District of Maine
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Waldoboro Man Pleads Guilty to Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Waldoboro man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to Social Security fraud, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
According to court records, from about February 2000 through May 2018, Wayne Flaherty, 53, a recipient of Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”), concealed his receipt of money from another individual to maintain his eligibility to receive benefit payments. SSI benefits are paid to people with limited income who are blind, disabled or elderly. Flaherty was reportedly receiving at least $1,500 per month from this individual at the time he applied for benefits, but the amounts increased over the years, with Flaherty receiving a total of at least $846,615.18 from February 2012 through July 2017. The individual also provided Flaherty with a home in February 2012.
Flaherty did not notify the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) that he was receiving these payments at any point during the time he was receiving SSI payments, despite knowing he was required to report them. At an interview with law enforcement agents, he admitted to concealing this information from SSA because he was afraid his benefits would have stopped.
Flaherty faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
SSA’s Office of the Inspector General, the Maine Department of Health & Human Services, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and the Knox County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Aroostook County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Presque Isle man pleaded guilty in federal court today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
According to court records, between approximately July 2018 and May 2019, members of the conspiracy obtained methamphetamine in western and southern states from sources in Mexico. Conspirators distributed the drugs in Aroostook County and other parts of central and northern Maine. Michael Deveau, 35, traveled with co-conspirators on one such trip to Georgia to obtain methamphetamine and transport it back to Maine.
Deveau faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. He also faces between three years and a lifetime of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated this case with the assistance of multiple state and local law enforcement agencies.
The prosecution is a result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program, a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The OCDETF mission is to identify, investigate and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking enterprises, bringing together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement.
Aroostook County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Presque Isle man pleaded guilty in federal court today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
According to court records, between approximately July 2018 and May 2019, members of the conspiracy obtained methamphetamine in western and southern states from sources in Mexico. Kaleb Dahlgren, 32, and his co-conspirators distributed the drugs in Aroostook County and other parts of central and northern Maine. Dahlgren traveled with co-conspirators on at least one such trip to Mexico and Arizona to obtain methamphetamine and transport it back to Maine.
Dahlgren faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. He also faces between three years and a lifetime of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated this case with the assistance of multiple state and local law enforcement agencies.
The prosecution is a result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program, a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The OCDETF mission is to identify, investigate and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking enterprises, bringing together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement.
U.S. Attorney Launches Ad Campaign Aimed at Protecting Maine’s Elderly from FraudRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: U.S. Attorney Halsey Frank today announced the launch of a video public service announcement aimed at protecting Maine’s seniors from fraud.
Every day, thousands of older Americans fall victim to financial fraud. Scammers, both here in the U.S. and abroad, target our seniors. Their tactics include deception, demands, and in some cases, outright threats. They use phony lottery and sweepstakes scams. Among the other methods used are posing as government officials demanding back taxes that are not actually owed, unsolicited tech support, and other scams. The fraudsters steal an estimated $3 billion from American seniors every year.
“Increasingly, these scammers are becoming very sophisticated in their tactics,” said U.S. Attorney Frank. “That is why it is important for seniors and their caretakers to always be suspicious of any unsolicited requests for money and offers that sound too good to be true. If you didn’t play the lottery, you didn’t ‘win’ the lottery.
Never, under any circumstances, give your Social Security number, banking information, or any other sensitive information to anyone you don’t recognize.”
The video will appear as online ads, and eventually on social media platforms. The ad can also be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRWKSMG8AvI
The YouTube channel for the U.S. Attorney’s Office contains public service announcements on several topics in addition to elder fraud, including human trafficking, the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative and money mules. The channel can be accessed at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtSYDXolTp8Y2fDnIUsh4FQ/videos
Anyone who has been contacted by a suspected scammer or is the victim of one should call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Windham Woman Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Taiwanese Exchange StudentsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Windham woman waived indictment and pleaded guilty today in federal court to two counts of wire fraud stemming from her scheme to defraud Taiwanese exchange students studying in Maine, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
According to court records, between September 2016 and December 2019, Ni Ni Chang, 50, hosted two Taiwanese exchange students seeking to study abroad in Maine at the University of Southern Maine and Windham Christian Academy. Prior to their arrival, Chang falsely represented the cost of tuition and other educational expenses to the families of these students and pocketed the difference between the actual costs and the wrongfully inflated costs.
Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service investigated the case.
Clinton Woman Sentenced for Social Security Fraud and False StatementsRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Clinton woman was sentenced today in federal court for Social Security fraud and making false statements, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Katherine Prosper, 62, to four years of probation, with a condition of home confinement not to exceed six months. She was also ordered to pay $89,864.00 in restitution to the Social Security Administration (“SSA”). Prosper pleaded guilty on January 10, 2020.
According to court records, from about August 2006 through March 2019, Prosper, a recipient of Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”), concealed the presence of her husband in her household in order to maintain her eligibility to receive benefit payments. SSI benefits are paid to people with limited income who are blind, disabled or elderly. Prosper’s husband had sufficient income to render her ineligible for the benefits she received during that period. In multiple reviews of her eligibility for benefits, she falsely represented to SSA that she was living alone and not receiving help or money from any other person during this time. During an interview with law enforcement agents, she admitted to concealing her living situation from SSA because she knew it would make her ineligible to receive SSI.
SSA’s Office of the Inspector General and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.
Aroostook County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Houlton man pleaded guilty in federal court today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
According to court records, between approximately July 2018 and May 2019, members of the conspiracy obtained methamphetamine in western and southern states from sources in Mexico. Dylan Begin, 26, and his co-conspirators then distributed the drugs in Aroostook County and other parts of central and northern Maine.
Begin faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. He also faces between three years and a lifetime of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated this case with the assistance of multiple state and local law enforcement agencies.
The prosecution is a result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program, a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The OCDETF mission is to identify, investigate and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking enterprises, bringing together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement.
Aroostook County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Presque Isle man pleaded guilty in federal court today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
According to court records, between July 2018 and May 2019, Joel Strother, a/k/a “Jody,” 41, and other members of the conspiracy obtained methamphetamine in western and southern states from sources in Mexico. Strother personally made trips to Georgia, Arizona, California and Mexico to obtain methamphetamine, and also recruited and directed others to participate in similar trips. Once they transported the methamphetamine back to Maine, Strother and his co-conspirators distributed the drugs in Aroostook County and other parts of central and northern Maine. Strother also recruited and directed others to distribute the drugs.
Strother faces between 10 years and life in prison and a fine of up to $10 million. He also faces between five years and a lifetime of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated this case with the assistance of multiple state and local law enforcement agencies.
The prosecution is a result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program, a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The OCDETF mission is to identify, investigate and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking enterprises, bringing together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement.
Aroostook County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Importation ChargeRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: An Aroostook County man pleaded guilty today in federal court to importing methamphetamine into the United States from Canada, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
According to court records, on November 19, 2019, Lance Labreck, 25, of Hamlin, drove a snowmobile from the U.S. across the international border into Canada. Later that evening, he returned to the U.S. via snowmobile, carrying with him approximately 55 grams of methamphetamine he had obtained in Canada. When stopped by Border Patrol Agents, he admitted to possessing the methamphetamine and bringing it back over the international border into the U.S.
Labreck faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison. He also faces a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Border Patrol and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.
U.S. Attorney Halsey Frank's Message to Maine Law Enforcement on Law Enforcement Appreciation Day 2021Read the Press Release
"Dear Maine Law Enforcement Partners:
I write in honor of Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. Now more than ever, it is important to acknowledge those who wear a uniform, preserve the peace, and maintain law and order. Your doing so enables us to enjoy the liberties we cherish, and that the rest of the world envies. All too often, rather than thanks for providing these services, law enforcement is met with suspicion and distrust, and subjected to second-guessing and criticism.
Every day, Maine police officers, sheriff's deputies, state troopers and other law enforcement officers leave their homes and their loved ones to protect the rest of us. They don't know what dangers they may encounter. There is no guarantee that they will return home safely. These days, we ask even more. In addition to your law enforcement duties, you and your colleagues are required to perform the roles of drug treatment provider, paramedic, mental health professional, crisis interventionist, and domestic violence counselor.
So, thank you and your brothers and sisters in uniform, for all you do.
Sincerely,
Halsey B. Frank
U.S. Attorney"
U.S. Attorney Halsey Frank Issues Statement on Violence at U.S. CapitolRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Halsey Frank Statement on Violence at U.S. Capital
"Our democratic republic is designed to resolve contentious disagreements in a peaceful and orderly fashion. It accommodates differences of opinion, political speechmaking, and peaceful protest. It does not tolerate mob violence. Such violence is antithetical to our values and is a crime. If the District of Maine has jurisdiction over any of the criminal activity that took place at the U.S. Capitol yesterday, we will prosecute it."
Westbrook Man Sentenced for Child Sexual Exploitation OffenseRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Westbrook man was sentenced today in federal court for distributing images of child sexual exploitation, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Tyler Garnett, 23, to 78 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release. Judge Woodcock also ordered Garnett to pay a total of $12,000 in restitution to four victims depicted in images Garnett possessed. Garnett pleaded guilty on February 25, 2020.
According to court records, in July 2018, Garnett used the social media application Kik Messenger to chat over the internet with another Kik user. During the chat, Garnett sent several images that depicted minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Later in 2018, the Westbrook Police Department investigated a CyberTip provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding child pornography that had been uploaded to another social networking service. The IP address used to upload the child pornography was assigned to Garnett’s residence in Westbrook. Detectives interviewed Garnett in December 2018. He admitted uploading the images that were the subject of the CyberTip and using Kik Messenger to find child pornography. He consented to a search of his mobile telephone, which contained numerous images and videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The phone also contained evidence of Kik chats in which Garnett distributed child pornography images.
The Westbrook Police Department, the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit and the FBI investigated this case. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Operator of Waterville Medical Marijuana Business Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Benton man pleaded guilty today in federal court to distribution of cocaine and marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of firearms by an unlawful user of controlled substances, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
According to court records, on January 29, 2020, Daniel Hall, 32, distributed cocaine and marijuana to a confidential informant at Green Thumb Organics (GTO), Hall’s Waterville medical marijuana store. The informant did not have a medical marijuana patient card.
On February 19, 2020, investigators executed federal search warrants at GTO and Hall’s residence in Benton. At GTO, agents seized approximately three pounds of processed marijuana and “edible” marijuana items that in total weighed less than 50 kilograms. Agents also seized records, approximately $16,000 in cash proceeds, a video surveillance system and items of paraphernalia. At Hall’s residence, agents seized personal use quantities of drugs, drug paraphernalia, a handgun, two shotguns and ammunition.
Hall faces up to 20 years in prison, between three years and life on supervised release and a $1 million fine on the drug distribution charge. He faces up to five years imprisonment, two years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine on the drug possession charge. He faces up to 10 years imprisonment, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine on the firearms charge. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Waterville Police Department and the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Parsonsfield Man Sentenced for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Parsonsfield man was sentenced today in federal court for distributing fentanyl and possessing it with intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Kenneth Billings, 54, to 60 months imprisonment and four years of supervised release. Billings pleaded guilty on October 17, 2019.
According to court records, a confidential informant purchased fentanyl from Billings in Sebago on two occasions in January 2019. MDEA agents obtained a state arrest warrant for Billings and arrested him in February 2019, outside a Scarborough hotel where he had been staying. Agents searched him and recovered multiple packages containing over 40 grams of fentanyl, which he intended to distribute.
The FBI and the MDEA investigated the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case as part of the Department of Justice’s Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge, a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids.
Hancock Man Sentenced for Possessing Fentanyl with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Hancock man was sentenced today in federal court in Bangor for possessing with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a substance containing fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced William Smeal, 34, to 54 months in prison and four years of supervised release. Smeal pleaded guilty on January 21, 2020.
According to court records, on February 13, 2019, law enforcement officers encountered Smeal in Ellsworth, Maine. A bag containing over 100 grams of a substance containing fentanyl was seized from his car. Smeal admitted to purchasing drugs in Massachusetts that day. A search of Smeal’s home and an additional search of his car resulted in the seizure of more than 100 additional grams of a substance containing fentanyl.
The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the FBI investigated the case.
The prosecution is a result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program, a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The OCDETF mission is to identify, investigate and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking enterprises, bringing together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement.
Hancock County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Dedham man pleaded guilty in federal court today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
According to court records, between approximately July 2018 and May 2019, members of the conspiracy obtained methamphetamine in western and southern states from sources in Mexico. Brian Saunders, 38, and his co-conspirators then distributed the drugs in Aroostook County and other parts of central and northern Maine.
Saunders faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000. He also faces between three years and a lifetime of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated this case with the assistance of multiple state and local law enforcement agencies.
The prosecution is a result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program, a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The OCDETF mission is to identify, investigate and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking enterprises, bringing together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement.
Former Video Store Owner Sentenced to Five Years for Selling Counterfeit DVDsRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Mattawamkeag man was sentenced today in federal court for mail fraud and copyright infringement stemming from his online sales of counterfeit DVDs, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Douglas Gordon, 53, to five years in prison and two years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution to victims defrauded in the scheme. A jury found Gordon guilty on October 29, 2019, after a seven-day trial.
According to evidence presented at trial, Gordon, the former owner of a chain of video rental stores in eastern Maine, operated three websites from which he made more than $638,000 in sales of over 48,000 counterfeit copies of copyright-protected motion pictures. Representatives of MGM, CBS, Disney, Mercury Pictures and other copyright owners testified that Gordon did not have permission to reproduce and distribute the movies. A senior investigator employed by the Motion Picture Association identified the DVDs as counterfeit.
Based on undercover purchases made from the three websites, execution of search warrants and forensic analysis of computers, investigators from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) identified Gordon as the operator of the online businesses. A series of customers testified at trial that they expected based on website advertisements to receive authorized DVD movies with cover art and a plastic case, but instead received a paper envelope with nothing more than a burned disc with a laser-etched movie title. Several of Gordon’s former video store employees also provided evidence of his unlawful reproduction.
In imposing sentence, Judge Woodcock said he considered the “thousands of victims hoodwinked” when they made the online sales, as well as the scores of copyright holders harmed in the scheme.
HSI investigated the case, with assistance from the Maine Attorney General’s Office, the Brewer Police Department, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Better Business Bureau.
Palmyra Man Pleads Guilty to Accessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Palmyra man pleaded guilty today in federal court to one count of accessing child pornography with intent to view, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
According to court records, from an unknown date until about April 3, 2019, Isaac Bissell, 29, accessed with intent to view multiple images of children under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct. In December 2018, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a tip that an internet user was uploading child pornography images to an internet search engine. These uploads were traced to Bissell’s home in Palmyra. During the execution of a search warrant at Bissell’s home, he admitted he had used the internet to search for and download child pornography images. A subsequent forensic review of his electronic devices revealed numerous such images.
Bissell faces a minimum of 10 years and maximum of 20 years in prison. He will also be subject to a fine of up to $250,000. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit investigated the case.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects over $3.9 Million for U.S. Taxpayers in Fiscal Year 2020Read the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine collected more than $3.9 million in criminal, civil and asset forfeiture actions in Fiscal Year (FY) 2020.
The office collected $2,510,154.90 in criminal and civil actions in FY 2020. Of this amount, $1,266,454.39 was collected in criminal actions and $1,243,700.51 was collected in civil actions.
Working with partner agencies and divisions, the office also collected $1,402,885.75 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2020. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office works for the taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney Frank. “So it is always gratifying to learn that our team’s efforts have led to the successful collection of funds on their behalf. We will continue to seek justice for crime victims and to ensure that criminals do not profit from their illegal behavior.”
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
As a whole, the Justice Department collected more than $15.9 billion in civil and criminal actions in FY 2020. This amount represents more than five times the approximately $3.2 billion appropriated budget for the 94 U.S. Attorneys’ offices and the main litigating divisions of the Justice Department combined in that same period. The total includes all monies collected through Justice Department-led enforcement actions and negotiated civil settlements. It includes more than $13.5 billion in payments made directly to the Justice Department, and more than $2.4 billion in indirect payments made to other federal agencies, states and other designated recipients.
Skowhegan Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Skowhegan man pleaded guilty today in federal court to a 41-count indictment charging a series of child sexual exploitation offenses, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
According to court records, between about January 2018 and October 2019, Christopher Raiche, 29, produced sexually explicit photographs of multiple children under the age of nine. He also possessed child pornography on his phone and in an online account. He used this online account to solicit and trade child pornography with others on the internet. Part of this activity included sending “links” to an online storage account containing part of his collection of child pornographic material.
Raiche faces up to 30 years in prison on each of four counts of sexual exploitation of children, and up to 20 years in prison on each of the remaining 37 counts alleging receipt, transportation, possession, solicitation and advertising of child pornography. He will also be subject to a fine of up to $250,000 for each count. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit investigated this case. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
New York Man Sentenced on Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Brooklyn, New York man was sentenced today in federal court for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base and heroin, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
Chief U.S. District Judge Jon D. Levy sentenced Edward Canty III, aka “Demo,” 32, to 66 months in prison and three years of supervised release. A jury found Canty guilty on October 24, 2019, following a four-day trial.
According to trial evidence, between September 2016 and December 2016, Canty and others conspired to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine base and heroin transported from outside Maine for distribution in Portland.
At the time of his participation in the conspiracy in Maine, Canty was on federal supervised release for a federal drug trafficking conspiracy charge out of New York. He and another conspirator, Akeem Cruz, 31, of Brooklyn, New York, assaulted another individual during the drug conspiracy. In commenting on Canty’s engagement in violence, Chief Judge Levy noted the assault and then added, “Selling heroin to heroin addicts requires a certain level of callousness.”
Another conspirator who was also found guilty at trial, Melquan Jordan, 31, also of Brooklyn, New York, has yet to be sentenced.
The Portland and South Portland Police Departments; the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the FBI investigated the case.
Waterville Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Waterville man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to three drug-related offenses, including conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
According to court records, Rodney Lacroix, 32, distributed fentanyl in Kennebec County between May 2017 and October 2018. He obtained fentanyl from out-of-state sources and used a network of distributors to sell in excess of 400 grams of the drug.
Lacroix faces at least 15 years in prison and up to life. He also faces a $20 million fine and at least ten years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case with assistance provided by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Waterville Police Department and the Maine State Police.
Sanford Woman Sentenced for Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl and CocaineRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Sanford woman was sentenced today in federal court for conspiring to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
U.S. District Judge George Z. Singal sentenced Jennifer Golden, 47, to 41 months in prison and four years of supervised release. Golden pleaded guilty on February 5, 2020.
According to court records, Golden conspired with others to distribute fentanyl and cocaine in southern Maine between October 2018 and September 2019. During the course of the conspiracy, one of Golden’s co-conspirators was arrested in Massachusetts while making a run to purchase drugs for her. Police officers seized over 40 grams of cocaine and 100 grams of fentanyl incident to that arrest. On September 26, 2019, members of the FBI’s Safe Streets Gang Task Force and other officers executed search and arrest warrants at Golden’s residence in Sanford. During the search, agents seized cocaine base, cocaine powder, fentanyl, psilocybin mushrooms, cutting agents and a digital scale with drug residue.
The FBI and the Sanford Police Department investigated the case.
Old Orchard Beach Man Sentenced for Fentanyl and Crack Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: An Old Orchard Beach man was sentenced today in federal court for conspiring to distribute fentanyl and crack cocaine, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
Chief U.S. District Judge Jon D. Levy sentenced Aboubacar Congo, 32, to 78 months imprisonment and three years of supervised release. Congo pleaded guilty in October 2019.
According to court records, between September and November 2018, Congo conspired with several other individuals to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and crack cocaine. Congo served as the leader of a group that obtained the drugs from out-of-state suppliers and distributed them to customers in the Old Orchard Beach area. Congo maintained an apartment in Old Orchard Beach where he and other conspirators lived. When agents executed a search warrant at the apartment in November 2018, they found fentanyl and crack cocaine inside.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced for Bank Fraud and Identity Theft OffensesRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Boston man was sentenced today in federal court for conspiring to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, as well as bank fraud and aiding and abetting aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
U.S. District Judge D. Brock Hornby sentenced Rahshjeem Benson, 38, to 57 months in prison and three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $123,292.11 in restitution. Benson pleaded guilty on October 31, 2019.
According to court records, beginning in about December of 2018, Benson participated in a scheme to defraud banks and credit unions throughout New England. Members of the conspiracy obtained the names and personal identifying information of individuals with good credit scores. They then applied for unsecured personal loans in the names of victims with no intention of repaying. In connection with those loan applications, members of the conspiracy presented fictitious identification documents (such as driver’s licenses) bearing the names of individuals whose identities had been stolen, and a photograph of the co-conspirator who was posing as the victim. Members of the conspiracy also created bogus paystubs and purported residential lease agreements in the names of the victims to support the fraudulent loan applications.
As part of the conspiracy, Benson and his co-conspirators fraudulently obtained loans from financial institutions in Buxton and Kittery in January 2019. The scheme ended when a loan officer became suspicious and alerted local law enforcement. Kittery police officers arrested Benson while he was attempting to obtain $20,000 in loan proceeds from one of the financial institutions.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Kittery Police Department investigated the case.
Augusta Man Sentenced for Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: An Augusta man was sentenced today in federal court for two counts of making false statements to a federally licensed firearms dealer, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Keegan Hale, 23, to time served and three years of supervised release. Hale entered custody when he pleaded guilty on March 10, 2020.
According to court records, Hale purchased firearms for another individual on two occasions in September and October 2018. On each occasion, he completed and signed a form certifying he was the actual purchaser of the firearm, when he was actually purchasing the guns for anther individual.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Augusta Police Department investigated the case.
This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
New York Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Cocaine Base and Fentanyl with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A New York man pleaded guilty Friday in federal court to possessing cocaine base and fentanyl with intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
According to court records, on November 15, 2019, law enforcement officers encountered Terrence Robinson, aka “Trevor Scott,” 27, in Bangor. Robinson had active warrants for his arrest. Officers searched Robinson and located packages of drugs concealed in his pants. Officers seized a package containing 66.9 grams of a mixture containing cocaine base and a package containing 68.9 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl, heroin and methamphetamine.
Robinson faces between five and 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $5 million. He also faces between four years and a lifetime of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Maine State Police and the Bangor Police Department investigated the case.
Newport Woman Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Stealing from Federally Funded ProgramRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Newport woman pleaded guilty today in federal court to wire fraud and federal government program theft, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
According to court records, from June 2015 through April 2019, Sheri G. Walsh, 56, embezzled more than $250,000 from two nonprofit organizations where she worked. Walsh carried out the scheme by fraudulently transferring funds from one organization to another, then converting the funds to her own use. During the relevant period, one of the nonprofits received federal grant monies from both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Walsh faces up to 20 years in prison on the mail fraud charge and up to 10 years in prison on the theft charge. She also faces up to three years of supervised release and a fine. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The Ellsworth Police Department, the FBI, the EPA Office of Inspector General and the USDA Office of Inspector General investigated the case.
Washington County Man Sentenced for Distributing Cocaine BaseRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Princeton, Maine man was sentenced today in federal court in Bangor for distributing cocaine base, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Robert McKenna, 50, to 135 months in prison and three years of supervised release. McKenna pleaded guilty on January 21, 2020.
According to court records, on April 25, 2019, McKenna sold crack to an undercover agent from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency at a residence in Indian Township.
The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the FBI investigated the case.
The prosecution is a result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program, a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The OCDETF mission is to identify, investigate and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking enterprises, bringing together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement.
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Using Counterfeit Credit CardsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Bowie, Maryland man pleaded guilty today in federal court to using counterfeit credit cards, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced.
According to court records, in December 2018, Charles Harris, 37, and his co-defendant, Bryan Boley, used counterfeit credit cards at Maine retail outlets. The credit card numbers were purchased online.
Harris faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He also faces up to three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. Harris’s co-defendant Boley was sentenced on November 15, 2019, to 22 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
The U.S. Secret Service; the Maine State Police; and the Auburn, Brunswick, Cape Elizabeth and Yarmouth Police Departments investigated the case.
Former Brewer Resident Sentenced for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A former Brewer resident was sentenced today in federal court for possessing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Joseph L. Messier, 55, to 220 months in prison and 15 years of supervised release. Messier pleaded guilty on October 17, 2019.
According to court records, Messier possessed videos of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct, which he had purposefully sought out and received through the internet in early 2018. These videos depicted the sexual exploitation of prepubescent children under the age of 12. Messier faced an enhanced sentence of 10–20 years in prison because of a prior sex offense conviction.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit investigated this case. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced for Distributing Fatal Dose of FentanylRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Fairhaven, Massachusetts man was sentenced today in federal court for distributing a fatal dose of fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Cameron Soto, 28, to 19 years in prison and six years of supervised release. Soto was also ordered to pay $4,420 in restitution. He pleaded guilty on June 13, 2019, to two counts of distributing fentanyl.
According to court records, on March 14, 2017, Soto distributed fentanyl to a resident of St. George, Maine. The recipient of the drugs died as a result. The following day, after learning of the overdose, Soto distributed additional fentanyl to a confidential informant.
The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
US Law Enforcement Takes Action Against Approximately 2,300 Money Mules in Global Crackdown on Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and six other federal law enforcement agencies announced the completion of the third annual Money Mule Initiative, a coordinated operation to disrupt the networks through which transnational fraudsters move the proceeds of their crimes. Money mules are individuals who assist fraudsters by receiving money from victims of fraud and forwarding it to the fraud organizers, many of whom are located abroad. Some money mules know they are assisting fraudsters, but others are unaware that their actions enable fraudsters’ efforts to swindle money from consumers, businesses, and government unemployment funds. Europol announced a simultaneous effort, the European Money Mule Action (EMMA) today.
Over the last two months, U.S. law enforcement agencies took action against over 2,300 money mules, far surpassing last year’s effort, which acted against over 600 money mules. This year, actions occurred in every state in the country. The initiative announced today targeted money mules involved in a wide range of schemes including lottery fraud, romance scams, government imposter fraud, technical support fraud, business email compromise or CEO fraud, and unemployment insurance fraud. Many of these schemes target elderly or vulnerable members of society. “Money mules fuel fraud against some of America’s most vulnerable populations. Without the help of these money mules, many foreign fraud enterprises find it difficult to profit off of U.S. victims,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “As this initiative demonstrates, the Department of Justice is committed to disrupting money mule networks, taking actions against more money mules this year than ever before, in an effort to cut off the flow of funds from American consumers and businesses to transnational criminal organizations.” Eight federal law enforcement agencies participated in this year’s effort.
Led by the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch, the FBI, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the participating agencies include the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, U.S. Secret Service, and U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
Some highlights from this year’s efforts are:
- Actions were taken to halt the conduct of approximately 2,300 money mules, spanning 92 federal districts.
- Law enforcement served approximately 2,000 money mules with letters warning the money mules that they were facilitating fraud and could face civil or criminal consequences for continuing their actions. Agents conducted over 450 interviews.
- On approximately 30 instances, agents seized assets or facilitated the return of victim funds. Among the asset seizures was a 2019 Lamborghini, which was seized as part of an investigation into a business email compromise scheme.
- The U.S. Postal Inspection Service filed 14 administrative actions requiring money mules to cease facilitating fraud.
- U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Consumer Protection Branch filed 17 civil injunctive actions seeking court orders requiring money mules to stop facilitating fraudulent activity. Districts filing those actions include the Western District of Washington, District of South Carolina, Middle District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Central District of California, Northern District of New York, and District of Colorado.
Additionally, more than 35 individuals were criminally charged or arrested for their roles in
receiving victim payments and forwarding the fraud proceeds to accomplices or laundering fraud
proceeds. Cases include:- -The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California indicted three individuals for collecting parcels containing victim proceeds in a government imposter scheme.
- -The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland indicted three individuals for opening bank accounts using falsified documents for the purposes of facilitating a business email compromise scam.
- The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas indicted an individual for facilitating a lottery fraud scheme. The indictment also seeks to forfeit over $1.2 million.
- The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio indicted two money mules who facilitated a grandparents scam.
- -The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia charged a money mule who laundered gift cards purchased by fraud victims.
Additional criminal charges were brought by U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Southern District of Florida, Western District of Pennsylvania, Western District of North Carolina, Southern District of Texas, the Southern District of Mississippi, and the District of New Jersey.
The above charges are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
“The success of the Money Mule Initiative is the culmination of the hard work by and coordination between the FBI and our federal, state, local, and international partners,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “This campaign has resulted in hundreds of criminal arrests worldwide and justice for countless victims. Today’s announcement should send a clear message to those engaged in this type of criminal activity: they are not outside the reach of law enforcement, and the FBI and its partners will relentlessly pursue them in order to protect the American people.”
“The Postal Inspection Service has zero tolerance for fraudsters who use the U.S. Mail to transport funds from scammed victims,” said Chief Postal Inspector Gary Barksdale. “Postal Inspectors use cutting-edge technology to build strong cases and campaigns like those announced today, which make significant progress towards disrupting money mule networks. Postal Inspectors and our law enforcement partners will be relentless in the pursuit of criminal organizations that perpetrate these schemes.”
The agencies participating in the Money Mule Initiative and community partners are undertaking an outreach campaign to increase awareness of how fraudsters use and recruit money mules. U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country, through their Elder Justice Coordinators, will be reaching out to their communities to educate the public about money mules. AmeriCorp Seniors (formerly Senior Corps) will be working to increase awareness of how money mules facilitate fraud and how consumers can avoid unwittingly assisting fraud schemes.Additionally, the American Bankers Association will be engaging with its members on money mules and the role of financial institutions in addressing the problem. The Department of Justice will also be distributing resources for state and local law enforcement on identifying, disrupting, investigating, and prosecuting money mules.
To find public education materials, as well as information about how fraudsters use and recruit money mules, please visit www.justice.gov.Since President Trump signed the bipartisan Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act (EAPPA) into law, the Department of Justice has participated in hundreds of enforcement actions in criminal and civil cases that targeted or disproportionately affected seniors. In January 2020, the department designated “Preventing and Disrupting Transnational Elder Fraud” as an Agency Priority Goal, one of its top four priorities. In March 2020, the department announced the largest elder fraud enforcement action in American history, charging more than 400 defendants in a nationwide elder fraud sweep. The department has also conducted hundreds of trainings and outreach sessions across the country since the passage of the Act.
The department’s extensive efforts to combat elder fraud seek to halt the billions of dollars seniors lose each year to fraud schemes, including those perpetrated by transnational criminal organizations. The best method for prevention, however, is sharing information about the various types of elder fraud schemes with relatives, friends, neighbors, and other seniors who can use that information to protect themselves. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud,
help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim, and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00
p.m. eastern time. English, Spanish and other languages are available. The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.Aroostook County Man Sentenced on Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: An Aroostook County man was sentenced today in federal court in Bangor for conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Andrew Maynard, 30, to 92 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Maynard pleaded guilty in March 2020.
According to court records, between January 2017 and August 2018, a drug trafficking organization distributed large quantities of methamphetamine in northern Maine. The organization obtained the drugs from out-of-state sources in Colorado and Arizona. The organization sent thousands of dollars in U.S. currency to those sources in order to supply its drug trafficking enterprise. Maynard aided the organization by distributing methamphetamine and collecting proceeds from the sale of the drug.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case.
Gorham Man Pleads Guilty to Receiving and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Gorham man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Portland to receiving and possessing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
According to court records, in May 2018, investigators with the Gorham Police Department executed a search warrant at the home of Carl Loomis, 64. Loomis admitted to investigators that he had child pornography images on his phone and that he had sent images to others using chat sites. A later review of Loomis’s iPhone revealed that in February 2018, he had received child pornography images on the chat application Kik. His iPhone and a thumb drive found in his home contained large numbers of images depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Loomis faces no less than five years and up to 20 years in prison on the receipt charge, and up to 20 years in prison on the possession charge. He faces a fine of up to $250,000 on each charge. He also faces a term of supervised release following his release from prison of no less than 5 years and up to life. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The Gorham Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.
Freeport Resident Sentenced for Accessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Freeport man was sentenced today in federal court for accessing the internet with intent to view child pornography, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
U.S. District Judge Joseph N. Laplante sentenced George Royle V, 46, to 32 months imprisonment and five years of supervised release. Royle was convicted in January 2020 following a three-day jury trial.
According to evidence presented at trial, in July 2015, agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a search warrant at Royle’s Portland home. Agents seized a laptop computer under the warrant. A forensic analysis of the laptop showed that Royle had been accessing internet websites containing child pornography images with the intent to view them. He also had been using peer-to-peer file-sharing software to seek out child pornography.
HSI and the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit investigated the case.
# # #
Connecticut Man Sentenced to Six Years for Unlawfully Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Connecticut man was sentenced in federal court today in Portland for being a felon in possession of firearms, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
U.S. District Judge George Z. Singal sentenced Jeremy Rogers, 26, to six years in prison and three years of supervised release. Rogers pleaded guilty on February 20, 2020.
According to court records, in the summer of 2019, Rogers moved to Maine. After living briefly in Lewiston, he moved in with a family in Rockport that owned numerous firearms. On August 18, 2019, he took a Stag Arms multi-caliber rifle and a Glock 9 mm pistol, loaded ammunition into each, and fired them on the property outside of the Rockport residence. Rogers was prohibited from possessing firearms because of his 2016 Connecticut convictions for Criminal Possession of a Firearm and Risk of Injury to a Child.
The FBI, the U.S. Border Patrol, and the Rockport, Rockland and Thomaston police departments investigated the case.
Winthrop Man Sentenced to 15 years for Unlawfully Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Winthrop man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Bangor for being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Jonathan Bowers, 32, to 15 years in prison and two years of supervised release. Bowers pleaded guilty on September 14, 2017.
According to court records, on April 9, 2016, while at a car repair shop in Chelsea, Maine, Bowers carried a 9 mm pistol in a holster on his hip. Surveillance footage captured him in possession of the pistol. Law enforcement officers later recovered the pistol and the holster. Bowers was prohibited from possessing firearms because of his four felony convictions for burglary and three felony convictions for theft. Due to his burglary convictions, he was subject to a 15-year mandatory minimum sentence under the Armed Career Criminal Act.
In his allocution, Bowers told the court, “Had I known what I was actually facing by possessing a gun I would have distanced myself as far as possible from them.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about PSN, please visit http://www.justice.gov.
# # #
Lewiston Man Sentenced for Crack Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Lewiston man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Portland for distributing cocaine base, also known as crack cocaine, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
U.S. District Judge George Z. Singal sentenced James Robertson, 31, to eight years in prison and three years of supervised release. Judge Singal sentenced Robertson to a consecutive two year prison term because he also had violated his conditions of supervised release stemming from a 2016 federal drug trafficking conviction. Robertson pleaded guilty on October 2, 2019.
According to court records, on January 29, 2019, Robertson distributed cocaine base to a confidential informant in Lewiston. At the time of the offense, Robertson was on federal supervised release following his 2016 drug trafficking conviction. In imposing sentence, Judge Singal noted Robertson’s substantial criminal history, which placed him in the highest criminal history category under the federal sentencing guidelines.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lewiston Police Department investigated the case.
# # #
Iraqi Man Sentenced for Willfully Violating Order of SupervisionRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: An Iraqi national was sentenced today in federal court in Bangor for willfully failing to comply with the terms of release under supervision, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John Nivison sentenced Mustafa Hatem Abdulkadhim Al-Shuwaili, 28, to 12 months in federal prison. He pleaded guilty on December 17, 2019.
According to court records, Al-Shuwaili entered the U.S. in 2012. An immigration judge ordered him removed to Iraq in December 2015. In October 2018, pending his removal from the U.S., he signed an Order of Supervision with the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The order prohibited him from committing any crimes while on release, among other conditions. On June 11, 2019, he was convicted in Penobscot County of felony Domestic Violence Assault, with Priors.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated the case.
# # #
Top Maine Law Enforcement Officials Caution Residents About Becoming “Money Mules”Read the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: U.S. Attorney Halsey Frank and Maine Attorney General Aaron M. Frey are warning consumers about scammers recruiting “money mules.”
According to the FBI, a money mule is someone who transfers illegally acquired money at the direction of another. Criminals recruit consumers to receive money and then physically or electronically move it through their own bank accounts, or to assist with moving money in other ways. Some of the schemes include instructions to wire the money into a third-party bank account, “cash out” the money via several cashier’s checks, convert the money into a virtual currency or prepaid debit card, send the money via a money service business, or conduct a combination of these actions. The basic purpose of the scheme is to add layers to a money trail from a victim to a criminal actor.
Criminals frequently recruit “money mules” through online job or dating websites, social networking sites, online classifieds, email spam and dark web forums. A frequent tactic involves befriending people online, often even establishing online romances, with the parties never meeting one another in person.
Oftentimes, the potential “money mule” is told the person they are “helping” is unable for some reason to access a bank account. Mainers should always be extremely suspicious of these types of stories, particularly from someone they don’t know.
The “money mule” scam has escalated in Maine since the beginning of the pandemic. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, more than 300 Maine residents have become “money mules” during the pandemic.
U.S. Attorney Frank said, “It’s critical for Mainers to be wary of any unsolicited offer of friendship or money, either online or on the phone. If you have a boyfriend or girlfriend you’ve never met, or have tried to help someone who says they are a service member trapped overseas, you could be helping a criminal launder money and not even know it.”
Maine Attorney General Frey said, “When in doubt, we urge Mainers to take steps to determine if a message they have received is legitimate. We are frequently contacted by individuals who suspect they may have been victimized by someone seeking to take advantage of them, and we are here to help.”
Attorney General Frey noted that the Office of the Attorney General has a Consumer Protection Division, which can be reached at (800) 436-2131 or at [email protected].
If you think that you have been victimized by a money mule scam, please call your local police or the U.S. Attorney’s Office immediately.
More information on these fraudulent schemes is available on the following websites:
- FBI Money Mule Public Service Announcement: http://www.ic3.gov/media/2009/090203.aspx
- United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team: https://www.us-cert.gov/sites/default/files/publications/money_mules.pdf
# # #
Top Maine Law Enforcement Officials Caution Residents About Becoming “Money Mules”Read the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: U.S. Attorney Halsey Frank and Maine Attorney General Aaron M. Frey are warning consumers about scammers recruiting “money mules.”
According to the FBI, a money mule is someone who transfers illegally acquired money at the direction of another. Criminals recruit consumers to receive money and then physically or electronically move it through their own bank accounts, or to assist with moving money in other ways. Some of the schemes include instructions to wire the money into a third-party bank account, “cash out” the money via several cashier’s checks, convert the money into a virtual currency or prepaid debit card, send the money via a money service business, or conduct a combination of these actions. The basic purpose of the scheme is to add layers to a money trail from a victim to a criminal actor.
Criminals frequently recruit “money mules” through online job or dating websites, social networking sites, online classifieds, email spam and dark web forums. A frequent tactic involves befriending people online, often even establishing online romances, with the parties never meeting one another in person.
Oftentimes, the potential “money mule” is told the person they are “helping” is unable for some reason to access a bank account. Mainers should always be extremely suspicious of these types of stories, particularly from someone they don’t know.
The “money mule” scam has escalated in Maine since the beginning of the pandemic. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, more than 300 Maine residents have become “money mules” during the pandemic.
U.S. Attorney Frank said, “It’s critical for Mainers to be wary of any unsolicited offer of friendship or money, either online or on the phone. If you have a boyfriend or girlfriend you’ve never met, or have tried to help someone who says they are a service member trapped overseas, you could be helping a criminal launder money and not even know it.”
Maine Attorney General Frey said, “When in doubt, we urge Mainers to take steps to determine if a message they have received is legitimate. We are frequently contacted by individuals who suspect they may have been victimized by someone seeking to take advantage of them, and we are here to help.”
Attorney General Frey noted that the Office of the Attorney General has a Consumer Protection Division, which can be reached at (800) 436-2131 or at [email protected].
If you think that you have been victimized by a money mule scam, please call your local police or the U.S. Attorney’s Office immediately.
More information on these fraudulent schemes is available on the following websites:
- FBI Money Mule Public Service Announcement: http://www.ic3.gov/media/2009/090203.aspx
- United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team: https://www.us-cert.gov/sites/default/files/publications/money_mules.pdf
Congolese Man Pleads Guilty to Mail Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Congolese man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Portland to conspiring to commit mail fraud, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
According to court documents, from March 2015 to November 2016, Mukonkole Huge Kifwa, 35, participated in a conspiracy to obtain money through a fraudulent credit card scheme using an international mail carrier. Kifwa and his co-conspirators obtained unauthorized access to bank accounts belonging to unwitting individuals in the United Kingdom, with cash advances using fraudulent credit cards.
Kifwa faces up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a $1,000,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The Scarborough Police Department; the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; and the City of London (U.K.) Police Department investigated the case.
Brewer Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Brewer man was sentenced today in federal court in Bangor for being a felon in possession of two firearms, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Jamey Brigley, 33, to five years in prison and three years of supervised release. Brigley pleaded guilty on March 5, 2020.
According to court records, on May 17, 2019, Brewer police officers found Brigley in possession of brass knuckles. He later physically resisted and struggled with an officer, and two additional officers had to assist in securing him. When officers searched his backpack following his arrest, they found two pistols, one of which had an obliterated, unreadable serial number. Brigley admitted that he knew he could not legally buy or own a firearm. He was prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior felony convictions, including convictions for Unlawful Possession of Oxycodone and Unlawful Trafficking in Scheduled Drugs in 2015.
The Brewer Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about PSN, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psn.
# # #
Bucksport Woman Sentenced for Aiding and Abetting Counterfeit DVD SchemeRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Bucksport woman was sentenced in federal court in Bangor on November 2 for aiding and abetting a mail fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Heidi Pugliese, 54, to five years of probation. She was also ordered to pay restitution to victims defrauded in the scheme.
Pugliese pleaded guilty in August 2019 to aiding and abetting Douglas Gordon in carrying out his Maine-based scheme to sell counterfeit DVDs online. An investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) revealed that Gordon, the former owner of a chain of video rental stores in eastern Maine, operated three websites from which he made hundreds of thousands of dollars in sales of more than 48,000 counterfeit copies of copyright-protected movies. Pugliese assisted the scheme over a 21‑month period from 2013 to 2015, during which time it brought in approximately $140,000.
Gordon was convicted of mail fraud and copyright infringement charges in October 2019 after a seven-day jury trial in which Pugliese testified for the government.HSI investigated the case, with assistance from the Maine Attorney General’s Office, the Brewer Police Department, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Better Business Bureau.
# # #
Lewiston Man Sentenced to over Six Years on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Lewiston man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Portland for possession of a firearm by a felon, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
U.S. District Judge George Z. Singal sentenced Gage Henry, 21, to 78 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Henry pleaded guilty to the charge on January 28, 2020.
On June 20, 2019, law enforcement officers, possessing a state arrest warrant for Henry, located him in a Lewiston motel room in possession of a loaded .45 caliber pistol. Investigators later recovered his DNA from the surface of the pistol. At the time he possessed the pistol, he was on Maine state probation for a prior violent crime.
Records from the Androscoggin County Superior Court reflect that on October 23, 2017, Henry was convicted of Aggravated Assault, a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year, and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law.
When pronouncing sentence, Judge Singal stated, “I’m mostly concerned with violence here,” and, “What we’ve had here is an escalation of violence … that could lead to severe consequences for society.”
The Lewiston and Auburn Police Departments, the Maine State Police Crime Laboratory, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Waterville Woman Pleads Guilty to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Waterville woman pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Bangor to wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
According to court records, from December 2014 through October 2019, Beth Bing, 49, made unauthorized use of her employer’s corporate credit cards, and used fraudulent interstate communications via telephone and email in furtherance of the scheme.
Bing faces up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The FBI and the Waldo County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Record 57 Tons of Prescription Drugs, Electronic Vaping Devices and Cartridges Collected Around New England During 19th National Prescription Drug Take Back DayRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank joined the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in announcing the results from the 19th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, which occurred on October 26, 2020.
Over the course of four hours, DEA New England and its partners collected 115,944.24 pounds—or over 57 tons—of expired, unused, unwanted prescription drugs, electronic vaping devices and cartridges at 586 collection sites throughout New England. This is in comparison to the first National Prescription Drug Take Back Day in September 2010, when the division collected 25,810 pounds of unwanted drugs.
Maine had the second highest total in all of New England, with 40,100 pounds of prescription drugs and vaping devices collected.
“Thanks to the public over 57 tons of unwanted, expired, unused, prescription drugs, electronic vaping devices and cartridges have now been taken out of harm’s way across New England,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. These events are only made possible through the hard work of our law enforcement, coalitions and community partners and DEA thanks each and every one of them for their efforts in making this initiative a huge success.”
The following is a breakdown of collected weights in pounds for the six New England states:
Massachusetts
40,284.81
Maine
40,100.00
New Hampshire
16,840.00
Connecticut
8,002.50
Rhode Island
6,218.70
Vermont
4,498.23
Total
115,944.24
Pennsylvania Man Sentenced for Attempting to Transfer Obscene Material to a MinorRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Pennsylvania man was sentenced in federal court in Bangor today for attempting to transfer obscene material to a minor, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Aaron Dyer, 35, to 30 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. The defendant pleaded guilty on December 11, 2019.
According to court records, Dyer, using the multimedia messaging application Snapchat, sent images of his genitalia to the internet connected device of a 10-year-old girl living in Maine. Dyer requested in a message accompanying the images that the girl send back nude images of herself. The defendant admitted that he was aware that the intended recipient of his Snapchat message was 10 years old. The images were intercepted by the girl’s mother before they were viewed by the girl.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Maine State Police investigated the case. 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
# # #
Rochester, New York Man Sentenced to over Ten Years in Prison on Federal Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Rochester, New York man was sentenced in federal court in Bangor for conspiring to distribute heroin and cocaine base (commonly known as “crack”), distributing heroin and crack, and conspiring to violate federal firearms laws, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Deondray Warren, a/k/a “Mane,” a/k/a “Main,” a/k/a “Maine,” a/k/a “Manny,” 35, to 10 years and 11 months in prison and three years of supervised release for the drug trafficking offenses. Warren also received a concurrent sentence of five years in prison and three years of supervised release on the firearm conspiracy charge.
According to court records, between November 2016 and September 2017, Warren conspired with others from Rochester and Maine to distribute heroin and crack. Warren worked with others to sell drugs in central Maine that had been transported from Rochester. In addition, some of the people to whom Warren and other conspirators sold drugs also conspired with him to illegally obtain 12 firearms from Augusta-area firearms dealers. Warren and others recruited straw purchasers, gave them instructions on which firearms to purchase, and then paid them in cash or drugs to make the purchases using money that he provided. The firearms were then transported to Rochester. Warren used one of the firearms during a domestic violence incident involving his wife in Rochester when he fired several rounds at her.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case. The case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s program to combat the opioid epidemic.
# # #