Eastern District of Michigan
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Detroit Woman Convicted of Stealing Social Security Disability Benefits for More Than a DecadeRead the Press Release
DETROIT - A Detroit woman was convicted by a federal jury yesterday for stealing more than $90,000 from the Social Security Administration (SSA) and its programs, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Chancellor Melvin, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Social Security Administration (SSA) Office of the Inspector General, Chicago Field Division.
Ernestine Hogue, a/k/a Ernestine Calhoun, 73, was convicted following a two-day jury trial in Ann Arbor, before United States District Judge Judith E. Levy. This is her fourth federal felony conviction for fraud.
Between 2003 and 2015, Hogue—despite working under her true identity—fraudulently collected disability insurance benefits under the name of Ernestine Calhoun, using a second social security number that she had previously obtained under false pretenses. Over the years, Hogue also made multiple false statements to SSA, repeatedly concealing her employment from the government. In total, Hogue’s scheme allowed her to fraudulently obtain $91,461.60 in government money to which she was not entitled.
“This defendant worked (and lied about working) while receiving Social Security disability benefits—benefits meant for people who are unable to work,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “Our office stands ready to aggressively prosecute those who steal from taxpayers and programs designed to help those in need. “
“I thank the jury for their work in this case; their verdict holds the defendant accountable for the crimes she committed by receiving Social Security disability benefits fraudulently. Her longstanding deception speaks to the depth of her intent to defraud the Social Security Administration (SSA) for as long as she could,” said SSA OIG Acting Special Agent in Charge Melvin. “Our office will continue to help safeguard these benefits for those entitled to receive them.”
This case was investigated by special agents of the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General and prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Corinne M. Lambert and Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Particka.
Leader of a Drug Trafficking Organization Which Operated Out of the Former Victory Inn Was Sentenced to 28 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Darrick Bell, the leader of a large-scale drug conspiracy that operated out of the former Victory Inn hotel in Dearborn, Michigan, was sentenced today to 28 years in prison based on his conviction on drug trafficking charges, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Joining Ison in the announcement was Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, Detroit, Charles Miller, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Detroit Field Office and Chief James White, Detroit Police Department.
Bell, age 55, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Mark A. Goldsmith.
The charges on which Bell was convicted stemmed from the operation of a large-scale drug operation Bell created utilizing the Victory Inn, a motel formerly located next to the main drag for prostitution on Michigan Avenue.
The trial, which began on April 12, 2022, and concluded on June 2, 2022, involved more than 20 witnesses, including several of Bell’s co-conspirators and victims, along with hundreds of exhibits. The jury convicted Bell on three drug-related counts. The jury acquitted Bell on one count involving sex trafficking and was unable to reach a unanimous verdict on the remaining four counts involving sex trafficking.
The evidence presented at trial showed that as a part of the drug conspiracy, Bell sold drugs to vulnerable women to control them and used them to keep drug customers coming to the Victory Inn. Bell turned the Victory Inn into his own drug distribution business by gaining control of rooms at the hotel and moving his drug-dealing co-conspirators onto the premises. According to witness testimony, Bell employed drug dealers and enforcers to use manipulation, drugs, and violence to control the Victory Inn. There was often no vacancy at the Victory Inn because the rooms were full of women and victims living in unspeakable conditions as severe drug addicts. Bell would supply drugs to these women. The women would use the drugs, engage in commercial sex acts, and then would use the money from their dates to purchase more drugs. The women were trapped in a vicious cycle of addiction, which Bell exploited for financial gain. Bell and his co-conspirators would use violence or the threat of violence to ensure that the women continuously paid their ever-growing drug debt. This would include physically striking them or withholding drugs so they would go through excruciating withdrawal symptoms. In one instance, Bell shaved the head of one of the women.
“Today’s sentencing closes a chapter on the house of horrors that was the Victory Inn. Just as the motel was demolished, so too was the drug network Bell had organized and led for nearly a year. Bell’s rein and control over the women living at the Victory Inn was nothing short of abhorrent,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “Bell’s attempt at evading justice for over two and a half years failed, and he will now spend the next 28 years in prison for his actions.”
“This sentencing is the culmination of years of hard work from the men and women of HSI Detroit,” said HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “I commend the HSI special agents, law enforcement partners, prosecutors, and support personnel who were relentless in their pursuit of justice. We must remain vigilant moving forward and ensure that similar trafficking organizations are promptly reported and dismantled before they can take root in our communities. Lastly and most importantly, it is my hope that this sentence brings some measure of comfort and resolution to the victims in this case.”
“Today’s sentencing shows the power that law enforcement collaboration has to protect victims by stopping violent criminals who believe they can commit heinous acts without consequence,” said Chief James E. White. “The hardworking women and men of the Detroit Police Department remain committed to working with our partners to root out violence and make Detroit a safer place for all.”
This investigation resulted in 9 individuals being charged with various drug and sex trafficking offenses. The remaining defendants have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by agents of Homeland Security Investigations.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jerome Gorgon, Matthew Roth, Blake Hatlem, and Lisandra Fernandez-Silber.
United States Attorney’s Office Reaches Settlement to Reform Wayne County JailRead the Press Release
DETROIT – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan has reached a landmark settlement agreement with Wayne County concerning inmates who have disabilities. After receiving numerous complaints, the U.S. Attorney’s Office opened an investigation of the Wayne County Jail under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”), 42 U.S.C. Sec. 12132. The complaints alleged that Wayne County routinely failed to provide crucial services to inmates who have disabilities, including access to appropriate prescription medication, mental health services, and medical equipment. Additionally, some complaints alleged a failure to conduct medical and mental health assessments. The U. S. Attorney’s Office also learned that eight inmates committed suicide over a thirteen-month period during 2016 and 2017. The investigation substantiated several of the complaints and yielded additional concerns regarding the services, programs, and activities provided in the Wayne County Jail.
“Wayne County has a long and troubled history of providing inadequate services to inmates who have disabilities,” said U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison. “We recognize that Wayne County is transitioning inmates into a new facility. However, a new building does not ensure access to those vital services. This agreement addresses systemic issues that have prevented inmates who have disabilities from equal access to services, programs, and activities while at the Wayne County Jail. Wayne County has fully cooperated with our investigation and this settlement agreement demonstrates our shared commitment to improving services for inmates with disabilities at the Wayne County Jail.”
The settlement agreement requires Wayne County to implement a series of reforms at the Wayne County Jail, including the following:
- Procedures to identify inmates who have disabilities when they arrive to the jail and programs that will allow each inmate access to services no matter where they are assigned within the facility;
- Access to physical health, mental health, and dental services for all inmates who have disabilities, including programs like detoxication and treatment for opioid use disorder;
- Programs to ensure the appropriate administration of medication to inmates who have disabilities; and
- Robust revisions to the suicide prevention program.
To ensure compliance with the agreement, Wayne County will provide compliance reports to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and will also retain at least one expert consultant to help implement the terms of this agreement. The agreement will remain in effect for a term of three years, unless Wayne County demonstrates durable compliance.
The investigation was led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shannon Ackenhausen and Michael El-Zein of the Civil Rights Unit, and Executive Assistant United States Attorney Luttrell Levingston.
The full and fair enforcement of the ADA is a priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The Civil Rights Unit was established in 2010, with the mission of prioritizing federal civil rights enforcement. For more information on the Office’s civil rights efforts, including a copy of the agreement, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-edmi/programs/civil-rights.
Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination or experienced a civil rights violation can submit a complaint with the U.S. Attorney’s Office by email at [email protected] or by phone at (313) 226-9151. Complaints can also be submitted to the Civil Rights Division through its complaint portal.
Man Sentenced for Sending Death Threat to Michigan Election WorkerRead the Press Release
DETROIT – An Indiana man was sentenced today to 14 months in prison for sending a communication that included death threats to an election worker in Michigan shortly after the November 2020 election.
“The Justice Department has no tolerance for violent threats against election workers, officials, and volunteers, and as this case demonstrates, we will aggressively investigate and prosecute such threats to the fullest extent of the law,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We will continue to defend the right to vote and to defend the safety of the public servants who make voting possible.”
“The defendant repeatedly threatened the life of a Michigan election worker because she publicly defended the integrity of the 2020 election that she helped administer,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Our democracy depends on the willingness of election workers to do their jobs without having to live in fear. Today’s sentence should serve as yet another reminder that the Justice Department will not hesitate to prosecute those who threaten violence to influence how our public servants administer elections.”
According to court documents, on or about Nov. 10, 2020, Andrew Nickels, 38, of Carmel, called the clerk of a local municipality and left a voicemail threatening to kill the local official. As part of the message, Nickels said, in part, “We’re watching your…mouth talk about how you think that there’s no irregularities … [Y]ou frauded out America of a real election.” Nickels then told the clerk that “you’re gonna pay for it,” and described how “ten million plus patriots will surround you when you least expect it.” He continued, in relevant part: “[W]e’ll [expletive] kill you…[Y]ou will [expletive] pay for your [expletive] lying ass remarks … We will [expletive] take you out. [Expletive] your family, [expletive] your life, and you deserve a [expletive] throat to the knife … Watch your [expletive] back … watch your [expletive] back.”
“Threats such as the ones that Nickels made undermine our democracy by making elections workers fearful for their lives and for the safety of their families—just for doing their jobs,” said U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan. “This sentence should send a clear message that those who seek to jeopardize the fair and free administration of our elections with threats of violence will be vigorously prosecuted and held accountable.”
“The FBI and its partners will not tolerate threats against our election workers,” said Executive Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch. “Today’s sentencing shows our commitment to ensuring that public servants can do their jobs without fear of retribution.”
Nickels pleaded guilty on Feb. 27 to one count of making a threatening interstate communication.
The FBI Detroit Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Tanya Senanayake of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Frances Lee Carlson for the Eastern District of Michigan prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers—whether elected, appointed, or volunteer—are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI Field Offices and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. The task force is continuing this work and supporting the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide as they carry on the critical work that the task force has begun.
The task force is led by the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and includes several other entities within the Justice Department, including the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Civil Rights Division, National Security Division, and FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General’s memo.
To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found at www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/. You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at www.tips.fbi.gov. Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately.
Saginaw Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting MinorsRead the Press Release
BAY CITY – Eric Hartman, 34, of Saginaw was sentenced to 19½ years in federal prison for sexually exploiting children, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Detroit Field Office.
United States District Court Judge Thomas L. Ludington imposed sentence on Hartman, on June 27, 2024, following his guilty plea to sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of a minor. Judge Ludington also sentenced Hartman to five years of federal supervised release following his release from incarceration.
Hartman’s crimes became known in 2023 when a 13-year-old reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation that Hartman was threatening her and forcing her to send sexually explicit images and videos to him online. Law enforcement traced Hartman to Saginaw, and the FBI executed a search warrant at Hartman’s residence where they recovered multiple electronic devices. The FBI analyzed the devices and found numerous online conversations between Hartman and minors where Hartman requested the minors send him sexually explicit videos. They also found numerous images and videos of other child sexually abusive material.
“This case came to light through the bravery of a young victim who came forward to bring her predator to justice. This sentence justly punishes the defendant for preying on children and hopefully will encourage others to seek help from trusted adults and law enforcement if they are being coerced into sending explicit images online,” U.S. Attorney Ison said.
"Mr. Hartman is a glaring example of the manipulative nature of sexual predators, underscoring the relentless efforts of the FBI to apprehend these criminals and safeguard our children," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. "His actions were despicable, and those who perpetrate such crimes will face justice. The FBI urges anyone with knowledge of child sexual exploitation to report it at tips.fbi.gov or by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI."
This case was investigated by the FBI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katharine Hemann.
Major Drug Dealer Found Guilty of Multiple Drug and Weapons OffensesRead the Press Release
BAY CITY – Ricardo Delgado, II, the leader of a large-scale drug conspiracy operating in the Saginaw-Bay area, was convicted by a federal jury of multiple drug and weapons offenses, including drug conspiracy and possession with to intent to distribute kilogram quantities of cocaine and fentanyl, possession of multiple machineguns, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the FBI in Michigan.
Following a week-long trial, the jury convicted Delgado, 51, of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute at least five kilograms of cocaine; possession with intent to distribute at least five kilograms of cocaine; possession with intent to distribute at least 400 grams of fentanyl; possession of a machinegun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; possession of a machinegun; felon in possession of a firearm; possession of an unregistered silencer; and, use of communication facility to commit a drug offense.
Evidence at trial established that Delgado was involved in a wide-ranging drug conspiracy that involved the importation of numerous kilograms of cocaine and fentanyl from Mexico for distribution in the Saginaw-Bay area. During the course of the investigation, FBI agents learned from a court-authorized wiretap that Delgado was seeking retaliation for the theft of his drugs from a subordinate and that he ordered that subordinate to exact revenge. However, this plan was thwarted by authorities. In addition, following Delgado’s arrest, law enforcement officers seized 13 kilograms of cocaine, 2 kilograms of fentanyl, 12 firearms, including two machineguns, two silencers, and over $200,000 in cash from Delgado’s residence.
“The collaboration between federal and local law enforcement partners demonstrated in this case speaks to our overall commitment to rid our community of dangerous drugs and violent offenders,” stated United States Attorney Ison.
“Mr. Delgado’s conviction today emphasizes the FBI’s unwavering commitment to pursuing dangerous drug traffickers to stop further harm to our communities,” stated Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “The death toll associated with illegal drugs and the fentanyl epidemic continues to rise. We are resolute in our determination to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to address this critical issue and collectively ensure those who contribute to the drug poisoning crisis while trafficking illegal firearms in our communities are brought to justice.”
Delgado faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 55 years and a maximum of life in prison when he is sentenced by United States District Judge Thomas L. Ludginton.
This investigation was conducted by special agents of the FBI Detroit Division (Bay City Office), the Bay Area Narcotics Enforcement Team (BAYANET), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosive (ATF), and law enforcement officials from Michigan State Police, Midland Police Department, Saginaw Police Department, Saginaw Township Police Department, Bridgeport Police Department, and the Strike Team Investigative Narcotics Group (STING).
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tim Turkelson and William Orr.
One Detroit Violence Reduction Partnership to Host Third Annual Peacenic at O’Hair Park This SaturdayRead the Press Release
DETROIT - More than 70 community organizations and federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies will gather at O’Hair Park THIS Saturday, June 29 (Rain Date: June 30) for the third annual Peacenic. The event will run from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m..
The Peacenics are part of the One Detroit Violence Reduction Partnership, a coalition of community and law enforcement partners working together to develop and execute the best strategies to reduce violent crime. The strategy has three components—enforcement, prevention, and reentry. As part of its Safe Summer Streets initiative, One Detroit will hold its third annual Peacenics in coordination with its enhanced summer enforcement strategy aimed at reducing gun violence in Detroit’s neighborhoods with the highest incidence of violent crime – Detroit’s 8th and 9th Precincts.
The Peacenics are a collective gathering of the community and law enforcement coming together in the name of peace and where residents can have fun, engage with law enforcement, and obtain resources to improve the quality of their lives. The Peacenics will feature vendors offering a variety of resources including job training, literacy programs, mental health and medical screenings, utility assistance, educational and vocational opportunities, tutorial and career development programs, expungement assistance and more. Several law enforcement agencies will be there to engage with the community and recruit to fill vacancies in their organizations.
In addition to the resources, there will be bounce houses, a petting zoo, face painting, and a free throw tournament for kids. There will also be community basketball and volleyball games. The Detroit Public Library will have their bookmobile on site for kids to enjoy storytelling time. Adults will be able to join in the fun with Hustle Dance lessons, and a Spades tournament as well as Uno tables. And back by popular demand will be the Peacenic Thrift Clothing Boutique, where residents can shop for free gently used clothing for all ages. Free food, such as pizza, hot dogs, sliders, and ice cream will also be available for residents at the Peacenics.
Media is encouraged to attend.
National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action Results in 193 Defendants Charged and over $2.75 Billion in False ClaimsRead the Press Release
DETROIT - Today, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced criminal charges against six defendants in connection with alleged schemes to defraud Medicare. The charges filed in federal court in Detroit are part of the Justice Department’s 2024 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action.
“It does not matter if you are a trafficker in a drug cartel or a corporate executive or medical professional employed by a health care company, if you profit from the unlawful distribution of controlled substances, you will be held accountable,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will bring to justice criminals who defraud Americans, steal from taxpayer-funded programs, and put people in danger for the sake of profits.”
“Medicare is an essential safety net for seniors and individuals with disabilities. The Department of Justice and my office are committed to investigating and prosecuting those who steal taxpayer funds intended to protect vulnerable members of our community,” said United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
“We will not tolerate fraud that preys on patients who need and deserve high quality health care,” said the Honorable Christi A. Grimm, the Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “The hard work of the HHS-OIG team and our outstanding law enforcement partners makes today’s action possible. We must protect taxpayer dollars and keep Americans safe from harms to their health, privacy, and financial well-being.”
The charges announced today by U.S. Attorney Ison are part of a strategically coordinated, two-week nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 147 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes that resulted in the submission of over $2.5 billion in alleged false billings. The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets, and the government, in connection with the enforcement action, seized over $150 million in cash, luxury vehicles, gold, and other assets.
The Eastern District of Michigan, in particular, worked with the Department’s Criminal Division and the following law enforcement organizations to investigate and prosecute the cases filed during the enforcement period: the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The following individuals have been charged in the Eastern District of Michigan:
• Ibrahim Sammour, 63, and Bashier Sammour, 28, of Wayne County, Michigan, were charged by indictment with conspiracy to pay illegal kickbacks, Ibrahim Sammour was additionally charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and health care fraud, and Bashier Sammour was additionally charged with making false statements relating to health care matters, all in connection with an alleged scheme to fraudulently obtain over $2 million from Medicare. According to charging documents, the Sammours operated Individualized Home Health Care, P.C., through which they submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for home health care services that were medically unnecessary, not provided as represented, or not rendered. Five others were also charged by information—two registered nurses, two group home owners, and a licensed practical nurse—for their involvement in the charged conspiracies. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Shankar Ramamurthy and Jeff Crapko of the Midwest Strike Force.
• Yvette Hardy, 60, of Wayne County, Michigan, was charged by information with health care fraud in connection with an alleged scheme to fraudulently obtain over $3.4 million in Medicare funds. According to the information, Hardy, who owned and operated Pebble Brook Care Agency LLC, caused the submission of false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for psychotherapy services that were not provided as represented or not rendered at all. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Shankar Ramamurthy of the Midwest Strike Force.
• Ruby Scott, 53, of Oakland County, Michigan, was charged by indictment with a conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay illegal health care kickbacks, as well as with paying illegal health care kickbacks, in connection with an alleged scheme to fraudulently obtain over $2.2 million in Medicare funds. According to the indictment, Scott, who owned and operated Delta Home Health Care LLC, caused the submission of claims to Medicare for home health care services obtained through the payment of illegal kickbacks to patient recruiters in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Shankar Ramamurthy and Kelly Warner of the Midwest Strike Force.
• Dr. Vijil Rahulan, 52, of Hyderabad, India, was charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit heath care fraud and health care fraud, in connection with an alleged scheme to fraudulently obtain over $82 million in Medicare funds. As alleged in the indictment, Rahulan caused the submission of false and fraudulent claims for DME and genetic testing that were medically unnecessary or otherwise ineligible for reimbursement through Medicare because they were not the product of a doctor-patient relationship and examination. The indictment further alleges that the defendant’s fraudulent conduct resulted in over $28.7 million being paid by Medicare. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Kelly Warner and Andres Almendarez of the Midwest Strike Force.
• Amro Sharafeldin, 40, of Michigan, was charged by criminal complaint with a scheme to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute and illegally purchase Medicare beneficiary information, in connection with Sharafeldin’s operation of Prestige Specialty Pharmacy (“Prestige”) in Sterling Heights, Michigan. As alleged in the complaint, Sharafeldin, through Prestige, agreed to pay kickbacks and bribes to illegally acquire Medicare beneficiary information, which he and others then used in February and March 2023 to bill Medicare more than $1 million for OTC COVID-19 tests, regardless of whether the Medicare beneficiary requested the test kits. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Lievense of the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Eastern District of Michigan.
A complaint, information, or indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Descriptions of each case involved in today’s enforcement action are available on the Department’s website here.
Armed Dark Web Drug Trafficker Sentenced to over a Decade in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Victor Hernandez, the leader of a conspiracy to sell cocaine and counterfeit pills over the dark web and launder the proceeds through cryptocurrency, was sentenced today to 130 months in federal prison, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit Acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphy, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Andrew P. Lawton, Drug Enforcement Administration, Detroit Field Division, and Angelo Horiates III, IRS Criminal Investigation (CI), Acting Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office.
Victor Hernandez, 31, of Detroit, pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy to distribute illicit substances, a conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, his distribution of counterfeit pills, and the use of firearms in furtherance of the crime. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Linda V. Parker. As part of the sentence, Hernandez was ordered to forfeit the proceeds from his crimes, in the form of a $3.1 million money judgment.
Hernandez’s sister, Carolyn Hernandez-Taylor, also pleaded guilty in the case and was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison by Judge Parker earlier this year.
Hernandez ran a dark web vendor site under the moniker “opiateconnect,” selling illicit scheduled drugs, including cocaine, and various counterfeit drugs. These counterfeit pills were made to look like alprazolam—the most commonly prescribed psychotropic medication in the United States (including under the brand name Xanax), used to manage panic and anxiety disorders—but were in fact uncontrolled research chemicals not scheduled for human consumption.
Federal investigators worked for months to determine the identity of “opiateconnect” and the location he was using. That investigation led to the execution of a search warrant at Hernandez’s house in Detroit, where agents discovered a clandestine drug lab capable of producing upwards of 20,000 pills per hour. They also found around three firearms, a “tub” containing approximately 600 grams of cocaine, thousands of pressed counterfeit alprazolam pills, $340,000 in cash, and more than $1 million in cryptocurrency.
“Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of the danger posed to this community by the armed distribution of controlled substances and counterfeit pills,” U.S. Attorney Ison said. “This defendant tried to hide in the anonymity he thought the dark web and his use of cryptocurrency provided, but the tireless combined efforts of state and federal investigators pierced that shield. We will continue to pursue digital-age drug dealers and work to ensure that their crimes result in prison and the seizure of their illicit proceeds.”
“The efforts of drug traffickers and criminals have evolved over the years, but our commitment to hold them accountable remains the same,” said HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “As this case has demonstrated, we stand focused and ready to take down other illicit online marketplaces that would poison communities in Michigan.”
“Drug traffickers often believe the anonymity of the dark web can shield them from investigation and prosecution, and this sentencing clearly demonstrates that is a false notion. Along with our local, state and federal partners, DEA will employ every resource to bring drug traffickers like Mr. Hernandez to justice,” said DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge Lawton.
“The laundering of illegal drug profits is as important and essential to drug traffickers as the very distribution of their illegal drugs,” said Angelo Horiates III, IRS Criminal Investigation (CI), Acting Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office. “Without these ill-gotten gains, the traffickers cannot finance their organizations. The role of CI in narcotics investigations is to follow the money; we are highly adept at financially disrupting and dismantling drug trafficking organizations, online or in the physical world. We are proud to provide our financial expertise as we work alongside our law enforcement partners to bring criminals to justice.”
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The investigation was conducted by the Detroit Dark Web Task Force, which consists of HSI, Postal Inspection Service Office of the Inspector General (USPIS-OIG), Secret Service (USSS), IRS-CI, Michigan State Police (MSP), and CBP. The purpose of the task force is to investigate criminal organizations, to include drug vendors, that operate within dark web marketplaces. The task force has disrupted and dismantled numerous drug trafficking organizations through criminal arrests, and the seizure of the proceeds from criminal activity.
Averhealth to Pay over $1.3 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Related to Drug Tests Used in Michigan’s Children’s Protective Services & Foster Care ProgramsRead the Press Release
DETROIT– United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today that Avertest, LLC, a forensic drug testing company based in Richmond, VA, and which does business nationwide under the name Averhealth, has agreed to pay $1,344,621 to settle allegations that it knowingly violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by submitting to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) improper claims for payment for drug tests.
Joining in the announcement was Mario Pinto, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG).
In 2019, Averhealth began performing drug screening and confirmation testing for the State of Michigan’s Children’s Protective Services and Foster Care programs under a contract with MDHHS. To pay for these services, MDHHS utilized funds from the Social Services Block Grant, which provides annual federal assistance to states to support social services programs and is administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families.
The settlement announced today resolves allegations that from May 15, 2019, through November 30, 2020, Averhealth violated the FCA when it knowingly submitted, or caused the submission of, claims for payment to MDHHS, and knowingly made statements material to those claims, which concerned positive drug test results for oral fluid samples that were not confirmed using a mass spectrometric method analytically different from the screening method, and did not conform to the terms of the contract between Averhealth and MDHHS.
“Averhealth failed to meet its commitments to MDHHS yet continued to claim entitlement to payment for its nonconforming services,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “This outcome highlights our Office’s continued commitment to hold accountable any business or person who is dishonest in their dealings with programs funded by the Federal Government.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought by Dr. Sarah Riley under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. These provisions allow a private party, known as a relator, to file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. Dr. Riley will receive $228,586 as part of the settlement. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Riley v. Avertest, LLC d/b/a Averhealth, No. 2:21-cv-10560 (E.D. Mich.).
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Gentner from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, with assistance from HHS-OIG.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability
United States Attorney’s Office Recognizes World Elder Abuse Awareness DayRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Dawn N. Ison, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, joined Chief Issa Shahin, Dearborn Police Department, Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Inspector in Charge Rodney Hopkins, United States Postal Inspection Service today in recognizing World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD). Since 2006, WEAAD has been commemorated to promote awareness and increases understanding of the many forms of elder abuse as well as the resources available to those at risk.
Highlighting the partnership between law enforcement and the public, U.S. Attorney Ison emphasized the importance of awareness and education.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, in partnership with Dearborn Police, City of Dearborn Senior Services, United States Postal Inspection Service, and the FBI, will hold a Town hall meeting to raise awareness about elder abuse, specifically frauds that target our older citizens, on Thursday, June 20, 2024, from 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. at the Henry Ford Centennial Library located at 16301 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn. Highlighted speakers will include U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison and Dearborn Police Chief Issa Shahin. The Town hall is open to the public and media.
“We want to empower our seniors to recognize fraud,” United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison said. “We hope that this town hall will arm our seniors with the information they need to protect themselves.”
“Every day, consumers of all ages are bombarded by offers and representations over the phone, across the internet, and through the mail – some of which are legitimate and some of which are not. The Postal Inspection Service is dedicated to identifying and prosecuting the con artists making these illegitimate representations, raising awareness of their schemes, and ultimately protecting our most vulnerable populations.” Inspector in Charge Rodney M. Hopkins, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Detroit Division.
Elder abuse is an act that knowingly, intentionally, or negligently causes or creates a serious risk of harm to an older person by a family member, caregiver, or other person in a trust relationship. Such harm may be financial, physical, sexual, or psychological. The Justice Department maintains a variety of programs and initiatives to combat elder abuse.
The Transnational Elder Fraud Task Force marshals federal and state agencies working collaboratively to investigate and prosecute foreign-based schemes that target older Americans. In addition to aggressively investigating the individuals, organizations, and networks responsible for these crimes, this initiative provides the public with information to guard against both traditional scams, like tech support fraud, as well as trending schemes, such as romance scams.
Using one scam to perpetrate or conceal another, some fraudsters rely on money mules to move the proceeds of their illegal activity. Preying on the good will or financial vulnerability of their targets, scammers recruit people, many times older victims, to participate in schemes to move money in ways that avoid notice. The Money Mule Initiative identifies and addresses money mule activity to disrupt these fraud schemes, and helps people to recognize and avoid participation in perpetuating fraud.
To help older individuals and their families identify and avoid fraudulent activity, the Justice Department provides Senior Scam Alerts with information about the tactics used in specific schemes. For example, in Social Security Administration Impostor schemes, scammers impersonate government administrators and falsely reporting suspicious activity to request that the victims provide their Social Security number for confirmation. In Tech Support scams, fraudsters contact victims, sometimes through internet pop-up messages, to warn about non-existent computer problems, ask that the victim give them remote access to their computer, and identify a non-existent problem, then demand large sums of money for unnecessary services. In Lottery scams, telemarketers falsely notify victims that they have won a sweepstakes and tell them they must first pay fees for shipping, insurance, customs duties, or taxes before they can claim their prizes.
To learn more about the department’s elder justice efforts please visit the Elder Justice Initiative page.
The Eastern District of Michigan continues to work with federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute elder abuse crimes.
Our office recently settled a first of its kind civil action in the Eastern District of Michigan which was part of a broader trend in recent years by the Department of Justice to disrupt international fraud rings that target United States citizens through fake social media profiles.
To report elder fraud, contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 or 1-833-372-8311 and visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center at IC3.gov.
One Detroit Violence Reduction Partnership to Host Third Annual Peacenics at Heilman Recreation Center and O’Hair ParkRead the Press Release
DETROIT - More than 70 community organizations and federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies will gather at Heilmann Recreation Center on June 15 (Rain Date: June 23) and O’Hair Park on June 29 (Rain Date: June 30) for the third annual Peacenics. The events will run from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. each day.
The Peacenics are part of the One Detroit Violence Reduction Partnership, a coalition of community and law enforcement partners working together to develop and execute the best strategies to reduce violent crime. The strategy has three components—enforcement, prevention, and reentry. As part of its Safe Summer Streets initiative, One Detroit will hold its third annual Peacenics in coordination with its enhanced summer enforcement strategy aimed at reducing gun violence in Detroit’s neighborhoods with the highest incidence of violent crime – Detroit’s 8th and 9th Precincts.
The Peacenics are a collective gathering of the community and law enforcement coming together in the name of peace and where residents can have fun, engage with law enforcement, and obtain resources to improve the quality of their lives. The Peacenics will feature vendors offering a variety of resources including job training, literacy programs, mental health and medical screenings, utility assistance, educational and vocational opportunities, tutorial and career development programs, expungement assistance and more. Several law enforcement agencies will be there to engage with the community and recruit to fill vacancies in their organizations.
In addition to the resources, there will be bounce houses, a petting zoo, face painting, and a free throw tournament for kids. There will also be community basketball and volleyball games. The Detroit Public Library will have their bookmobile on site for kids to enjoy storytelling time. Adults will be able to join in the fun with Hustle Dance lessons, and a Spades tournament as well as Uno tables. And back by popular demand will be the Peacenic Thrift Clothing Boutique, where residents can shop for free gently used clothing for all ages. Free food, such as pizza, hot dogs, sliders, and ice cream will also be available for residents at the Peacenics.
“We are so excited to partner with the City of Detroit and the rest of our One Detroit Partners to bring the Peacenics back to Detroit again this year. We look forward to this amazing opportunity to have the community and our law enforcement join together to celebrate peace. The Peacenics will have resources to help improve lives as well as plenty of opportunities for fun and community bonding,” said United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
"Peacenics are about connecting with the community. We can't enforce without the community's understanding and buy-in," said Deputy Mayor Todd Bettison. "This is about coming together with our residents in the name of peace, and the city and our partners bringing much-needed resources right into the neighborhoods. We are thankful for the One Detroit partnership, our corporate sponsors and our volunteers who work hard to make these events happen."
Residents are encouraged to register for the events by visiting the following websites: For the Peacenic at Heilmann: https://www.eventcreate.com/e/june15peaceniconedetroitprevention. For the Peacenic at O’Hair Park: https://www.eventcreate.com/e/june29city-of-detroit-host-peacen.
Heilman Recreation Center is located at 19601 Brock Street (9th Precinct) and O’Hair Park is located at 20253 Stahlian Street, Detroit (8th Precinct). Media is welcome to attend the event. U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison, Deputy Mayor Todd Bettison, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy, and Detroit Police Chief James White will be available for interviews at the Heilman Peacenic. Please contact Gina Balaya at the above email address or contact her directly at (313)226-9758 or Corey McIsaac, Deputy Director of Media Relations, City of Detroit at (248) 870-8620 for more information or to schedule an interview.
Readout of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division's Meeting with Muslim, Arab, Sikh, South Asian and Hindu Community StakeholdersRead the Press Release
The Justice Department convened a quarterly interagency meeting yesterday with Muslim, Arab, Sikh, South Asian and Hindu community stakeholders. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division outlined relevant enforcement efforts across the Department and highlighted actions to prevent and combat discrimination and hate crimes.
This convening occurred at a time when hate and threats of violence against these communities remain concerningly high, particularly since Oct. 7, 2023. Representatives from the Civil Rights Division, FBI, Criminal Division, Community Relations Service, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Privacy and Civil Liberties and Office of Community Oriented Policing Service heard from attending organizations about campus safety and civil rights protections for student protestors as well as concerns about employment discrimination. Representatives from other federal government agencies also participated, including Department of Homeland Security Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Departments of Education, Labor, Transportation and State.
Combating hate crimes and addressing discrimination claims are among the department’s top priorities. Yesterday’s meeting represents the department’s latest efforts to engage with organizations and stakeholders on issues affecting Muslim, Arab, Palestinian, Sikh, Hindu, and South Asian communities. In March, the department hosted a community safety briefing for Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian community stakeholders, during which the department released resource documents designed to help the public better understand federal civil rights laws, including laws that prohibit violence and discrimination on the basis of religion and national origin, discrimination in public accommodations, and protections afforded by the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA).
The department has also continued to aggressively investigate and prosecute hate crimes, including recent cases involving a Texas man who threatened employees of a Sikh nonprofit organization; a Texas man who carried out a mass shooting targeting Muslims at a car repair shop in Dallas in which one person was killed, and four others were seriously injured; a New Jersey man who broke into the Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University during the Eid holiday and destroyed property, including prayer stones, items with inscriptions of the Quran, and a Palestinian flag; a Florida man who assaulted a Muslim woman postal worker by pulling her out of her truck and grabbing her neck while attempting to pull off her hijab and threatening her; and a Florida man who threatened a Michigan-based Muslim civil rights nonprofit.
If you believe that you or someone else experienced religious or national origin discrimination, report a civil rights violation online at civilrights.justice.gov. If you believe you are a victim or a witness of a hate crime, report it to the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or submitting a tip at tips.fbi.gov. Learn more about the department’s work on hate crimes here.
Former Wyandotte Elementary School Principal Pleads Guilty to EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
DETROIT - A former Wyandotte Elementary School Principal pleaded guilty today to embezzling over $89,000 of funds intended for use by the school to advance its educational mission, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Joining in the announcement was Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Chief Brian Zalewski, Wyandotte Police Department.
Krizia Allen, 38, of West Bloomfield, entered a plea of guilty to one count of theft from a federally funded program before United States District Chief Judge Sean F. Cox. The guilty plea arose out of Allen’s embezzlement of public funds while serving as the Principal of Garfield Elementary School within the City of Wyandotte. Allen used the school funds for her own personal gain or benefit, including for personal vacations, meals, gift cards, clothing, and rent.
According to the plea documents, from June 2018 through February 2023, while serving as the Principal of Garfield, Allen stole approximately $89,312 of public-school funds using various fraudulent means to divert the funds for her own personal use and conceal the theft. According to the plea documents, Allen used a corporate entity that provided no goods or services to the school to funnel over $24,000 in funds directly to her personal bank accounts. Once there, Allen used the stolen proceeds to make rent payments, purchase food, and make ATM withdrawals. Allen also repeatedly used a school credit card entrusted to her for official school purposes to make thousands of dollars’ worth of personal purchases on Amazon, including for digital gift cards for use at Nordstrom, Foot Locker, and Old Navy. To conceal these personal expenditures, Allen created false Amazon orders identifying school-related items for submission to the school’s finance department to justify the purchases. Finally, Allen used the school credit card to transfer over $50,000 in funds between the school’s PayPal account and her own PayPal account. During the same time period, Allen made over $50,000 in debit card transactions and withdrawals from her PayPal account for purely personal uses, including CashApp and ATM cash withdrawals, rent payments, and DoorDash purchases. To justify the regular fund transfers from the school’s PayPal account into her personal PayPal account, Allen created and submitted more false business invoices and receipts to the school’s finance department, which identified apparent school-related purchases that never occurred.
According to the plea documents, in February 2023, after becoming aware of Allen’s misappropriation of certain funds for personal purposes, the school confronted Allen and discontinued her employment. That same day, Allen conducted open-source Internet searches utilizing search phrases such as “embezzlement” and “minimum for fraud.”
United States Attorney Ison stated, “Krizia Allen stole tens of thousands of dollars of public funds intended to benefit its students. Every dollar Ms. Allen misappropriated for her own personal gain deprived the students and teachers of Garfield Elementary of the financial resources needed to ensure that each child at Garfield received a proper education. My office takes theft from such federally funded educational programs very seriously, and we will continue to bring those who steal from these programs to justice.”
“Educators are entrusted with the ultimate responsibility of ensuring our children receive a high-quality education and schools have the resources needed to accomplish academic goals,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “Mrs. Allen admittedly violated that trust by misappropriating school funds, and she will face the appropriate consequences. This investigation was conducted by the FBI's Detroit Area Corruption Task Force. I would like to also thank the Wyandotte Police Department, especially Chief Brian Zalewski, for their partnership during this investigation.”
Sentencing is set for October 10, 2024 before Judge Cox.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney T. Patrick Martin. The case was investigated by our Detroit Area Corruption Task Force and then the Wyandotte Police Department.
Former Detroit Riverfront Conservancy CFO Charged with Embezzling Tens of Millions of Dollars from ConservancyRead the Press Release
DETROIT – William A. Smith, 51, the former Chief Financial Officer for the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, was charged with Bank Fraud and Wire Fraud in a criminal complaint unsealed today in federal court, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced. The charges arose out of what is alleged to be a years-long scheme by Smith to embezzle Conservancy funds for his own use.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office.
According to court documents, The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy (DRFC, or the Conservancy) is a 501(c)(3) organization formed with the mission of developing access to the Detroit International Riverfront from the Ambassador Bridge to Belle Isle. The DRFC is funded by a combination of public and private funds. Smith was the CFO of the DRFC from 2011 until he was fired late last month.
According to the Complaint, beginning as early as November 2012, Smith orchestrated a scheme to embezzle millions of dollars in funds belonging to the DRFC. The Complaint alleges that Smith carried out his embezzlement scheme in two distinct ways. First, Smith is alleged to have used Conservancy funds to pay for charges that he and his family accrued on an American Express account. Second, Smith is alleged to have diverted Conservancy funds to a company he controlled called “The Joseph Group.” Neither of these sets of expenditures were authorized or approved by the Board of the DRFC; “The Joseph Group,” was not an approved vendor and provided no services to the DRFC, and Smith had no authority to use Conservancy funds to pay his own personal credit card bills. The complaint alleges that, between November 2012 and March 2024, Smith stole nearly $40 million from the DRFC through these two embezzlement streams.
To cover up his embezzlement, the Complaint alleges that Smith doctored bank statements provided to the Conservancy’s accountant for entry into the DRFC’s accounting software. These false bank statements led to erroneous financial information being entered into the DRFC’s books, thereby concealing the fraud. In 2023, Smith is alleged to have obtained a $5 million line of credit with Citizens Bank on the Conservancy’s behalf – a line of credit he was not in any way authorized to take out. The Bank asked Smith for documentation confirming that Smith, as CFO, had the sole authority to obtain such a line of credit on behalf of the Conservancy. Smith is alleged to have provided the bank with a document purporting to establish that Smith was indeed empowered by the DRFC Board of Directors to obtain such credit lines. That document, according to the complaint, was false, and bore the forged signature of the Conservancy’s Corporation Secretary. Smith is alleged to have used funds he obtained from this line of credit to further his embezzlement scheme.
“The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy’s mission is to transform one of our city’s greatest assets, the riverfront, into a vibrant and safe space for all to gather and enjoy. This defendant is alleged to have abused the trust the Conservancy placed in him and to have carried out a fraud that is simply astonishing in scale. Today’s allegations are extremely serious ones, and my office is committed to pursuing anyone, regardless of their title, who fleeces taxpayers and charitable donors for their own private gain. We value our partnerships, and these charges are the result of the close cooperation and collaboration that we appreciate from our state and local law enforcement partners who brought this matter to our attention,” U.S. Attorney Ison said.
“This case was initially brought to us on May 14th, and we were able to quickly deduce that an enormous amount of money was allegedly embezzled, and that there would be mountains of documents to examine. It was something that we would be unable to handle properly at this time. We discovered an alleged Federal nexus and due to our various existing collaborations, my next call was to U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison. Fortunately for us, and the citizens of Wayne County and beyond, she agreed immediately to take this case,” said Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy.
A criminal complaint is only a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John K. Neal and Robert A. Moran. The case is being investigated by the FBI.
Detroit Man Sentenced to over Ten Years for Unlawfully Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Detroit man, who shot at a victim during the course of a robbery, was sentenced to over ten years in prison, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Joshua Fordham, 30 was sentenced to 121 months in prison after having pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm before United States District Judge David M. Lawson in February 2024.
According to court records, in February 2023, Fordham followed a man out of a deli in Detroit. Surveillance video captured Fordham following the man to the parking lot, where Fordham took the man’s wallet at gunpoint. The man, who had a concealed pistol license, shot at Fordham, striking Fordham in the chest. Fordham fired a shot back at the man but did not strike him. Fordham was a convicted felon at the time and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm.
“This defendant’s actions put everyone in that public parking lot in serious danger that day, and we are fortunate that no one was killed,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “Today’s sentence appropriately reflects the seriousness of the defendant’s conduct, and our continued commitment to keep our community safe by removing the drivers of violence.”
"Mr. Fordham, a convicted felon, demonstrated a blatant disregard for the law by possessing an illegal firearm which enabled him to carry out a violent attack against the victim outside a Detroit establishment," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. "His sentencing significantly contributes to reducing the number of violent crimes in Michigan involving illegal weapons. I commend the FBI's Detroit Violent Gang Task Force for their outstanding commitment to apprehending offenders who continue to terrorize our communities with illegally possessed firearms."
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ranya Elzein.
Detroit Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Assaulting and Strangling Nurse PractitionerRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Detroit man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for assaulting, strangling, and injuring a nurse practitioner in a federal detention facility, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, FBI Special Agent in Charge.
Tyjuan Gray, 24, was sentenced by United States District Judge Terrence G. Berg.
According to court records, in July 2023, Gray, an inmate at FCI Milan, attacked at a nurse during a routine medical visit. Gray grabbed the nurse’s throat, hitting her head against the wall. Gray held the nurse’s wrists so that she was unable to radio for help or defend herself. When the victim fell to the floor, Gray kneed her in the stomach while restraining her and strangling her. Just as she was nearing unconsciousness, another inmate pulled Gray off the victim, allowing her to activate her alarm. Afterwards, the victim required medical treatment from the effects of strangulation.
“This defendant perpetrated an unprovoked, egregious assault on a healthcare professional providing him with medical care. His actions not only caused her physical injury but took away her ability to feel safe at work and left her with emotional scars that will last a lifetime. The prosecution and sentence in this case should send a strong message that we will address violence wherever it occurs,” U.S. Attorney Ison said.
“The defendant’s assault of his nurse was unjustifiable and completely unacceptable, considering the defendant was receiving routine medical care,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “This sentencing reflects the seriousness of his despicable actions and hopefully provides the nurse with a bit of solace knowing justice was served."
This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Hindelang.
Allen Park Man Sentenced to over 5 Years in Prison for Pandemic Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
DETROIT – An Allen Park resident was sentenced today for defrauding the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (MUIA) out of approximately $512,000 as part of a pandemic unemployment insurance fraud scheme, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. Niebel was also sentenced to a three-year term of supervised release and ordered to pay $512,000 in restitution to the MUIA.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Daniel Loza, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, Special Agent in Charge Charles Miller of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations Detroit Field Office and Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency Director Julia Dale.
Christopher Niebel, 46, was sentenced to 63 months in prison after having pleaded guilty in February 2024 to one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft before United States District Judge Stephen J. Murphy III.
According to court documents, at the beginning of the pandemic, Niebel owned and operated a tax preparation service (“Tax Guy Chris”) in Allen Park, Michigan. Niebel also worked seasonally as a manager for Party City, a retail chain selling party supplies. Through his employment at Party City, Niebel had access to the files of individuals who had worked or applied to work at the company. These files included the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s I-9 employment verification forms of Party City employees and applicants, in which the applicants documented their eligibility for employment in the United States. In approximately 2019, Niebel stole a number of these I-9 forms from Party City, which contained a substantial volume of personal identifying information of the applicants (including names, social security numbers, and dates of birth). Niebel filed these documents away for his future use.
Once pandemic unemployment assistance funds became available, Niebel used the PII he had appropriated from Party City in a scheme to defraud the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency by submitting fictitious claims for those benefits. Specifically, Niebel submitted electronic applications seeking pandemic unemployment benefits using the personal identifying information of applicants for jobs with Party City, without the authorization, approval, or knowledge of those individuals. Niebel intentionally used the names and identifying information of individuals who were not from Michigan in submitting these claims, correctly surmising that such individuals would be unlikely to have submitted their own unemployment insurance claims in Michigan and thus making detection less likely.
Niebel opened numerous bank accounts in Michigan in order to capture the pandemic unemployment assistance funds, which were wired to those accounts. After obtaining the funds from these fraudulent unemployment assistance applications, Niebel spent the money on a variety of personal expenses, including food, lodging, lottery tickets, casino gambling, and transportation. Over the course of the scheme, Niebel obtained approximately $512,000 in pandemic unemployment assistance funds to which he was not entitled.
“Christopher Niebel stole over half a million dollars in funds intended to help unemployed Michigan citizens during an unprecedented pandemic. His theft of pandemic unemployment assistance followed his theft of the personal identifying information of numerous people from a previous employer,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “My office is committed to holding to account all of those who illegally obtained Covid relief funds for their private gain.”
"Christopher Niebel filed fraudulent unemployment insurance (UI) claims in the names of identity theft victims which caused him to receive UI benefits to which he was not entitled. He enriched himself by defrauding a program that was intended to assist struggling American workers during an unprecedented global pandemic," said Daniel Loza, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. "We and our law enforcement partners are committed to identifying and prosecuting the criminals who took advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic by using stolen identities to fraudulently obtain pandemic-related UI benefits."
“It’s astounding the selfish schemes fraudsters cook up to steal money meant for hard-working Michiganders,” said Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency Director Julia Dale. “At the start of the pandemic, so many people needed help and all Chris Niebel thought about was how he could game the system for his personal gain. His actions – and those of more than 160 others who have been charged with unemployment fraud – erode the public’s trust. We are winning back the public’s trust with wide-ranging reforms that position the Michigan UIA as a national model for fast, fair, and fraud-free service.”
“Today’s sentencing of Christopher Niebel sends a clear message to anyone who intends to commit criminal actions against the U.S. government and innocent taxpayers,” said Charles Miller, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation (CI), Detroit Field Office. “Stealing innocent victims’ personal information to use in fleecing a government program created to help those in their time of need is reprehensible and CI is dedicated to working with our law enforcement partners to root out these criminals and hold them accountable.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John K. Neal. The investigation was conducted by the Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations Division.
United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison Announces First of Its Kind Civil Action in District to Combat International Fraud RingRead the Press Release
DETROIT – United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today that a Jackson resident has agreed to a court order preventing her from participating in behavior that facilitates a suspected international fraud ring. This civil action is the first of its kind in the Eastern District of Michigan and is part of a broader trend in recent years by the Department of Justice to disrupt international fraud rings that target United States citizens through fake social media profiles.
As part of a civil consent decree approved by U.S. District Judge Paul D. Borman, Holly Locke, 70, is permanently prohibited from assisting, facilitating, or participating in any romance scam. A romance scam is typically a scheme in which an individual starts talking to a stranger they meet online, not knowing the stranger intends to defraud them. Eventually, after developing a friendship or romantic relationship, the fraudster will ask the victim to send them money based on false representations about the need for the funds. If the victim does not have money to send, sometimes the fraudster will use that person as a money transmitter by routing payments from other victims to that person and instructing that person to transfer the money to the fraudster. A money transmitter plays a critical role in the scheme, by receiving the money from other victims and obscuring the transfer of funds from those victims to the fraudster.
Locke is alleged to have acted as a money transmitter after meeting and developing a romantic relationship with a fraudster online. Once the relationship developed, Locke then began receiving numerous packages from strangers containing money, which she passed on to her purported fiancé/husband. The money was sent from victims who believed they were assisting their own online romantic partners and friends. Locke did not admit liability as part of the consent decree.
“This office is committed to using every tool at our disposal to protect Americans from fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “This consent decree cuts off the flow of money from the victims to the international fraudsters behind these scams. In an increasingly online world, people are under constant threat from unscrupulous people trying to compromise personal information or otherwise defraud them. This case should put fraudsters on notice that we will protect our citizens from this particularly cruel type of victimization.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is dedicated to safeguarding all Americans from individuals who attempt to exploit them through fraudulent and deceptive schemes. Today's civil action, unprecedented in the Eastern District of Michigan, should serve as a warning to anyone engaging in or abetting similar scams – you will be held accountable and brought to justice," said Inspector in Charge Rodney M. Hopkins of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Detroit Division.
The agencies involved in this effort urge consumers to be on the lookout for signs someone is trying to recruit them to receive and transmit fraud proceeds. Do not agree to receive money or checks mailed to you or sent to your bank account for someone you have met over the phone or online. Do not open a bank or cryptocurrency account at someone else’s direction. Fraudsters will lie to persuade you to help them. They may falsely tell you that they are helping you get a lottery prize, initiate a purported romantic relationship, and then tell you that they need money, or pretend to offer you a job, an opportunity to invest in a business venture, or the chance to help in a charitable effort.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can 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 promptly reporting certain financial losses due to fraud can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. The Federal Trade Commission also provides a hotline at 877-FTC-HELP and a website at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov to receive consumer complaints.
More information about the Department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. The Justice Department provides information about a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which are available at www.ovc.gov.
Former Corrections Officer Charged with Sex Offense and Smuggling Contraband at FCI MilanRead the Press Release
DETROIT - A federal grand returned an indictment yesterday charging a Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Milan corrections officer with having sex with an inmate and smuggling contraband into the prison, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced.
Ison was joined in the announcement by William J. Hannah, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Midwest Region.
According to the indictment, on September 26, 2023, Cara Wozniak, 33, of Milan, Michigan, while serving as a corrections officer, engaged in sexual intercourse with an inmate who was under her custodial authority at FCI Milan. Wozniak was also charged with providing contraband to an inmate from April through November of 2023.
Federal law and prison rules prohibit all sexual interaction between staff members and inmates, as well as the introduction or possession of contraband in prison. Contraband is defined as prohibited materials which can reasonably be expected to cause physical injury or adversely affect the security, safety, or good order of the institution.
Wozniak is charged with committing a sex act with a ward which carries a maximum sentence of up to 15 years’ imprisonment, and a fine of up to $250,000. Wozniak is also charged with the misdemeanor offense of providing contraband in prison, which carries a sentence of up to six months in prison.
United States Attorney Ison said, “Every day, federal corrections officers display uncompromising integrity in carrying out their duties and maintaining the safety and security of our federal prisons. Unfortunately, the allegations in today’s indictment reflect a failure on the part of one corrections officer to maintain that standard. Sexual misconduct by prison officials compromises the safety and security of the whole institution and is completely unacceptable at Milan or any other correctional facility.”
"We trust correctional officers to act with integrity. Instead, Wozniak allegedly abused her authority, sexually abused an inmate, and smuggled contraband into the prison,” said William J. Hannah, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Midwest Region.
The investigation of these cases was conducted by the Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eaton P. Brown.
An indictment is only a charging document and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Michigan Man Sentenced to over 5 Years in Prison for Robbing String of CVS Pharmacies for Prescription PillsRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Michigan resident Kristopher Kukola was sentenced yesterday for robbing several CVS pharmacies in Van Buren Township, Saline, and Milan, Michigan, before being arrested with the help of a decoy pill bottle, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
United States District Court Judge Stephen J. Murphy sentenced Kukola to 63 months in prison.
Kukola, 39, robbed several CVS pharmacies in the same manner: demanding prescription pills, brandishing what the victims believed to be a gun, and ordering employees to lay on the floor. On the night of May 24, 2022, Kukola robbed a CVS Pharmacy in Van Buren Township, Michigan. He reached into a pocket of his jacket and stated, “I’m armed,” and showed the handle of what the victim believed to be a black handgun. He then directed one of the victims to lay on the ground. On June 2, 2022, he robbed a CVS Pharmacy in Saline, MI. This time, Kukola presented the victims with a list of medications and demanded that an employee give him everything on the list. He again displayed what appeared to be a black handgun and demanded that the victims lay on the floor. On June 8, 2022, Kukola returned to the Van Buren CVS from the first robbery. He handed a list of prescription drugs to an employee, stating “put everything on the list in the bag, or I will start shooting. I have a gun.” Kukola’s final robbery was on July 7, 2022, when he robbed a CVS in Milan, Michigan. Again, he handed an employee a list of prescription pills. But this time, the employee placed a decoy pill bottle with GPS tracking into Kukola’s bag. The tracking device allowed law enforcement to follow Kukola, and ultimately led to his arrest.
“Our office remains steadfast in our commitment to addressing violent crime and protecting our community from the dangerous diversion of prescription drugs.” U.S. Attorney Ison said. “ No one should have to fear for their lives because they work in a pharmacy, and I commend the quick thinking of the pharmacy employee in giving the defendant the decoy pill bottle that ultimately led to his arrest.
"This case serves as an example of the FBI's relentless efforts to track down violent offenders who resort to fear and violence to steal dangerous prescriptions for personal gain," said Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the FBI in Michigan. "I want to thank Detroit's Violent Crimes Task Force for their diligent work identifying and capturing the defendant. The FBI is committed to pursuing those who engage in illegal activities that ruin the lives of Michigan residents."
This case was investigated by the Ann Arbor Police Department, Van Buren Township Police Department, Saline Police Department, Milan Police Department, Michigan State Police, and the FBI.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan Bean and Jasmine Moore.
Detroit Man Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting a ChildRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Detroit man was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting a child and distributing child pornography, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, FBI Special Agent in Charge of Detroit.
Matthew Borodich, 37 of Detroit was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Linda V. Parker.
In late summer 2023, a Winnebago (Wisconsin) County Sheriff’s Department officer working covertly online discovered that a user, later identified as Borodich, had shared multiple pornographic images and videos of a 7-year-old victim to an online public chat group. Law enforcement traced Borodich to Detroit, and the FBI executed a search warrant at Borodich’s residence the very next day. Over the course of two interviews, Borodich admitted to sexually abusing his victim to create child sexually abusive material and other instances of abuse. The FBI also analyzed Borodich’s cell phone and found the material he had shared online of his victim, as well as hundreds of other images and videos of child pornography, including more than 11 hours of footage.
“Through swift inter-agency coordination and the commitment of our law enforcement partners, we ended a dangerous sexual predator’s abuse of this vulnerable victim. This sentence justly punishes the defendant for preying on a child of such a young age, and should serve as warning to others who also engage in this type of egregious conduct.” U.S. Attorney Ison said.
"Thanks to the unwavering efforts of our partners at the Winnebago County Sheriff's Department, the U.S. Attorney's Office, and our office, Mr. Borodich can no longer prey on children through online methods," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. "We have zero tolerance for the exploitation of the innocent and will persist in working together with our law enforcement partners to apprehend these criminals who believe they can prey on our youth and get away with it."
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Rawsthorne, Tara Hindelang, and Sean L. King.
Detroit Man Arrested and Charged After Attempting to Provide Money to ISISRead the Press Release
DETROIT - A Detroit man was arrested and charged in an indictment with attempting to provide material support and resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a foreign terrorist organization, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Charged was Jibreel Pratt, 25.
According to the indictment, Pratt is charged with two counts of attempting to provide currency and monetary instruments to ISIS in March and May 2023, respectively.
The FBI arrested Pratt at his home in Detroit this morning. He will make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court today. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will be asking the Court to hold Pratt in pretrial detention because of his danger to the community and the risk that he will flee.
“The indictment alleges that the defendant attempted to support and join ISIS, which is one of the most brutal terrorist organizations in the world. These charges reflect our commitment to hold accountable anyone who tries to help terrorists,” said U.S. Attorney Ison.
“Mr. Pratt allegedly attempted to provide support to a foreign terrorist organization well known for committing violence and human rights violations,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “The protection of the American people and our communities remains a top priority for the FBI. Through joint and coordinated efforts by our law enforcement and intelligence partners, and vigilant citizens, we will continue to disrupt plots by those who desire to harm others on behalf of a foreign terrorist organization. I would like to thank our Joint Terrorism Task Force for their work in this investigation and for their steadfast commitment to protecting our nation.”
Based on the charges in the Indictment, Pratt faces up to 20 years in prison for each count if convicted.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon and Douglas Salzenstein.
Youth Gymnastics Photographer Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DETROIT — David Eric Yellen, 59, of Royal Oak, Michigan pleaded guilty in federal district court to distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division.
Yellen’s involvement with child pornography came to light after the FBI discovered that he was distributing images of child pornography over the internet, using peer-to-peer file-sharing software. The FBI determined that Yellen had worked as a photographer and videographer at multiple youth female gymnastics events in the past several years. When the FBI searched Yellen’s house, they found that Yellen possessed hundreds of files of child pornography on his electronic devices, and that Yellen had taken at least 200 photographs of the bare feet of the children who attended the gyms and gymnastic events where Yellen worked.
Under the terms of his plea agreement, Yellen will face a sentence of between five and 20 years in prison, to be followed by a term of supervised release of at least five years and up to life. Yellen entered his guilty plea before U.S. District Court Chief Judge Sean F. Cox.
“Yellen’s child pornography conduct was aggravated because of his position of trust in the gymnastics community with youth gymnasts and their parents,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison. “My office will continue to make the prosecution of child pornography crimes a top priority in order to keep our community and our children safe.”
"Yellen, a well-known figure in the Michigan gymnastic community, was found to be distributing child sex abuse material and to have other questionable photos on his devices directly involving some of the gymnasts he worked alongside," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. "Adults who work with and around our children are entrusted with the highest level of trust, and Yellen's conduct demonstrated his disregard for their protection. The FBI will continue to dedicate our resources to removing these individuals who lurk in the shadows and bringing them to justice."
This investigation was conducted by the FBI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Rawsthorne, Ann Nee, and Sarah Alsaden.
One Detroit Partnership Announces the 3rd Annual Unified Summer Enforcement, Prevention, and Reentry Strategy Targeting Designated High Crime Areas in DetroitRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Today, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison, along with Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Wayne County Prosecuting Attorney Kym Worthy, and Detroit Police Chief James E. White, announced the third annual Summer Surge, a targeted strategy aimed at reducing gun violence in Detroit. The Surge, which is a product of the continuing collaboration of the One Detroit partnership, will focus on Detroit’s 8th and 9th Precincts—the precincts with the highest rates of violence in the city. And this year, the One Detroit partners will also concentrate on Detroit’s public spaces to ensure they are safe. One Detroit is an ongoing coalition of community and law enforcement partners working together to develop and execute the best strategies to reduce violent crime through enforcement, prevention, and reentry.
Joining in the announcement were Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division, Special Agent in Charge James Deir, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Special Agent in Charge Orville Greene, Drug Enforcement Administration, Detroit Division, Beverly Smith, Assistant Deputy Director, Operations Office, Michigan Department of Corrections, Bishop Edgar Vann, II, Second Ebenezer Church, Alvin Stokes, President, Citywide Citizens Police Community Relations, Quincy Smith, Ceasefire Detroit and Kenyatta Stephens, CEO Black Family Development.
As temperatures rise, so too does violent crime. With summer approaching, the One Detroit Partnership will again strategically focus resources on some of the most dangerous areas of the city. These neighborhoods in the 8th and 9th Precincts are among the highest in the city in fatal and non-fatal shootings, robberies, and carjackings. And because our parks should be safe to enjoy by all, One Detroit will incorporate them into our Summer Surge.
One part of the Summer Surge is an enforcement strategy designed to prosecute the most violent individuals and crimes in federal court when that is possible. Under the strategy, violent felons arrested for illegally possessing firearms and those arrested with fully automatic firearms and firearms with obliterated serial numbers in Detroit’s 8th and 9th Precincts, or in Detroit’s parks, will be subject to immediate federal prosecution. In addition, any individual who commits an armed carjacking or robbery of a business in the targeted areas will be prosecuted federally. Finally, any individual with a meaningful connection to the targeted areas, who commits this type of crime elsewhere in the city, will be prosecuted federally. The “hot spot” strategy for federal enforcement will begin on Memorial Day and will last until Labor Day in September.
The One Detroit partnership is also engaged in preventing crime in the targeted areas. In an effort to deter violence and illegal gun possession, last week, letters were sent to 351 individuals on probation, parole, or supervised release in the targeted areas, warning them of the enforcement strategy. But the letter—which was signed by the entire executive team of One Detroit—did more than warn. The letter asked the recipient to be a part of the solution and to help make their neighborhood a safer place. And it invited the recipient to participate in a Peacenic in their neighborhood. Peacenics are community events where residents can come for fun, engage with law enforcement, and obtain resources to improve the quality of their lives. This year’s Peacenics will take place on June 15, 2024, at Heilman Park (rain date June 23), and Saturday, June 29, 2024, at O’Hair Park (rain date June 30) from 3 PM to 7 PM. The events will feature vendors offering a variety of resources, including job training, literacy programs, mental health and medical screenings, utility assistance, educational and vocational opportunities, tutorial, career development programs, and more. And back by popular demand is the Peacenic Clothing Boutique where residents can shop for gently used clothing. Several law enforcement agencies will also be present to engage with the community and recruit to fill vacancies in their organizations.
Finally, the One Detroit partners will invite returning citizens who live in the “hot spot” areas to participate in Community Roundtables with justice-impacted citizens who have successfully transitioned back into society along with service providers to help directly address any barriers that are preventing them from fully reintegrating in society.
As part of our unified strategy, we encourage residents to join the partnership by taking a pledge to put down the guns and be an agent of change in their community. The pledge can be found by going to the U.S. Attorney’s Office web page at www.justice.gov/usao-edmi/one-detroit-peace-pledge. The web page will be a resource residents can go to learn of upcoming events related to One Detroit.
“Two years ago, members of our community, government, and law enforcement, formed the One Detroit partnership with one goal: to reduce violent crime in the city. Since then, we have created direct partnerships in Detroit’s precincts, commenced reviews of non-fatal shootings, worked with returning citizens to transition peacefully back to the community, prevented violence through focused deterrence, and created a youth advisory team to learn directly from our teens what risks they face. And violent crime has dropped dramatically,” United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison said. “But let me be clear: we are not done. Detroiters—like everyone—deserve to be safe. They deserve to enjoy their public spaces. They deserve to spend their summer without fear. The Summer Surge is designed to make that a reality. We will work tirelessly to prevent violence from occurring. And when it does occur, we will hold accountable those few responsible.”
“One Detroit isn’t just about partnerships to fight crime or increase enforcement, it’s about building relationships with the neighborhoods we serve,” said Detroit Deputy Mayor Todd Bettison. “Our Peacenics have been very successful in helping to bridge the gap between law enforcement and our community, letting residents know we care and we’re all in this together.”
“Partnership is a powerful component of One Detroit. We have shown that by working collectively we can make an impact in violent crime. This summer we will continue our important mission,” said Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy.
“The Detroit Police Department looks forward to another successful One Detroit partnership to reduce violence in our neighborhoods most impacted by violent crime,” said Detroit Police Deputy Chief Franklin Hayes. “Thanks to the leadership and vision of U.S. Attorney Ison, Mayor Duggan, Chief White and all partners involved, we’re able to collaborate effectively to bring safety and resources to our community.”
Georgia Man Sentenced to Two Years for Laundering Fraudulently Obtained MoneyRead the Press Release
DETROIT - A Georgia resident was sentenced today to two years in federal prison for his role in helping fraudsters steal money from both individual and business victims, some of them from Michigan, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Field Division.
Christian Ogunghide, 48, was sentenced after having pleaded guilty, earlier this year, to laundering money derived from wire fraud, by United States District Judge Gershwin A. Drain.
According to Court records, in 2016-2017, through various bank accounts, Ogunghide engaged in numerous financial transactions, each transaction well over $10,000, involving over $1 million in the proceeds of wire fraud, that is, funds obtained by others through business email compromise fraud schemes and romance fraud schemes. When Ogunghide engaged in these monetary transactions, he knew that the transactions involved criminally derived property. He allowed fraudsters to use bank accounts he controlled to receive monies fraudulently taken from both individuals and businesses. He then disseminated the funds, effectively eliminating any chance the victims had to get their money back. He played a vital role in enabling the fraudsters to complete their fraud. And Ogunghide benefited immensely, including by the use of nearly $300,000 in fraudulent funds to buy himself a home that he lived in for years.
The Court ordered Ogunghide to pay $1,207,155.66 in restitution to the victims in this case. The Court also ordered the forfeiture of a Georgia home purchased with funds traceable to the fraud scheme, and entered a forfeiture money judgment of $1,206, 155.66.
United States Attorney Ison stated: “Those who enable the victimization of others need to be held accountable. As a money launderer, Ogunghide repeatedly helped to facilitate fraud. We are committed to prosecuting those who choose to enrich themselves by enabling others to commit crimes.”
"Mr. Ogunghide illicitly laundered over a million dollars obtained through fraud from victims, encompassing individuals and businesses across multiple states," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. "Combatting white-collar crime stands as a foremost priority for the FBI, and with the assistance of our law enforcement allies, we will persist in uncovering and dismantling financial schemes."
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick E. Corbett and Adriana Dydell. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Shelby Township Doctor Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Illegally Distributing More than 270,000 Opioid Pills worth more than $6.3 MillionRead the Press Release
DETROIT - Shelby Township physician Lawrence Mark Sherman, 75, was sentenced today to 12 years in prison based on his conviction following a jury trial on 20 charges related to the unlawful diversion of prescription drugs, announced U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Joining Ison in the announcement were Special Agent in Charge Cheyvorea Gibson, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division, and Special Agent in Charge Mario Pinto of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Chicago Regional Office.
Sherman was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Judith E. Levy, who presided over the trial. The charges on which he was convicted and sentenced stemmed from his involvement in the operation of Tranquility Wellness Center, Inc. from about March 2020 through June 2021. Sherman worked part-time at Tranquility Wellness Center, which operated first in Dearborn and later in Saint Clair Shores. Out of that clinic, Dr. Sherman unlawfully prescribed primarily Oxycodone, Oxymorphone , and Oxycodone-Acetaminophen 10- (Percocet), three of the most addictive prescription opioids. These prescription drugs are also among the most highly diverted prescription opioids due to their high street value.
Federal agents first executed search and arrest warrants against Sherman and Tranquility Wellness Center in June 2021. The other defendants charged in the case, including clinic operators Janeice Burrell and Angelo Smith, clinic employee Akeyla Bell, and Peter Burrell previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Dr. Sherman conspired with the other defendants to illegally authorize more than 3,000 opioid prescriptions for supposed “patients” who did not have a legitimate medical need for the drugs, and who were typically brought to the clinic by “patient recruiters/marketers.” Tranquility Wellness Center accepted only cash, and charged patients not based on the service provided, but instead based on the quantity, type, and dosage of prescription opioids that the “patient” received. The clinic also charged cash for the creation of fraudulent medical records for the supposed “patients.” Janeice Burrell and Angelo Smith paid Dr. Sherman in cash or peer-to-peer money transfer application, and only paid him if he wrote controlled substance prescriptions, not based on any supposed “medical care.”
During the trial the jury heard evidence and testimony that Doctor Sherman issued more than 270,000 dosage units of Schedule II opioid prescriptions during the conspiracy. These controlled substances had a street value in excess of $6.3 million.
While the unlawful controlled substance prescriptions were paid for in cash, both controlled and non-controlled “maintenance” medications were billed to health care benefit programs by pharmacies. Billings to the Medicare and Medicaid programs for medically unnecessary prescription drug medications and maintenance medications during this conspiracy exceeded $500,000.
“My office will not waver in its commitment to aggressively identify, investigate, and prosecute doctors and other health care professionals who feed the opioid epidemic by writing illegal opioid prescriptions,” stated U.S. Attorney Ison. “Health care professionals have both an opportunity and a duty to help address the terrible impact the opioid epidemic has had on our community, but Dr. Sherman chose to only make it worse.”
"The sentencing of Dr. Sherman highlights the FBI's ongoing efforts against medical professionals who are using their position to line their own pockets while ultimately contributing to the opioid crisis," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. "His actions endangered countless lives, which goes against the oath he took as a doctor. We remain committed to investigating health care fraud and holding those who exploit their positions accountable."
“Physicians and other medical providers who abuse their oath by unlawfully prescribing potentially dangerous and addicting opioids for financial gain, do so without regard for the wellbeing of their patients,” said Mario M. Pinto of the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Our office is committed to working together with our law enforcement partners to bring those who engage in unlawful and dangerous overprescribing to justice.”
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew J. Lievense and Adriana Dydell. The Eastern District of Michigan is one of the twelve districts included in the Opioid Fraud Abuse and Detection Unit, a Department of Justice initiative that uses data to target and prosecute individuals that are contributing to the nation’s opioid crisis.
The case was investigated by special agents and task force officers of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Health and Human Services-Office of the Inspector General.
Ingham County Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
DETROIT – An Ingham County man was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting children and transporting child pornography, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvorea Gibson, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division.
John Michael Garron, 40, of Stockbridge, Michigan, was sentenced by United States District Judge David M. Lawson. Garron’s conviction stems from his years-long sexual exploitation of a minor girl under his care, who was under 12 years old at the time. Garron took sexually explicit images and videos of the girl and recorded himself masturbating over her while she slept.
Garron’s crimes became known in 2023, when he bragged about his abuse of the minor child and distributed images of child pornography to other users online. Unknown to Garron, one of the online users he was communicating with was an undercover FBI agent. The FBI began investigating Garron, tracing him to his residence near Lansing. After a obtaining a search warrant, agents entered Garron’s residence and collected his devices. On the devices, agents located the images Garron had produced of himself assaulting the minor victim in his care, as well as over 28,000 images of child pornography that Garron had downloaded and shared with other users online.
“Garron sexually assaulted and exploited a vulnerable prepubescent girl under his care. Our office remains committed to using whatever resources necessary to bring those who prey on our children to justice,” U.S. Attorney Ison stated.
"This sentencing reflects our unwavering commitment to protect the most vulnerable in our community. The years of exploitation endured by this young girl are utterly reprehensible," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “Today's verdict sends a clear message that our community will not tolerate such heinous acts, and we will relentlessly pursue justice for the victims."
This case was investigated by the FBI and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Rawsthorne and Diane Princ.
Former MDOC Officer Sentenced to 16 years for Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Jackson County man who had previously worked as a Michigan Department of Corrections Officer was sentenced to 16 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting children and distributing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Shawn Gibson, acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations Detroit.
Aaron Ray Fetters, 29, of Jackson, Michigan, was sentenced by United States District Judge Terrence G. Berg. Fetters’ conviction stems from his years-long sexual exploitation of a minor girl known to him, who was in her mid-teens at the time. Fetters recorded himself sexually assaulting the girl repeatedly over the course of several years.
Fetters’ crimes came to light in 2022, when Homeland Security Investigations and Michigan State Police received a tip that Fetters had distributed images of child pornography to other users using a social media application. Law enforcement began investigating Fetters and retrieved his electronic devices, which led to the discovery of his recorded sexual abuse of the minor victim. On the same devices, investigators located hundreds of images of child pornography that Fetters had downloaded from the internet and shared with others, including children as young as infants being sexually assaulted.
“Thanks to the tireless efforts of our law enforcement partners, including the MSP and HSI agents working on this case, a prolific sexual predator became known, his abuse was stopped, and he has been punished for his heinous acts .” U.S. Attorney Ison stated.
“HSI is dedicated to protecting our most vulnerable population against sexual predators who seek to take advantage of their innocence especially offenders in positions of public trust,” said HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Shawn Gibson “Working with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to aggressively protect children by diligently investigating online sexual offenses involving minors. My thoughts are with the victim in this case, and it is my hope that they can continue the healing process knowing justice has been served.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and Michigan State Police and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Rawsthorne and Diane Princ.
Local Physician and Practice Agree to Pay over $2 Million to Settle False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
DETROIT – James Aronovitz, D.O., and Michigan Ear Care PLLC have agreed to pay over $2 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by charging the Medicare and Medicaid programs for services purportedly provided by Aronovitz, but actually rendered by physician assistants who Aronovitz did not properly supervise, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Mario Pinto, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG).
Under the settlement, Aronovitz and Michigan Ear Care will pay $2,003,800.91 to resolve allegations that Aronovitz submitted claims to Medicare and Medicaid under his National Provider Identifier for ear care services provided by physician assistants in nursing facilities and home health settings, without Aronovitz providing the required supervision of the physician assistants. The State of Michigan will receive $65,993.20 of the settlement amount based on its share of alleged damages to the Medicaid program.
“Physicians are expected to submit accurate billing when charging the Medicare and Medicaid programs,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “This investigation and settlement demonstrate that our office continues to deploy the resources necessary to combat Medicare and Medicaid fraud in this district.”
“Ensuring providers adhere to supervision requirements and regulatory standards is crucial for safeguarding the integrity of federal health care programs and the well-being of patients," said Mario M. Pinto, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. "HHS-OIG remains committed to promoting compliance and the prevention of fraud, waste, and abuse in HHS programs."
The civil investigation was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonny Zajac of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, with assistance from HHS-OIG. The investigation originated as a U.S. Department of Justice Health Care Fraud Strike Force investigation.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination or admission of liability.
Defendants in Deadly Drug Distribution Scheme Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
DETROIT – The last of seven defendants in a drug conspiracy that resulted in overdoses and at least one death was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Today, United States District Court Judge Bernard A. Friedman sentenced Lavante Brown, 30, of Detroit. Brown pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute with the intent to distribute a controlled substance and distribution of fentanyl resulting in death on May 16, 2023.
An FBI investigation revealed that, for years, a group of dealers operated an on-demand drive through for drugs, including crack cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, on Yacama street in Detroit, Michigan. Drug customers who drove down the street were served at their car window with drugs at any time of day, as many times as they could afford. Residents of the area had been plagued with this incessant drug activity, resulting in home abandonments, which were, in turn, used to further the distribution. Drugs sold from Yacama street caused many overdoses, including at least one fatal overdose.
Seven members of the conspiracy, most of whom had lengthy criminal histories, were charged in federal court. All seven pleaded guilty to offenses related to the sales of controlled substances on Yacama, before United States District Judge Bernard A. Friedman. The co-defendants, and their sentences, are listed below:
- Anthony Foster, 38, of Detroit, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
- Willie Swift, 58, of Detroit, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance and was sentenced to over 10 years in prison.
- Terrance Hall, 34, of Eastpointe, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute with the intent to distribute a controlled substance and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
- Dana Hudson, 46, of Detroit, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance and was sentenced to 5 years in prison.
- David Terry, 41, of Harper Woods, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance and was sentenced to over 4 years in prison.
- Justin Fields, 33, of Rochester Hills, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance and was sentenced to one day custody with credit for time-served, followed by three years of supervised release.
“These defendants believed that they could take over areas of our city, destroy neighborhoods, and risk others’ lives with impunity, but these sentences should serve as notice that federal law enforcement will not stand idly by while drug dealers do harm to our community,” U.S. Attorney Ison said. “
"Today's sentencing marks a significant victory in our relentless fight against opioid trafficking and its devastating impact on our community," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. "This case sends a strong message that we will not tolerate activities that endanger our citizens' lives and will continue to work tirelessly to hold those responsible accountable. I commend the diligent efforts of the FBI's Oakland County Gang and Violent Crime Task Force in bringing these criminals to justice."
This case was investigated by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the Oakland County Gang and Violent Crime Task Force. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Hindelang.
Justice Department Strengthens Efforts, Builds Partnerships to Address the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous PersonsRead the Press Release
BAY CITY – The Justice Department joins its partners across the federal government, as well as people throughout American Indian and Alaska Native communities, in recognizing May 5 as National Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Awareness Day.
In recognition of MMIP Awareness Day, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland highlighted ongoing efforts to tackle the MMIP and human trafficking crises in American Indian and Alaska Native communities, and other pressing public safety challenges, like the fentanyl crisis, in Tribal communities.
“There is still so much more to do in the face of persistently high levels of violence that Tribal communities have endured for generations, and that women and girls, particularly, have endured,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “In carrying out our work, we seek to honor those who are still missing, those who were stolen from their communities, and their loved ones who are left with unimaginable pain. Tribal communities deserve safety, and they deserve justice. This day challenges all of us at the Justice Department to double down on our efforts, and to be true partners with Tribal communities as we seek to end this crisis.”
“For too long, our Missing and Murdered Indigenous victims were unseen by policymakers and law enforcement, but our office is committed to doing better to ensure that the lives of these victims and their families remain visible as we work to improve the federal response to these cases, “said U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison. “We are steadfast in our commitment to holding accountable those who are perpetrating violence in our Tribal communities.”
“The FBI remains unwavering in our pledge to work with our law enforcement partners to address the violence that has disproportionately harmed Tribal communities and families,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “We will continue to prioritize our support of victims and will steadfastly pursue investigations into the crime impacting American Indian and Alaska Native communities.”
“DEA’s top priority is protecting all communities from deadly drugs, like fentanyl, and drug related violent crime,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “We know that no community has been spared from these deadly threats and we are committed to keeping Tribal communities safe.”
Justice Department Prioritization of MMIP Cases
Last July, the Justice Department announced the creation of the Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which permanently places 10 attorneys and coordinators in five designated regions across the United States to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people. The five regions include the Northwest, Southwest, Great Plains, Great Lakes, and Southeast Regions.
The MMIP Regional Outreach Program prioritizes MMIP cases consistent with the Deputy Attorney General’s July 2022 directive to U.S. Attorneys’ offices promoting public safety in Indian country. The program fulfills the Justice Department’s promise to dedicate new personnel to MMIP consistent with Executive Order 14053, Improving Public Safety and Criminal Justice for Native Americans and Addressing the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous People, and the Department’s Federal Law Enforcement Strategy to Prevent and respond to Violence Against American Indians and Alaska Natives, Including to Address Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons issued in July 2022.
Not Invisible Act Commission Response
The Department’s work to respond to the MMIP crisis is a whole-of-department effort. In March, the Departments of Justice and the Interior released their joint response to the Not Invisible Act Commission’s recommendations on how to combat the missing or murdered Indigenous peoples (MMIP) and human trafficking crisis. The NIAC response, announced by Attorney General Garland during a visit to the Crow Nation, recognizes that more must be done across the federal government to resolve this longstanding crisis and support healing from the generational traumas that Indigenous peoples have endured throughout the history of the United States.
Addressing Violent Crime and the Fentanyl Crisis in Indian Country
As noted in the joint response to the NIAC, research suggests that certain public safety challenges faced by many American Indian and Alaska Native communities—including disproportionate violence against women, families, and children; substance abuse; drug trafficking; and labor and sex trafficking—can influence the rates of missing AI/AN persons.
Further, fentanyl poisoning and overdose deaths are the leading cause of opioid deaths throughout the United States, including Indian county, where drug-related overdose death rates for Native Americans exceeds the national rate.
Therefore, federal law enforcement components are ramping up efforts to forge stronger partnerships with federal and Tribal law enforcement partners to address violent crime and the fentanyl crisis, which exposes already vulnerable communities to greater harm.
Accessing Department of Justice Resources
Over the past year, the Department awarded $268 million in grants to help enhance Tribal justice systems and strengthen law enforcement responses. These awards have also gone toward improving the handling of child abuse cases, combating domestic and sexual violence, supporting Tribal youth programs, and strengthening victim services in Tribal communities.
For additional information about the Department of Justice’s efforts to address the MMIP crisis, please visit the Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons section of the Tribal Safety and Justice website.
If you or someone you know has information about missing or murdered Indigenous persons in Michigan, please contact the FBI Detroit Field Office by calling (313) 965-2323, or click here for more information about reporting or identifying missing persons.
If you have questions about the MMIP program, please contact the Great Lakes Regional MMIP program coordinator Joel Postma by calling 616-808-2113
Sterling Heights Man Charged with Multiple Counts of Aggravated Assaults of Federal Officers While Resisting ArrestRead the Press Release
DETROIT –Carl Emerson Travis, 52, of Sterling Heights, Michigan, was indicted by a federal grand jury with seven counts of aggravated assault on three deputy U.S. Marshals and four federal task force officers, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan.
On March 29, 2024, members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Apprehension Team attempted to arrest Carl Emerson Travis, who was wanted in multiple jurisdictions. When Travis saw law enforcement approaching, he resisted arrest and tried to escape, accelerating his car in reverse at a high rate of speed. In the process, Travis dragged a deputy U.S. Marshal and a task force officer with his car and knocked another officer to the ground. As Travis’s vehicle flew backwards, it also nearly struck several other deputies and officers who stood nearby. Travis ultimately slammed into a parked car, pushing it through the wall of an occupied hotel room. Only then was Travis finally placed under arrest.
“Our federal law enforcement officers put their lives at risk every day to keep us safe. The actions of this defendant were reckless and put the lives of our officers in danger,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “Our office will not hesitate to hold those accountable who harm law enforcement officers who are merely doing their jobs.”
"Mr. Travis not only attempted to evade arrest but also recklessly endangered the safety of the community and law enforcement personnel," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. Our brave law enforcement partners place their lives on the line daily to uphold justice, and we will not tolerate any actions against them. Let it be clear: The severity of this offense will not be tolerated, and Mr. Travis will face the full extent of the law for his reckless and careless actions."
An indictment is only a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Michigan State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nhan Ho.
Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to over 4 Years in Federal Prison for Participating in Multi-State Pandemic Unemployment Insurance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
DETROIT - A man from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania was sentenced yesterday for his role in a multi-state, million-dollar unemployment insurance fraud scheme aimed at defrauding the U.S. Government and the states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, of funds earmarked for unemployment assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Joining in the announcement were Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Special Agent in Charge Charles Miller, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and Irene Lindow, Special Agent in Charge, Chicago Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
Adrian Fluellen, 29, was sentenced to 51 months in prison and ordered to pay more than $900,000 in restitution in the sentence handed down by United States District Judge Matthew F. Leitman.
According to court records, Fluellen and a co-defendant conspired to, and did, defraud the federal government and the states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Maryland of roughly $1 million in funds intended to support individuals who had lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pair committed their crimes through the use of interstate wires and the unauthorized possession and use of social security numbers and other means of identification belonging to other individuals.
Fluellen pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud in February 2024.
Fluellen and his co-defendant, using stolen personal identification, filed hundreds of false unemployment claims with state unemployment insurance agencies in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Maryland in the names of other individuals without their knowledge or consent. The defendants then received hundreds of Bank of America prepaid debit cards in the names of those individuals loaded with roughly $1 million in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance funds at addresses in Michigan and Pennsylvania. Fluellen, his co-defendant, and their accomplices then successfully unloaded more than $930,000 from the cards via cash withdrawals and purchases that included jewelry, drugs, at least one vehicle, and at least one firearm.
“Taxpayer unemployment assistance funds diverted to the pockets of criminals during the pandemic resulted in less money and fewer resources being available for those genuinely in need at that challenging time” said U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison. “Along with our law enforcement partners, our office will continue to work to hold individuals who have committed and are committing such crimes of fraud, greed, and avarice responsible. “
"This sentence underscores the FBI's commitment to investigating complex financial crimes," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. "We will not tolerate the greed and selfish conduct demonstrated by those who chose to defraud the unemployment insurance system, especially when we faced an unprecedented global pandemic. The FBI and our federal partners remain steadfast in holding criminals accountable and protecting government assistance programs. The pandemic may be in our rearview mirrors, but our investigations continue to move forward in the name of justice."
“Pandemic Unemployment assistance granted by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was meant to be a lifeline for those affected the most by the global covid-19 pandemic, not as an unlimited well of funds for Adrian Fluellen,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles Miller, Detroit Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation (CI). “Not only did Mr. Fluellen defraud the US government, but he also stole the identities of hundreds of victims, jeopardizing the personal security of countless hard-working Americans. CI and our law enforcement partners are dedicated to holding accountable those who intend to game the system to feed their own unchecked greed.”
"Adrian Fluellen defrauded multiple state workforce agencies by using stolen identities to obtain unemployment insurance (UI) benefits. We will continue to work with our law enforcement and state workforce agency partners to protect the integrity of these critical benefit programs," said Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Carl D. Gilmer-Hill and Jessica A. Nathan. The investigation was conducted jointly by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, and Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
One Detroit Violence Reduction Partnership Observes Second Chance Month by Hosting Community RoundtableRead the Press Release
DETROIT - April is Second Chance month, a time to raise awareness of and find solutions to the barriers that exist for individuals who are returning from incarceration. The One Detroit Violence Reduction Partnership is committed to helping those with criminal convictions successfully rejoin the community, and our strategy is straightforward. First, to identify the justice-impacted residents who are at most risk of re-offending and second, engage with this population to meet their most pressing needs. The One Detroit Partnership has combined government and community resources to help encourage successful reentry for justice-impacted citizens.
“Second Chances are not limited to the month of April. There are opportunities available year- round for individuals returning to their communities who are ready to take full advantage of their second chance,” said Dawn N. Ison, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, “We understand that every person who successfully reintegrates into the community helps make our community safer."
United States Attorney Dawn N. IsonFor nearly a year, the One Detroit Partnership has been engaging with justice-impacted residents through community roundtables. The roundtables are made up of people who are currently on supervised release or probation who have been identified by the United States Probation Department and the Michigan Department of Corrections as being at moderate or severe risk of committing violent crimes. So far, we have served over 160 justice-impacted individuals along with family members in seven community roundtables. The first six roundtables all took place in Detroit’s 8th and 9th Police Precincts, which have also been the focus of One Detroit’s enforcement and prevention efforts. Last week, we expanded with our first community roundtable in the 2nd Precinct. Plans are currently underway for a community roundtable in Flint.
The roundtables consist of a cohort of roughly 20-30 parolees or probationers along with accompanying family members. The roundtable begins with the cohort hearing from a panel of justice-impacted individuals who provide motivation and insight about how to take advantage of a second chance after a criminal conviction. The panel is organized by returning citizens with messages crafted to reach the cohort and offer examples of successful reintegration into the community. At the conclusion of the panel, the justice-impacted citizens and their family members are invited to participate in breakout sessions facilitated by staff from Black Family Development and Goodwill Industries to discuss any barriers that might be preventing successful reintegration to society. Darryl Woods, CEO of Fighting the Good Fight is one of the organizers of the community roundtables. “The roundtables serve as a safe place for those who really want a second chance. They are filled with lifesaving information and resources,” stated Woods.
Darryl Woods, CEO of Fighting the Good Fight speaks with a
group of justice-impacted residents.Three Members of a Violent National Gang Convicted of RICO in DetroitRead the Press Release
DETROIT – After a seven-week trial in federal court, a jury convicted three members of the Almighty Vice Lords Nation of a RICO conspiracy that involved a 2020 murder, and other crimes, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today. Ison was joined in the announcement by James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Detroit Chief of Police James White.
Evidence at trial proved the Almighty Vice Lords Nation (AVLN) was a sprawling criminal enterprise which committed acts of violence, drug dealing, and other crimes, across the country. The trial involved members of the Traveling Vice Lords branch of the AVLN. The jury specifically found that the three men were responsible for a 2020 murder and attempted murder that took place at the Shirley-Plymouth playground on Detroit’s west side. The evidence at trial showed that Davun Baskerville killed J.G., a 29 year old man, in broad daylight in front of his two young children. Baskerville also shot and injured the children’s pregnant mother, who had witnessed the murder. The evidence proved that Terry Douglas and Schuyler Belew, Jr., aided and abetted the murder.
The jury convicted:
- Terry Douglas, 44, of Detroit, who was the Chief of the TVL branch. Douglas was convicted of RICO conspiracy, with a special finding that he was responsible for aiding and abetting the 2020 murder and participating in a conspiracy to distribute more than 280 grams of crack; of aiding and abetting the discharge of a firearm during and in relation to the 2020 murder and attempted murder; of conspiring to distribute more than 280 grams of crack cocaine; and of multiple other gun and drug charges. Douglas is subject to a mandatory 35-year sentence and up to life in prison.
- Schuyler Belew, Jr, 31, of Detroit, who was a leader—what is called a Universal Elite—of the TVLs in Michigan. Belew was convicted of RICO conspiracy, with a special finding that he was responsible for aiding and abetting the 2020 murder and participating in a conspiracy to distribute more than 280 grams of crack; and of aiding and abetting the discharge of a firearm during and in relation to the 2020 murder and attempted murder. Belew faces a mandatory sentence of 20 years and up to life in prison.
- Davun Baskerville, 34, of Detroit, who was the Chief of Security for the TVLs. Baskerville was convicted of RICO conspiracy, with a special finding that he was responsible for the 2020 murder and attempted murder; of discharging a firearm during and in relation to the 2020 murder; and, of discharging a firearm during and in relation to the attempted murder of a witness. Baskerville faces a mandatory sentence of 20 years and up to life in prison.
“Today, a jury delivered justice to the men responsible for a brutal murder that took place in broad daylight in a park where children play,” United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison said. “It gave closure to a mother who was viciously shot in front of her kids. And, hopefully, it sent a clear message to those who are involved in gangs that perpetuate so much violence: stop or we will stop you.”
“Today’s jury verdict finding four more members of the Almighty Vice Lord Nation (AVLN) guilty is proof that ATF Detroit is steadfast in its commitment to disrupt gun violence at its core to ensure every community member has an opportunity to live without the presence of gun violence. These four defendants represent the worst of the worst in our community. They let their individual and collective greed guide their violent pathway straight into federal prison. It should be common knowledge throughout the state of Michigan: violent gang activity will not be tolerated and will be disrupted; change your ways or we’ll help you change them with a drastic change of scenery (federal prison).” said, Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Deir.
“Through collaborating with our federal partners and others across law enforcement, we will continue to bring perpetrators of heinous acts like these to justice, showing our community that violence will not be tolerated in Detroit,” said Chief James E. White. “Together, all of us are making an impact to keep our community safe from violence and hold the bad actors that have been convicted of these crimes accountable.”
The jury convicted a fourth man, Lawon Carter, 36, of Detroit, of possession with the intent to distribute more than 28 grams of crack cocaine, cocaine, and heroin, and two counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, but acquitted Carter of RICO conspiracy. Carter faces a mandatory minimum 15 years in prison and up to life.
This is the second trial in less than a year involving the Almighty Vice Lord Nation. In November 2023, three national leaders of the gang were convicted of RICO conspiracy and other crimes in federal court in Detroit.
United States Attorney’s Office Observes National Crime Victims’ Rights WeekRead the Press Release
DETROIT, MI – In observance of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 21-27, 2024, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, along with the Detroit Crime Victims’ Action Team, will be recognizing crime victims and those who have dedicated their lives to serve and assist victims of crime.
“My office stands ready to support victims and ensure they know their rights,” stated United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. “Our staff of professionals are dedicated to ensuring that victims’ rights are protected, and that their voices are heard in every case.”
“Victims of crime from months old to well into their nineties and/or their families that have been left behind deserve a justice system that works for them. Whether they have been murdered, sexually assaulted, robbed, tortured, or abused, they should be treated with respect and be supported. Prosecutors, advocates, and law enforcement can often be their last line of defense. And although we cannot restore their lives to what they were before their victimization, we can stand by them, seek justice for them, advocate for them, and try to give them hope for a crime free future,” said Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy.
Each year in April, the federal Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) leads communities throughout the country in their annual observances of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week by raising awareness of victims' rights and honoring crime victims and those who advocate on their behalf. The NCVRW theme for 2024 is How would you help? Options, services, and hope for crime survivors. This year’s theme is focused on creating safe environments for crime victims to share what happened to them and offer support, options for life-saving services, and most importantly, hope.
Each year during NCVRW, the Detroit Crime Victims Action Team, which is comprised of Crime Stoppers of Michigan, along with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, honors an organization or individual for outstanding service to victims of crime. The 2024 honoree is SafeHouse Center, whose mission is to empower survivors of both sexual and intimate partner violence by providing advocacy, support, and promoting social change within our community. SafeHouse Center will be recognized for its tireless work to ensure that the needs of victims are met.
This year’s Crime Victims’ Rights Week event will be held on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, from noon to 3 p.m. at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice, 1441 St. Antoine, Detroit, Michigan. Lauren Sowell, a sex trafficking survivor and Anti-Trafficking Specialist at Avalon Healing Center will be the guest speaker and share her emotional story of how she is using her voice to help others.
Following the event, the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, Michigan, will be hosting a Wellness Event featuring vendors, food trucks, resources, and more. For more information about the wellness event, contact Mechelle Donahoo and Pat Little at:[email protected]
All are welcome to attend this event. This event will be livestreamed on the Facebook page for the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Victims of Crime Act, commonly shortened to VOCA. This act was passed by Congress and signed into law on October 12, 1984. VOCA established the Crime Victims Fund (CVF), a Federal Victim Notification System, discretionary grants for victim service organizations, victim assistance positions in the Department of Justice, financial support for the Children’s Justice Act Program, and assistance and compensation for victims and survivors of terrorism.
For more information about how to support all victims of crime, visit OVC’s website at www.ovc.ojp.gov.
Detroit Woman Sentenced to 7 Years for Shooting at Federal AgentsRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Detroit woman who shot at federal agents while they were executing a search warrant at her apartment was sentenced to seven years in prison, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan.
Gloria Bush, 42, was sentenced after having pleaded guilty to assaulting a federal officer and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. According to court documents, in April 2021, the Drug Enforcement Administration Special Response Team executed a search warrant at Bush’s residence. Federal agents on the Team approached the door of Bush’s residence and announced their presence. As they attempted to enter the house, Bush fired two shots in their direction from inside the house. One bullet struck a shield that one of the agents was holding.
“This case demonstrates how our federal law enforcement partners put their lives at risk every day doing the work necessary to keep our community safe,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “This defendant’s actions not only endangered the lives of federal agents, but also the lives of all those living around her who could have been struck by gunfire.”
“Every day brave men and women in law enforcement put themselves in harm’s way to keep the citizens of Michigan safe,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “In this case, agents from DEA’s Special Response Team were assaulted while executing a court authorized search warrant. I’d especially like to recognize the DEA SRT operators as heroes based on their discipline and high level of training they exhibited when they were able to safely effect the arrest of Gloria Bush despite coming under fire.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ranya Elzein and Nicholas McIntyre.
Detroit Business Owner Charged with Possessing over 40 kilograms of Fentanyl in Basement Stash HouseRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Detroit gas station owner has been charged with several federal crimes stemming from his involvement with a Detroit-based stash house that held over 40 kilograms of fentanyl, a pill press, and a variety of other materials used to manufacture fentanyl pills, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Orville Greene, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Chief Thomas Goralski, Livonia Police Department.
On March 28, 2024, law enforcement executed search warrants at three locations connected to Barry Willis, 55, a resident of Clinton Township and owner of a Detroit gas station. Officers searched Willis’s primary residence in Clinton Township, his gas station in Detroit, as well as his suspected stash house in Detroit. In the basement of the stash house, officers recovered over 40 kilograms of fentanyl in both pill and powder form, as well as a hoard of materials for manufacturing fentanyl pills such as a pill press, narcotics scales, and drug recipes. Officers further located two handguns at the stash house, one at Willis’s residence, and another at his gas station, as well as over $100,000 in cash from Willis’s Clinton Township residence.
“This case represents the largest law enforcement seizure of fentanyl in the state of Michigan to date. We are incredibly proud of our law enforcement partners who conducted this investigation and recovered these deadly substances before they could harm members of our community,” U.S. Attorney Ison said.
“This amount of fentanyl has the potential to provide nearly two deadly doses to every man, woman and child living in the state of Michigan. We will continue to work with our partners to pursue anyone pushing poisons into our communities and bring them to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Greene.
"This major seizure of fentanyl has saved lives. The great partnerships we have with law enforcement at the federal, state and local levels in southeast Michigan, enable us to make these types of investigations successful,” said Chief Goralski.
Willis has now been indicted for possession of over 400 grams of fentanyl with the intent to distribute it, possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of firearms by a convicted felon. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment if convicted of the charges in the indictment.
An indictment is only a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Livonia Police Department, including officers assigned to the Livonia Police Intelligence Bureau, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The Michigan State Police and the Clinton Township Police Department also assisted with the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Ramamurthy.Leader of Seven Mile Bloods Street Gang Sentenced to Life in Prison After Being Convicted of Racketeering, Murder, and Other Related OffensesRead the Press Release
DETROIT –The leader of the Seven Mile Bloods Street Gang was sentenced to life in prison today after having been convicted in December, 2023 of 22 counts, including racketeering conspiracy, murder, attempted murder, and related firearms offenses, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Division.
Billy Arnold, age 37, was convicted of RICO Conspiracy, two counts of Murder in Aid of Racketeering, 10 counts of Attempted Murder in Aid of Racketeering, and multiple firearm counts following a six-week trial, a federal jury before Chief Judge Sean Cox in the Eastern District of Michigan.
“The harshest sentences are reserved for the most serious crimes and criminals. They are reserved for people like Billy Arnold, who killed multiple people, tried to kill many others, and terrorized an entire community,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “With this sentence, Arnold’s victims received some small measure of justice. This sentence should also send a message to others. To those who commit acts of violence: We will not stand for it any longer. And, to the vast majority of the residents of the “Red Zone” and all over Detroit and the Eastern District of Michigan, who want nothing more than to live in peace: We have your back. We will be by your side, working every day to prevent violence from occurring. But when it does, we will stand with you then too. And we will use all of our resources to bring to justice those who don’t stop shooting.”
“Local gangs such as the Seven Mile Bloods utilize violence and firearm threats to spread fear within the community,” stated Cheyvoryea Gibson, the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “This sentencing sends a message that the Violent Gang Task Force of the FBI will continue to take a stand against those who engage in street violence and retaliation to safeguard the citizens of Detroit. I would like to recognize and thank the men and women of our task force for their dedication and tireless work during this investigation.”
According to evidence presented during the trial, the Seven Mile Bloods operated on the east side of Detroit, between Gratiot Avenue and Kelly Road and between Seven and Eight Mile Roads. Seven Mile Bloods or “SMB” members claimed this area as their territory and referred to it as the “Red Zone.” The area is in zip code 48205, which SMB members referred to as “4-8-2-0-Die.”
Evidence presented at trial showed an ongoing gang war between the Seven Mile Bloods and an alliance of other gangs operating on Detroit’s east side stemming from a murder that Arnold committed in July 2014. Arnold, who was on parole at the time, encountered two rival gang members during a meeting at a parole office in Detroit. After the meeting, Arnold waited outside the parole office until the rival gang member left. Arnold followed the rival gang members and their two companions a short distance before opening fire, killing one of the victims and seriously injuring another. Following the murder, the Seven Mile Bloods and rival gangs began violently attacking one another and posted respective “hit lists” on social media. The violence reached a boiling point in 2015 when during a one-month span, Arnold murdered one rival gang member, and shot numerous others. One of Arnold’s victims, who was shot while taking his two young daughters for a walk, was paralyzed as a result of the shooting. Arnold shot another victim, who was only 15 years old at the time of the shooting, while the victim was at his first day of work at a banquet hall in Roseville. Arnold shot the victim while attempting to murder a rival gang member who was standing near the victim in a parking lot. The 15-year-old victim and the rival gang member survived the shooting. On September 26, 2015, Arnold and another Seven Mile Blood member were arrested following a high-speed chase in Detroit. Following the chase, law enforcement recovered an assault rifle from the vehicle that was used in one murder and several other shootings.
The investigation further resulted in the seizure of more than 20 firearms, including several high-powered assault rifles.
Arnold is the 20th member or associate of the Seven Mile Bloods to have been convicted as a result of the investigation.
This case was the result of a collaborative effort by multiple law enforcement agencies. Investigators were able to bring together separate probes into various members of this organization and its criminal activities into one encompassing investigation. Partners include the Detroit Police Department Gang Intelligence Unit, the FBI Violent Gang Task Force, which consists of representatives of Detroit Police Department, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Michigan Department of Corrections and Michigan State Police, with the cooperation of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Also assisting in the investigation were the Charleston and South Charleston Police Departments in West Virginia.
Detroit Business Owner Charged with Possessing over 40 kilograms of Fentanyl in Basement Stash HouseRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Detroit gas station owner has been charged with several federal crimes stemming from his involvement with a Detroit-based stash house that held over 40 kilograms of fentanyl, a pill press, and a variety of other materials used to manufacture fentanyl pills, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Orville Greene, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Chief Thomas Goralski, Livonia Police Department.
On March 28, 2024, law enforcement executed search warrants at three locations connected to Barry Willis, 55, a resident of Clinton Township and owner of a Detroit gas station. Officers searched Willis’s primary residence in Clinton Township, his gas station in Detroit, as well as his suspected stash house in Detroit. In the basement of the stash house, officers recovered over 40 kilograms of fentanyl in both pill and powder form, as well as a hoard of materials for manufacturing fentanyl pills such as a pill press, narcotics scales, and drug recipes. Officers further located two handguns at the stash house, one at Willis’s residence, and another at his gas station, as well as over $100,000 in cash from Willis’s Clinton Township residence.
“This case represents the largest law enforcement seizure of fentanyl in the state of Michigan to date. We are incredibly proud of our law enforcement partners who conducted this investigation and recovered these deadly substances before they could harm members of our community.,” U.S. Attorney Ison said.
“This amount of fentanyl has the potential to provide nearly two deadly doses to every man, woman and child living in the state of Michigan. We will continue to work with our partners to pursue anyone pushing poisons into our communities and bring them to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Greene.
"This major seizure of fentanyl has saved lives. The great partnerships we have with law enforcement at the federal, state and local levels in southeast Michigan, enable us to make these types of investigations successful,” said Chief Goralski.
Willis has now been indicted for possession of over 400 grams of fentanyl with the intent to distribute it, possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of firearms by a convicted felon. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment if convicted of the charges in the indictment.
An indictment is only a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Livonia Police Department, including officers assigned to the Livonia Police Intelligence Bureau, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The Michigan State Police and the Clinton Township Police Department also assisted with the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Ramamurthy.
Justice Department Secures Agreement in Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Michigan Rental Property OwnerRead the Press Release
DETROIT— The Justice Department announced today that Michigan landlord, Mohamad Hussein, has agreed to pay $185,000 in damages and a civil penalty to the government to resolve the Fair Housing Act (FHA) lawsuit concerning Hussein’s sexual harassment of actual and prospective female tenants. Hussein has owned and managed over 15 rental properties in and around Dearborn Heights, Michigan, since 2013.
“No one should be denied the opportunity to live in safe and affordable housing because of their refusal to submit to a landlord’s sexual demands,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “When landlords sexually harass their tenants, they deprive tenants of the ability to feel safe and secure in their own homes. The Justice Department is committed to holding predatory landlords accountable to ensure that all tenants are protected from unlawful discrimination.”
“Housing is one of our most basic needs, and no one should have to endure sexual harassment in order to keep a roof over their head,” said U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan. “My office is committed to enforcing the Fair Housing Act to prevent all forms of harassment in housing. We appreciate the partnership and support of the Civil Rights Division to advance those efforts here in the Eastern District of Michigan.”
The lawsuit, filed in March 2023, alleged that Hussein subjected actual and prospective female tenants to sexual harassment by making unwelcome comments and advances and offered actual and prospective female tenants housing-related benefits in exchange for engaging in sex acts with him.
Under the terms of the proposed consent decree, approved today by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Hussein will pay $185,000 in damages to eight former and prospective female tenants harmed by the harassment and a civil penalty to the United States. Hussein will be required to take steps to vacate any retaliatory eviction judgments obtained against these tenants. He will be permanently enjoined from personally managing rental properties in the future and will be required to retain an independent property manager to manage any rental properties he owns. Finally, the consent decree will require Hussein to implement non-discrimination policies and complaint procedures to prevent sexual harassment at his properties in the future and to take fair housing training.
The Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative is led by the Civil Rights Division, in coordination with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country. The goal of the department’s initiative is to address, deter and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers or other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative in October 2017, the department has filed 39 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered more than $12 million for victims of such harassment.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, along with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, enforces the FHA, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and familial status. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. Individuals may report sexual harassment or other forms of housing discrimination by calling the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-833-591-0291, or submitting a report online. Individuals may also report such discrimination by contacting the Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-800-669-9777 or by filing a complaint online
Justice Department Secures Agreement in Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Michigan Rental Property OwnerRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that Michigan landlord, Mohamad Hussein, has agreed to pay $185,000 in damages and a civil penalty to the government to resolve the Fair Housing Act (FHA) lawsuit concerning Hussein’s sexual harassment of actual and prospective female tenants. Hussein has owned and managed over 15 rental properties in and around Dearborn Heights, Michigan, since 2013.
“No one should be denied the opportunity to live in safe and affordable housing because of their refusal to submit to a landlord’s sexual demands,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “When landlords sexually harass their tenants, they deprive tenants of the ability to feel safe and secure in their own homes. The Justice Department is committed to holding predatory landlords accountable to ensure that all tenants are protected from unlawful discrimination.”
“Housing is one of our most basic needs, and no one should have to endure sexual harassment in order to keep a roof over their head,” said U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan. “My office is committed to enforcing the Fair Housing Act to prevent all forms of harassment in housing. We appreciate the partnership and support of the Civil Rights Division to advance those efforts here in the Eastern District of Michigan.”
The lawsuit, filed in March 2023, alleged that Hussein subjected actual and prospective female tenants to sexual harassment by making unwelcome comments and advances and offered actual and prospective female tenants housing-related benefits in exchange for engaging in sex acts with him.
Under the terms of the proposed consent decree, approved today by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Hussein will pay $185,000 in damages to eight former and prospective female tenants harmed by the harassment and a civil penalty to the United States. Hussein will be required to take steps to vacate any retaliatory eviction judgments obtained against these tenants. He will be permanently enjoined from personally managing rental properties in the future and will be required to retain an independent property manager to manage any rental properties he owns. Finally, the consent decree will require Hussein to implement non-discrimination policies and complaint procedures to prevent sexual harassment at his properties in the future and to take fair housing training.
The Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative is led by the Civil Rights Division, in coordination with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country. The goal of the department’s initiative is to address, deter and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers or other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative in October 2017, the department has filed 39 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered more than $12 million for victims of such harassment.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, along with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, enforces the FHA, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and familial status. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. Individuals may report sexual harassment or other forms of housing discrimination by calling the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-833-591-0291, or submitting a report online. Individuals may also report such discrimination by contacting the Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-800-669-9777 or by filing a complaint online.
Former Michigan Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Federal Civil Rights Offense for Using Excessive Force on ArresteeRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A former police officer with the Warren Police Department in Michigan pleaded guilty today to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law.
Matthew Rodriguez, 49, pleaded guilty to using excessive force against an arrestee while fingerprinting and photographing him at a local detention facility.
“This police officer carried out a violent assault on a man who was doing nothing to harm or endanger him and then tried to cover up his crime,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Police officers are not above the law in our country and will be held accountable when they violate people’s civil and constitutional rights. When law enforcement abuses their authority, it erodes trust between the police and the community they are sworn to protect and serve. The Justice Department stands ready and willing to investigate and prosecute any police officer who unlawfully uses excessive force against those in their custody.”
“The defendant’s actions in this case were shocking and flagrantly violate the standards of conduct we expect of all sworn law enforcement officers,” U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan. “This investigation, and today’s guilty plea, reflect my office’s commitment to protecting the rights of every citizen in the community, even those who are accused of committing crimes.”
“It is important for the citizens of Michigan to have faith in law enforcement officers and trust that they are performing their duties with integrity,” said Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “This incident should not be considered a reflection of the excellent work performed by the officers in serving and protecting the community every day. Our officers placed their lives on the line, day in and day out, for the citizens of this great state. However, it is important to maintain the highest standards and hold each other accountable as we honor our oaths of office. I would like to thank the city of Warren for their cooperation during our investigation.”
According to court documents, on June 13, 2023, then-officer Rodriguez was fingerprinting and photographing an arrestee, identified in court documents only as J.S., who had recently been brought to the Warren Police Department’s jail for processing. After taking J.S.’s fingerprints, Rodriguez struck J.S. multiple times and slammed J.S.’s head against the floor, causing injury to J.S. When Rodriguez began to assault him, J.S. was not physically resisting Rodriguez and posed no immediate threat to anyone.
During the plea hearing, Rodriguez admitted that he knew that his use of force against J.S. was unreasonable and contrary to department policy, and that he wrote a report in which he made false statements about the incident and omitted material information. J.S. suffered bodily injury from the beating.
The Warren Police Department publicly released footage of the assault in June 2023.
Rodriguez is scheduled to be sentenced on August 20. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Detroit Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Moran for the Eastern District of Michigan and Trial Attorney Alec Ward of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
Former Michigan Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Federal Civil Rights Offense for Using Excessive Force on ArresteeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A former police officer with the Warren Police Department in Michigan pleaded guilty today to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law.
Matthew Rodriguez, 49, pleaded guilty to using excessive force against an arrestee while fingerprinting and photographing him at a local detention facility.
“This police officer carried out a violent assault on a man who was doing nothing to harm or endanger him and then tried to cover up his crime,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Police officers are not above the law in our country and will be held accountable when they violate people’s civil and constitutional rights. When law enforcement abuses their authority, it erodes trust between the police and the community they are sworn to protect and serve. The Justice Department stands ready and willing to investigate and prosecute any police officer who unlawfully uses excessive force against those in their custody.”
“The defendant’s actions in this case were shocking and flagrantly violate the standards of conduct we expect of all sworn law enforcement officers,” U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan. “This investigation, and today’s guilty plea, reflect my office’s commitment to protecting the rights of every citizen in the community, even those who are accused of committing crimes.”
“It is important for the citizens of Michigan to have faith in law enforcement officers and trust that they are performing their duties with integrity,” said Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “This incident should not be considered a reflection of the excellent work performed by the officers in serving and protecting the community every day. Our officers placed their lives on the line, day in and day out, for the citizens of this great state. However, it is important to maintain the highest standards and hold each other accountable as we honor our oaths of office. I would like to thank the city of Warren for their cooperation during our investigation.”
According to court documents, on June 13, 2023, then-officer Rodriguez was fingerprinting and photographing an arrestee, identified in court documents only as J.S., who had recently been brought to the Warren Police Department’s jail for processing. After taking J.S.’s fingerprints, Rodriguez struck J.S. multiple times and slammed J.S.’s head against the floor, causing injury to J.S. When Rodriguez began to assault him, J.S. was not physically resisting Rodriguez and posed no immediate threat to anyone.
During the plea hearing, Rodriguez admitted that he knew that his use of force against J.S. was unreasonable and contrary to department policy, and that he wrote a report in which he made false statements about the incident and omitted material information. J.S. suffered bodily injury from the beating.
The Warren Police Department publicly released footage of the assault in June 2023.
Rodriguez is scheduled to be sentenced on August 20. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Detroit Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Moran for the Eastern District of Michigan and Trial Attorney Alec Ward of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
Former Michigan Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Federal Civil Rights Offense for Using Excessive Force on ArresteeRead the Press Release
A former police officer with the Warren Police Department in Michigan pleaded guilty today to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law.
Matthew Rodriguez, 49, pleaded guilty to using excessive force against an arrestee while fingerprinting and photographing him at a local detention facility.
“This police officer carried out a violent assault on a man who was doing nothing to harm or endanger him and then tried to cover up his crime,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Police officers are not above the law in our country and will be held accountable when they violate people’s civil and constitutional rights. When law enforcement abuses their authority, it erodes trust between the police and the community they are sworn to protect and serve. The Justice Department stands ready and willing to investigate and prosecute any police officer who unlawfully uses excessive force against those in their custody.”
“The defendant’s actions in this case were shocking and flagrantly violate the standards of conduct we expect of all sworn law enforcement officers,” U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan. “This investigation, and today’s guilty plea, reflect my office’s commitment to protecting the rights of every citizen in the community, even those who are accused of committing crimes.”
“Police officers are trusted to determine when force is necessary and when it deprives people of their civil rights,” said Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “FBI investigations like these are key to removing abusive officers from law enforcement and a step towards restoring trust with the community.”
According to court documents, on June 13, 2023, then-officer Rodriguez was fingerprinting and photographing an arrestee, identified in court documents only as J.S., who had recently been brought to the Warren Police Department’s jail for processing. After taking J.S.’s fingerprints, Rodriguez struck J.S. multiple times and slammed J.S.’s head against the floor, causing injury to J.S. When Rodriguez began to assault him, J.S. was not physically resisting Rodriguez and posed no immediate threat to anyone.
During the plea hearing, Rodriguez admitted that he knew that his use of force against J.S. was unreasonable and contrary to department policy, and that he wrote a report in which he made false statements about the incident and omitted material information. J.S. suffered bodily injury from the beating.
The Warren Police Department publicly released footage of the assault in June 2023.
Rodriguez is scheduled to be sentenced on August 20. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Detroit Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Moran for the Eastern District of Michigan and Trial Attorney Alec Ward of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
Farmington Hills Man Convicted of Conspiring to Steal AutomobilesRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Farmington Hills man was convicted yesterday by a federal jury for conspiring to steal Volkswagen and Audi vehicles from a lot in Pontiac, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. The charges stem from an investigation initiated by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Auto Theft Unit.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Sheriff Michael Bouchard of Oakland County.
Romane Porter, 47, was convicted after a 13-day trial before United States District Judge Denise Page Hood in Detroit. The jurors returned guilty verdicts on all four charges: one count of conspiracy to transport stolen vehicles, and three counts of transportation of stolen vehicles.
According to the evidence presented during the trial, beginning in March 2017 and continuing through September 2017, Porter and co-defendant Daniel Onorati, conspired with each other and others to steal approximately 61 recalled Volkswagen and Audi cars that were parked at the site of the former Pontiac Silverdome.
The court has scheduled Porter’s sentencing hearing for August 8, 2024. The defendant’s convictions on three counts of interstate transportation of stolen vehicles each carries up to 10 years in prison, and his conviction on one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen vehicles carries a maximum penalty up to 5 years in prison.
Co-defendant Daniel Onorati pleaded guilty to participating in the scheme and received a sentence of 20 months on April 26, 2022.
“Our office salutes the combined efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement to break up this car theft conspiracy and bring its ringleader to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “This defendant and his co-conspirators stole dozens of vehicles and transported them across state lines for sale, and the jury has now held him accountable for his crimes.”
"Today's sentencing would not have been possible without the collaborative work of the FBI's Detroit Fraud & Financial Crimes Task Force and the Oakland County Sheriff Office's Auto-Theft Unit," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. "Our office will continue to focus our investigative efforts on thwarting elaborate theft schemes and holding those accountable for their thievery."
“I am grateful for the partnership between our Auto Theft Unit, the FBI, and the US Attorney’s Office who brought this organized auto theft activity to a close,” said Sheriff Michael J. Bouchard. “These individuals were bold in their behavior in stealing such a large volume of vehicles from a well-known location. These criminals deserve to be punished to the fullest extent of the law.”
The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Auto Theft Unit. The team was also assisted by the Special Investigations Section, Office of Investigative Services of the Michigan Department of State, as well as the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office and the Kentucky State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Trevor Broad and Louis Meizlish.
Former Romulus Mayor Sentenced for Theft and Misuse of Campaign FundsRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Former Romulus Mayor LeRoy Burcroff, 59, of Romulus, was sentenced to three years probation with four months home confinement following his theft and misuse of over $15,000 in campaign funds, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Burcroff was elected mayor of the City of Romulus in 2014. As part of his election efforts, Burcroff established a committee to elect (CTE) fund entitled, “Committee to Elect LeRoy D. Burcroff.” According to court documents, over the next two-and-a-half years, Burcroff defrauded donors to his CTE account by using these campaign funds for his personal benefit rather than for his election. For example, in November 2017, Burcroff spent over $3,500 of his campaign donors’ money to pay for a family member’s wedding. Burcroff spent the CTE money on a church fee, a banquet room rental, flowers, and the wedding bar tab. In 2017 and 2018, Burcroff used CTE funds to pay over $11,600 in dues and expenses to a yacht club which he used for his personal benefit. On multiple occasions, Burcroff overpaid his yacht club dues using his campaign account, which resulted in the yacht club issuing a refund, which Burcroff deposited in his personal bank account. In 2018, Burcroff made a $1,000 donation of campaign funds to a trade industry with the hope that he would receive a promotion at his private sector job. In 2019, Burcroff spent over $4,000 of campaign funds on a personal vacation to Florida with friends.
United States Attorney Ison said, “Trust in our state’s campaign finance system is a critical component of a healthy representative democracy. Mr. Burcroff’s conviction and sentence underscores our commitment to ensuring that the citizens of the Eastern District are represented by public officials who have integrity and are seeking office not for their self-interest, but for the good of the people they are elected to represent.”
"The citizens of Michigan demand and deserve utmost trust and integrity in our campaign finance system," said Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the FBI in Michigan. "The former Mayor's actions severely undermined the confidence of those who bestowed trust and faith in him and his office. The FBI and law enforcement partners are fully dedicated to fighting public corruption by investigating and exposing corrupt officials whose greed erodes the public's trust in the government. We will not tolerate misconduct and will do everything we can to ensure justice is served."
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Detroit Area Corruption Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eaton P. Brown.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Resolves Disability Discrimination Investigation of Public Swimming PoolRead the Press Release
DETROIT –The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan resolved its investigation of the City of Trenton’s Kennedy Aquatic Center. The U.S. Attorney’s Office received a complaint alleging that the Kennedy Aquatic Center staff did not allow an individual who has a disability to use a water slide. The complainant is a capable swimmer; however, she has a disability that affects her stature. The U.S. Attorney’s Office investigated the complaint and successfully reached a settlement with the City of Trenton.
In the settlement agreement, the City of Trenton agreed to fully comply with the non-discrimination requirements of Title II of the American with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). The ADA protects the rights of all individuals, regardless of disability, to fully and equally enjoy the benefits of the services, programs, or activities offered by public entities, which includes recreational centers and programs operated by state and local governments.
The settlement agreement requires the Kennedy Aquatic Center to adopt ADA policies to ensure that accommodations and modifications are made to allow people who have disabilities access to the recreational services offered at the Aquatic Center. For example, the settlement agreement requires the Aquatic Center to allow individuals who cannot meet the slide’s height requirement because of a disability to use the slide so long as they can demonstrate appropriate water safety skills.
“My office will vigorously protect the rights of individuals who have disabilities, especially children, to fully participate in our communities. Here, a child who simply wanted to enjoy all aspects of the local pool with friends and family was denied that opportunity because of a disability,” U.S. Attorney Ison said. “I applaud the City of Trenton for its willingness to protect those opportunities in the future.”
The investigation was led by AUSA Michael El-Zein of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, a member of the Civil Rights Unit. The full and fair enforcement of the ADA is a priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan. The Civil Rights Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan was established in 2010 with the mission of prioritizing federal civil rights enforcement. For more information on the Office’s civil rights efforts, including a copy of the agreement, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-edmi/programs/civil-rights.
Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination or experienced a civil rights violation can submit a complaint with the U.S. Attorney’s Office by email at [email protected] or by phone at (313) 226-9151. Complaints can also be submitted to the Civil Rights Division through its complaint portal.
Leader of Dark Web Drug Trafficking Ring Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute Illicit and Counterfeit Drugs from A Clandestine Drug Lab in A Detroit ResidenceRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Victor Hernandez pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute millions of illicit and counterfeit pills, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced.
Ison was joined in the announcement by acting Special Agent in Charge Shawn Gibson, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit field office and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene.
Victor Hernandez, 30, of Detroit, admitted his involvement in a conspiracy to distribute illicit substances, a conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, his distribution of counterfeit pills, and the use of firearms in furtherance of the crime.
During the course of the months-long investigation, agents were able to identify that a dark web vendor site was being operated out of the Detroit, Michigan, area. The dark web marketplace vendor went by the moniker of “opiateconnect.” Agents worked to determine the location being used as the distribution hub for illicit scheduled drugs to include cocaine, and various counterfeit drugs. The counterfeit drugs, made to looks like alprazolam, commonly referred to as Xanax, were in fact uncontrolled research chemicals not scheduled for human consumption.
Agents also learned that “opiateconnect” was being operated from a residence in Detroit, Michigan. A subsequent search warrant revealed a clandestine drug lab. The search resulted in the seizure of approximately 1,000,000 dollars in cryptocurrency, in excess of 300,000 U.S. Dollars, multiple firearms, an industrial size pill press, industrial mixer, controlled substances including cocaine, and counterfeit drugs.
Hernandez pleaded guilty pursuant to a plea agreement to four counts: (1) conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, which carries a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years and a maximum of 40 years; (2) conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years; (3) dispensing a counterfeit drug, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years; and (4) possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of five years. In total, Hernandez is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years.
United States Attorney Dawn Ison said, “This guilty plea is the culmination of months of collaboration between state and federal law enforcement agencies. Counterfeit pills pose a unique danger to this community, especially ones that have the appearance of a drug that is so regularly prescribed. We will continue to investigate and prosecute instances where those counterfeit pills are being manufactured illegally in our district to keep our community safe.”
“This plea is not just a win for law enforcement, but a win for our Detroit community,” said HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Shawn Gibson. “Whether on the dark web or on a street corner, drug traffickers seek to poison our communities. We will remain steadfast in our law enforcement partnerships to dismantle these networks wherever we find them.”
“The DEA, in collaboration with HSI, continues our commitment to safeguard communities from individuals who sell fake pills and other illicit substances,” said DEA Detroit Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene. “This case proves that there is no place to hide in the dark web when it comes to law enforcement’s efforts to protect the people we serve.”
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The investigation was conducted by the Detroit Dark Web Task Force, which consists of HSI, Postal Inspection Service Office of the Inspector General (USPIS-OIG), Secret Service (USSS), IRS-CID, Michigan State Police (MSP), and CBP. The purpose of the task force is to investigate criminal organizations, to include drug vendors, that operate within dark web marketplaces. The task force has disrupted and dismantled numerous drug trafficking organizations through criminal arrests, and the seizure of the proceeds from criminal activity. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Jerome White.