation of stolen property.  Judge Grimm also entered an order requiring Malone to pay a money judgment of $500,000 and restitution of $2,113,483.51.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Robert Craig of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service - Mid‑Atlantic Field Office; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Glen A. McElravy of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations’ Metro Washington Field Office.       

“Lamelle Malone ran a business selling prescription drugs, but he obtained his products for free by stealing them from Walter Reed Medical Center,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “Over a period of sixteen months, Mr. Malone and his co-conspirators stole more than $2 million worth of Somatropin. a human growh hormone available only by prescription.”

Malone admitted that from April 8, 2011 through August 2012, he conspired with Roger Gurdon, and others to steal Somatropin, a form of human growth hormone, from the pharmacy located at the former Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C.  Malone and his co-conspirators re-sold the stolen pharmaceuticals for profit.

Gurdon was a pharmacy technician at Walter Reed.  Between January 2008 and the fall of 2011, Gurdon stole Somatropin from Walter Reed and sold it to a co-conspirator. When Gurdon traveled out of the country in April 2011, he arranged for the co-conspirator to obtain Somatropin from Malone, who was an enlisted member of the Army and worked as a pharmacy specialist at Walter Reed.  Malone distributed stolen Somatropin to the co-conspirator from April until August 2011, when Walter Reed was closed. Malone paid a pharmacy technician at Walter Reed to order the Somatropin which Malone stole, and paid the non-commissioned officer who was in charge of the pharmacy to ignore the fact that Malone was stealing Somatropin. Malone transported the stolen Somatropin from Walter Reed to his home in Columbia, and to College Park, Maryland to distribute the Somatropin to the co-conspirator.

During the period that Malone was involved in the conspiracy, the government contends that he and his co-conspirators stole over $2 million worth of Somatropin from the Walter Reed pharmacy.  Gurdon admitted that the total loss to the United States over the course of the entire conspiracy was at least $4,467,000.

Roger Gurdon, age 43, of Waldorf, Maryland, pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and was sentenced to 78 months in prison, and was ordered to pay restitution of $4,467,000.  Another conspirator, Issa Wasco Koroma, age 63, of Springdale, Maryland was sentenced to five years in prison for conspiring to steal prescription drugs from two federal military hospitals. 

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the DCIS and FDA-OCI for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Mara Zusman Greenberg, who is prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – Seven men, including three previously convicted felons, were arrested and face federal gun charges as a result of an alliance between local and federal law enforcement to reduce the number of illegal guns in Baltimore City. 

The charges were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge William P. McMullan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Tim Altomare; Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Wes Adams; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby. 

“A supply chain that brought illegal guns to Baltimore City from Tennessee has been put out of business, and suspects who tried to smuggle weapons into Baltimore are now in federal custody,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. 

The following defendants have been charged with gun crimes in the U.S. District Court in Maryland.  Five have been ordered to be detained pending trial, and the remaining two were placed on house arrest:

Rodney Donell Henson, a/k/a “Mook,” age 28, of Odenton, Maryland; Antonio Darnell Ennis, a/k/a “Hawk” and “Peanut,” age 32, of Glen Burnie, Maryland; Alvin Gabriel Arciaga, age 28, of Brooklyn, Maryland; Delray Jamare Randall, a/k/a “Black,” age 34, of Odenton; Ernest McCutcheon, a/k/a “Ernie,” age 32, of Baltimore; Leopold Fosso Kengni, a/k/a “Kenny C” and “Kenny G,” age 24, of Odenton; and
Leonard Eugene Goliday, a/k/a “Lenny,” age 43, of Laurel, Maryland.

The investigation began in May 2015, after authorities arrested an undocumented alien who was attempting to sell eight firearms in Baltimore City. That investigation led to the identification of a second suspect who brought the firearms from Tennessee and sold them in Baltimore. ATF, HSI and Baltimore Police investigators developed information that the second suspect was bringing many firearms from Tennessee to Baltimore to sell them illegally. The gun seller was arrested while bringing 21 guns from Tennessee to Baltimore in July 2015. Law enforcement agents identified customers of the seller and organized an undercover operation in which the customers were offered an opportunity to purchase firearms in December 2015.

On December 12, 2015, several suspects arrived at the operation location to buy handguns, firearms with silencers, a fully-automatic Glock handgun and other firearms. The weapons were inoperable, and police maintained a covert presence around the area of the operation to prevent any suspect from leaving with weapons. After each transaction was completed, the purchasers were arrested.

According to court documents and information presented at their detention hearings, Henson, Ennis and Arciaga allegedly conspired to illegally purchase a fully-automatic machine gun that was not registered to them, as required by law. Henson made the arrangements to purchase the gun, then brought in Ennis and Arciaga.  Ennis exchanged cash for the gun and Arciaga took physical possession of the machine gun. 

Kengni allegedly purchased a machine gun that was not legally registered to him.

Randall allegedly bought four firearms although he was a previously convicted felon.

McCutcheon allegedly bought seven firearms although he was a previously convicted felon.

Also on December 12, 2015, a federal search warrant was executed at Goliday’s residence in Laurel, Maryland.  According to the court documents and information presented at his detention hearing, law enforcement recovered five firearms from Goliday’s home. Goliday was previously convicted of a felony and is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.  Goliday was arrested by Anne Arundel County Police on December 14, 2015 after a traffic stop.

As part of the coordinated state effort to reduce violent crime in Baltimore, the Baltimore City Police Department, ATF, FBI, DEA, HSI, U.S. Marshals Service, the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office, and the United States Attorney’s Office, review cases of defendants arrested for firearms violations, drug offenses and other violent crimes, and evaluate whether the case should be considered for federal prosecution. Prosecutors evaluate each defendant’s criminal record, the circumstances of the arrest and other relevant information.    

Henson, Ennis, Arciaga and Kengni face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for possession of an unregistered machine gun.  Henson, Ennis and Arciaga also face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy.  As previously convicted felons, Randall, McCutcheon and Goliday each face up to 10 years in prison for illegal possession of a firearm.  There is no probation or parole in the federal criminal justice system

An individual charged by indictment or criminal complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. 

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the ATF, HSI Baltimore, FBI, Baltimore and Anne Arundel Police Departments, and the Anne Arundel County and Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Offices for their work in the investigation and prosecution.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Michael C. Hanlon, who is prosecuting the cases.

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Shaun Valente, age 30, of Montgomery Village, Maryland, today to 198 months in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for distribution of child pornography.  Judge Grimm also ordered that upon his release from prison, Valente 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 United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

According to Valente’s plea agreement, from at least March 2013 through September 2014, Valente used his computer to distribute and to receive child pornography.  On February 26, 2014, Dropbox, an online storage platform, reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that images documenting the sexual abuse of minors had been uploaded to Valente’s Dropbox account. Valente admitted that he also received and distributed images depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct through email.

On September 12, 2014, HSI Special Agents executed a search warrant at Valente’s residence and seized a notebook computer, cellular phone and flash drives that contained more than 4,000 images and 175 videos depicting children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  The child pornography included images of prepubescent children, and material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct, or other depictions of violence.

According to his plea agreement, on March 22, 2005, Valente was convicted in Montgomery County Circuit Court for sexual abuse of a minor and a child pornography offense, for which he was sentenced to four years in prison, with all but 18 months suspended.

Valente has been detained since his arrest.

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.              

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the HSI Baltimore for its work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristi N. O’Malley and Joseph R. Baldwin, who prosecuted the case.

Baltimore, Maryland - Samuel R. VanSickle, age 51, of Accident, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to commit bank fraud arising from three fraudulent bank loans in which VanSickle received proceeds from the sale of real property in Garrett County, Maryland, and Cheat Lake, West Virginia, totaling over $5.7 million.

The plea agreement was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

VanSickle and co-defendant Louis Strosnider owned and developed property in Garrett County, Maryland. VanSickle used a number of different business names, including Freedom Church, Gospel Church, Equity Exchange, Unity Mortgage, Impartial Lenders, and Noble Forest Consultants, and aliases including “Donald Blunt,” “Jacob Aiken,” “Allen Helms,” and “Paul Walsh.”  Strosnider operated Stony Brook Development Company, located in McHenry, Maryland.

According to his plea agreement, from December 2001 to May 2005, VanSickle conspired with Louis Strosnider for Strosnider to fraudulently obtain real estate loans from banks in connection with the purchase of properties controlled through aliases by VanSickle.  VanSickle concealed from the lenders his role as seller of the properties and recipient of the sales proceeds through fictitious identities such as “Donald Blunt, Trustee for Gospel Church,” “Donald Blunt, Trustee for Freedom Church,” “Equity Exchange,” “Unity Mortgage,” “Jacob Aiken” and “Allen Helms.” The scheme also involved fictitious down payments, inflated collateral, and false contracts.

For example, in 2002, VanSickle provided $600,000 for the purchase of Red Run, a restaurant and bed and breakfast which bordered on Deep Creek Lake in Garrett County, Maryland.  In April 2003, VanSickle caused Red Run to be transferred for $0 to “Donald Blunt, Trustee for Gospel Church” - a fictitious church with a fictitious trustee.  In February 2004, Strosnider signed a contract to buy Red Run from Gospel Church for $3 million.  The contract recited a fictitious $750,000 down payment.  Strosnider applied to a bank for a loan to complete the purchase of Red Run.  When the bank required additional collateral, VanSickle supplied a timber contract for land in Garrett County with a valuation signed by “Paul Walsh” of “Noble Forest Consultants.”  Both “Noble Forest Consultants” and “Paul Walsh” were fictitious.  The settlement for the sale of the property was conducted by attorney Angela Blythe.  Blythe failed to collect Strosnider’s funds to close the loan.  At VanSickle’s direction, Blythe paid over the sales proceeds of $1.6 million to “Unity Mortgage,” which was VanSickle.  “Unity Mortgage” did not, in fact, have a mortgage on Red Run.Strosnider and VanSickle used similar fraudulent methods in Strosnider’s purchase from VanSickle of 5.87 acres on State Park Road, bordering Deep Creek Lake, and 116 acres of undeveloped land on Cheat Lake, West Virginia.

VanSickle received over $5.7 million in sales proceeds from the fraudulent transactions.   Strosnider defaulted on all three loans. As a result of the scheme, the loss to the financial institutions was $2,755,102.50, the amount of the loans minus the recovery from foreclosure and sale of the collateral. VanSickle has agreed to forfeit and pay restitution in that amount, and forfeit his interest in 40 properties held in VanSickle’s name or in the names of nominees in Maryland, West Virginia and Pennsylvania, up to the value of $2,755,102.50.

VanSickle faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison for the conspiracy.  U.S. District Judge Marvin J. Garbis scheduled sentencing for March 17, 2016, at 9:30 a.m.

Louis W. Strosnider, III, age 49, of Oakland, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to his participation in the conspiracy and awaits sentencing. In a related case, Angela M. Blythe, age 52, of Oakland, Maryland, was convicted by a federal jury on October 9, 2015, after a nine day trial, of conspiring with VanSickle to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and two counts of making a false statement to a bank.  U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles sentenced Blythe to a year and a day in prison, and entered an order requiring Blythe to forfeit $696,517 and pay restitution of $948,203.25.

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.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI for its work in the investigation and thanked Assistant United States Attorney Joyce K. McDonald and Philip A. Selden, who are prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – Cecil Sylvester Chester, age 68, of Mitchellville, Maryland pleaded guilty today to charges arising from the fraudulent purchase of seven properties in Baltimore, using fraudulent loan documentation and straw purchasers, resulting in losses of over $1.7 million.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Special Agent in Charge Cary A. Rubenstein of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General; and Special Agent in Charge Brian Murphy of the United States Secret Service - Baltimore Field Office.

“Mortgage fraud perpetrators steal by inducing lenders to make loans that will never be repaid, and they harm neighborhoods when the inevitable foreclosures drive down property values,” stated U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein.

Chester worked as an accountant from an office located on New Hampshire Avenue in Hyattsville, Maryland.  Co-conspirator Andreas Tamaris purchased, renovated, and then resold distressed row houses in Baltimore City, primarily in the Highlandtown.

According to his guilty plea, from February 2008 to July 2009, Chester and his co-conspirators, including Alexander Sivels, found buyers for Tamaris’ properties and for other property owners. Chester persuaded individuals, who were inexperienced with residential real estate transactions and who lacked the funds needed to pay the down payment and closing costs, to purchase Baltimore row houses owned by Tamaris or otherwise located by the conspirators. Chester advised these “straw purchasers” that they didn’t need to contribute funds for the down payment or closing costs to buy these properties. Chester also advised that he would place tenants in the properties whose rent payments would cover the monthly mortgage payments after the transactions closed, and that Chester would collect the rent and make the mortgage payments.

Chester and his co-conspirators set the purchase price for the properties to exceed their actual fair market value, thereby generating excess proceeds from the transactions from which they could profit.

The conspirators provided false information about the straw purchasers’ employment, income and financial assets, as well as fraudulent supporting documentation to the mortgage loan brokers to enable the straw purchasers to qualify for home mortgage loans. The conspirators falsely indicated to the mortgage loan brokers that the straw purchasers each intended to use the property as their primary residence following the purchase. Tamaris and other individuals supplied the funds needed for the down payment and closing costs on each of the transactions, and were in turn reimbursed from the loan proceeds at settlement.

Chester brought the straw purchasers to the closing, and then caused the straw purchasers to falsely sign certifications in the closing documents affirming that they intended to use the properties as their primary residence and that no portion of the down payment and closing costs were borrowed.  Following the settlement on each transaction in which they participated, Chester and the other conspirators received substantial payments drawn from the proceeds of the loan.

Few, if any, payments were made towards the mortgages.  All of the seven properties which Chester was involved in went into foreclosure, resulting in a loss of at least $1,482,207.

Chester faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for conspiring to commit wire and mail fraud, and for wire fraud.  U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar has scheduled sentencing for March 23, 2016 at 2:00 p.m.

In a related proceeding involving two of the properties at issue in the instant case, co-conspirator Andreas E. Tamaris, age 44, of Bel Air, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.  Alexander Sivels, II, age 32, of Baltimore, previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud involving the fraudulent purchase of at least nine properties in Baltimore.  Both Tamaris and Sivels are scheduled to be sentenced on September 27, 2016.

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 at 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.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI , HUD OIG - Office of Investigations and the U.S. Secret Service for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jefferson M. Gray, who is prosecuting the case.

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Nicholas Edward Seskar, Sr., age 41, of Lusby, Maryland, today to 15 years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for attempting to induce a minor to engage in sex. Judge Grimm also ordered that upon his release from prison, Seskar 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 United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); St. Mary’s County Sheriff Tim Cameron; and St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney Richard Fritz.

In 2006, Seskar admitted to having sex with a 15 year old when he was 30 years old.  He pleaded guilty in the Circuit Court for St. Mary’s County to one count of sex offense in the third degree and was sentenced to three years in prison, with all but 18 months suspended.

According to his plea agreement, from March 23 to April 2, 2015, Seskar communicated on Facebook with an individual named “Tiffany” who he believed was 15 years old.  “Tiffany” was in fact an undercover law enforcement officer with the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office.  Over time, Seskar’s Facebook conversations became extremely graphic regarding the sexual acts he wanted to perform on “Tiffany.”  Seskar told the undercover police officer that he wanted to meet to have sex, and that he had slept with a 15 year old when he was 30 years old.

On April 2, 2015, Seskar arrived at a pre-arranged meeting place and was arrested by officers with the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office.

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.              

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, HSI Baltimore and St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristi O’Malley and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Wine of the U.S. Department of Justice, who prosecuted the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – Ronnie Mejia, age 26, of Bronx, New York, pleaded guilty today to a bank fraud conspiracy and to aggravated identity theft in connection to a credit card fraud scheme.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Brian Murphy of the United States Secret Service - Baltimore Field Office; Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger.

According to his plea, from February 2014, through October 2014, Mejia conspired with his co-defendants, Steven Harris, Marquis Johnson, Zachary O’Brien, Steven Tejeda and Jerry Anderson, as well as others, to use stolen credit card and other personal information of customers of victim financial institutions to purchase items, including Apple iPhones, at retail locations in Maryland and elsewhere. 

For example, on April 10, 2014, the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) responded to a fraud in progress at an Apple Store in Towson, Maryland, where Johnson and Harris purchased iPhones with Visa Vanilla gift cards.  Johnson and Harris were arrested and the Visa Vanilla gift cards they used to purchase the phones were recovered and determined to be re-encoded with stolen credit information. 

On April 17, 2014, a search warrant was executed at Anderson’s home in Towson.  Several items were recovered including: five Blackberry cell phones; two Apple iPhones; two apple iPads; an Apple computer; a shipping box and packaging for a credit card embossing machine; and miscellaneous gift cards.  Anderson was at the residence at the time the search warrant was executed and a room keycard for a nearby hotel was recovered from his wallet.  Later that day, a search warrant was executed at the hotel room.  Tejeda and O’Brien were in the room when the search warrant was executed.  The items recovered from the hotel room included: 30 counterfeit credit cards (re-encoded with stolen credit information); three Apple iPhone 5s; 43 blank counterfeit credit cards; eight pre-paid gift cards (unopened/in packaging); a credit card embossing machine; an Acer laptop computer; a credit card encoder; and over 50 credit cards embossed with the names of either Anderson, Tejeda or O’Brien. 

Forensic examinations of the computers and other digital media seized during the searches recovered emails containing personal identifying information (PII) of victims, including name, date of birth, and social security number; compromised bank credit card numbers and corresponding customers’ names; and a document containing over 25 credit card numbers and other PII.  Further examination of records recovered during forensic examinations revealed that at least two of the credit card numbers were purchased from a known “carding site” where perpetrators of identity theft and related crimes can purchase stolen credit card numbers and other PII. A forensic examination of Tejeda’s phone recovered during the search of the hotel room, revealed texts between Mejia and Tejeda that contained exchanges of stolen personal information of victims and instructions for fraudulent transactions and purchases.

On April 10, 2015, at the direction of the United States Secret Service (Secret Service), a cooperating witness made three consensually monitored phone calls to Mejia.  Mejia wanted the cooperating witness to use stolen PII to fraudulently purchase Apple iPhones and asked for an email account so Mejia could send the cooperating witness the stolen PII.  The cooperating witness provided Mejia with an email address and password, which had been set up by Secret Service.  On April 13, 2015, a Secret Service agent observed that PII, including PII belonging to 16 known victims, had been put in the “drafts” folder of the provided email account.  On May 19, 2015, during recorded calls between Mejia and the cooperating witness, Mejia agreed to buy the fraudulently purchased iPhones from the cooperating witness, and asked the cooperating witness to provide him with a credit card in order to pay the first phone bills from the phones.  Historical cell site records show that Mejia was in New York during these phone calls.

The total actual loss caused by the conspiracy to the more than 2450 victims was $419,807.14 and the potential loss caused by the conspiracy to the victims was $1,830,030. 

Mejia faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison for bank fraud and a mandatory two years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, for aggravated identity theft.  Steven Harris, age 23, of Bronx, New York; Marquis Johnson, age 21, of Severna Park, Maryland; Zachary O’Brien, age 31, of Bronx, New York; and Jerry Anderson, age 29, of Towson, have also pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme.  All are awaiting sentencing.

Steven Tejeda, age 23, of Richmond, Virginia, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four years in prison.

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.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the U.S. Secret Service, Baltimore County Police Department, and Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ayn B. Ducao and Zachary A. Myers, who are prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz sentenced Richard Barksdale, age 45, of Baltimore, today to eight years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.  Barksdale was convicted by a federal jury on August 25, 2015, and has been detained since his arrest.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge William P. McMullan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby; and Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis.

According to evidence presented during the two day trial, in the evening of September 11, 2014, security officers from Johns Hopkins Hospital saw a man firing a gun at other men on the 800 block of N. Washington Street near the hospital.  The shooter was described as wearing a blue or gray sweatshirt and gray shorts, and was heading west on foot on E. Madison Street.  Johns Hopkins personnel provided Baltimore Police with a street-by-street description of the suspected shooter’s movements as they followed Barksdale in a vehicle to the 900 block of N. Bond Street. 

Baltimore Police officers encountered Barksdale on Bond Street.  He was wearing a blue or gray sweatshirt and gray shorts.  The officers identified themselves as police, patted Barksdale down, found a loaded handgun in his waistband and arrested him.

Baltimore Police recovered expelled ammunition shell casings from the scene of the shooting on N. Washington Street.  Further investigation revealed that the shells were expelled from Barksdale’s handgun.  A bullet projectile also found on the street was determined to have been fired from the same handgun taken from Barksdale. 

Barksdale had previously been convicted of a felony and was thus prohibited from possessing a gun and ammunition.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the ATF, Baltimore Police Department and Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and thanked Johns Hopkins Hospital security personnel for their assistance.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Michael C. Hanlon and Patricia C. McLane, who prosecuted the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell III, sentenced Raymond Comegys, age 31, of Baltimore, today to 12 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine.                      

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby.

According to his plea agreement, from December 2013 through May 2014, Comegys, Stephon Lowery and other co-defendants operated a street-level drug shop in the southwest area of Baltimore City that sold crack cocaine daily to customers.  Multiple times a day, they ordered crack cocaine from suppliers, ranging in quantities up to 28 grams, which they then sold in user-quantity amounts to street level users. 

On April 4, 2014, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Comegys’ residence in Baltimore.  Inside the residence, law enforcement recovered 16 vials containing crack cocaine, a sandwich bag containing approximately 6.88 grams of cocaine, drug packaging material, Mannitol (a commonly used cutting agent), a digital scale, 17.7 grams of marijuana, and two loaded .32 caliber handguns.  

Comegys admitted that he and his conspirators distributed more than 112 grams of crack cocaine. 

Nine defendants, including Comegys, have been convicted for their participation in the conspiracy. Stephon Lowery, age 30, of Baltimore, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and four other co-defendants have received sentences of between 36 and 78 months.  The remaining three defendants are awaiting sentencing

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, Baltimore Police Department and Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Seema Mittal and Leo J. Wise, who prosecuted the case.

Greenbelt, Maryland – Lowell Meredith Sherman, age 49, of Rockville, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to a wire fraud conspiracy in connection with a scheme defraud a non-profit organization.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Postal Inspector in Charge David G. Bowers of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division.

According to this plea agreement, from 2005 through January 2010, and again from June 2013 through October 2014, Sherman was an employee at a non-profit organization in Montgomery County, Maryland.  Between April 2011 and August 2014, Sherman and his co-conspirator, who was also employed at the organization, without authorization, caused the company to purchase unneeded electronic devices, including hard drives and memory tapes, which Sherman and his co-conspirator then sold on-line.  Sherman and his co-conspirator used email to communicate with potential buyers and used online payment companies to accept payment for the items and to distribute the payments amongst themselves.

The government believes that the total loss as a result of Sherman’s conduct is $292,593.75.  Sherman admits that the amount of loss reasonably foreseeable to him is at least $120,000.  The exact amount of loss will be determined at sentencing and as part of his plea agreement Sherman has agreed to the entry of a restitution order in that amount.

Sherman faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud.  U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has scheduled sentencing for February 29, 2016, at 11:00 am.

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.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the Montgomery County Police Department and U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas P. Windom and Joseph R. Baldwin, who are prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury indicted Greg Ramsey, age 54, of Baltimore, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, use of a fire to commit a federal felony, malicious destruction of property by fire, attempted witness tampering, and related gun charges.  Ramsey and his niece, Tyesha Towanda Roberts, age 37, also of Baltimore, are charged with attempting to obstruct a federal investigation. The indictment was returned late on December 17, 2015.

The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge William P. McMullan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department; Maryland State Fire Marshal Brian Geraci; and Anne Arundel County Fire Department Deputy Chief Scott Hoglander.     

According to the 12-count indictment, Ramsey and a co-conspirator, J.R., agreed to commit a series of arsons.  On October 28, 2012, Ramsey and J.R. traveled to the Pennsylvania residence of J.R.’s business associate, with whom J.R. was having a dispute, and set the residence on fire. At the time, the residence was occupied.  The fire caused extensive damage to the residence.

Further, the indictment alleges that Ramsey agreed to set fire to residences on Clifton Avenue and Walbrook Avenue, as well as two vehicles, all of which were owned by J.R., in order to obtain money on the insurance policies.  The indictment alleges that on February 17, 2013, Ramsey deliberately set the Clifton Avenue residence on fire.  At the time the fire was set, the residence was occupied by tenants.  The fire caused extensive damage to the residence.

On August 26, 2013, after Ramsey and J.R. moved the vehicles to the 2700 block of Walbrook Avenue, Ramsey and J.R. allegedly set the Walbrook Avenue property and the vehicles on fire.  The fire at the Walbrook Avenue property not only caused extensive damage to the building, but spread to the neighboring homes.  Both vehicles were completely destroyed and those fires spread to a nearby church, located at 1925 N. Dukeland Street in Baltimore, causing extensive damage to that building.

On February 19, 2013, J.R. reported the loss due to fire damage at the Clifton Avenue residence to the insurance company, which issued a check for $50,000 to J.R. and the mortgage holder.  After the mortgage and other debts were paid off, the mortgage holder wrote J.R. a check for the balance, approximately $10,000.  After the fires on August 26, 2013, J.R. contacted the insurance companies for the vehicles and the Walbrook Avenue property to begin the insurance claims process, which continued by telephone and email, although neither insurer paid the claims.

Unbeknownst to Ramsey, on May 29, 2015, J.R. pleaded guilty to the insurance fraud scheme and the arsons.  According to the indictment, on September 14, 2015, Ramsey and J.R. had a detailed discussion about certain evidence at the co-conspirator’s upcoming trial.  Ramsey offered to have his “sister,” Roberts, falsely testify that J.R. was visiting her at her house in the vicinity of Walbrook Avenue as an explanation for why J.R. was in the area near the date and time the fires were set.  During that discussion, Ramsey also allegedly offered to have someone to kill a witness who would testify for the prosecution.  Ramsey and J.R. had additional discussions regarding Ramsey’s offer for Roberts to falsely testify on behalf of J.R.  The indictment alleges that Roberts confirmed that she was willing to offer false testimony, and took $1,000 from a confidential source as an initial payment. After that meeting Ramsey again brought up with the confidential source the possibility of getting money to pay an individual who was willing to murder a witness who was prepared to testify for the prosecution.  On November 2, 2015, Ramsey and Roberts met with J.R. to discuss the particulars of Roberts’ false testimony.  During a discussion about possibly killing any witness testifying for the prosecution, Roberts offered that she knew people who would be willing to commit such a murder.

The indictment alleges that on November 6, 2015, the confidential source introduced Ramsey to an undercover law enforcement officer (UC) to discuss Ramsey’s offer involving murdering a witness for a fee.  On November 13, 2014, Ramsey allegedly met with the UC and accepted $2,000 towards the $10,000 total fee that had been agreed upon for murdering a witness.  Ramsey then directed the UC to his residence where he retrieved a loaded .357 revolver, to be used to murder the witness. 

Ramsey faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for the wire fraud conspiracy; a maximum of 10 years in prison for one count of use of a fire to commit a federal felony and 20 years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, for each of the two other counts; a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison for each of four counts of malicious destruction of property by fire; a maximum of 30 years in prison for attempted witness tampering; a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence; and a maximum of 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.  Ramsey and Roberts each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for attempting to obstruct a federal investigation.  Ramsey and Roberts were both arrested on related charges on November 13 and November 18, 2015, respectively. Ramsey remains detained. Roberts is under the supervision of U.S. Pretrial Services.  An initial appearance on this indictment has not been scheduled. 

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

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the ATF, Baltimore Police Department, Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office and Anne Arundel County Fire Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Judson T. Mihok and Zachary A. Myers, who are prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – Chief U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake sentenced Jason Carpenski, age 28, of Brooklyn, Maryland, today to 188 months in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for production of child pornography. Chief Judge Blake ordered that upon his release from prison, Carpenski 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 United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Baltimore; Assistant Director in Charge Paul M. Abbate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Washington Field Office; and Anne Arundel County Police Chief Tim Altomare.

According to Carpenski’s plea agreement, on July 28, 2014, Carpenski responded to an internet advertisement placed by an undercover FBI Task Force Officer in Washington, D.C.. Over the next two days Carpenski discussed with the undercover officer in on-line and telephone communications his interest in images and activities involving sexual contact between adult males and their young, prepubescent daughters.  Carpenski told the undercover officer that he had access to two prepubescent girls and described sexual contact he had with both of them.  Carpenski sent the undercover officer a sexually explicit image that Carpenski had taken documenting his sexual abuse of one of the girls.

On August 5, 2015, a search warrant was executed at Carpenski’s residence.  Carpenski admitted that he utilized his cell phone to access the internet and communicate online.  Carpenski admitted taking sexually explicit images and inappropriately touching Victim One, who was younger than eight years old at the time of the conduct.  Carpenski also admitted sending some of the images he had taken of Victim One to individuals in other states and countries.  A search of Carpenski’s email account and forensic examination of his phone recovered over 500 images and four video files depicting prepubescent children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  Some of those images had also been emailed to others.

The case was investigated by the FBI-led Maryland Child Exploitation Task Force (MCETF), created in 2010 to combat child prostitution, with members from10 state and federal law enforcement agencies.  The Task Force coordinates with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Maryland State Police Child Recovery Unit to identify children who are being sexually exploited, and missing children being advertised online for prostitution.   

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.              

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI’s Baltimore and Washington Field Offices, and the Anne Arundel County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamera L. Fine, who prosecuted the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles, Jr. sentenced Brian Nettles, age 24, of Baltimore, today to 78 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute heroin.

On December 15 and 16, 2015, Judge Quarles sentenced Bruce Jeffries, age 37, of Baltimore was sentenced to seven years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and Kevin Gray, age 32, also of Baltimore, was sentenced to 77 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for the same charge.

The sentences were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge William P. McMullan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby.

According to their plea agreements, Jeffries, Nettles and Gray conspired with others to distribute heroin in Baltimore. Nettles joined the conspiracy in June 2014, Jeffries joined in August 2014, Gray joined in October 2014. During the conspiracy, Jeffries met with a co-conspirator to provide heroin for distribution by members of the conspiracy. Between September and November of 2014, law enforcement intercepted communications on the cellular phones of Jeffries and other conspirators.  During this time Nettles, Gray, Jeffries and others were heard discussing the distribution and payment for various amounts of heroin.  Jeffries was also intercepted giving members of the conspiracy instructions regarding the distribution of narcotics.  On November 14, 2014, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a “stash” house used by members of the conspiracy. During the search, law enforcement recovered 400 gel capsules of heroin from inside the stash house, along with another 100 gel capsules of heroin from a co-conspirator.  This seizure precipitated intercepted phone conversations between Jeffries and other co-conspirators regarding the seizure.

Jeffries and Nettles agree that during their participation in the conspiracy, they were responsible for the distribution of between one and three kilograms of heroin.  Gray admits that he was responsible for between 100 and 400 grams of heroin.

Ten other co-conspirators have pleaded guilty to their roles in the heroin distribution conspiracy.  Brian Carr, age 26; Walter Timmons, age 27; Darrell Randolph, age 27; Pernell Randolph, age 28; Marvin Germany, age 26; and Vincent Jones, age 52, all of Baltimore, have been sentenced to between 70 and 84 months in prison.  The remaining defendants are awaiting sentencing.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the ATF, Baltimore City Police Department, and the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Matthew Hoff, a cross-designated Baltimore City Assistant State’s Attorney, part of the Baltimore initiative to combat violent crime, who is prosecuting the case.

Baltimore, Maryland – Aleksey Sosonko, age 35, of Owings Mills, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy, kidnapping, and brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, in connection with the robbery of a jewelry store, including a home invasion robbery, carjacking and kidnapping.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger.         

According to his plea agreement, Sosonko was part of a conspiracy to rob an Owings Mills, Maryland, jewelry store.  In the course of the conspiracy, Sosonko participated in an armed home invasion robbery designed to obtain firearms for use in the later robbery of the jewelry store.

Specifically, on July 22, 2012, Sosonko, MaratYelizarov, Grigory Zilberman and another conspirator robbed a home in Reisterstown, Maryland.  Zilberman was familiar with the layout of the home, having been there as a guest on a number of occasions.  Zilberman knew that the residents of the home owned firearms and he had handled and fired some of the weapons.  After conducting surveillance of the home for several days prior to the robbery, at 2:30 a.m. on July 22, 2012, Sosonko, Yelizarov, Zilberman and the co-conspirator traveled to the home in Reisterstown.  Dressed all in black and wearing ski masks and latex gloves, the co-conspirators entered the home through the unlocked garage door.  The co-conspirator was armed with a handgun when they entered the residence.  Sosonko, Yelizarov, and Zilberman grabbed long guns and carried them throughout the home.  A resident of the home was asleep when the four robbers entered his bedroom and woke him up, pointing guns at him and shining flashlights in his eyes. One of the co-conspirators beat the resident when he tried to resist while another conspirator tied up the resident with a belt and a cord.  For approximately one hour the robbers ransacked the home looking for firearms and other valuables. After the robbers left, the resident was able to free himself and call police.  The resident was taken to the hospital for treatment of his injuries. Among the items stolen from the house were 10 long guns (rifles and shotguns), a crossbow, a laptop computer, and jewelry. Numerous electronic devices including computers and televisions were destroyed during the robbery. The value of the items stolen was approximately $10,000.

A co-conspirator devised a plan to commit an armed robbery of a jewelry store, and recruited Sosonko, Yelizarov, Zilberman, Igor Yasinov, Peter Magnis and others to participate in the robbery. Prior to the robbery, the conspirators gathered intelligence, including conducting surveillance and attaching a GPS device to the car of an employee of the jewelry store in order to learn the employee’s travel routine and habits.  Zilberman also exploited his friendship with the employee to obtain information about the operation of the jewelry store and the habits of the employee.

According to Sosonko’s plea agreement, on January 15, 2013, Zilberman enticed the employee to visit his home, in order to alert the other co-conspirators of the employee’s whereabouts.  While the employee was at Zilberman’s home, Sosonko, Yelizarov, Yasinov, Magnis and another conspirator met at the residence of a sixth conspirator to prepare for the kidnapping and robbery, including handling the firearms and donning masks and gloves. Yelizarov and one of the conspirators then drove to Zilberman’s home in order to alert the others of the employee’s departure.  Early in the morning on January 16, 2013, Yelizarov and the other conspirator followed the employee from Zilberman’s home for a while, and then stopped.  Meanwhile, Sosonko,Yasinov, Magnis and another co-conspirator, driving in a rental car obtained by Yasinov, used a law enforcement-type light bar and a loudspeaker to impersonate a police officer and pull over the employee. Brandishing firearms, Sosonko, Yasinov, Magnis and the other co-conspirator removed the employee from his car, bound and blindfolded the employee, put him into the trunk of his own car, and drove him to a predetermined location. Once at the location, Sosonko,Yasinov, Magnis, and the co-conspirator continued to brandish firearms and threatened to kill the employee’s family if he did not comply with their demands or if he reported the incident to police. The employee complied and at approximately 3:52 a.m., Sosonko and a co-conspirator drove the employee’s vehicle from the remote location to the jewelry store. Yasinov and Magnis stayed with the employee. Yelizarov and another co-conspirator were stationed near the jewelry store to act as “look-outs.”  Sosonko and a co-conspirator entered the jewelry store and stole jewelry, stones, and watches, valued at about $500,000, then drove back to the remote location.  The employee was then placed back into the trunk of his car and driven to another location, where he was left.  The employee was able to kick his way out of the trunk through the back seat of his car. Throughout the kidnapping and robbery, Sosonko and the other conspirators used their cell phones to communicate with each other. 

On January 18, 2013, one of the conspirators sold a portion of the stolen jewelry for approximately $29,000 to an FBI informant.  On January 19, 2013, the conspirator traveled to Brooklyn, New York to sell some of the jewelry and stones taken during the robbery, receiving over $100,000.  On January 21, 2013, the conspirator returned to Maryland and divided the cash proceeds among the members of the conspiracy and others. Sosonko received at least $60,000 for his role in the crimes.

Sosonko faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the robbery conspiracy; a maximum of life in prison for kidnapping; and a minimum mandatory sentence of seven years, and a maximum of life in prison for brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz has scheduled sentencing for March 2, 2016.

Grigoriy (Greg) Zilberman, age 24, of Owings Mills, Maryland, and Peter Aleksandrov Magnis, age 27, of Hydes, Maryland, Igor Yasinov, age 26, of Baltimore, and Marat Yelizarov, age 28, of Pikesville, previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the robbery conspiracy and are awaiting sentencing.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI, Baltimore County Police Department, and Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Paul E. Budlow and Aaron S. J. Zelinsky, who are prosecuting the case.