District of Minnesota
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 272 Months in Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man was sentenced to 272 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for possessing a firearm as a felon, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to evidence presented at trial and court documents, law enforcement received information from a confidential informant that Gregory Lynn McCoy, 60, was in possession of a handgun and illegal narcotics. On October 22, 2019, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant of McCoy’s residence and nearby vehicle. McCoy was inside the residence at the time. Upon his arrest, McCoy tossed multiple bags of illegal narcotics into a nearby closet. Officers found 20 bags of illegal narcotics and a box of .45 caliber ammunition hidden inside his residence. Officers also found a .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol with a loaded magazine and two additional magazines in the center console of McCoy’s Dodge Durango. The vehicle was registered to McCoy and McCoy’s DNA was found on one of the three magazines.
On November 1, 2021, McCoy was convicted at trial of possessing a firearm as a felon. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel. McCoy was sentenced to 262 months in prison for possessing a firearm as a felon and to an additional 10 months in prison for having committed the crime while on supervised release. Due to his multiple prior felony convictions, McCoy qualified for an increased penalty under the Armed Career Criminal Act.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David J. MacLaughlin and Joseph S. Teirab prosecuted the case.
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Red Lake Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for AssaultRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Red Lake man was sentenced to 84 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for shooting two individuals on the Red Lake Indian Reservation, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on May 5, 2021, Brennon Allen James Sayers, 21, was arguing loudly with his girlfriend in a vehicle outside a residence in the Ponemah area of the Red Lake Indian Reservation. Victim J.L.Z., who lived across the street, came out of his residence and began telling Sayers to stop arguing and fighting with his girlfriend. Victim C.T.G., who was walking down the road, encountered the interaction between Sayers and J.L.Z. As the confrontation between Sayers and J.L.Z. escalated to yelling and assaultive threats, Sayers pulled a firearm from his waistband and began shooting at both J.L.Z. and C.T.G. as they ran back towards J.L.Z.’s house. Both J.L.Z. and C.T.G. were struck by gunfire. After the shooting, Sayers fled the area and was located several hours later at his mother’s residence on the Red Lake Indian Reservation.
Sayers was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court before Chief Judge John R. Tunheim. On January 20, 2022, Sayers pleaded guilty to two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Red Lake Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Deidre Y. Aanstad prosecuted the case.
Dodge County Man Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking, Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Dodge County man was sentenced to 147 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for his role in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy and firearms violations, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, between May 2020 and January 2021, Matthew James Lyman, 48, received from his Mexico-based supplier multiple shipments of methamphetamine. Lyman coordinated and facilitated a methamphetamine distribution operation in Southern Minnesota, including collecting and sending drug proceeds back to his supplier in Mexico. During the course of the investigation, on January 17, 2021, law enforcement observed two money couriers leaving Lyman’s home. They were found to be in possession of approximately $119,000 in cash, an ounce of methamphetamine, and a loaded handgun. Later that same day, Lyman was stopped for a traffic violation and arrested for driving while intoxicated. During a search of Lyman’s vehicle, law enforcement recovered two firearms, three bricks of methamphetamine, and 3,500 M30 pills that contained fentanyl. Following his arrest, law enforcement recorded one of Lyman’s jail calls in which he directed an individual to recover more of his methamphetamine from an apartment in Rochester. Law enforcement searched the apartment and recovered approximately nine additional pounds of methamphetamine.
Lyman was sentenced on June 8, 2022, in U.S. District Court before Senior Judge Donovan W. Frank. On July 30, 2021, Lyman pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm during, in relation to, and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
This case was the result of investigations conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Rochester Police Department, the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office, the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, and the Olmsted County Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen A. Slaughter Jr. prosecuted the case.
Former Minneapolis Police Officer Sentenced to Prison for Civil Rights Violations and Stealing Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A former Minneapolis police officer was sentenced to 38 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release for stealing controlled substances in the course of his duties and violating citizens’ civil rights through unconstitutional searches and seizures, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
From September 2017 through October 2019, Ty Raymond Jindra, 29, a former police officer with the Minneapolis Police Department (“MPD”), abused his position in order to obtain controlled substances including tramadol, methamphetamine, and fentanyl marked as oxycodone by deceiving his partners and others present at scenes, as well as the MPD.
As part of his scheme, Jindra diverted controlled substances he lawfully recovered for his own purposes using various means. Jindra diverted controlled substances by failing to inform his partner or others on scene that he confiscated controlled substances, failing to place the controlled substances into evidence at the MPD, and failing to report the recovery or diversion of the controlled substances. On some occasions, Jindra would contrive opportunities to interact with or search an individual, vehicle, or residence so that he could surreptitiously recover controlled substances and divert them to his own use. At times, Jindra conducted searches beyond the scope warranted under the circumstances in an attempt to recover controlled substances for himself.
On November 2, 2021, following a 10-day trial, Jindra was convicted of three counts of acquiring a controlled substance by deception and two counts of deprivation of rights under color of law. Jindra was sentenced yesterday by Senior U.S. District Judge Donovan W. Frank.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, with substantial assistance from the Minneapolis Police Department.
This case was tried by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle E. Jones and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Amber M. Brennan.
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Two Minneapolis Men Charged in a Violent Carjacking Conspiracy Targeting Uber and Lyft DriversRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Two Minneapolis men have been charged in a 20-count indictment for their roles in a series of violent carjackings and armed robberies targeting Uber and Lyft drivers, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
“Last month, along with federal and local law enforcement partners, I announced a new strategy to address the rising violent crime in our communities. Today’s indictment represents an important step forward in that strategy. As alleged, these two defendants led a carjacking ring that engaged in a series of violent, premeditated acts against Uber and Lyft drivers,” said U.S. Attorney Luger.
According to court documents, between September and October 2021, Shevirio Kavirion Childs-Young, 18, and William Charles Saffold, 20, along with others, engaged in a series of violent carjackings and armed robberies, targeting Uber and Lyft drivers. As part of the scheme, members of the conspiracy lured victim-drivers to particular locations under the guise of picking up or dropping off passengers. When the victim-drivers arrived, members of the conspiracy brandished firearms and demanded the cell phones and wallets of the victim-drivers. Members of the conspiracy forced the victim-drivers at gunpoint to unlock their cell phones and provide passcodes. The conspiracy members then transferred money, via Cash App or other applications, from the accounts of the victim-drivers to the accounts of members of the conspiracy. Members of the conspiracy then carjacked the victim-drivers at gunpoint. To intimidate and force compliance, members of the conspiracy struck, pistol whipped, and threatened to kill the victim-drivers.
Childs-Young and Saffold are charged with conspiracy, brandishing firearms during and in relation to a crime of violence, aiding and abetting carjacking, and aiding and abetting interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act).
Saffold made his initial appearances earlier today in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge John Docherty. He was ordered to remain in custody pending further proceedings. Childs-Young is in state custody and is expected to appear in U.S. District Court at a later date.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Minneapolis Police Department.
U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Hibbing Man Sentenced to 66 Months in Prison for Sexually Assaulting a MinorRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Hibbing man was sentenced to 66 months in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, for sexually assaulting a minor, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on June 22, 2019, on the Bois Forte Indian Reservation, Devon Michael Johnson, 26, sexually assaulted a minor after getting her intoxicated.
Johnson was sentenced on June 6, 2022, in U.S. District Court before Senior Judge Donovan W. Frank. On March 31, 2021, Johnson pleaded guilty to one count of sexual abuse of a minor.
This case was the result of investigations conducted by the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura M. Provinzino and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina Allery prosecuted the case.
White Earth Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting a ChildRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A White Earth man has pleaded guilty to assaulting a minor child on the White Earth reservation, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on June 8, 2020, Edward Duane Fairbanks, 30, was caring for a minor child. During the early afternoon hours, Fairbanks intentionally shoved the child into a table, causing a serious head injury. The child was taken to the hospital where doctors diagnosed a large skull fracture and a subdural hematoma. The child had to undergo a craniectomy to relieve pressure on the brain.
Fairbanks pleaded guilty yesterday before Chief U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim to one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 30, 2022.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the White Earth Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Mahnomen County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Deidre Y. Aanstad is prosecuting the case.
St. Paul Man Pleads Guilty to Online Sextortion Scheme Targeting More Than 500 Minor VictimsRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A St. Paul man has pleaded guilty to victimizing more than 500 minor girls across the country in an extensive online sextortion scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, for approximately five years, Yue Vang, 31, created and used multiple Internet applications and social media services, including Kik, Snapchat, and Skype, to communicate with hundreds of minor girls throughout the United States and elsewhere. Vang created fake female personae to prey on vulnerable minor girls he met online in order to entice and coerce them to create sexually explicit images and videos to send to him. Vang also threatened to disseminate sexually explicit images of the minor victims to their family members, friends, and classmates, unless they created and sent him additional images and videos of themselves nude or engaging in sexually explicit conduct. For example, in June 2016, Vang contacted a 15-year-old girl and threatened to distribute sexually explicit pictures of her to her classmates and parents to “ruin her life” unless she complied with Vang’s demands to send additional sexually explicit images and videos.
Vang pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud to two counts of production of child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography, and one count of interstate communications with intent to extort. Vang was ordered to remain in detention pending his sentencing hearing, which will be scheduled at a later date.
To date, at least 500 minor females have been identified, although law enforcement is attempting to confirm the identity of many other victims. Anyone who believes they may have been a victim of Vang’s offenses or who has information about this matter is encouraged to visit www.fbi.gov/resources/victim-services/seeking-victim-information/seeking-victims-in-yue-vang-investigation or www.Justice.gov/usao-mn/child-sextortion-victim-information.
This case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Click on the “resources” tab for information about Internet safety education.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI Minneapolis Field Office and multiple FBI Field Offices, the St. Paul Police Department, the Minnesota ICAC Task Force, the Chandler (Arizona) Police Department, the Delhi Township (Ohio) Police Department, and the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chelsea A. Walcker and Miranda E. Dugi are prosecuting the case.
Rochester Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Rochester man was sentenced today to 180 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, from June 2019 through August 2019, Nicholas John Hanson, 38, was part of a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. As part of the conspiracy, Hanson coordinated and facilitated the delivery of methamphetamine on behalf of the conspiracy leader, John Willis Netherton, also known as “Big John,” and “Wicked One.”
Hanson, who pleaded guilty on August 17, 2020, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson. Hanson was the last conspiracy member to be sentenced by the Court. Judge Nelson previously sentenced several other conspiracy members:
- On August 25, 2020, Jacob Paul Williams was sentenced to 180 months imprisonment and five years of supervised release.
- On August 28, 2020, Miguel Angel Cuevas Zamora was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment and two years of supervised release.
- On May 11, 2021, conspiracy leader Netherton was sentenced to 260 months imprisonment and five years of supervised release.
- On June 22, 2021, Jason Edward Hoffman was sentenced to 132 months imprisonment and five years of supervised release.
- On June 7, 2021, Andrew Robert Berndt was sentenced to 102 months imprisonment and five years of supervised release.
- On July 19, 2021, Deja Lee Benton was sentenced to 84 months imprisonment and five years of supervised release.
- On August 18, 2021, Joshua Alexander Sazo was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment and two years of supervised release.
- On June 1, 2022, Kayleigh Rea Todd was sentenced to 40 months imprisonment and five years of supervised release.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Rochester Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Southeast Minnesota Violent Crimes Enforcement Team, the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office, the South Central Drug Investigation Unit, and the Minnesota State Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen A. Slaughter, Jr. prosecuted the case.
Red Lake Man Sentenced to More Than 19 Years in Prison for Sexual Abuse of a ChildRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Red Lake man was sentenced to 235 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for sexually abusing a child over the course of several years, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, between August 2014 and August 2020, Kory Paul Lussier, 25, knowingly and repeatedly engaged in sexual contact with a minor female who was between seven and thirteen years old at the time.
Lussier was sentenced today in U.S. District Court before Senior Judge Paul A. Magnuson. On October 21, 2021, Lussier pleaded guilty to one count of abusive sexual contact with a child.
This case was the result of investigations conducted by the Red Lake Department of Public Safety and the FBI Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander D. Chiquoine prosecuted the case.
Dodge County Man Sentenced to Prison for Impersonating a Federal Officer and Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Dodge County man was sentenced to 72 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for impersonating a federal officer and illegally possessing firearms as a felon, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on August 17, 2021, the FBI received a tip that Reyel Devon Simmons, 53, was pretending to be a federal agent with the United States Department of Homeland Security. As part of his impersonation scheme, Simmons established a TikTok profile, using the false name “Rey Reeves,” and regularly held himself out as a federal agent on social media. Simmons, who had nearly 10,000 followers on TikTok, used a profile photo that showed him wearing law enforcement gear and made several posts displaying law enforcement equipment, badges, and firearms, and referring explicitly and implicitly to himself as a federal agent. At no time has Simmons ever been employed by the United States Department of Homeland Security. Similarly, Simmons has never been a sworn law enforcement officer with any federal, state, or local agency, nor has he ever had the authority to act on behalf of any federal agency or department.
According to court documents, Simmons regularly carried a backpack, which he described as his “go bag.” The bag bore the departmental emblem of the Department of Homeland Security and contained a Glock handgun, fake Department of Homeland Security badge, and other items related to Simmons’s supposed service in law enforcement and the military. Law enforcement seized from Simmons’s residence eight firearms, including handguns and rifles, some of which were discovered in a “safe room” or bunker that could be accessed only through a hidden doorway located in a storage area of the basement. In addition, Simmons admitted to possessing unregistered silencers/suppressors, detonating cord containing the explosive pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), a blasting cap, thousands of rounds of ammunition, body armor with law enforcement emblems affixed to it, and other law enforcement style badges, clothing, bags, and identification documents.
Because Simmons has a prior felony conviction in Colorado, he is prohibited under federal law, from possessing firearms, ammunition, or explosives at any time.
Simmons was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud. On January 21, 2022, Simmons pleaded guilty to one count of impersonating an officer of the United States and one count of possessing firearms as a felon.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, ATF, Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, Owatonna Police Department, Kasson Police Department, and the Bloomington Police Department Bomb Squad, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander D. Chiquoine prosecuted the case.
Second "Boogaloo Bois" Member Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Provide Material Support to HamasRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Benjamin Ryan Teeter, 24, of Hampstead, North Carolina, was sentenced today to 48 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiring to provide material support and resources to Hamas, a designated foreign terrorist organization, for use against Israeli and U.S. military personnel overseas, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, in late May of 2020, the FBI initiated an investigation into Teeter and co-defendant Michael Robert Solomon, 32, two members of the “Boogaloo Bois,” and a sub-group called the “Boojahideen.” The Boogaloo Bois are a group of individuals who espouse violent anti-government sentiments.
According to court documents, on June 10, 2020, Teeter and Solomon met with a confidential human source (“CHS”), whom the defendants believed to be a member of Hamas. During this meeting, Teeter and Solomon proposed assisting Hamas as a means of furthering the goals of the Boogaloo Bois. Throughout the course of the conspiracy, Teeter used encrypted messaging applications to communicate with Solomon and the CHS about various aspects of the conspiracy.
On June 18, 2020, the defendant met with the CHS to discuss the goals of the Boogaloo Bois and identified a courthouse in northern Minnesota that he and Solomon believed was a suitable target for destruction.
On June 28, 2020, Teeter, Solomon, and the CHS, met an undercover employee of the FBI (“UCE”) that Teeter believed was a member of Hamas. During this meeting, Teeter and Solomon proposed manufacturing suppressors, untraceable firearms, and fully automatic firearms for Hamas.
On July 6, 2020, Teeter and Solomon purchased a drill press for the purpose of manufacturing suppressors for Hamas. Teeter admits that he and Solomon had planned to use the drill press to also manufacture suppressors for members of the Boogaloo Bois. Solomon and Teeter brought the drill press to Solomon’s home and later used the drill press to manufacture five suppressors.
On July 30, 2020, Teeter and Solomon delivered the five suppressors to the CHS and UCE believing those devices would be used by the militant wing of Hamas. During that meeting, Teeter and Solomon agreed to manufacture additional suppressors for Hamas believing that the next batch of suppressors would be used against Israeli and U.S. military personnel overseas.
Teeter admitted that he and Solomon again met the UCE on August 29, 2020. During this meeting, the defendants gave the UCE a 3-D printed “auto sear” believing that the auto sear would be used by Hamas to convert semi-automatic rifles into fully automatic rifles. At this time, Teeter and Solomon agreed to obtain, and did obtain, another order of auto sears for the CHS and the UCE.
Teeter was sentenced earlier today before Senior U.S. District Judge Michael J. Davis. In sentencing the defendant, the Court recognized the extensive assistance to multiple investigations that Teeter provided to the FBI following his arrest. On December 16, 2020, Teeter pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Winter and Trial Attorney Jessica Fender of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case.
St. Paul Staffing Agency Owners Sentenced for Tax Evasion SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – The last of three defendants has been sentenced in connection with a multi-year tax evasion scheme in which the operators of two St. Paul employment agencies conspired to evade more than $1 million in federal employment taxes, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Schiltz sentenced Julian Xiong, 59, of Brooklyn Park, to a year of probation with six months in home detention and $409,340 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.
On May 24, 2022, Chong Xiong, 60, of Minneapolis, was sentenced to two years in prison followed by a year of supervised release and ordered $877,820 in restitution to the IRS. On June 17, 2021, Andrew Xiong, 59, of Ramsey, was sentenced to one year and one day in prison followed by a year of supervised release and restitution of $686,079 to the IRS. Andrew Xiong and Julian Xiong had previously pleaded guilty to tax evasion and Chong Xiong pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States.
According to court documents, between 2012 and 2017, Chong Xiong operated a temporary staffing agency in St. Paul with his brothers Julian Xiong and Andrew Xiong. The Xiong brothers’ agency operated under the names Twinstar Solutions, Hope Solutions, and Step Staffing. The defendants contracted with local companies to supply workers. The agreement provided that the defendants’ business was the employer of the workers and responsible for compliance with tax laws relating to withholding, reporting, and payment of payroll taxes. Like all employers, the Xiong brothers’ staffing agency was required to withhold federal income taxes, social security, and Medicare taxes from workers’ pay and report the amounts and pay the withholdings over to the IRS. Instead of accurately withholding and paying over the correct taxes to the government, the defendants paid some of their employees in cash and kept the tax withholdings for themselves. They also submitted false payroll reports to the IRS, while paying only a fraction of the true employment taxes owed.
Chong Xiong and Julian Xiong committed the evasion while running the business under the Twinstar name until 2013 when Julian Xiong opened an employment agency in Roseville to serve one of Twinstar’s clients and continued a similar fraud. The original company was then renamed Hope Solutions and operated by Andrew Xiong and Chong Xiong. In 2016, Andrew Xiong left the conspiracy, and Chong Xiong renamed the business Step Staffing until the business closed a few months later.
In addition to falsely reporting and underpaying payroll taxes, the defendants caused the business to file false annual corporate tax returns and use multiple bank accounts to hide the scheme. The defendants essentially split the profits from the tax fraud by keeping cash for themselves. Chong Xiong admitted to purchasing a Mercedes-Benz with more than $28,000 in $100 bills.
In sentencing him to the lengthiest term, Judge Schiltz noted that Chong Xiong was the last to accept responsibility and plead guilty and was responsible for the greatest tax loss and was the longest participant and supervisor of the scheme.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations Division.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert M. Lewis prosecuted the cases.
St. Paul Man Sentenced to 156 Months in Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking, Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A St. Paul man was sentenced to 156 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for methamphetamine trafficking and firearms violations, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, in May 2020, law enforcement began investigating Chue Xiong, 39, and his co-defendant Matthew Hines, 37, of Brooklyn Center. As part of a drug trafficking conspiracy, Xiong and Hines coordinated and facilitated the distribution of methamphetamine, as well as collected drug proceeds to send back to their supplier. On May 11, 2020, law enforcement observed Xiong leave Hines’s residence with a brown bag in his hand. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of Xiong’s vehicle and found approximately 1.4 kilograms of methamphetamine inside the brown bag, 614 grams of methamphetamine in the driver’s side door pocket, and a 9mm handgun underneath the floor mat on the driver’s side. Xiong was also wearing a holster.
On November 19, 2020, law enforcement agents arrested Xiong outside his apartment building pursuant to a warrant. During a subsequent search of Xiong’s apartment, agents recovered an AR 223 caliber rifle, nine loaded 223 magazines, two loaded Glock model 19 semiautomatic handguns, $7,691.00 in cash, and 643.9 grams of methamphetamine.
Xiong was sentenced on May 26, 2022, in U.S. District Court before Senior Judge Donovan W. Frank. On March 30, 2021, Xiong pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Hines pleaded guilty on May 6, 2021, and is scheduled to be sentenced on December 15, 2022.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Ramsey County Violent Crime Enforcement Team, and the Minnesota State Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen A. Slaughter is prosecuting the case.
Former Middle School Paraprofessional Charged in Child Sextortion SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Coon Rapids man has been charged in a sextortion scheme that targeted minors through social media and an online gaming forum, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Glen Robert Anderson, 24, previously worked as a middle school paraprofessional in special education. Anderson used multiple internet applications and social media accounts for email, file sharing, and chatting with minors, including Snapchat and Grindr. Anderson also owned and administered an online gaming forum. To participate in the forum, users were required to submit an application, which included the age of the user. As Anderson knew, many of the users were minors. Between April 1, 2016, through August 20, 2021, Anderson used his position as the forum administrator to groom minors to produce child pornography and engage in sexual activity with him, including by providing minors with in-game perks, privileges, and other gifts. For example, Anderson coerced a 13-year-old victim to engage in sexually explicit acts for the purpose of producing images and videos. Anderson later threatened to release those sexually explicit images if the victim did not respond to Anderson’s demands.
Anderson is charged with two counts of production of child pornography, one count of enticement of a minor, and one count of interstate communications with intent to extort. If convicted, Anderson faces a minimum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison. He will make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court before Judge Patrick J. Schiltz at a later date.
This case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Click on the “resources” tab for information about Internet safety education.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Anoka County Sheriff's Office, the Erie County (Ohio) Sheriff's Office, with assistance from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and Waterloo Regional Police Service in Ontario, Canada.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Miranda E. Dugi is prosecuting the case.
The charges contained in the information are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
St. Paul Man Pleads Guilty in Illegal Gun Buying ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A St. Paul man has pleaded guilty for his role in a firearms straw purchasing conspiracy, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, between May 11, 2021, and October 17, 2021, Gabriel Lee Young-Duncan, 27, participated in a conspiracy to illegally purchase multiple firearms, one of which was used in the Seventh Street Truck Park Bar shooting on October 10, 2021. Young-Duncan and his co-conspirator agreed to work together to illegally acquire firearms by making false statements to Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) throughout the Twin Cities. Specifically, the co-conspirator would purchase the firearms, stating on the ATF Form 4473 that the co-conspirator was the actual buyer, and then transfer the firearms to Young-Duncan, who would keep the firearms, or further transfer them to third parties.
According to court documents, Young-Duncan and his co-conspirator worked together to illegally obtain at least 25 firearms, including four Glock 9mm semiautomatic pistols and two Mossberg 9mm semiautomatic pistols.
Young-Duncan pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of conspiracy to make false a statement in the purchase of a firearm, before U.S. District Court Judge Kate M. Menendez. No sentencing date has been set.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the St. Paul Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez is prosecuting the case.
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Duluth Felon Sentenced to Nearly Eight Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
DULUTH, Minn. – A Duluth man was sentenced to 95 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release for illegally possessing a firearm as a felon, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Jesse William Peterson, 40, possessed a .38-caliber Smith and Wesson revolver with an obliterated serial number. On October 25, 2020, officers with the Duluth Police Department attempted to arrest Peterson at a residence on an outstanding warrant. Peterson refused to exit the residence and comply with officers’ attempts to arrest him. Peterson shot the firearm at the direction of officers. After a two-hour stand-off, Peterson was taken into custody. Officers found the loaded .38-caliber Smith and Wesson revolver in the bathroom where Peterson was located during the stand-off. A subsequent analysis revealed Peterson’s DNA on the firearm. Directly adjacent to the firearm, officers found 13.76 grams of methamphetamine, 11.13 grams of cocaine, 38 doses of LSD, $5,826 in cash, and 11 live rounds of .38-caliber ammunition. Because Peterson has prior felony convictions in St. Louis County, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
Peterson was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel. Peterson pleaded guilty to one count of illegal possession of a firearm on August 24, 2021.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Duluth Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph S. Teirab prosecuted the case.
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Brooklyn Park Felon Indicted for Possessing a Firearm, Glock SwitchRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Brooklyn Park man has been indicted for possessing a firearm as a felon and possessing an auto sear, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on March 15, 2022, officers with the Robbinsdale Police Department initiated a traffic stop of a black Chevrolet Suburban. The driver, later identified as Markyse Maurice Wells, 24, ran from the officers after being asked to step out of the vehicle. After a foot chase and a search of the area, officers found Wells hiding in the bathroom of a nearby gas station and was taken into custody. Inside the center console of Wells’s vehicle, officers found a Glock model 27 pistol with an extended magazine and an auto sear, commonly referred to as a “switch.” An auto sear is a device used to convert a semi-automatic firearm into a fully automatic firearm and is considered a machinegun under federal law.
Wells is charged with illegal possession of a machinegun and possession of a firearm as a felon. Because he has prior felony convictions in Hennepin County, Wells is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Robbinsdale Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
St. Paul Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Armed Robberies of Twin Cities BusinessesRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Paul man has pleaded guilty to his role in two armed robberies of Twin Cities businesses, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on June 16, 2020, Devon Dwayne Reginald Glover, 22, and his co-defendant Marshawn Michael Davison, 21, committed an armed robbery at a restaurant in Bloomington. During the course of the robbery, Glover shot the restaurant owner with a pistol. Both Glover and Davison took cash from the register.
According to court documents, on June 23, 2020, Glover committed a second armed robbery at a liquor store in St. Paul. During the course of the robbery, Glover pointed a gun at an employee and stole cash from the register.
On May 25, 2022, Glover pleaded guilty to one count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one crime of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Glover is scheduled to be sentenced on September 22, 2022. Davison pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act robbery and was sentenced yesterday before Chief Judge John R. Tunheim to 72 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the FBI, the Bloomington Police Department, and the St. Paul Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez is prosecuting the case.
St. Paul Man Charged for Online Sextortion Scheme Targeting More Than 500 Minor VictimsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Paul man has been charged in an extensive online sextortion scheme that victimized more than 500 minor girls across the country, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, for approximately five years, Yue Vang, 31, created and used multiple Internet applications and social media services, including Kik, Snapchat, and Skype, to communicate with hundreds of minor girls throughout the United States and elsewhere. Vang created fake female personae to prey on vulnerable minor girls he met online in order to entice and coerce them to create sexually explicit images and videos to send to him. Vang also threatened to disseminate sexually explicit images of the minor victims to their family members, friends, and classmates, unless they created and sent him additional images and videos of themselves nude or engaging in sexually explicit conduct. For example, in June 2016, Vang contacted a 15-year-old girl and threatened to distribute sexually explicit pictures of her to her classmates and parents to “ruin her life” unless she complied with Vang’s demands to send additional sexually explicit images and videos.
To date, at least 500 minor females have been identified, although law enforcement is attempting to confirm the identity of many other victims. Anyone who believes they may have been a victim of Vang’s offenses or who has information about this matter is encouraged to visit www.fbi.gov/resources/victim-services/seeking-victim-information/seeking-victims-in-yue-vang-investigation or www.Justice.gov/usao-mn/child-sextortion-victim-information.
Vang is charged with two counts of production of child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography, and one count of interstate communications with intent to extort. If convicted, Vang faces a minimum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison. He will make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court before Judge Eric C. Tostrud at a later date.
This case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Click on the “resources” tab for information about Internet safety education.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI Minneapolis Field Office and multiple FBI Field Offices, the St. Paul Police Department, the Minnesota ICAC Task Force, the Chandler (Arizona) Police Department, the Delhi Township (Ohio) Police Department, and the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chelsea A. Walcker and Miranda E. Dugi are prosecuting the case.
The charges contained in the information are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Minneapolis Man Pleads Guilty to Aiding and Abetting CarjackingRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting a violent carjacking, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on June 15, 2021, Marion Quintel Ware, 19, used a firearm to carjack a victim. Ware’s accomplice struck the victim in the head with a heavy metallic object, splitting the victim’s forehead open. The victim escaped from his vehicle and Ware and his accomplice drove off with the victim’s wallet and cell phone still in the vehicle. Two weeks later, officers with the Minneapolis Police Department observed Ware driving the stolen vehicle. When officers tried to conduct a traffic stop, Ware fled from them, crashed the vehicle into a median, and then continued to flee on foot. Officers apprehended Ware after a brief foot chase. Officers also recovered a loaded Polymer80 semiautomatic handgun with an extended magazine, which Ware admitted to tossing while running away from the officers.
Ware pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Ann D. Montgomery to one count of aiding and abetting carjacking. A sentencing date has not been set.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Minneapolis Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry M. Jacobs.
Wisconsin Man Charged with Producing Images of Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Superior, Wisconsin, man has been indicted for producing images depicting his sexual abuse of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, in May 2008, George Francis Deppa, 48, coerced a 15-year-old minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children in crimes involving child pornography, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Deppa is charged with three counts of production of child pornography. Deppa will make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court before a Magistrate Judge at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Duluth Police Department, with assistance from the St. Louis County Attorney’s Office and the Douglas County (Wisconsin) Attorney’s Office. Deppa faces additional state felony charges involving sexual assaults against minors in St. Louis County and Douglas County. Based on the evidence obtained in this investigation, authorities believe there may be additional victims of the alleged conduct. Anyone with information about this matter is encouraged to call the FBI Minneapolis Division at (218) 722-3341.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey E. Middlecamp is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Red Lake Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Red Lake man was sentenced to 60 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for selling fentanyl on the Red Lake Reservation, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on April 30, 2021, law enforcement observed Leroy Varney, 53, make an immediate roundtrip from Bemidji to Pequot Lakes for a drug pick up. Upon returning to Bemidji, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of Varney’s vehicle. Law enforcement recovered from the vehicle a large bag weighing 100 grams containing a white powdery substance, which was divided into four smaller bags. Subsequent laboratory testing confirmed the substance was fentanyl. Varney admitted that he intended to sell the fentanyl in Bemidji to people coming from the Red Lake Indian Reservation.
Varney was sentenced yesterday by Senior U.S. District Judge Michael J. Davis. On December 16, 2021, Varney pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Red Lake Police Department.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Angelica D. Ramirez and Assistant U.S. Attorney Deidre Y. Aanstad prosecuted the case.
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Minneapolis Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking, Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on June 10, 2021, officers with the Minneapolis Police Department observed several individuals engaging in what appeared to be hand-to-hand drug deals. When officers approached the group, Albert Walter Bratton, 26, attempted to flee on foot, but officers were able to apprehend him. After Bratton was taken into custody, officers recovered a Glock model 43, 9 mm semiautomatic pistol with an extended magazine, which Bratton had removed from his waistband. Officers later recovered two baggies that Bratton possessed containing a total of approximately 10 grams of crack cocaine, divided into several smaller baggies for distribution.
Bratton pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Schiltz to one count of possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance and one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. A sentencing date has not been set.
This case is the result of an investigation led by the Minneapolis Police Department, the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Secret Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry M. Jacobs is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Recognizes National Police WeekRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS — In honor of National Police Week, the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Minnesota recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. This year, the week is observed Wednesday, May 11 through Tuesday, May 17, 2022.
“This week, we gather to pay tribute to the law enforcement officers who sacrificed their lives in service to our country,” said Attorney General Garland. “We remember the courage with which they worked and lived. And we recommit ourselves to the mission to which they dedicated their lives. On behalf of a grateful Justice Department and a grateful nation, I extend my sincerest thanks and gratitude to the entire law enforcement community.”
“Each year, during National Police Week we commemorate the courageous law enforcement officers who have devoted their lives to public service. Sadly, it also marks a time to honor and pay tribute to the men and women whose names were engraved in 2022 on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial,” said U.S. Attorney Luger.
This year, the names of four Minnesota law enforcement officers will be added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington D.C. They include Ryan Andrew Bialke, Red Lake Department of Public Safety; Charlie Louis Banks Jr., Deerwood Police Department; Sarah Ann Grell, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; and Ronald William Smith, New York Mills Police Department.
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), 472 law enforcement officers died nationwide in the line of duty in 2021. Of that number, 319 succumbed to COVID-19.
Additionally, according to 2021 statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 73 law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty in 2021 were killed as a result of felonious acts, whereas 56 died in accidents. Deaths resulting from felonious acts increased in 2021, rising more than 58 percent from the previous year. In 2021, unprovoked attacks[1] were the cause of 24 deaths significantly outpacing all other line of duty deaths resulting from felony acts and reaching the highest annual total in over 30 years of reporting. Additional LEOKA statistics can be found on FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website for the LEOKA program.
The names of the 619 fallen officers added this year to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read on Friday, May 13, 2022, during a Candlelight Vigil in Washington, D.C., starting at 8:00 PM EDT. Those who wish to view the vigil live online, can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/TheNLEOMF. The schedule of National Police Week events is available on NLEOMF’s website.
[1] An unprovoked attack is defined as an attack on an officer not prompted by official contact at the time of the incident between the officer and the offender. Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program.
St. Paul Man Sentenced in St. Paul Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
Minneapolis, Minn. – A St. Paul man was sentenced to 110 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for a robbery spree of St. Paul businesses, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on June 14, 2021, Warren Dean, 27, entered a Speedway gas station, flashed a realistic looking replica gun at the employees, and ordered them to give him money from the cash register. Dean ordered the employees to lay on the ground and fled the scene with approximately $292 in cash.
In addition to the Speedway robbery, Dean admitted to robbing or attempting to rob another six St. Paul businesses between June 14 and 16, 2021. After his last robbery on June 16, St. Paul police attempted to apprehend Dean, but he fled from officers and led them on a 30-mile car chase that ended in north Minneapolis after Dean crashed into multiple parked cars. After his vehicle stopped, Dean refused to surrender and a four-hour standoff ensued before officers were able to take Dean into custody without incident.
Dean was sentenced yesterday by Senior U.S. District Judge Michael J. Davis. On October 13, 2021, Dean pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act robbery.
This case is the result of investigations conducted by the FBI, the St. Paul Police Department, and the Minneapolis Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry M. Jacobs prosecuted the case.
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Federal Jury Finds Minneapolis Man Guilty of Lying to a Grand JuryRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A federal jury convicted a Minneapolis man of lying to a grand jury, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
Following a two-day trial before U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel, Muse Mohamud Mohamed, 30, was convicted yesterday on two counts of false declarations before a grand jury. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.
Mohamed was served with a subpoena to provide testimony before a grand jury seated in the District of Minnesota regarding the use of the agent delivery process during Minnesota’s August 11, 2020, primary election. The City of Minneapolis’ election records document that Mohamed delivered ballots as an agent for three voters during that election. The voters, however, testified that they do not know Mohamed and did not ask him to pick up and deliver absentee ballots for them.
As proven at trial, on October 14, 2021, Mohamed provided testimony to the grand jury that he received the absentee ballots from the voters themselves. When Mohamed was confronted with the fact that the voters each gave statements that they do not know him and that they did not ask him or anyone for agent delivery of their ballots for the August 2020 election, Mohamed testified that he received the ballots from the voters.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
This case was tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly A. Svendsen, Angela M. Munoz, and Allison K. Ethen.
Wright County Man Sentenced to 125 Months in Prison for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Wright County man was sentenced to 125 months in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, ordered to pay $65,000 in restitution, $17,000 to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography fund, and $5,000 to the Domestic Trafficking Victims’ fund, for possession of images and videos depicting child sexual abuse, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Alexander John Odegaard, 34, was found in possession of at least 34,723 images and 555 videos depicting child pornography during the execution of an FBI search warrant at his house in September 2021. Among these were depictions of the sexual abuse of prepubescent minors, including depictions of children being physically restrained, whipped, and threatened with fire. Odegaard was on supervision for child pornography possession in Wright County at the time of the offense.
On January 19, 2022, Odegaard plead guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Patrick J. Schiltz.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Miranda E. Dugi
Wright County Man Sentenced to 125 Months in Prison for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Wright County man was sentenced to 125 months in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, ordered to pay $65,000 in restitution, $17,000 to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography fund, and $5,000 to the Domestic Trafficking Victims’ fund, for possession of images and videos depicting child sexual abuse, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Alexander John Odegaard, 34, was found in possession of at least 34,723 images and 555 videos depicting child pornography during the execution of an FBI search warrant at his house in September 2021. Among these were depictions of the sexual abuse of prepubescent minors, including depictions of children being physically restrained, whipped, and threatened with fire. Odegaard was on supervision for child pornography possession in Wright County at the time of the offense.
On January 19, 2022, Odegaard plead guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Patrick J. Schiltz.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Miranda E. Dugi.
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Minneapolis Felon Charged with Illegal Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minneapolis man has been indicted for firearms violations and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on February 16, 2022, Jyron Mendale Young, 37, was in possession of a Taurus model PT738 .380 caliber semiautomatic pistol, as well as separate rounds of Blazer 9mm Luger ammunition, and Winchester .380 caliber ammunition. Young was also found in possession of controlled substances, namely fentanyl and methamphetamine. Because Young has multiple prior felony convictions in Hennepin County, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
Young is charged with possession of a firearm as a felon, possession of ammunition as a felon, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Young was previously charged by complaint and remains in detention pending further court proceedings.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Bloomington Police Department, the Richfield Police Department, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Ham Lake Felon Sentenced to Prison for Cocaine Distribution, Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Ham Lake man has been sentenced to 114 months in prison for illegally possessing multiple firearms and possessing cocaine with intent to distribute it, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on September 13, 2019, officers with the St. Paul Police Department executed a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Steven Michael Lincoln, age 35. After observing a large bag of marijuana on the front passenger seat, officers asked Lincoln to exit the vehicle. Officers searched the vehicle and recovered a small baggie containing cocaine, a loaded Ruger .380-caliber pistol, a loaded Kimber .45-caliber pistol, multiple sandwich bags of prepackaged marijuana, a digital scale, $986 in cash, 10 vials containing varying amounts of cocaine, and two additional baggies of cocaine each containing about 3.5 grams.
According to court documents, on January 4, 2020, officers with the St. Paul Police Department observed Lincoln asleep in the driver’s seat of a pickup truck parked in an alleyway. After asking Lincoln to exit the vehicle, officers located under the driver’s seat a loaded Brugger and Thomet, TP9 9mm firearm, with a sling, an attached vertical foregrip, a red-dot attached laser sight, an inserted 30-round magazine, and one round in the chamber. A further search of the vehicle revealed a bulletproof vest, three Glock 9mm magazines, two loaded TP9 high-capacity magazines, 18 rounds of loose 9mm ammunition, and a .40-caliber barrel for a Glock 23.
Because he has prior felony convictions in Ramsey County, Lincoln is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
On November 9, 2021, Lincoln pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a felon, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of an unregistered firearm. Lincoln was sentenced earlier today by U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was the result of investigations conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the St. Paul Police Department, and the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Bejar and Chelsea A. Walcker prosecuted the case.
Two Men Arrested, Charged for Carjacking a Woman in a Mall Parking LotRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Two men have been charged in a federal criminal complaint for their roles in the armed carjacking of a woman in a mall parking lot, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on February 16, 2022, Leon Kismit Bell, 48, and Jack Mitchell Piche, 22, were walking around the parking lot of the Rosedale Center Mall. The two men followed a vehicle, waiting for the driver, a 67-year-old woman, to park. Surveillance video from the mall’s parking lot shows Bell and Piche approach the woman as she was standing outside of her vehicle. Bell flashed a gun in his waistband and demanded her keys. The woman gave Bell her purse, which contained her wallet and keys, and ran from the vehicle. Bell initially ran after the woman, but then returned to the vehicle, got in the driver’s seat, and drove to pick up Piche, who was several rows away in the parking lot. The two men then fled the parking lot.
According to court documents, officers with the Roseville Police Department were able to track the vehicle heading south on I-35W. The vehicle was driving erratically and due to safety concerns, officers stopped their pursuit. Further investigation led law enforcement to a location in south Minneapolis where Piche was taken into custody. The stolen vehicle was found a few blocks away from where Piche was arrested. On May 3, 2022, law enforcement located and arrested Bell.
Bell is charged with one count of carjacking. Piche is charged with one count of aiding and abetting carjacking. On April 29, 2022, Piche appeared in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Tony N. Leung and was ordered to remain in detention pending further proceedings. Bell made his initial appearance yesterday in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge John F. Docherty. Bell was ordered temporarily detained pending a formal detention hearing on May 6, 2022.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Roseville Police Department, and the Minneapolis Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry M. Jacobs is prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Owner of St. Paul Staffing Agency Sentenced to Prison for $1 Million Tax FraudRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Woodbury woman was sentenced to 15 months in prison and ordered to pay $1,019,572.12 in restitution to the IRS for filing false federal income tax returns, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, during tax years 2017 through 2018, Shoua Isabelle Yang, 45, the owner and operator of Atwork Staffing Inc., a staffing agency that provided temporary workers for multiple business clients, caused the agency not to properly withhold, account for, and pay over accurate payroll taxes, including federal income taxes and Social Security and Medicare taxes. Yang caused quarterly IRS Forms 941 to be completed and filed that were willfully and deliberately false, in that they did not report all employees employed by Atwork Staffing and did not report all payroll taxes owed by Atwork Staffing. Yang also caused Atwork Staffing to pay a portion of its employees’ salaries in cash and not report the true payroll on the Forms 941 filed on behalf of Atwork Staffing. Yang also filed IRS Forms 1120 corporate tax returns that were false in that they underreported her agency’s gross receipts as well as the true amount of payroll expenses for the wages paid to her employees. Yang’s tax fraud resulted in a total tax loss of $1,019,572.12.
On November 10, 2021, Yang pleaded guilty to two counts of filing a false federal income tax return. Yang was sentenced earlier today by U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud.
This case is the result of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation Division.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew S. Ebert.
Owner of St. Cloud Press Bar Pleads Guilty to ArsonRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Andrew Charles Welsh has pleaded guilty to intentionally setting fire to the Press Bar and Parlor as part of a scheme to obtain insurance money, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Welsh, 42, owner and operator of the Press Bar and Parlor located in St. Cloud, maintained a business owner’s insurance policy on the business. On February 17, 2020, as part of a scheme to fraudulently obtain insurance money, Welsh used gasoline to set a fire in his office located in the basement of the Press Bar. The fire eventually spread and resulted in the total destruction of the building as well as other losses.
On February 24, 2020, Welsh retained a Public Insurance Adjuster to assist in the preparation, presentation, and adjustment of insurance claims related to the fire at Press Bar. On February 26, 2020, Welsh, through the Public Insurance Adjuster, claimed that he was entitled to payment from the insurance company in the amount $1,430,123.28 for property damage and other losses related to the February 17, 2020, fire. Welsh admitted that in submitting the insurance claim, he falsely stated that “said loss did not originate by any act, design, or procurement on the part of your insured,” when, as Welsh knew, his arson of the Press Bar caused the loss for which he sought compensation.
Welsh pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud to one count of arson. A sentencing date has not been set.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the St. Cloud Police Department, the St. Cloud Fire Department, and the Minnesota State Fire Marshals, Stearns County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Stearns County Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan H. Nelson and Evan B. Gilead are prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Announces New Federal Violent Crime StrategyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger, along with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, today announced a new federal strategy to address violent crime in the Twin Cities metro area.
“Violent crime is at an all-time high in the Twin Cities. We have before us an urgent task. Every Minnesotan deserves the right to live safely and securely, without fear of shootings, car jackings, and violence,” said U.S. Attorney Luger. “This new strategy is designed to bring swift justice to our communities and to the victims of violent crimes. But it is also designed as a signal to violent offenders to stop. This violence cannot continue – it is causing far too much fear, too much pain and too much heartbreak for families and our community.”
The federal violent crime strategy announced today establishes expanded capacity within the U.S. Attorney’s Office to prosecute violent crime cases. Every federal prosecutor in the office will now take on violent crime cases. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will also be hiring additional prosecutors to assist in these efforts. With this expanded capacity, the office will prioritize the intake of all adult federal carjacking cases; cases involving the illegal possession of firearms and/or ammunition; firearms trafficking cases; straw purchasing cases; as well as cases involving the illegal possession of auto sears and ghost guns. Finally, U.S. Attorney Luger has created a new gang prosecution team that will work directly with law enforcement in addressing the gang violence that is plaguing the metro.
ATF Special Agent in Charge William J. McCrary stated, “I can say without a doubt that our agents are ready and enthused about working alongside U.S. Attorney Luger and his team on this violent crime initiative. We have already identified numerous violent offenders throughout the Twin Cities and other key areas in Minnesota. We are hot on the trails of many individuals who have done violence and those who arm them- who deal in the illegal firearms trade.”
“I commend U.S. Attorney Luger for his renewed focus and priority on violent crime. The FBI is specifically leveraging its Violent Crimes Task Force and its Safe Streets Task Force in the fight against violent crimes and criminal gang activity,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael Paul. “To those who are committing these senseless act of violence, we will find you, we will take you off the street and you will be held accountable.”
“The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has implemented a targeted BCA team of special agents and analysts who are pursuing known suspects in homicides and gun-related crimes, carjackings, aggravated assaults, and felony warrants related to violent crimes. The BCA has also dedicated forensic laboratory resources to complete violent crime evidence testing faster. This brings the full weight of the BCA’s analytical and investigative toolset to data-driven investigations so that we can quickly find and apprehend suspects,” said BCA Deputy Superintendent of Investigations Scott Mueller. “We appreciate U.S. Attorney Luger’s leadership with this work and the partnership of many federal, state, and local law enforcement partners.”
U.S. Attorney Luger announced several recently unsealed cases:
- Dovyion Daquay Glass, 31, of Minneapolis, has been charged in a federal criminal complaint with possession of a firearm as a felon. According to court documents, on March 23, 2022, Glass was in possession of a Glock model 42 .380 caliber semiautomatic pistol. Because of his previous felony convictions, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition at any time. According to a law enforcement affidavit, Glass was involved in a March 5, 2022, shooting outside a bar in St. Paul. Glass fired multiple rounds at people standing outside the bar. One of the bullets struck a man in the chest. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the ATF and the St. Paul Police Department. ( glass_complaint.pdf )
- Nicholas James Bell, 23, of Minneapolis, has been charged in a federal criminal complaint with possession of a machine gun. According to court documents, on February 17, 2022, law enforcement agents intercepted a package sent from China that contained pieces of 21 Glock switches or auto sears. Agents also found that Bell had received four previous shipments from the same company in China over a two-month timeframe. Bell was later found in possession of a handgun outfitted with an auto sear, 70 rounds of ammunition, and seven additional auto sears. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, CBP, ATF, and the Blaine Police Department. ( bell_complaint.pdf )
- Jay James Olson, 21, of Sauk Rapids, has been charged in a federal criminal complaint with manufacturing firearms without a license and possession of a machine gun. According to court documents, law enforcement learned that Olson was manufacturing and selling “ghost guns” as well as selling large quantities of other firearms throughout the Metro area. Throughout the investigation, law enforcement seized from Olson multiple ghost guns, high-capacity magazines, a silencer, several unserialized gun kits, and other firearms and accessories. This is the result of an investigation conducted by the ATF, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, the Hennepin County Violent Offender Task Force, and the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office. ( olson_complaint.pdf )
Federal Jury Finds Granite Falls Man Guilty of Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A federal jury convicted a Granite Falls man of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
Following a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright, Ramon Diego Pacheco, 42, was convicted earlier this week of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.
According to the evidence presented at trial, in late 2018 law enforcement began investigating a methamphetamine trafficking organization in the Twin Cities. Law enforcement learned that Scott Velisek, one of the defendant’s co-conspirators, was receiving large shipments of methamphetamine and selling pound-level quantities to a regular stable of customers. Those key customers would then deal the methamphetamine to their own customers. Pacheco was one of several of Velisek’s customers who then sold smaller amounts of methamphetamine to others.
Pacheco’s co-conspirators, Scott Joel Velisek, Elizabeth Reeves Sporleder, Del Corey Crandell, Leslie Marie Cloud, and Nicole Lee Chaparro previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug trafficking organization.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Renville County Sheriff’s Office.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan H. Nelson, and tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren O. Roso and Lindsey E. Middlecamp.
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Illinois Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – An Illinois man was sentenced to 240 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for sex trafficking a woman and transporting another woman to engage in prostitution, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
“Sex trafficking is an insidious crime that causes lasting physical and emotional trauma. Today’s sentence reflects the gravity of Mr. Stennis’s crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Luger. “I commend our law enforcement partners at Homeland Security Investigations and the Bloomington Police Department for their commitment to this case.”
“While today’s sentencing cannot undo the pain Stennis inflicted upon those who survived his abuse, it is my hope that by seeing him held accountable for his heinous crimes they will be given some form of solace knowing he is no longer in the communities in which they live,” said Jamie Holt, acting special agent in charge of HSI St. Paul. “HSI, along with our law enforcement partners, are dedicated to the eradication of sex trafficking and will continue to search out those who intend to profit off the pain and abuse of others.”
According to the evidence presented at trial, between January and March 2019, Darnell Deshawn Stennis, 30, transported one woman around the Midwest, using threats and physical violence to force the woman into performing commercial sex acts. In March of 2019, Stennis transported a second woman between Minnesota and North Dakota for the purpose of engaging in prostitution.
On March 25, 2019, officers with the Bloomington Police Department were dispatched to the La Quinta Inn in Bloomington, Minnesota, following a report that a hotel guest heard yelling and what sounded like someone being thrown against a wall. Upon arrival, officers encountered Stennis and the two women, identified as Victim A and Victim B. Officers checked the hotel room and observed obvious signs of a disturbance, including a toilet seat that was broken into multiple pieces and a towel rack that was bent. Victim A reported to officers that Stennis had violently assaulted her after she told him she didn’t want to engage in commercial sex work anymore. Victim A reported that Stennis choked her, bashed her head into the towel rack, and pushed her down onto the toilet seat. Stennis, who also had outstanding warrants, was arrested and placed into custody. After his arrest, Stennis instructed Victim B to lie to the investigators and destroy evidence of the sex trafficking. He continued to force Victim A to perform commercial sex acts for several months, even while he was in custody, by threatening her with physical violence.
On October 7, 2021, Stennis was convicted by a federal jury on two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion, two counts of transporting an individual to engage in prostitution, and one count of obstruction. Stennis was sentenced earlier today by U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Schiltz.
This case is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Bloomington Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Manda M. Sertich, and Evan B. Gilead.
Former Substitute Teacher Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for SextortionRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Carver County man was sentenced to 480 months in prison, followed by 25 years of supervised release, for producing child pornography and extortion related to a years-long sextortion scheme, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
“For nearly a decade, Mitchell Ottinger engaged in a sextortion scheme that targeted dozens of vulnerable, young victims. This predator will now spend the next 40 years behind bars,” said U.S. Attorney Luger. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office stands united with our law enforcement partners in combatting child sexual exploitation.”
“Today's crippling sentence reflects the heinous nature of the defendant's crimes, as he used his position of trust and authority to find his victims, and traumatize them,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael Paul. “Sextortion is a crime that can victimize any child and the FBI will continue to work with our partners and in our communities to make sure our children know that help is available and that we will spare no effort in hunting down their predators.”
According to court documents, Mitchell James Ottinger, 25, a former substitute teacher and paraprofessional, engaged in a scheme to obtain sexually explicit images and videos of minors and adults by using false online personas. Ottinger threatened to disseminate the images and videos of his victims in order to extort more images and videos. Over the course of several years Ottinger victimized 42 people, including at least 23 minors, some of whom he knew from the school district where he worked.
Law enforcement was alerted to the sextortion when one of the victims contacted the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center and reported the threats.
Ottinger was sentenced late last week by U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright. At sentencing, Judge Wright commented that Ottinger committed heinous crimes that introduced grievous harm and suffering into the lives of his victims. On October 19, 2021, Ottinger pleaded guilty to two counts of production and attempted production of child pornography and one count of interstate communication with intent to extort.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
If you know of any child who may have been a victim of exploitation, please call the National Center for Missing or Exploited Children (NCMEC) at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or visit NCMEC’s web site at www.missingkids.com.
This case is the result of investigations conducted by the FBI and the Carver County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Miranda E. Dugi prosecuted the case.
Federal Jury Convicts St. Paul Felon for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A federal jury convicted a St. Paul man of illegal possession of a firearm as a felon, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
Following a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel, Samson Diamonte Xavior-Smith, 27, was convicted on April 21, 2022, of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on June 25, 2021, the St. Paul Police Department received a 911 call reporting a pedestrian, later identified as Xavior-Smith, had pointed a gun at the driver of a stopped vehicle on the Robert Street Bridge. St. Paul Police officers responded to the scene and, after a foot chase, apprehended Xavior-Smith at the intersection of 4th Street and Cedar Street. During the chase, officers observed, and city surveillance cameras recorded, Xavior-Smith place an object into a trash can. Immediately after his arrest, officers looked inside that trash can and recovered a Sig Sauer, Model P290RS, 9mm pistol from the trash can. Subsequent testing found Xavior-Smith’s DNA on the gun.
Because Xavior-Smith has multiple prior felony convictions in Ramsey and Washington Counties, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the St. Paul Police Department.
This case was tried by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Bejar.
Burnsville Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Selling Methamphetamine out of Hotel RoomsRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Burnsville man has been sentenced to 240 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for dealing methamphetamine out of hotel rooms in the Twin Cities. U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, in the summer of 2020, law enforcement determined that Eric Michael Dungy, 50, was selling methamphetamine out of hotel rooms in the Twin Cities metro area. On September 30, 2020, law enforcement encountered Dungy in the Element Hotel parking lot in Bloomington. Agents arrested Dungy and found heroin and $16,621 in cash on his person. Agents conducted a search of Dungy’s vehicle and recovered 364 grams of methamphetamine, three methamphetamine pipes, needles, gallon Ziploc bags with methamphetamine residue on them, an electronic money counter, and a Kel-Tec 9mm handgun. On October 3, 2020, law enforcement searched Dungy’s unoccupied hotel room and found 5.5 pounds of methamphetamine and other personal effects belonging to Dungy.
According to court documents, after obtaining release on bail from the Hennepin County Jail in November 2020, Dungy was again investigated for methamphetamine distribution and by December 14, 2020, he agreed to sell three pounds of methamphetamine to an undercover officer for $15,000. On the same day, law enforcement searched two adjacent rooms he rented at the Country Inn & Suites in Bloomington, and recovered approximately 6.5 pounds of methamphetamine, 13.5 grams of heroin, three digital scales, multiple small Ziplock bags, eleven phones, and $12,286 in cash.
On October 18, 2021, Dungy pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Cannon River Drug and Violent Offender Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, the St. Paul Police Department, the Edina Police Department, with assistance from the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office and the Dakota County Attorney’s Office.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen A. Slaughter, Jr.
Savage Man Arrested, Charged with Passport FraudRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A federal criminal complaint has been filed against Mohamed Jama Ismail, 49, of Savage, charging him with passport fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Ismail is one of the targets of a federal investigation into the misappropriation of Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. During the investigation, law enforcement identified several companies, including ThinkTechAct Foundation, Empire Cuisine & Market LLC, and Empire Enterprises LLC, that were receiving a suspiciously high amount of reimbursements under the Federal Child Nutrition Program. Collectively, these companies received more than $30 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds from approximately May 2020 to January 2022. As alleged, Ismail and a partner owned and controlled Empire Cuisine & Market LLC, which he and other co-conspirators used to fraudulently obtain, launder, and misappropriate millions of dollars in federal funds. For example, ThinkTechAct received more than $21 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds from February 2021 to January 2022, based on the claim that the company was serving meals to thousands of children a day at multiple distribution sites. Bank records show that ThinkTechAct transferred more than $12 million in federal funds to Empire Cuisine & Market LLC. In addition to the $12 million it received from ThinkTechAct, Empire Cuisine & Market also received more than $12 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds directly from Partners in Quality Care and Feeding Our Future during this same period.
As alleged, most of the funds were misappropriated and sent through shell companies to an array of individuals involved in the scheme. During the investigation, law enforcement recovered receipts for more than $800,000 in international wire transfers from Empire Cuisine & Market to entities in China. Bank records show that all of the money sent to China was traceable to Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. Bank records also show more than $700,000 in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds were wired from Empire Enterprises LLC (previously transferred from Empire Cuisine & Market) to Nairobi, Kenya in 2021.
According to court documents, on January 20, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Ismail’s home in Savage. During the search, law enforcement seized Ismail’s U.S. passport. Ismail provided law enforcement agents with the combination to the locked safe where the passport was stored. On March 22, 2022, Ismail applied for a new U.S. passport, falsely representing on the application that he had “lost” his passport “at home.” Ismail also claimed that he had filed a police report related to the loss of his passport. According to the Savage Police Department, Ismail has not filed any police reports related to the loss of his passport. Based on his application, the U.S. Department of State issued Ismail a new U.S. passport on March 22, 2022.
According to court documents, Ismail booked a flight from Rochester, Minnesota, to Nairobi, Kenya, via Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, scheduled to depart on April 20, 2022. At 10:30 a.m. on April 20, 2022, at Rochester International Airport, Ismail used his newly obtained U.S. passport to check in for the flight. Ismail arrived at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and was arrested by FBI agents while boarding his flight to Amsterdam.
Ismail is charged with one count of passport fraud. He made his initial appearance earlier today in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Hildy Bowbeer.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, IRS, Postal Inspection Service, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, with assistance from the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson is prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Minneapolis Man Sentenced to More Than 15 Years in Prison for Violent Twin Cities Carjacking SpreeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 184 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $49,213.85 in restitution for his role in a string of violent carjackings throughout the Twin Cities. U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Schiltz sentenced the defendant.
“This disturbing wave of carjackings throughout the Twin Cities is eroding our overall sense of safety and security,” said U.S. Attorney Luger. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is working in close coordination with all levels of law enforcement to bring this trend to an end.”
“Carjacking is a borderless, flagrant crime that can affect anyone at any time. These violent carjackings terrorized the Twin Cities and instilled fear in our communities,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael Paul. “Today’s sentencing underscores that those who commit these senseless acts of violence will face significant penalties for their actions. The FBI is committed to our ongoing work with our law enforcement partners to take these criminals off the streets.”
According to court documents, on August 28, 2020, Jeremiah Lee Ironrope, 25, and his co-defendant Krisanne Marie Benjamin, 26, drove a maroon SUV to a parking lot in Richfield, where they parked near a 2017 Audi. Ironrope approached the driver of the Audi and pointed a Remington 870 l2-gauge shotgun, with a sawed-off barrel, at the driver and demanded the car keys. Benjamin kept watch from the maroon SUV as Ironrope started the Audi and drove away. Benjamin followed in the maroon SUV.
According to court documents, in the early morning hours of August 29, 2020, the Minnesota State Patrol used GPS data to track and locate the stolen Audi, which was driven by Ironrope and occupied by Benjamin. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but Ironrope drove away at a high rate of speed, while cutting across multiple lanes of traffic, swerving between cars, and driving through red lights. During the flight from law enforcement, Benjamin got out of the vehicle and fled on foot while Ironrope continued fleeing in the Audi. Law enforcement found the vehicle running and unoccupied in Minneapolis. The vehicle had been partially spray-painted black. Inside officers found a stolen wallet, bottles of spray paint, a hat, gloves, and receipts. Law enforcement also found a used l2-gauge shotgun shell under the driver's seat.
On September 9, 2021, Ironrope pleaded guilty to one count of carjacking and one count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. On September 7, 2021, co-defendant Benjamin pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting carjacking.
As part of their guilty pleas, Ironrope and Benjamin admitted to two additional carjackings that occurred on July 26, 2020, in Maple Grove and August 7, 2020, in St. Paul. In both instances, the defendants physically assaulted the victims before stealing their vehicles. Ironrope also admitted to two December 2020 carjackings occurring in St. Louis Park and St. Paul. In both instances, Ironrope pointed a handgun at the victims before stealing their vehicles.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Minneapolis Police Department, the St. Paul Police Department, the Maple Grove Police Department, the Richfield Police Department, the Edina Police Department, the Roseville Police Department, and the Minnesota State Patrol.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan H. Nelson.
Federal Jury Convicts Fridley Felon for Selling Methamphetamine, Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A federal jury convicted a Fridley man of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and illegal possession of firearms as a felon, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
Following a four-day trial before U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright, John Edward Juneau, 48, was convicted yesterday of one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession of methamphetamine, one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of illegally possessing firearms as a felon. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on February 1, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a residence in Columbia Heights. Officers encountered Juneau and two other people inside a detached garage. As a result of the search, officers found three plastic baggies containing more than 23 grams of 99% pure methamphetamine. Subsequent testing determined that Juneau’s DNA was present on the baggies.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on July 9, 2019, police executed a search warrant at a Coon Rapids residence. Officers saw Juneau trying to exit the residence through a basement bedroom window of the residence. Juneau dropped a bag outside the window that contained, among other things, a safe containing $6,000 in cash and numerous empty plastic baggies. Inside the residence, officers found quantities of 99% pure methamphetamine. The police also searched the garage located on the property and found a Ruger, .380 caliber pistol, a Ruger, .22 caliber pistol, two scales, several empty plastic baggies, and more than 40 grams of high purity methamphetamine.
Because Juneau has multiple prior felony convictions in Anoka, Sherburne, Hennepin, and Ramsey Counties, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Anoka-Hennepin Narcotics and Violent Crimes Task Force.
This case was tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Dunne and Harry Jacobs.
Two Illinois Men Sentenced to Prison for Their Roles in Bombing of Dar al-Farooq Islamic Center and Weapons ChargesRead the Press Release
Two Illinois men were today sentenced to 190 months and 170 months in prison, respectively, for their roles in the 2017 bombing of Dar al-Farooq (DAF) Islamic Center in Bloomington, Minnesota.
On Jan. 24, 2019, Michael McWhorter, 33, and Joe Morris, 26, both of Clarence, Illinois, pleaded guilty in the District of Minnesota to federal charges that originated in both the District of Minnesota and the Central District of Illinois. The charges included intentionally obstructing, and attempting to obstruct, by force and the threat of force, the free exercise of religious beliefs; carrying and using a destructive device during and in relation to crimes of violence; possession of a machine gun; conspiracy to interfere with commerce by threats and violence; and attempted arson. The pleas to the charges originating in the Central District of Illinois were entered in Minnesota pursuant to Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 20, which allows for the transfer of charges for the entry of guilty pleas and the imposition of sentence.
“McWhorter and Morris carried out a violent plan to attack a house of worship as people peacefully prayed inside,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “In the United States, all people have a right to exercise their faith freely. The Justice Department will vigorously prosecute domestic terrorists who carry out acts of violence to suppress those rights or threaten and intimidate others based on their religious identity.”
“Hate-fueled acts of violence like the bombing of the Dar al-Farooq Islamic Center violate our laws and run contrary to our values as a nation,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This heinous bombing instilled fear in an entire faith community. These defendants made the decision to confess to their crimes and assist in the civil rights prosecution of the individual who led them to join a far-reaching criminal conspiracy rooted in white supremacy. The department will continue using all the tools in our law enforcement arsenal to prosecute hate-fueled acts, including those that target communities of faith and houses of worship.”
“These men followed Hari’s lead, complied with her direction, and subscribed to her violent and extremist ideology in carrying out this act of terrorism,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger for the District of Minnesota. “Today, justice has been served for their actions. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice will protect and uphold the rights of individuals and faith communities to worship freely, without the threat of violence.”
“Attacks on houses of worship and those practicing their faith are heinous acts,” said Assistant Director Timothy Langan of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “The outcome of this case should serve notice that such actions will not be tolerated. The FBI will work with our partners to hold accountable those who commit or plot to commit such acts of violence in our communities.”
McWhorter and Morris were recruited by Emily Claire Hari, 51, formerly known as Michael Hari, to join a terrorist militia group called “The White Rabbits” in the summer of 2017. According to court documents, Hari recruited McWhorter and Morris to join the militia, which Hari outfitted with paramilitary equipment and assault rifles. On Aug. 4 and 5, 2017, Hari, McWhorter and Morris drove in a rented pickup truck from Illinois to Bloomington, Minnesota, to bomb the DAF Islamic Center. About an hour outside of Minnesota, Hari disclosed to McWhorter and Morris that there was a pipe bomb in the truck and that they were going to bomb a mosque. Hari targeted DAF specifically to terrorize Muslims into believing they are not welcome in the United States and should leave the country.
According to court documents, Hari, McWhorter and Morris arrived at DAF at approximately 5:00 a.m. on Aug. 5, 2017. Morris used a sledgehammer to break the window of the Imam’s office at DAF and threw a plastic container with a mixture of diesel fuel and gasoline into the office. McWhorter then lit the fuse on a 20-pound black powder pipe bomb and threw it through the broken window. McWhorter and Morris ran back to the truck where Hari was waiting in the driver’s seat. The three sped away from the building and drove back to Illinois. When the pipe bomb exploded, the blast caused extensive damage to the Imam’s office. It also ignited the gasoline and diesel mixture, causing extensive fire and smoke damage. At the time of the bombing, several worshipers were gathered in the mosque for morning prayers.
According to court documents, on Nov. 7, 2017, Hari, McWhorter and Morris attempted to set fire to the Women’s Health Practice in Champaign, Illinois. Morris used a sledgehammer to break a window and placed a PVC device containing thermite powder in the Women’s Health Practice. The device did not ignite and was found on the floor by an employee of the Women’s Health Practice when the employee arrived to work later that morning.
According to court documents, on Dec. 16, 2017, McWhorter and Morris participated in an armed home invasion in the town of Ambia, Indiana, where they dressed as police officers and carried firearms, including two that had been illegally converted into machine guns. Hari, McWhorter and Morris also carried out armed robberies of two Walmart stores, one in Watseka, Illinois, and one in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, on Dec. 2, and 17, 2017, respectively.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison Ethen and Timothy Rank for the District of Minnesota prosecuted the case, with valuable assistance provided by Trial Attorney Timothy Visser of the Civil Rights Division, Lead Paralegal Specialist Lynette Simser, Community Affairs Director Angie LaTour, Witness Specialist Selina Kolsrud, former Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Docherty and Julie Allyn, Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene Miller of the Central District of Illinois, and the special agents of the FBI’s Minneapolis and Springfield Divisions, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Bloomington Police Department, and the Bloomington Fire Department.
Two Illinois Men Sentenced to Prison for Their Roles in Bombing of Dar al-Farooq Islamic CenterRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Michael McWhorter, 33, and Joe Morris, 26, both of Clarence, Illinois, were sentenced today to 190 months and 170 months in prison, respectively, for firearms violations, arson, use of a destructive device, and federal civil rights violations in connection with the 2017 bombing of Dar al-Farooq (DAF) Islamic Center in Bloomington, Minnesota.
“Hate-fueled acts of violence like the bombing of the Dar al-Farooq Islamic Center violate our laws and run contrary to our values as a nation,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This heinous bombing instilled fear in an entire faith community. These defendants made the decision to confess to their crimes and assist in the civil rights prosecution of the individual who led them to join a far-reaching criminal conspiracy rooted in white supremacy. The department will continue using all the tools in our law enforcement arsenal to prosecute hate-fueled acts, including those that target communities of faith and houses of worship.”
“McWhorter and Morris carried out a violent plan to attack a house of worship as people peacefully prayed inside,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “In the United States, all people have a right to exercise their faith freely. The Justice Department will vigorously prosecute domestic terrorists who carry out acts of violence to suppress those rights or threaten and intimidate others based on their religious identity.”
“Although these men were not the criminal masterminds of their violent acts, they followed Hari’s leadership, they complied with the direction they were given, and submitted to a violent and extremist ideology in carrying out this act of terrorism,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger. “The government recognizes and values McWhorter and Morris’s cooperation throughout this case, which contributed to Hari’s conviction. Today, justice under the law has been served for their actions. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice will protect and uphold the rights of individuals and faith communities to worship freely, without the threat of violence.”
“This crime was a violent, hate driven attack that specifically targeted individuals based on their faith. More broadly, this was an attack on all faith-based communities that openly practice their religions with a reasonable expectation of peaceful freedom to do so,” said Michael Paul, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Minneapolis division. “Every person has the right to live and worship freely and without fear. The FBI is committed to defending all communities and protecting the rights of all Americans.”
According to court documents, during the summer of 2017, Emily Claire Hari, 51, f/k/a Michael Hari, established a terrorist militia group called “The White Rabbits” in Clarence, Illinois. Hari recruited McWhorter and Morris to join the militia, which Hari outfitted with paramilitary equipment and assault rifles. On August 4 and 5, 2017, Hari, McWhorter, and Morris drove in a rented pickup truck from Illinois to Bloomington, Minnesota, to bomb the DAF Islamic Center. About an hour outside of Minnesota, Hari disclosed to McWhorter and Morris that there was a pipe bomb in the truck and that they were going to bomb a mosque. Hari targeted DAF specifically to terrorize Muslims into believing they are not welcome in the United States and should leave the country.
According to court documents, Hari, McWhorter, and Morris arrived at DAF at approximately 5:00 a.m. on August 5, 2017. Morris used a sledgehammer to break the window of the Imam’s office at DAF and threw a plastic container with a mixture of diesel fuel and gasoline into the office. McWhorter then lit the fuse on a 20-pound black powder pipe bomb and threw it through the broken window. McWhorter and Morris ran back to the truck where Hari was waiting in the driver’s seat. The three sped away from the building and drove back to Illinois. When the pipe bomb exploded, the blast caused extensive damage to the Imam’s office. It also ignited the gasoline and diesel mixture, causing extensive fire and smoke damage. At the time of the bombing, several worshipers were gathered in the mosque for morning prayers.
According to court documents, on November 7, 2017, Hari, McWhorter, and Morris attempted to set fire to the Women’s Health Practice in Champaign, Illinois. Morris used a sledgehammer to break a window and placed a PVC device containing thermite powder in the Women’s Health Practice. The device did not ignite and was found by an employee of the Women’s Health Practice when the employee arrived to work later that morning.
According to court documents, on December 16, 2017, McWhorter and Morris participated in an armed home invasion in the town of Ambia, Indiana, where they dressed as police officers and carried firearms, including two that had been illegally converted into machine guns. Hari, McWhorter, and Morris also carried out armed robberies of two Walmart stores, one in Watseka, Illinois, and one in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, on December 2, 2017, and December 17, 2017, respectively.
On January 24, 2019, McWhorter and Morris pleaded guilty in the District of Minnesota to federal charges that originated in both the District of Minnesota and the Central District of Illinois. The pleas to the charges originating in the Central District of Illinois were entered in Minnesota pursuant to Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 20, which allows for the transfer of charges for the entry of guilty pleas and the imposition of sentence. The charges included intentionally obstructing, and attempting to obstruct, by force and the threat of force, the free exercise of religious beliefs; carrying and using a destructive device during and in relation to crimes of violence; possession of a machine gun; conspiracy to interfere with commerce by threats and violence; and attempted arson.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison Ethen and Timothy Rank for the District of Minnesota prosecuted the case, with valuable assistance provided by Trial Attorney Timothy Visser of the Civil Rights Division, Lead Paralegal Specialist Lynette Simser, Community Affairs Director Angie LaTour, former Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Docherty and Julie Allyn, Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene Miller, of the Central District of Illinois, and the special agents of the FBI’s Minneapolis and Springfield Divisions, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Bloomington Police Department, and the Bloomington Fire Department.
St. Paul Man Sentenced to Prison for Making Threats Against U.S. RepresentativeRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A St. Paul man has been sentenced to a year and a day in prison followed by two years of supervised release for threatening a U.S. Representative, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on January 11, 2021, Jason Robert Burham Karimi, 32, left a voicemail on the office telephone of a U.S. Representative located in California. The voicemail contained graphic threats of violence directed at the U.S. Representative. The U.S. Capitol Police reviewed the voicemail and traced the telephone number to Karimi. On January 12, 2021, agents arranged to meet with Karimi near his St. Paul residence. Karimi told agents that he works as a lobbyist for the marijuana industry and the voicemail was meant to cause “political pain” to the U.S. Representative’s political career. Karimi admitted that he knew the voicemail he left would be perceived as a threat.
On September 8, 2021, Karimi pleaded guilty to one count of interstate communication of a threat. He was sentenced earlier today by Senior U.S. District Judge Paul A. Magnuson.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the U.S. Capitol Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Steinkamp prosecuted the case.
Federal Jury Convicts Stearns County Man for his Role in Meth Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A federal jury convicted a Stearns County man of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine while incarcerated, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
Following a five-day trial before Senior U.S. District Judge David S. Doty, Robert Edward Maloney, Jr., 39, was convicted on April 8, 2022, of a single count of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.
According to the evidence presented at trial, in spring 2019, Maloney, while incarcerated in a Minnesota state prison, coordinated with others outside the prison to sell methamphetamine. While Maloney was incarcerated, he communicated with his co-conspirators via jail calls. Law enforcement agents obtained recordings of Maloney’s jail calls, which revealed Maloney’s direction and coordination, including arranging meetings and discussing methamphetamine prices and quantities.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Cannon River Drug & Violent Offender Task Force, the Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force, and the Minnesota Department of Corrections.
This case was tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley M. Endicott and Joseph S. Teirab.
Minneapolis Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Armed Robbery of Minneapolis RestaurantRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 144 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for an armed Hobbs Act robbery of a Minneapolis restaurant, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on November 9, 2020, Abdiweli Mohamed Jama, 32, entered Market Barbecue in Minneapolis, armed with a semi-automatic pistol, and attempted to rob the business. An employee tried to thwart the robbery and engaged in a physical altercation with Jama. During the altercation, Jama’s pistol discharged, and the employee was struck in the shoulder and the knee. Jama fled the scene on foot.
On November 16, 2021, Jama pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act) and one count of discharge firearm during a crime of violence. He was sentenced yesterday by Senior U.S. District Judge Ann D. Montgomery.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the Saint Paul Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Steinkamp prosecuted the case.
St. Cloud Man Sentenced to Prison for Food Stamp, Covid Assistance FraudRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A St. Cloud man has been sentenced to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $4,187,999.72, in restitution for wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, from 2009 through 2021, Hared Nur Jibril, 60, owned and operated Hormud Meat and Grocery Market located in St. Cloud, Minnesota. In 2009, Jibril completed the application and agreement and signed the required certifications for the Hormud Market to participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). At that time Hormud Market was also authorized as a Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) vendor. The SNAP and WIC programs are run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in collaboration with the states. Both programs required Jibril to periodically recertify compliance. From 2018 through 2021, Jibril and other employees of Hormud Market devised and participated in a scheme to defraud the USDA by exchanging SNAP and WIC benefits for cash and ineligible items including, phone minutes, personal care products, and prepared food from Jibril’s adjoining restaurant. The scheme resulted in a loss amount of more than $4.1 million to the SNAP and WIC programs.
According to court documents, during the spring and summer of 2020, Minnesota provided unemployment insurance benefits to assist individuals who had lost work due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite his continued self-employment at the Hormud Market, Jibril applied to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) for unemployment benefits, falsely claiming that he had been laid off from work due to COVID-19. DEED granted his application for benefits, which were ultimately funded by the United States Department of the Treasury as part of pandemic relief efforts. In total, Jabril received more than $32,724 in unemployment assistance.
Jibril was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud. On December 1, 2021, Jabril pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the USDA-OIG, the FBI, the U.S. Department of Labor-OIG, and the Minnesota Department of Health.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Huddleston.
Self-Described Member of “Boogaloo Bois” Sentenced to Prison for Riot ConvictionRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Texas man was sentenced today to 52 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for rioting during the 2020 civil unrest, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Ivan Hunter, 24, admitted to traveling from San Antonio, Texas, to Minneapolis with the intent to participate in a riot. Hunter is a self-described member of the Boogaloo Bois, a loosely connected group of individuals who espouse violent anti-government sentiments. The term “Boogaloo” itself references the group’s belief in an impending second civil war in the United States that includes a violent uprising against the government.
On the night of May 28, 2020, within hours of arriving in Minneapolis, Hunter met up with other Boogaloo Bois members, obtained an AK-47 assault rifle, and blindly fired 13 rounds into the entryway of the Minneapolis Police Department’s Third Precinct building. At the time of the shooting there were other individuals, believed to be looters, still inside the building. Hunter’s actions were captured on surveillance video and law enforcement recovered from the scene discharged rifle casings consistent with an AK-47 style firearm. Hunter’s gunfire caused approximately $85,000 in damage to the building.
According to court documents, upon returning to Texas, Hunter made various statements on social media describing the violence in which he engaged in Minneapolis. On June 3, 2020, officers with the Austin Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a pick-up truck for numerous traffic violations. Hunter was one of three occupants in the vehicle. Hunter, the front seat passenger, had six loaded magazines for an AK-47 style assault rifle affixed to a tactical vest he was wearing. Officers found three semi-automatic rifles on the rear seat of the vehicle, one loaded pistol in plain view next to the driver’s seat, and another loaded pistol in the center console. Several days after the traffic stop, federal agents became aware of Hunter’s online affiliation with Boogaloo Bois member Steven Carrillo, who recently pleaded guilty in the Northern District of California to the murder of a Federal Protective Service Officer he committed May 29, 2020.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Winter, and Trial Attorney Daniel Gardner of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section.