District of Minnesota
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
CEO of Medical Device Company Charged with Evading Payment of $6 Million in Federal Payroll TaxesRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Mounds View man has been charged with tax evasion for failing to pay several years’ worth of payroll taxes, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Larry Wallace Lindberg, 68, is a pharmacist and the CEO of Midwest Medical Holdings LLC, a Mounds View-based pharmaceutical and medical equipment company. As the owner and CEO of the company, Lindberg was responsible for filing tax returns and paying taxes on behalf of the company. Despite being aware of his company’s tax obligations, Lindberg failed to pay over to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) several hundred thousand dollars in federal payroll taxes each quarter. Beginning in 2011, the IRS spent years attempting to collect on the tax debt. Lindberg entered into several installment agreements with the IRS in which he agreed to make regular payments towards the tax debt, but ultimately failed to make the payments and defaulted on each of the agreements. In attempt to evade the IRS’s collection of the tax debt, Lindberg diverted funds and assets to other business entities he controlled. In total, Lindberg and Midwest Medical Holdings owes more than $6 million in federal income taxes.
Lindberg is charged with one count of tax evasion. He will make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court before Judge Katherine M. Menendez on April 21, 2022.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the IRS Criminal Investigation Division.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson 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.
Red Lake Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for MurderRead the Press Release
BEMIDJI, Minn. – A Ponemah man was sentenced today to 144 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for the murder of a woman on the Red Lake Indian Reservation, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, in 2019, William Jones, IV, 24, and the victim were involved in a romantic relationship and lived together at the victim’s house in Ponemah. During the evening of November 6, 2019, Jones repeatedly assaulted the victim in their residence, hitting her on the shoulders, arms, and torso, and throwing her against a wall. During the assault, the victim’s head was struck, and she suffered a brain injury. Jones did not contact emergency personnel or attempt to render aid to the victim despite her obvious injuries. The victim remained in the house unconscious for almost two days. During that time, Jones was in the house and chose not to contact emergency personnel or otherwise render any aid to the victim.
According to court documents, on November 8, 2019, Jones’s mother contacted emergency personnel after arriving at the house and observing the victim’s condition. The victim was transported to Sanford Hospital in Fargo, North Dakota, where medical personnel determined that the victim suffered a traumatic brain injury, which caused the victim to remain in a persistent vegetative state with no hope for recovery. The victim died on November 22, 2019, as a result of her injuries and the defendant’s failure to seek immediate and life-saving medical assistance on the victim’s behalf.
Jones pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder on October 21, 2021. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Red Lake Tribal Police Department and the FBI Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evan B. Gilead and Deidre Y. Aanstad prosecuted the case.
Minnesota Farmer Sentenced to Prison for USDA Farm Loan FraudRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Slayton, Minnesota, man was sentenced to 12 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and $435,517.78 in restitution for converting collateral that secured loans from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, in October 2015, Mark Alan Engelkes, 54, pledged 15,641 bushels of soybeans as collateral to the U.S Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) Commodity Credit Corporation (“CCC”) in order to obtain loan proceeds of nearly $80,000. During the application process for the CCC loan, Engelkes agreed to not move or dispose of the collateral until the loan was paid in full. However, in April 2016, officials from the USDA learned that Engelkes had removed the pledged grain without prior approval and sold it. In addition to the USDA CCC loan, the defendant also defaulted on other farm financing from USDA, resulting in a total loss amount to the government of $435,517.78.
On October 21, 2021, Engelkes pleaded guilty to one count of conversion of USDA CCC crops. He was sentenced on April 1, 2022, by Chief U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Office of Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Middlecamp and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary Taylor prosecuted the case.
Red Lake Man Pleads Guilty to Murder in the Shooting Death of a Red Lake Tribal Police OfficerRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Red Lake man has pleaded guilty to fatally shooting a Red Lake Tribal Police Officer, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on July 27, 2021, officers with the Red Lake Tribal Police Department (“RLTPD”) responded to a call to conduct a welfare check on David Brian Donnell, Jr., 29, at his residence in Redby, Minnesota. Five RLTPD officers responded to Donnell’s residence. Upon arrival, the officers found Donnell standing outside on the porch and attempted to have him walk towards the officers, but Donnell instead went inside the residence. Because Donnell had an active tribal warrant and was refusing to comply, the officers made the decision to breach the door. As soon as the door was breached, Donnell opened fire on the officers. Officer Ryan Bialke was immediately struck by gunfire and fell. Donnell continued shooting, firing several rounds from an Izhmash Saiga 7.62 caliber rifle at the four other officers on the scene. One RLTPD officer returned fire to allow the officers to escape into the woods. Donnell continued firing at the officers as they fled into the woods. Donnell fired at least 22 shots at Officer Bialke and the four other RLTPD officers. Officer Bialke succumbed to his injuries and died on the scene. Donnell then fled the scene, taking the rifle with him. Shortly thereafter, officers arrested Donnell at a nearby residence.
Donnell pleaded guilty today before Chief U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim to one count of murder in the second degree. Donnell faces a maximum sentence of up to life in prison. A sentencing date has not been set.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Red Lake Tribal Police Department, the FBI Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melinda A. Williams and Joseph S. Teirab are prosecuting the case.
Canadian Man Arrested and Charged with Conspiracy, Wire FraudRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Canadian man has been arrested and charged for his role in a $300 million telemarketing fraud scheme that targeted elderly and vulnerable victims, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Abdou Diallo, also known as Abdou-Rahmane Diallo, 34, of Montreal, Quebec, was a co-owner and operator of Readers Services and NP Readers Inc., both Canadian-based companies that carried out a telemarking fraud scheme. From 2011 through 2020, Diallo and his co-conspirators provided “lead lists” and fraudulent sales scripts to their telemarketing employees for use in carrying out the fraud scheme. The scheme targeted people who had previously fallen victim to a fraudulent magazine sales scam and been tricked into signing up for multiple expensive magazine subscriptions they did not want and could not afford. Diallo and his co-conspirators took advantage of the victims’ desperation to make the magazine subscriptions stop. They called the victims pretending to be from the “magazine cancellation department.” Diallo and his co-conspirators offered to pay off the victims’ “outstanding balance” and cancel their existing magazine subscriptions in exchange for a large, lump-sum payment. None of this was true. In reality, the victims did not owe the defendants or their companies any money. Diallo and his co-conspirators had no power or ability to cancel the victims’ existing magazine subscriptions or any outstanding balance owed to any other magazine companies. This scheme ultimately defrauded more than 20,000 victims—many of whom were elderly and vulnerable—across the United States out of approximately $30 million.
Diallo was arrested on March 30, 2022, at Miami International Airport in Miami, Florida, and made his initial appearance before Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Becerra in the Southern District of Florida. He will be transported in custody to the District of Minnesota for further court proceedings. Diallo is charged with one count conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud.
Another Canadian defendant, Saman Moghbel, 34, of Montreal, Quebec, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud on February 28, 2022, before Chief U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim in Minneapolis. Moghbel’s sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
Diallo is charged in connection to United States v. Timmerman et al., 20-cr-233. This indictment is related to United States v. Rahm, et al., 20-cr-232, United States v. Mathias et al., 20-cr-231, United States v. Dahl, 18-cr-305 and United States v. Oelrich, 20-cr-128. Over sixty defendants have been charged for their roles in a $300 million fraud scheme that targeted more than 150,000 elderly and vulnerable victims. To date, 37 defendants have pleaded guilty to their roles in the fraud scheme.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the United States Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) and the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office.
Based on the evidence obtained in this investigation, authorities believe there may be additional victims of the alleged conduct. Report suspected fraudulent activity to [email protected] or visit FBI.gov/MagazineVictims.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Harry M. Jacobs, and Melinda A. Williams are 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.
Federal Jury Convicts Hopkins Man for Distributing Fentanyl that Caused Eleven Overdose DeathsRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A federal jury found a Hopkins, Minnesota man guilty of distributing controlled substances, including fentanyl, which resulted in the deaths of eleven people and caused serious bodily injury to four people, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
Following a 10-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson, Aaron Rhy Broussard, 31, was convicted on 17 counts, including conspiracy, importation of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, distribution of fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury, and possession with intent to distribute controlled substance analogues.
“Aaron Broussard was a black-market drug dealer,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. “Concerned only with his profits, Broussard sold illegal, dangerous drugs over the internet. The defendant’s deadly fentanyl killed eleven young, healthy, and vibrant victims, and caused serious bodily harm to at least four others. Even after Broussard found out his customers were overdosing, he callously continued to ship out deadly drugs. I thank the jury for their service in a difficult case. I offer my condolences and gratitude to the family members of victims across the county who traveled to the District of Minnesota to testify at trial. I applaud the trial team for their work in bringing the defendant to justice.”
“Today’s verdict is the culmination of a multi-jurisdictional investigation into an individual who used innovative techniques to supply an incredibly lethal substance to an unwitting community,” Drug Enforcement Administration Omaha Division Special Agent in Charge Justin C. King said. “In the time since Broussard’s arrest in 2016, our nation has seen an unprecedented rise in overdose deaths attributed to synthetic substances such as fentanyl. As Broussard is now held accountable for his actions, the DEA continues to educate communities on the dangers of this potent substance while also working with our local, state, tribal and federal partners to remove the threat of drug traffickers pushing this highly addictive substance.”
“The prosecution and conviction of Aaron Broussard is an excellent example of multiple law enforcement agencies combining their expertise and resources to conduct investigations with the common goal of taking down internet vendors of illicit narcotics. Broussard worked under the belief he was an anonymous individual selling dangerous narcotics, such as the deadly fentanyl uncovered in this investigation, which resulted in the deaths of almost a dozen citizens. U.S. Postal Inspectors are committed to continuing our work to dismantle drug trafficking operations to keep USPS customers and employees safe from greedy drug traffickers who favor profit over human lives,” stated Inspector in Charge Ruth M. Mendonça of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Denver Division.
According to the evidence presented at trial, from 2014 through December 6, 2016, Broussard obtained controlled substances, including fentanyl, from China-based drug suppliers. Broussard conspired with his China-based suppliers to smuggle what would prove to be deadly drugs into the country. Broussard marketed these drugs for sale on his website, PlantFoodUSA.net, under the guise of selling plant food. He then used the United States mail and a United States Postal Service “Click-N-Ship” account to send out packages of deadly drugs around the country.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on March 12, 2016, Broussard placed a drug order for 100 grams of 4-FA, a controlled substance analogue, which was shipped from China. The package actually contained 100 grams of 99% pure fentanyl. Although Broussard had experienced a similar mix-up in August 2015 and was repeatedly told to test his drugs, he just didn’t bother. Between March 31 and April 27, 2016, Broussard sent his branded packages containing fentanyl to more than a dozen customers throughout the United States. The customers had ordered and were expecting to receive an amphetamine analogue, similar to Adderall. They were not opiate users and had no tolerance for the deadly fentanyl Broussard sent them. After ingesting the fentanyl, believing it was Adderall, eleven of the customers died from a fentanyl overdose, and at least four customers suffered serious bodily injury. Broussard continued distributing his deadly packages despite hearing about adverse reactions. Even after he learned that several customers had been hospitalized and nearly died, Broussard never warned his customers not to take the deadly drugs. Broussard did reach out to his suppliers in China to request a discount on his next drug delivery.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, in partnership with Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection, the University of Minnesota Police Department, the Peoria Heights (Illinois) Police Department, the Dallas (Texas) Police Department, the Broome County (New York) Sheriff’s Office, the Volusia County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office, the Orange County (California) Sheriff’s Office, Garrard County (Kentucky) Sheriff’s Office, Hazel Green (Wisconsin) Police Department, and the Atlanta (Georgia) Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas M. Hollenhorst and Melinda A. Williams tried the case.
U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger Appointed to Serve on Attorney General Merrick B. Garland’s Advisory CommitteeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland today announced the appointment of 12 U.S. Attorneys to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee of U.S. Attorneys (AGAC). Created in 1973, the AGAC advises the Attorney General on matters of policy, procedure, and management impacting the Offices of the U.S. Attorneys and elevates the voices of U.S. Attorneys in Department policies. The first meeting of the AGAC will take place later this spring.
The appointees include U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York; U.S. Attorney Cindy K. Chung for the Western District of Pennsylvania; U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee for the District of Maine; U.S. Attorney Trini Ross for the Western District of New York; U.S. Attorney Sandra Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina; U.S. Attorney Brandon Brown for the Western District of Louisiana; U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan; U.S. Attorney Gregory Harris for the Central District of Illinois; U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger for the District of Minnesota; U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino for the District of Arizona; U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan for the District of Colorado; and U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves for the District of Columbia. An appointee from a district within the jurisdiction of the Eleventh Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals will be announced at a later date, once the Senate has confirmed nominees.
“These United States Attorneys will represent the views of dedicated federal prosecutors across the country, and provide advice and insight into essential matters facing the Department,” said Attorney General Garland. “I look forward to working alongside them in carrying out the Department’s core priorities of upholding the rule of law, keeping our country safe, and protecting civil rights.”
A brief bio on each appointee is below:
Damian Williams (Chair)
The Senate confirmed Damian Williams’ appointment as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York in October 2021. Williams began his legal career as a law clerk to then-Judge Merrick Garland when he served in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit from 2007 to 2008. Williams then served as a law clerk for Justice John Paul Stevens of the U.S. Supreme Court from 2008 to 2009. From 2009 to 2012, he was a litigation associate at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. From 2012 to 2021, he served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. In the role, he served as a chief of the securities and commodities fraud task force from 2018 to 2021. He received his Bachelor of Arts in economics from Harvard University in 2002, a Master of Philosophy in international relations from Emmanuel College at the University of Cambridge in 2003, and a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School in 2007, where he was also an editor of the Yale Law Journal.
Cindy K. Chung (Vice Chair)
The Senate confirmed Cindy K. Chung’s appointment as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania in November 2021. In 2002 and 2003, Chung served as a law clerk for Judge Myron H. Thompson in the Middle District of Alabama. She then joined the New York County District Attorney’s Office in 2003, serving as an assistant district attorney until 2007 and as investigation counsel in the Official Corruption Unit from 2007 to 2009. From 2009 to 2014, Chung served as a trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. She later joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, serving as deputy chief of the major crimes division. From 2014 to 2021, she served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. Chung earned a Bachelor of Arts from Yale University in 1997 and a Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School in 2002.
Darcie McElwee
The Senate confirmed Darcie McElwee’s appointment as U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine in October 2021. McElwee began her legal career as an assistant district attorney for the Penobscot and Piscataquis counties in Maine from 1998 to 2002. Between 2005 and 2008, McElwee was an adjunct professor of advanced trial advocacy at the University of Maine School of Law. From 2002 to 2021, she served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine. Since 2005, she has been the coordinator of Project Safe Neighborhoods. McElwee received her Bachelor of Arts from Bowdoin College in 1995 and her Juris Doctor from the University of Maine School of Law in 1998.
Trini Ross
The Senate confirmed Trini Ross’s appointment as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York in September 2021. Ross began her career as an appellate attorney for the New York Supreme Court. She was an associate at Hiscock & Barclay LLC before joining the Office of Professional Responsibility as assistant counsel. From 1995 to 2018, Ross served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York. She has also been an adjunct professor of law at Buffalo Law School. She has also served as director of the investigations for the National Science Foundation Office of Inspector General since 2018. Ross earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the State University of New York at Fredonia in 1988, a Master of Arts from Rutgers University in 1990, and a Juris Doctor from the University at Buffalo Law School in 1992.
Sandra Hairston
The Senate confirmed Sandra Hairston as U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina in November 2021. Hairston previously served as an assistant district attorney in Columbus County, North Carolina, from 1987 to 1989 and as a special assistant district attorney in Guilford County, North Carolina from 1989 to 1990. From 1994 to 1996, she served as Chief of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina before returning to the Middle District of North Carolina in 1996. She joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina in 1990 as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. Hairston previously held the position of First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina from 2014 to 2021. From March 1, 2021, until her Senate confirmation, she served as the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina. Hairston received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 1981 and her Juris Doctor from North Carolina Central University School of Law in 1987.
Brandon Brown
The Senate confirmed Brandon Brown as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana in December 2021. From 2007 to 2012, Brown served as an assistant prosecuting attorney in the Ouachita Parish District Attorney’s Office. He was also an associate at Hammonds, Sills, Adkins & Guice LLP in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Since 2012, he has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana. Brown earned a Bachelor of Arts in 2002 and a Master of Business Administration in 2004 from Louisiana Tech University, followed by a Juris Doctor in 2007 from the Southern University Law Center.
Dawn Ison
The Senate confirmed Dawn Ison as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan in December 2021. In 1989 and 1990, Ison was a prehearing attorney for the Michigan Court of Appeals. In 2002, Ison began serving as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan. She also served as chief of the Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit. Ison earned a Bachelor of Arts from Spelman College and a Juris Doctor from the Wayne State University Law School.
Gregory Harris
The Senate confirmed Gregory Harris as U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois in December 2021. Harris began his career as a lawyer for the Office of the State Appellate Defender in 1976 where he represented indigent criminal defendants on appeal. From 1979 to 1980, he served as legal counsel for the Illinois Governor’s Office of Manpower and Human Development and later as a staff attorney for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Development. From 1980 to 1988, he served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois. From 1988 to 2001, he was a lawyer for Giffin, Winning, Cohen & Bodewes in Springfield, Illinois. He later rejoined the Central District of Illinois in 2001, where he served as chief of the Criminal Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney. Harris was born in Washington, D.C. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Howard University in 1971 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law in 1976.
Andrew Luger
The Senate confirmed Andrew Luger as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota in March 2022. He previously served in that role during the Obama administration and briefly during the Trump administration from 2014 to 2017. Prior to his appointment, Luger was a partner in the Minneapolis office of Jones Day from 2017 – 2022. Luger has also served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, from 1989 to 1992, and for the District of Minnesota from 1992 to 1995, where he prosecuted a wide variety of narcotics and violent crimes, as well as complex white collar frauds. In 1995, Luger joined the law firm of Greene Espel in Minneapolis, where he was a partner until 2014. Luger earned a Bachelor’s degree from Amherst College and a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center.
Gary Restaino
The Senate confirmed Gary Restaino as U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona in November 2021. From 1991 to 1993, Restaino served in Paraguay with the Peace Corps. From 1996 to 1999, he provided legal services to seasonal farm workers as a lawyer with Community Legal Services. From 1999 to 2003, he served as a civil rights lawyer in the Arizona Attorney General's Office. He then served as a trial attorney in the Public Integrity Section of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division. Restaino joined the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona in 2003. He was nominated to serve as U.S. Attorney in October 2021. Restaino earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Haverford College in 1990 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1996.
Cole Finegan
The Senate confirmed Cole Finegan as U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado in November 2021. From 1991 to 1993, Finegan served both as Chief Legal Counsel and Director of Policy and Initiatives for Colorado Governor Roy Romer. From 1993 to 2003, Finegan was a partner for Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck’s Denver office. Finegan joined Hogan Lovells (then Hogan & Hartson) in 2007 as a partner. Finegan acted as an adviser to Governor Hickenlooper and U.S. Senator Michael Bennet. Finegan attended the University of Notre Dame from 1974 to 1978, earning a degree in English. Finegan earned a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center in 1986.
Matthew Graves
The Senate confirmed Matthew Graves as U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia in October 2021. After graduating law school, Graves began his legal career as a law clerk for Judge Richard W. Roberts of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. From 2002 to 2007, he was an associate at WilmerHale. From 2007 to 2016, Graves worked as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Columbia, where he served in the office’s fraud and public corruption section, ultimately serving as the acting chief of the section. Since 2016, he has been a partner at DLA Piper. Graves earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Washington and Lee University in 1998 and a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School in 2001.
Andrew M. Luger Takes Oath of Office as United States Attorney for the District of MinnesotaRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Andrew M. Luger has taken the oath of office to become the United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota. U.S. Attorney Luger was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. on November 12, 2021, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 23, 2022. He took the oath of office from Chief U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim this afternoon. He succeeds Erica H. MacDonald, who served as the United States Attorney from 2018 – 2021.
“I am honored to lead this office and once again serve the people of Minnesota as their United States Attorney,” said U.S. Attorney Luger. “I look forward to working with these talented public servants who are committed to public safety and the pursuit of justice.”
As United States Attorney, Mr. Luger is the top-ranking federal law enforcement official in the District of Minnesota. He will oversee a staff of 115 employees, including 59 attorneys and 56 support personnel. The office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in the district, including crimes related to terrorism, firearms, narcotics, child exploitation, human trafficking, financial fraud, healthcare fraud, and public corruption. The office is also responsible for representing the United States in affirmative and defensive civil cases, as well as assisting communities throughout Minnesota in appropriate community-building efforts designed to enhance public safety.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland appointed Mr. Luger to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC), which is tasked with advising the Attorney General on matters of policy, procedure, and management impacting the Offices of the U.S. Attorneys and elevates the voices of U.S. Attorneys in Department policies.
Prior to returning to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mr. Luger was a partner in the Minneapolis office of Jones Day from 2017 – 2022. As a member of the firm’s Investigations and White Collar Defense Practice, he represented local and international companies and was a leader of the firm's national hate crimes and extremism initiative. Mr. Luger was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve as Minnesota’s United States Attorney from 2014 – 2017.
In 1995, Mr. Luger joined the law firm of Greene Espel in Minneapolis, where he was a partner until 2014. Mr. Luger has also served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York (1989 – 1992) and for the District of Minnesota (1992 – 1995), where he prosecuted a wide variety of narcotics and violent crimes, as well as complex white collar frauds.
He graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center (1985), and earned his bachelor's degree from Amherst College, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa (1981).
Upon taking office, U.S. Attorney Luger thanked Mr. Kovats, who most recently served as Acting U.S. Attorney, for his continued and dedicated service to the office and to the Department of Justice.
Isanti Man Arrested, Charged with Stealing Firearms from ShipmentsRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A federal criminal complaint has been filed against Jason Thomas Cikotte, 31, of Isanti, charging him with possession of stolen firearms, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, beginning in August 2021, law enforcement began receiving notifications of firearm thefts from shipments to Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs). The carrier for the firearms shipments was XPO Logistics, a logistics company with facilities in St. Cloud and Fridley. On March 9, 2022, XPO Logistics contacted the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to report an additional 11 firearms were solen from a recent shipment, including one Century Arms model Draco NAK 9 9mm semiautomatic AK pistol, five Canik model Rival 9mm semiautomatic pistols, and five Canik model Rival 9mm semiautomatic pistols. The company’s security manager later notified law enforcement that they identified Cikotte as the person responsible for several thefts of firearms shipments over the course of almost a year. The security manager provided law enforcement with video evidence showing Cikotte removing boxes of firearms from shrink wrapped pallets, removing the firearms from the boxes, and carrying the firearms to his vehicle.
According to court documents, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Cikotte’s Isanti residence. Inside the house, law enforcement found approximately 40 firearms, all of which appear to be firearms stolen from XPO Logistics, as well as tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition, and miscellaneous firearms parts and accessories. Following the search, after being advised of his rights, Cikotte admitted to having stolen the firearms, ammunition, and firearms parts and accessories from XPO Logistics.
Cikotte is charged with one count of possession of stolen firearms. He made his initial appearance on March 25, 2022, in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the ATF and the Isanti Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez 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.
Chicago Man Sentenced to Prison for Violent CarjackingRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Chicago man has been sentenced to 52 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for aiding and abetting a carjacking in downtown Minneapolis. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, on June 1, 2020, officers with the Minneapolis Police Department responded to a report of a carjacking in the downtown area. A witness told officers that two men, one later identified as Delaney Nicholas Harris, 21, the second an unidentified accomplice, approached a man who was exiting his vehicle, and threw him to the ground. One of the men displayed a gun, threatened to kill the victim, and demanded his car keys. The witness also told officers that Harris had been holding a red plastic cup just prior to the incident. Officers recovered the cup and later found that the fingerprints and DNA on the cup were a match for Harris.
Harris also entered his guilty plea on March 25, 2022, to a single count of aiding and abetting carjacking.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Minneapolis Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Steinkamp prosecuted the case.
Minneapolis Woman Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minneapolis woman pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a firearm as a felon, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, on March 13, 2020, Rekita Tiara Harden, 32, was driving a vehicle on Interstate 35W in Carlton County. Harden was stopped by a Carlton County Sheriff’s Deputy for driving violations. Harden’s vehicle was searched, and the deputy recovered a Beretta, Model 90, .32 caliber semi-automatic pistol in Harden’s backpack. Because she has prior felony convictions in Hennepin County, including robbery, burglary, and assault, Harden is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition at any time.
Harden pleaded guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge Donovan W. Frank to one count of possessing a firearm as a felon. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.
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 investigations conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Carlton County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Steinkamp is prosecuting the case.
McGregor Felon Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession of Stolen FirearmsRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A McGregor man has been sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegally possessing stolen firearms. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Paul A. Magnuson sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, on July 15, 2020, Vaundell Duwayne Kingbird, 32, sold a Hi-Point, Model 995, 9mm carbine rifle and a New England Firearm Company, Model SB1, 12-gauge shotgun, both with obliterated serial numbers, to an individual for $550. At the time of the sale, Kingbird was unaware that the individual who purchased the firearms was working with law enforcement. Both firearms had been reported stolen on May 29, 2020, from a residence near Kingbird’s home. Kingbird admitted to knowing the firearms were stolen.
On September 16, 2021, Kingbird pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a stolen firearm.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Mille Lacs Tribal Police Department, the Aitkin County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lakes Area Drug Investigations Division.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Deidre Y. Aanstad and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Caleb Dogeagle prosecuted the case.
Rochester Man Sentenced to 204 Months in Prison for Producing Child Pornography via SnapchatRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Rochester man was sentenced today to 204 months in prison, followed by 25 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $5,000 to the Domestic Trafficking Victims Fund, for producing sexually explicit images and videos of a minor. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after Chief U.S. District John R. Tunheim sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, between November 8, 2020, and January 8, 2021, Arkady Pavlovich Pichurin, 26, sexually exploited a minor who was between the ages of nine and 10 years old at the time. Pichurin, who contacted the minor using a variety of instant messaging and texting services, including Snapchat, lied about his age and identity to carry out his sexual exploitation of the minor. Pichurin admitted to using similar tactics to sexually exploit and produce pornographic images and videos of more than 20 minors. Pichurin also had thousands of images depicting sexual abuse of infants and toddlers and bestiality.
On September 7, 2021, Pichurin pleaded guilty to one count of producing sexually explicit images and videos of a minor.
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 an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Rochester Police Department, with substantial assistance from the Olmsted County Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander D. Chiquoine prosecuted the case.
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Moorhead Felon Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Possession of a Loaded Firearm in his HomeRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Moorhead man was sentenced to 57 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm in his residence after a minor was shot and killed with his gun, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, on March 21, 2021, Phillip Neal Jones, Jr., 34, possessed a Walther .40 caliber pistol in his Moorhead residence. While Jones was away from the residence, a visiting child found the loaded gun under a large snack chip box in the kitchen. The gun went off, hitting and killing a second child.
Jones has multiple prior felony convictions in Hennepin and Anoka Counties and therefore is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
Jones was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Paul A. Magnuson.
This case is the result of investigations conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Moorhead Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amber M. Brennan prosecuted the case.
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Minneapolis Man Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 48 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegal possession of a firearm. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Michael J. Davis sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, on June 29, 2021, officers with the Minneapolis Police Department approached a man who had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. Cody Lennell Taylor, 29, was standing next to the man and fled on foot as officers approached. As he ran, Taylor threw a red bag he had been wearing. Officers recovered the bag, and inside found a Kimber model Micro 9 9mm semi-automatic pistol. Officers later apprehended Taylor who admitted that the red bag was his, and that he threw it because the police approached him.
Because Taylor has prior felony convictions in Hennepin County, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
On November 19, 2021, Taylor pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm as a felon.
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 (ATF) and the Minneapolis Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez.
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Cottage Grove Man Pleads Guilty to Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Minneapolis – A Cottage Grove man has pleaded guilty today to bank robbery, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, in November 2021, Michael Thomas Prall, 43, used force, violence, and intimidation to steal thousands of dollars from three separate banks. On November 5, 2021, Prall stole approximately $2,558 from a U.S. Bank in Bloomington. On November 19, 2021, Prall stole approximately $4,589 from a Bremer Bank in Woodbury. On November 30, 2021, Prall stole approximately $775 from a Wells Fargo bank in Cottage Grove.
Prall pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery before U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Schiltz. A sentencing date will be scheduled at a later time.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Cottage Grove Police Department, the Woodbury Police Department, the Bloomington Police Department, and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Washington County Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander D. Chiquoine is prosecuting the case.
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Minneapolis Man Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Prison for Armed Bank Robberies, Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 92 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for two armed bank robberies and firearms violations. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, on February 22, 2018, Samuel Lamar Brantley, 34, and two accomplices entered Lake Area Bank in White Bear Lake brandishing guns and demanding money from the tellers. Brantley was armed with a .40 caliber Glock handgun. During the robbery, Brantley ensured that none of the employees made phone calls or alerted law enforcement. Brantley and his accomplices stole approximately $9,816 in cash from the bank and split the proceeds.
According to court documents, on May 4, 2018, Brantley and an accomplice entered Bremer Bank in Brooklyn Center brandishing guns and demanding money from the tellers. Brantley was armed with a .40 caliber Glock handgun. A third accomplice was waiting in a getaway car. Brantley and his accomplices stole approximately $88,618 in cash from the bank and split the proceeds.
According to court documents, on May 21, 2018, following a shooting incident near Brantley’s residence, Brantley’s acquaintance, identified as “the Shooter,” handed off two handguns to Brantley. The next morning, Brantley met the Shooter at a Perkins restaurant so he could return the two firearms. During the course of their conversation, the Shooter told Brantley that he had used the firearms to shoot a man the night before.
On October 8, 2020, Brantley pleaded guilty to two counts of bank robbery, one count of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, one count of conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery, and one count of disposing of a firearm to a felon.
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 investigations conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the United States Marshals Service, the Minneapolis Police Department, the White Bear Lake Police Department, and the Brooklyn Center Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samantha H. Bates and Amber M. Brennan.
Detroit Lakes Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Armed Robbery of White Earth Convenience StoreRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Detroit Lakes man has been sentenced to 84 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for an armed robbery of a convenience store on the White Earth Indian Reservation. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, on November 11, 2020, Levi Brandin Jerome, 34, entered a convenience store located on the White Earth Indian Reservation carrying an American Tactical Imports, Omni Hybrid, multi-caliber rifle. Jerome pointed the rifle at the store clerk and demanded she open the cash register. Jerome stole approximately $2,250 in cash from the register and from a drawer next to the register before fleeing the store.
On November 2, 2021, Jerome pleaded guilty to one count of robbery.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the FBI Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the White Earth Police Department, the Becker County Sheriff’s Office, the West Central Drug Task Force, the Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force, and the Devils Lake (North Dakota) Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander D. Chiquoine prosecuted the case.
Two Twin Cities Men Sentenced to Prison for Their Roles in an Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Two Twin Cities men have been sentenced to prison for their roles in the armed robbery of a Deerwood Bank, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
On March 15, 2022, U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud sentenced John Thomas Paciorek II, 52, of Minneapolis, to 90 months in prison. Co-defendant James Richard Ardito, Jr, 52, of Fridley, was sentenced on August 3, 2021, to 58 months in prison.
According to court records, Paciorek and Ardito together devised a plan to rob the Deerwood Bank in Garrison, Minnesota. On July 24, 2020, Paciorek and Ardito drove to the bank; Paciorek waited in the car while Ardito hid in the bushes outside of the bank until an employee arrived to open the business. Ardito emerged from the bushes, pointed a replica firearm at the employee, and demanded that they open the bank and disable the security system. Ardito then demanded money from the bank teller drawers. The employee complied, giving Ardito $402 in cash. Ardito took the money and fled the scene in the getaway car, driven by Paciorek.
The robbery was caught on the bank’s surveillance camera and law enforcement was able to easily identify Ardito. After his apprehension, Ardito confessed to his and Paciorek’s involvement in the bank robbery. Additionally, law enforcement learned Paciorek was the owner of the getaway vehicle and location data from Paciorek’s cellphone placed him at the scene of the bank robbery.
On October 21, 2021, Paciorek pleaded guilty to one count of armed bank robbery, and on January 20, 2021, Ardito pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan B. Gilead prosecuted the case.
St. Paul Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Straw Purchasing Dozens of FirearmsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Paul man has pleaded guilty to making false statements in connection with the illegal purchase of multiple firearms, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, between approximately May 2020 and May 2021, Geryiell Lamont Walker, 22, and his co-defendants Sarah Jean Elwood, 34, and Jeffrey Paul Jackson, 31, conspired together to illegally purchase dozens of firearms from various Federal Firearms Licensees (FFL) in the State of Minnesota and to provide these firearms to individuals whom they knew could not lawfully possess them. As part of the straw-purchasing scheme, Elwood, who at the time had a permit-to-carry firearms, would go to various FFLs and purchase multiple firearms on behalf of Walker and others, who requested the firearms through Jackson and often provided the funds in advance of, or immediately after, the purchases. In making the purchases, Elwood knowingly misrepresented to the licensed dealers that she was the actual purchaser of the firearms, when in fact she and her co-defendants knew she was not. Walker, Jackson, and others helped arrange the deals, which included a $100 premium for each straw-purchased gun. In total, the defendants illegally straw purchased approximately 97 firearms, including approximately 62 firearms in May 2021 alone. To date, 18 of these 97 firearms have been recovered by local and federal law enforcement at various crime scenes or in the possession of persons legally prohibited from possessing firearms. The other 79 have not yet been recovered.
Walker pleaded guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge Ann D. Montgomery to one count of aiding and abetting the making of false statements during purchase of firearms. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for July 27, 2022.
Straw purchasing typically involves a buyer who is permitted to purchase firearms from an FFL but who then unlawfully provides the purchased firearm to another person who is prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms. When making a straw purchase, the buyer allows a prohibited person – typically a convicted felon – to illegally obtain a firearm by avoiding the national background check system.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the ATF and the Blaine Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Bejar is prosecuting the case.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Armed Robberies of Two Banks and Minneapolis Apparel StoreRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 300 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for a Hobbs Act robbery and multiple armed bank robberies. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, on February 4, 2018, Richard Alonzo Woods, 38, and two accomplices entered Project SoZo, a business that sold apparel and accessories in Minneapolis, brandishing handguns and threatening customers and employees. Woods and his accomplices stole jewelry, money, and cell phones from the customers, approximately $600 in cash from the register along with other store merchandise, including Nike Air Jordan shoes valued at $1,900.
According to court documents, on February 22, 2018, Woods and two accomplices entered Lake Area Bank in White Bear Lake brandishing guns and demanding money from the tellers. Surveillance video footage from the bank showed Woods jump over a counter and demand money a teller’s drawer while pointing a firearm at the teller’s head. Woods and his accomplices stole approximately $9,816 in cash from the bank.
According to court documents, on May 4, 2018, Woods and an accomplice entered Bremer Bank in Brooklyn Center brandishing guns and demanding money from the tellers. They also threatened to kill the tellers if they did not comply with the demands. A third accomplice was waiting in a getaway car. Woods and his accomplices stole approximately $88,618 in cash from the bank.
On November 10, 2021, Woods pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act), two counts of armed bank robbery, two counts of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery.
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 investigations conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the United States Marshals Service, the Minneapolis Police Department, the White Bear Lake Police Department, and the Brooklyn Center Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samantha H. Bates and Amber M. Brennan.
Minneapolis Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Violent Armed Robbery of a Minneapolis BusinessRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 360 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for an armed Hobbs Act robbery that resulted in the shooting death of a store clerk. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Donovan W. Frank sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, on April 27, 2021, Marlow Ramsey Carson, 31, robbed the Blue Sky Wireless and West Bend Furniture stores located in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood of Minneapolis. During the robbery, Carson stuck a handgun under a plexiglass barrier on the counter and demanded money from the store clerk. When Carson attempted to get behind the counter, the store clerk tried to shut the door to keep Carson out. Carson shot the store clerk in the chest from pointblank range before running out of the store into a car parked on the street and fleeing from the scene. The store clerk was transported by ambulance to the emergency room where he was later pronounced dead from the gunshot wound.
On December 10, 2021, Carson pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of possession of ammunition as a felon. Carson has prior felony convictions and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Minneapolis Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Jacobs and Samantha H. Bates prosecuted the case.
Federal Jury Convicts Duluth Felon for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A federal jury convicted a Duluth man for possessing a firearm as a felon, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
Following a five-day trial before Senior U.S. District Judge Donovan W. Frank, Edell Jackson, 41, was found guilty of a single count of possessing a firearm as an armed career criminal. A sentencing date will be scheduled at a later time.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on January 14, 2021, officers with the Brooklyn Center Police Department were dispatched to a call of shots fired. Officers spoke to a woman who said Jackson shot at her during an argument and was still armed. The woman assisted officers in locating Jackson, who was sitting in a parking lot in the driver’s seat of a Chevrolet Avalanche. When law enforcement tried to apprehend Jackson, he reversed his vehicle and attempted to drive away but was blocked by police squad cars. Jackson exited his vehicle and fled on foot. As he ran, Jackson took his jacket off and discarded it in a snowbank near his vehicle. Officers pursued him on foot and eventually apprehended Jackson. Officers searched Jackson’s discarded jacket and found inside a zipped pocket a Bersa model Thunder 9mm semi-automatic pistol.
Because Jackson has multiple prior felony convictions in St. Louis County, Cook County (Illinois), and Will County (Illinois), 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, the Brooklyn Center Police Department, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, and the Minneapolis Police Department.
The case was tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Calhoun-Lopez and Angela M. Munoz.
Member of "Boogaloo Bois" Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Provide Material Support to HamasRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Michael Robert Solomon, 31, of New Brighton, was sentenced today to 36 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.
According to court documents, in late May of 2020, the FBI initiated an investigation into Solomon and co-defendant Benjamin Ryan Teeter, 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, Solomon and Teeter met with a confidential human source (“CHS”), whom the defendants believed to be a member of Hamas. During this meeting, Solomon and Teeter proposed assisting Hamas as a means of furthering the goals of the Boogaloo Bois. Throughout the course of the conspiracy, Solomon used encrypted messaging applications to communicate with Teeter and the CHS about various aspects of the conspiracy.
On June 28, 2020, Solomon, Teeter, and the CHS, met an undercover employee of the FBI (“UCE”) that Solomon believed was a member of Hamas. During this meeting, Solomon and Teeter proposed manufacturing suppressors, untraceable firearms, and fully automatic firearms for Hamas.
On July 6, 2020, Solomon and Teeter purchased a drill press for the purpose of manufacturing suppressors for Hamas. Solomon admits that he and Teeter 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, Solomon and Teeter delivered the suppressors to the CHS and UCE believing those devices would be used by the militant wing of Hamas. During that meeting, the defendants 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.
Solomon admitted that he and Teeter 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, Solomon and Teeter agreed to obtain, and did obtain, another order of auto sears for the CHS and the UCE.
On May 4, 2021, Solomon pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.
Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats for the District of Minnesota; Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen for the Justice Department’s National Security Division; and Special Agent in Charge Michael Paul of the FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Michael J. Davis sentenced the defendant. In sentencing the defendant, the Court recognized the extensive assistance to multiple investigations that Solomon provided to the FBI following his arrest.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating the case, 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 are prosecuting the case.
Maple Grove Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for $9.6 Million Scheme to Defraud the COVID-19 Paycheck Protection ProgramRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Maple Grove man has been sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for fraudulently applying for $9,619,046.46 from the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program, out of which he fraudulently obtained and misappropriated more than $1.7 million. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge David S. Doty sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, Aditya Raj Sharma, 47, was the founder, CEO, and president of Crosscode Inc., a cloud-based software development company originally headquartered in Maple Grove, Minnesota. In November 2019, Sharma was removed as an officer and terminated from the company by Crosscode’s board of directors. Between May 2020 and July 2020, Sharma created three separate technology companies, Kloudgaze Inc., Neoforma LLC, and Mokume LLC.
From April 2020 through August 2020, Sharma applied for 16 loans from ten different lenders for a total of $9,619,046.46 through the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) by submitting false and fraudulent applications under the names of his various technology companies. As part of his fraud scheme, Sharma submitted fabricated supporting records, made false statements about the number of employees he had and the amount of payroll expenses he incurred, and made false statements about the relevant corporate entities and intended use of the loan proceeds. Sharma also applied for one of his fraudulent loans in the name of his wife without her knowledge or approval.
In addition, on April 26, 2020, Sharma submitted an application in the name of “Crosscode dba Kloudgaze” seeking a $562,500 PPP loan. On the application Sharma falsely stated that “Crosscode dba Kloudgaze” was in operation on February 15, 2020, even though Sharma did not create Kloudgaze until May 2020. In addition, Sharma falsely stated that he was the 100% owner and CEO of Crosscode, that Crosscode did business under the name of Kloudgaze, and that “Crosscode dba Kloudgaze” had approximately 29 employees on its payroll even though records from the State of Minnesota show Sharma paid no wages to a single Kloudgaze employee. In support of the application, Sharma included fraudulent supporting documentation, including fabricated bank account statements.
As a result of Sharma’s fraud scheme, lenders approved three of his PPP applications and deposited $1,773,600 in PPP funds into bank accounts controlled by Sharma. Rather than using the funds for permissible business expenses, Sharma used the money to pay off unrelated legal debts, fund new business ventures, transfer approximately $14,000 to a financial account in India, and pay for home improvements, including landscaping and the installation of a $64,300 backyard pool at his residence.
On July 8, 2021, Sharma pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
During the investigation, law enforcement seized approximately $674,980.76 in fraudulent proceeds held in multiple bank accounts controlled by Sharma. The seized funds will be forfeited to the United States and Sharma has been ordered to pay $1,773,600 in restitution.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew S. Ebert, Jordan L. Sing, Quinn Hochhalter, and Craig R. Baune prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Minneapolis Man Sentenced to Prison for Impersonating an FBI Agent, Lying to Victim about a Fake Terrorism InvestigationRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 10 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release for impersonating a federal officer. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, on July 24, 2017, Bernard Holmes, 67, pretended to be a Special Agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Holmes spoofed his telephone number to make it appear that he was calling his victim from the FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office. Holmes provided the victim with a fake name, “FBI Special Agent John Tidwell,” and a fake FBI badge number. Holmes falsely stated that he was investigating terrorism-related conduct involving the victim's household, including terrorism evidence that supposedly originated from a computer and IP address at the victim's house. In his fake capacity, Holmes asked questions of the victim using highly charged words, like “ISIS,” “terroristic,” and the “Patriot Act,” in furtherance of the supposed terrorism investigation.
On October 20, 2021, Holmes pleaded guilty to one count of impersonating a federal officer.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Bloomington Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew S. Ebert prosecuted the case.
Duluth Souvenir and T-Shirt Store Owner Sentenced to Prison for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
DULUTH, Minn. – A Duluth man has been sentenced to one year and a day in prison and ordered to pay $620,362 in restitution for evading taxes by failing to report his business revenue and income to the IRS. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after Chief U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, between June 2019 and April 2020, Shimon Shaked, 57, owned and operated several t-shirt and souvenir shops in Duluth’s Canal Park tourist zone, including I Love Duluth, I Love Duluth 2, Up North-The Good Life, and the Lake Life (the “Duluth Stores”). Shaked operated the Duluth Stores under a holding company called ALMS18, LLC, which he formed in 2012. Although Shaked owned, operated, and controlled ALMS18, LLC, he listed his teenage daughter as the nominal owner in order to hide and evade taxes on income he received from the company. In 2017, Shaked opened I Love Marquette, another souvenir store located in Marquette, Michigan, operated under the company SkyMqt, LLC.
According to his guilty plea, Shaked evaded the assessment of taxes on the income he earned through his Duluth and Michigan stores by failing to report the full revenue and income to the IRS. Specifically, Shaked reported the credit card sales for his stores, but failed to report or pay taxes on most of the cash sales. To further conceal his income, Shaked used the cash from the unreported cash sales to pay for personal expenses and to pay some of his employees' overtime wages in cash. In doing so, Shaked failed to account for and pay over to the IRS some or all of the required federal payroll taxes due and owing for those employees. In total, Shaked evaded paying approximately $620,362 in taxes.
On October 13, 2021, Shaked pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Criminal Investigation Division of the IRS.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson and Angela M. Munoz prosecuted the case.
Minneapolis Man Pleads Guilty to Using Social Media to Produce Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has pleaded guilty to using social media to produce and attempt to produce sexually explicit images and videos of children, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, between August 2018 and March 2021, Nathan Miller Dobbelmann, 40, used email and various social media apps to contact and solicit sexually explicit images and videos from children. Dobbelmann also sent minors sexually explicit videos of himself as well as sexually graphic text messages, and used online chat rooms and platforms to discuss and trade child pornography files with others.
Dobbelmann pleaded guilty earlier today before Senior U.S. District Judge Donovan W. Frank to one count of production and attempted production of child pornography. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled for a later date.
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.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Hudleston is prosecuting the case.
Maple Grove Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Maple Grove man has been sentenced to 72 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for receiving material depicting the sexual abuse of children. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Donovan W. Frank sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, between 2017 and 2020, Uriel Adan Vasquez-Rios, 29, created multiple social media accounts to solicit child pornography, the production of child pornography, and sexual contact with both children and adults. He also accessed websites depicting child pornography and downloaded a video depicting the sexual abuse of a minor. During this time, Vasquez-Rios was a student at the University of Minnesota’s School of Dentistry and had access to children.
On May 11, 2021, Vasquez-Rios pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography.
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.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the University of Minnesota Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Polachek.
Federal Jury Convicts Minneapolis Man for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A federal jury convicted a Minneapolis man of illegally possessing a firearm as a felon while on probation for a prior federal firearms conviction, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
Following a two-day trial before U.S. District Court Judge Eric C. Tostrud, Demetrius Demarco Spencer, 38, was convicted yesterday afternoon of a single count of possessing a firearm as a felon. A sentencing date will be scheduled at a later time.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on July 22, 2020, at approximately 2:30 a.m., a St. Paul police officer encountered a man who was visibly distressed walking through a residential neighborhood. The man told the officer that he had been inside a residence with Spencer and Spencer’s girlfriend when Spencer became upset with the man. The man explained that Spencer had pulled out a gun, pointed it at the man and threatened him. St. Paul police officers went to the residence and found Spencer inside the house, wrestling his girlfriend. Officers were able to intervene in the struggle and take Spencer into custody. Officers recovered a Kahr model PM9, 9mm semi-automatic handgun that was on the floor in close proximity to where the struggle took place.
Spencer has multiple prior felony convictions in Hennepin and Ramsey Counties, and one prior federal conviction. In January 2013, Spencer was convicted in federal court in the District of Minnesota on one count of possession of a firearm as a felon and was sentenced to 80 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the St. Paul Police Department.
This case was tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison K. Ethen and Thomas Calhoun-Lopez.
Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Arson of Multiple Buildings in St. Paul, Including Goodwill store and Gordon Parks High SchoolRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Rochester man who fled to Mexico to evade apprehension, and was later located and returned by Mexican authorities, has pleaded guilty to arson of two retail stores and a school during the summer of 2020, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, on May 28, 2020, Jose Angel Felan, Jr., 35, set fire to the Goodwill retail store, the Gordon Parks High School, and the 7 Mile Sportswear store, all of which were located on University Avenue in St. Paul. Following the arsons, Felan and his wife and co-defendant Mena Dhaya Yousif, 23, fled the state. Felan and Yousif traveled by car from Rochester, Minnesota, to Texas, where Felan had family. Ultimately, Felan and Yousif fled the United States and escaped to Mexico. On February 15, 2021, following an anonymous tip, Felan and Yousif were located and detained by Mexican immigration authorities and returned to the United States.
Felan pleaded guilty yesterday before Senior Judge David S. Doty to one count of arson. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled for a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the FBI, the St. Paul Police Department, the St. Paul Fire Department, and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal Division. The fugitive apprehension efforts were led by the U.S. Marshals Service.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melinda A. Williams and Emily A. Polachek.
Moorhead Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Moorhead man has been sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release for distributing material depicting the sexual abuse of children. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, between February 2016 and August 2020, Joey David Gonzales, 36, used email and other online media to advertise, solicit, and trade images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children.
On August 24, 2021, Gonzales pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography.
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.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Becker County Sheriff’s Office.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Hudleston.
Cottage Grove Man Sentenced to over 33 Years in Prison and Lifetime Supervised Release for Producing Child Pornography OnlineRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Cottage Grove man was sentenced to 400 months in prison and a lifetime of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $132,000 to funds supporting victims, for the production, attempted production, and possession of child pornography. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, between June 2019 through February 2021, Peter James Monson, 38, engaged in “catfishing” by taking on false personas to communicate with children on the internet, including via Snapchat. Monson made a fake Snapchat profile of a 16-year-old girl named “Brianna” and asked minor girls to create sexually explicit photos and videos of themselves to send to Monson so they could be rated by others as “princesses.” In order to participate as a “princess,” Monson used “Brianna’s” profile to instruct the girls to follow certain rules, including creating and sending images and videos of the girls nude or engaging in sex acts, including bestiality and incest.
In addition, according to court documents, in April 2020, Monson used his iPhone to make a secret recording of an eight-year-old while the child was getting dressed.
Monson pleaded guilty on October 5, 2021, to two counts of production and attempted production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
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 was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI Minneapolis Field Office, the FBI Philadelphia Field Office, the Cottage Grove Police Department, and the Pennsylvania State Police.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Miranda E. Dugi.
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Three Former Minneapolis Police Officers Convicted of Federal Civil Rights Violations for Death of George FloydRead the Press Release
St. Paul, Minn. — Following a trial that lasted nearly five weeks, a federal jury in St. Paul, Minnesota found three former Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) officers guilty of federal civil rights offenses arising out of the death of George Perry Floyd, Jr. on May 25, 2020.
Former MPD Officers Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng were found to have deprived Mr. Floyd of his constitutional right to be free from an officer’s unreasonable force when each willfully failed to intervene to stop former MPD Officer Derek Chauvin’s use of unreasonable force, resulting in bodily injury to and the death of Mr. Floyd. Thao, Kueng, and former MPD Officer Thomas Lane also were found to have deprived Mr. Floyd of his constitutional right to be free from a police officer’s deliberate indifference to his serious medical needs when they saw him restrained in police custody in clear need of medical care and willfully failed to aid him, resulting in bodily injury to and the death of Mr. Floyd. Both offenses are violations of Title 18, United States Code, Section 242.
The convictions announced today are separate from and in addition to any and all charges the State of Minnesota has brought against these former officers related to the death of Mr. Floyd. The federal charges addressed civil rights offenses that criminalize violations of the U.S. Constitution.
“Those who have sworn to enforce our nation’s laws must abide by them. Today’s verdict recognizes that two police officers violated the Constitution by failing to intervene to stop another officer from killing Mr. Floyd, and three officers violated the Constitution by failing to provide aid to Mr. Floyd in time to prevent his death,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will continue to seek accountability for law enforcement officers whose actions, or failure to act, violate their constitutional duty to protect the civil rights of our citizens.”
Acting United States Attorney Charles J. Kovats stated, “Today, former officers Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, and Thomas Lane stand convicted by a jury of their peers of willfully violating Mr. Floyd’s civil rights. The same rights guaranteed to each and every one of us by the United States Constitution. They had a moral responsibility, constitutional requirement, legal requirement, and a duty to intervene… and by failing to do so, they committed a crime. This is a reminder that all sworn law enforcement, regardless of rank or seniority, individually and independently have a duty to intervene and to provide medical aid to a person in need.”
Co-defendant Derek Chauvin previously entered a guilty plea in connection with the federal case. Chauvin pleaded guilty to willfully depriving Mr. Floyd of his constitutional rights while Chauvin was serving as an MPD officer. Chauvin also acknowledged that his conduct resulted in death and that he acted in callous and wanton disregard of the consequences to Mr. Floyd’s life. In addition, Chauvin was tried in state court and convicted of second-degree murder. In 2021, Chauvin was sentenced in state court to 22.5 years in prison.
Evidence presented at the federal trial for defendants Thao, Kueng, and Lane established that on May 25, 2020, then-MPD Officer Chauvin held his knees on Mr. Floyd’s neck and back as Mr. Floyd lay on the ground, handcuffed and unresisting. As soon as Mr. Floyd was on the ground, Chauvin placed his knee on the back of Mr. Floyd’s neck, while Kueng placed his knee on Floyd’s lower body. Chauvin would not remove his knee for the next nine minutes and twenty-nine seconds, and Kueng maintained his position for the next eight minutes and eleven seconds. Throughout this period, Mr. Floyd pleaded with officers 25 times to let him breathe.
As Mr. Floyd lost consciousness and a pulse, Chauvin and Kueng maintained their positions on his body. Even as Mr. Floyd ceased movement and stopped speaking, and even as Lane noted that Mr. Floyd was “passing out” and Kueng said he could not find a pulse, none of the CPR-certified defendants did anything to stop Chauvin from keeping his knee on Mr. Floyd’s neck or to render the medical aid that they were trained and required to provide. Even as EMTs arrived and checked Mr. Floyd’s pupils and pulse, Chauvin did not move his knee and the other officers on scene did not render aid to Mr. Floyd.
Firefighters and EMTs unsuccessfully attempted to revive Mr. Floyd on the way to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The county medical examiner ruled Mr. Floyd’s death was a homicide due to cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression.
After the incident, an MPD supervisor and, later, an MPD lieutenant, spoke with Lane and Kueng. On both occasions, Lane and Kueng both omitted that Chauvin had knelt on Mr. Floyd’s neck, that Mr. Floyd had been restrained on his stomach for nine and a half minutes, that Mr. Floyd had lost consciousness, and that officers had not been able to find a pulse. Additionally, Kueng told the supervisor that Mr. Floyd did not stop moving until after an ambulance arrived on scene, which he admitted at trial was false. At trial, the MPD lieutenant testified that, after watching video taken by a bystander, he realized that what he was told and what was on the video was “totally different.” He further testified that if an MPD officer observed another officer using too much force or doing something illegal, the officer has a duty to intervene to stop it, regardless of rank or seniority. Testimony offered at trial established that this duty to intervene is enshrined in MPD policy and is a component of the police department’s training program.
Evidence presented at trial also showed that MPD officers were required to complete emergency medical responder (EMR) training prior to entering the police academy, which includes CPR training. Further, MPD policy requires officers to determine if a subject is injured after a use of force and to render medical aid as soon as reasonably practical and requires officers assisting a person experiencing a medical crisis to provide first aid while awaiting EMS.
The jury found that the defendants disregarded this training and willfully violated Mr. Floyd’s constitutional rights. Kueng and Thao failed to intervene to stop Chauvin’s use of unlawful force and all three defendants failed to provide aid to Mr. Floyd as he suffered a medical emergency at the hands of a fellow police officer.
No sentencing date has been set. The statutory maximum sentence for the death-resulting violation of section 242 is life in prison.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats, and Special Agent in Charge Michael F. Paul of the FBI’s Minneapolis Division announced today’s verdict.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the cooperation of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. The case is being prosecuted by Special Litigation Counsel Samantha Trepel and Trial Attorney Tara Allison of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samantha Bates, LeeAnn Bell, Evan Gilead, Manda Sertich, and Allen Slaughter of the District of Minnesota.
Hopkins Man Sentenced to Prison for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Hopkins man has been sentenced to 27 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release and $336,040.45 in restitution for tax evasion after failing to file income tax returns since 1997. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson sentenced the defendant.
As proven at trial, between 1987 and 2017, Daniel Berglund, 64, was the owner and sole employee of Faith Software (FAITH) where he worked as a computer language instructor. Despite earning a substantial income annually through FAITH, Berglund did not file any individual income tax returns since 1997, and never once filed a corporate tax return of any kind on behalf of FAITH. Proving that he was well aware of his tax obligations, Berglund took numerous steps to hide his income from the IRS, including giving his FAITH clients a fabricated Tax Identification Number to prevent their payments from being reported to the IRS as income attributable to him, depositing clients’ payments into accounts where the funds would not be traceable to him, and converting his income into silver that he stashed in concealed locations in his home. Berglund’s evasion resulted in a total tax debt of approximately $336,040.45.
On October 8, 2021, Berglund was convicted by a federal jury on four counts of tax evasion.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the IRS Criminal Investigation Division with the assistance of IRS Field Collections.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew S. Ebert and Kimberly A. Svendsen.
Kenyon Bookkeeper Convicted by Federal Jury for $700,000 Employer Embezzlement and Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A federal jury found a Kenyon woman guilty of embezzling more than $700,000 from the owners of several Denny’s restaurant franchises around the Twin Cities and from a family-owned construction company in Rochester, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
Following a five-day jury trial before U.S. District Court Chief Judge John R. Tunheim, Kimberly Sue Peterson-Janovec, 59, of Kenyon, was convicted on 24 counts of fraud, aggravated identity theft, and tax crimes. Notably, Peterson-Janovec has a prior federal fraud conviction from 1998, when she embezzled more than $950,000 from another former employer.
Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats stated, “Over the course of several years, Ms. Peterson-Janovec deliberately abused her professional position to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from her employers. With this guilty verdict, Ms. Peterson-Janovec has been held accountable for her actions. I applaud the prosecutors and investigators for skillfully unraveling this years-long fraud scheme and achieving a successful outcome.”
“Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) is relentless in unraveling the fraudulent actions of those, such as Kimberly Peterson-Janovec, who scheme to defraud their employers and those who trust them,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin Campbell of IRS-CI’s Chicago Field Office. “This guilty verdict is a reminder that there are real, life-changing consequences for this type of dishonest and criminal behavior.”
“This guilty verdict reaffirms the critical role the U.S. Postal Inspection Service plays in protecting American consumers and businesses from fraudulent schemes,” said Inspector in Charge Ruth Mendonça. “Postal Inspectors proudly ensure the sanctity of the U.S. Mail to prevent criminals from perpetuating crimes that impact the financial well-being of our citizens.”
According to the evidence presented at trial, in 2014, Peterson-Janovec became the Director of Operations for MI5, Inc., a Denny’s franchisee that owned and operated eight Denny’s franchises in Minnesota and Wisconsin. In this role, Peterson-Janovec had extensive managerial oversight for all eight restaurants, including payroll, cash deposits, vendor and contractor billing, marketing, and coordinating reimbursements from Denny’s Corporate.
According to the evidence presented at trial, from April 2014 through July 2019, Peterson-Janovec used her position to embezzle funds from MI5 and Denny’s Corporate by generating and submitting false requests for vendor payments and then diverting those payments for her own use and benefit. Peterson-Janovec also manipulated the company’s payroll system to issue herself unauthorized compensation using the names of employees who no longer worked for the company. As part of the scheme, Peterson-Janovec falsified records, created fake email accounts, and generated fake email traffic in which she impersonated employees of various purported vendors. In total, Peterson-Janovec received approximately $336,000 in bogus vendor payments and approximately $20,000 in fraudulently issued payroll submissions using the identities of other people.
According to the evidence presented at trial, in July 2019, MI5, Inc., discovered aspects of Peterson-Janovec’s fraud and terminated her employment. After her termination, in early 2020, Peterson-Janovec lied about her work experience to get another bookkeeping job with a family-owned construction company in Rochester, identified as Company 3. Peterson-Janovec started as its bookkeeper, earned Company 3’s trust, and eventually was promoted to its general manager. Peterson-Janovec used her position to devise and execute a similar fraud scheme on Company 3. She used her access to Company 3’s QuickBooks to issue herself numerous payments, and she did so in a manner that made the payments appear as if they were going to Company 3 vendors. This netted Peterson-Janovec another $350,000 in as little at 18 months.
In total, Peterson-Janovec stole more than $700,000 from her employers, which she used to finance her lifestyle and hobbies, including a substantial down payment on her personal residence. Peterson-Janovec also committed tax crimes during every year of her fraud scheme, which led to over $160,000 in unpaid taxes.
Peterson-Janovec was found guilty on 13 counts of wire fraud, two counts of mail fraud, three counts of aggravated identity theft, three counts of making and subscribing a false tax return, and three counts of failure to file individual tax returns. A sentencing date has yet to be scheduled.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Burnsville Police Department, and the Criminal Investigation Division of the IRS.
This case was tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan L. Sing and Kimberly A. Svendsen.
Brooklyn Park Man Sentenced to Prison for Passing Stolen Tax Refund CheckRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Brooklyn Park man has been sentenced to a year and a day in prison for his role in passing a stolen tax refund check. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Ann D. Montgomery sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, Wesley David Richards, 46, admitted to participating in a fraud scheme that involved depositing counterfeit, stolen, or otherwise illegitimate checks into fraudulent bank accounts and then making cash withdrawals and debit card purchases. In April 2017, Richards arranged for a stolen federal tax refund check in the amount of $27,167.57 to be deposited into a fraudulent U.S. Bank account. After the check was deposited, Richards and others acquired cash from the fraudulent bank account.
On September 23, 2021, Richards pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting passing a treasury check bearing a false endorsement or signature.
“This result demonstrates the commitment of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration to investigate and bring to justice those that victimize the American taxpayer,” said J. Russell George, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). The success of this investigation is the result of a collaborative effort between TIGTA and the dedicated staff at the United States Attorney’s Office.”
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander D. Chiquoine prosecuted the case.
Minneapolis Man Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison for Armed Robbery Spree of Twin Cities BusinessesRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 262 months in prison for seven violent armed robberies of Twin Cities businesses. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Ann D. Montgomery sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, on July 28, 2020, Derrick Lee Spillman, 41, robbed three Twin Cities businesses, including a Holiday gas station and two liquor stores. During the robberies, Spillman pointed a handgun at employees and ordered them to the ground. On July 30, 2020, Spillman continued his crime spree by robbing two additional Holiday gas stations, a Speedway gas station, and a Subway restaurant. During these incidents, Spillman pointed a handgun at employees, racked the slide of the gun, and demanded cash from the registers.
On August 10, 2021, Spillman pleaded guilty to seven counts of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
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 FBI, the Minneapolis Police Department, the Fridley Police Department, the Brooklyn Center Police Department, the New Hope Police Department, and the St. Paul Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin A. Wesley prosecuted the case.
Federal Grand Jury Returns Indictment Charging Florida Man with Human SmugglingRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Steve Anthony Shand, 47, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of human smuggling, announced Acting United States Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, on January 19, 2022, law enforcement agents with Homeland Security Investigations responded to a request for assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) based out of Pembina, North Dakota. USBP initiated a traffic stop on a white-colored, fifteen passenger van less than one mile south of the U.S./Canadian border in a rural area between the official ports of entry located at Lancaster, Minnesota and Pembina, North Dakota. Shand was identified as the driver of the vehicle. Law enforcement asked for identification of the two passengers in the van and determined them to be undocumented Indian nationals. Shand was taken into custody by USBP agents.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Provinzino 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.
White Earth Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Violent Domestic AssaultRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A White Earth man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for a violent domestic assault. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Schiltz sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, Nicholas Edward Durant, 31, was living with the victim in a residence located on the White Earth Indian Reservation. On April 3, 2020, Durant violently assaulted the victim, hitting her multiple times in the chest, abdomen, face, and head. The victim was treated for a deep laceration below her eye, extreme back pain, and a traumatic hematoma of the head.
On October 25, 2021, Durant pleaded guilty to one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Mahnomen County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Mahnomen County Attorney’s Office.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Polachek.
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Minneapolis Felon Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 108 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, on May 21, 2020, law enforcement arrested Deshawn Tyrone Braziel, 37, who had an outstanding warrant and was suspected in connection with a shooting that occurred in Minneapolis on April 16, 2020. At the time of his arrest, Braziel was wearing a backpack containing a loaded Springfield XD 9mm pistol, 94 ecstasy pills, and a digital scale. Because Braziel has prior felony convictions in Hennepin County, including convictions of drive-by shooting, drug possession, and terroristic threats, 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 is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Minneapolis Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison K. Ethen prosecuted the case.
Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to 12.5 Years in Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 150 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for possessing images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of minors. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, Gene Paul Schave, 50, is a registered sex offender who was convicted in 2010 in Minnesota state court for possessing child pornography. On October 3, 2019, while on supervised release for his previous conviction, Schave was found to be in possession of an Asus tablet that contained more than 3,000 images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of minors.
On August 12, 2021, following a four-day trial, a federal jury convicted Schave on one count of possession of child pornography.
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.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Minneapolis Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily A. Polachek and Miranda E. Dugi.
Owatonna Sex Offender Arrested, Charged After Threatening to Carry Out a Murder PlotRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A federal criminal complaint has been filed against an Owatonna sex offender for sending graphic threats detailing a murder plot against his former child sexual abuse victim, announced Acting United States Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, in March 2021, the Upper Allen Township Police Department in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, began investigating Michael Lee Kurkowski, 26, regarding the communication and exchange of sexually explicit images of a minor. The investigation revealed that Kurkowski possessed sexually explicit images and videos of a minor and was aware that his victim was, at the time, a minor under the age of 18. Kurkowski also admitted to traveling to Pennsylvania to locate the minor and to try to continue a “relationship” after the minor attempted to end the online communications with Kurkowski. On April 14, 2021, Kurkowski was charged in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, of multiple felonies related to the sexual exploitation of the minor and was sentenced to 142 days in prison followed by probation. Kurkowski’s probation conditions included, among other things, the requirement to register as a sex offender, refraining from behavior which may present a danger to others, and not possessing weapons.
According to court documents, in December 2021, law enforcement began investigating Kurkowski’s online communications and sexual exploitation of a minor in East Peoria, Illinois. In January 2022, investigators with the East Peoria Police Department (EPPD) reviewed several messages from Kurkowski to the minor describing in graphic detail a plan to travel to Pennsylvania where Kurkowski would murder the parents of his former victim, rape his sister, and then kill her in front of his former victim. EPPD also notified the Cedar Falls Police Department after the investigation revealed that Kurkowski was also engaging in the sexual exploitation of a second minor in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
According to court documents, on February 4, 2022, investigators with the Owatonna Police Department learned that Kurkowski had purchased a Greyhound bus ticket and was currently en route to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the general location of Kurkowski’s former victim and his family. FBI investigators developed information on Kurkowski’s whereabouts and were able to track him to a bus stop in Toledo, Ohio, where authorities took Kurkowski into custody. According to court documents, when he was arrested, Kurkowski had with him a bag containing among other things 16 heavy flex cuffs, electrical tape, a taser, a large knife, rubber gloves, and hooded facemasks.
Kurkowski has been charged by complaint in the District of Minnesota with one count of threatening interstate communication. Kurkowski made his initial appearance yesterday before Magistrate Judge Darrell A. Clay in the Northern District of Ohio, who ordered that Kurkowski be detained temporarily and removed to Minnesota, where he will make his initial appearance and have a detention and preliminary hearing at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Owatonna Police Department, the Upper Allen Township (Pennsylvania) Police Department, the East Peoria (Illinois) Police Department, and the Cedar Falls (Iowa) Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura M. Provinzino is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Maplewood Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Maplewood man has pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a firearm as a felon, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, on October 12, 2021, Metro Transit Police Officers were dispatched to a report of a vehicle stuck on the light rail tracks in St. Paul. At the scene they found Deandre Lenier Neal-Hill, 34, unconscious in the driver’s seat of a maroon Chevrolet Malibu. The vehicle, with the engine still reviving, had a flat tire and was stuck in the tracks. Officers removed an unresponsive Neal-Hill from the vehicle and began preforming emergency medical aid until the paramedics arrived and took him to a hospital.
According to court documents, as officers extracted Neal-Hill from the vehicle, officers observed a black handgun on the floorboard on the driver’s side of the vehicle, which was later determined to be an FNH USA model 503 9mm semiautomatic pistol. Neal-Hill’s pistol was loaded with one round in the chamber and seven bullets in the inserted magazine. Neal-Hill was also in possession of marijuana, methamphetamine, and oxycodone pills.
Because Neal-Hill has prior felony convictions, including convictions of drive-by shooting, assault, and drug sale, 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 is the result of an investigation conducted by the ATF, the FBI, the St. Paul Police Department, and the Metro Transit Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew S. Ebert and Thomas Calhoun-Lopez are prosecuting the case.
Seven Minneapolis Men Face Federal Charges for Violent CrimesRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats today announced federal charges against seven individuals for violent criminal activity, including carjacking, drug trafficking, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, and possession of a machine gun.
According to court documents, in mid-2021, law enforcement had documented a recent increase in gang activity along with numerous violent incidents, including shootings and murders, in and around the intersection of Chicago Avenue and Franklin Avenue in south Minneapolis. On June 10, 2021, officers with the Minneapolis Police Department conducting surveillance in the area observed several individuals engaging in what appeared to be hand-to-hand drug deals. When officers approached the group, Albert Walter Bratton, III, 26, attempted to flee on foot, but officers were able to apprehend him after he stumbled and fell. After Bratton fell, officer recovered a Glock model 43, 9 mm semiautomatic pistol with an extended magazine, which Bratton had removed from his waistband. Officers later recovered from Bratton’s possession two baggies containing a total of approximately 10 grams of crack cocaine, divided into several smaller baggies for distribution. Bratton has been charged via criminal complaint with one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on June 15, 2021, Marion Quintel Ware, 19, carjacked a 2007 Ford Focus by using force, violence, and intimidation against the victim. A recently unsealed indictment charges Ware with one count of aiding and abetting carjacking.
According to court documents, on July 21, 2021, Namiri Love Laquandas Tanner, 21, was in possession of a .40-caliber Glock pistol with a high-capacity magazine, equipped with an attached conversion device, commonly known as a “glock switch” or “auto-sear.” These devices are designed to convert a semi-automatic weapon to shoot automatically by a single pull of the trigger and are classified as machine guns under federal law. A recently unsealed indictment charges Tanner with one count of possession of a machine gun.
Four additional defendants have been indicted for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. Shamar Jamareus Scott, 21, is charged with one count of possessing a firearm as a felon. Anthony Shaquan Kemp, Jr., 22, is charged with one count of possessing a firearm as a felon. Devon Martell Harmon and Tiray Yvonne Dyson, both 38, are each charged with one count of possessing ammunition as a felon. All four defendants have previous felony convictions and are therefore prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.
The defendants made their initial appearances earlier today in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge David T. Schultz.
These cases are 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.
These cases are 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.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amber M. Brennan and Harry M. Jacobs.
An indictment/complaint is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
St. Paul Man Pleads Guilty to $841,000 COVID-Relief Scheme to Defraud the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection ProgramRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A St. Paul man has pleaded guilty to fraud, money laundering, and aggravated identity theft in connection to a more than $840,000 covid-relief fraud scheme, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, Kyle William Brenizer, 33, was the owner and manager of True-Cut Construction LLC (“True-Cut”), a contracting and construction company located in Brooklyn Park. In August 2018, True-Cut and Brenizer were ordered by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry to cease and desist from doing business. In December 2019, True-Cut’s contractor license expired and was never renewed.
According to court documents, on May 1, 2020, Brenizer submitted a false and misleading Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) application in the name of True-Cut seeking approximately $841,000, but the application was denied. On May 12, 2020, Brenizer again submitted a false and misleading PPP application in the name of True-Cut seeking approximately $841,000 in PPP funds. This time, in order to conceal his role in submitting a fraudulent application , Brenizer submitted the application under the name of another individual whom Brenizer falsely claimed was the 90 percent owner of True-Cut. Brenizer further falsely stated that True-Cut’s average monthly payroll was $336,400 for approximately 30 employees. In support of both loan applications, Brenizer caused to be submitted to the lender fraudulent supporting documentation, such as falsified bank statements and IRS documents. In addition, Brenizer falsely certified that he was not subject to any pending criminal charges even though he was named in multiple felony charges pending in the State of Minnesota for such charges as check forgery, identify theft, and theft by swindle. Due to these various misrepresentations and omissions, on May 13, 2020, Brenizer’s second application was approved, and he received $841,000 in PPP funds.
According to court documents, instead of using the PPP funds for authorized business expenses, such as payroll, Brenizer transferred approximately $650,000 to a bank account unrelated to True-Cut and made a $29,000 payment to purchase a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, among other impermissible expenditures and transactions.
Brenizer pleaded guilty earlier today before U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud to one count of wire fraud, one count of money laundering, and one count of aggravated identity theft. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled for a later date.
The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the PPP. In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding.
The PPP allows qualifying small-businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of one percent. PPP loan proceeds must be used by businesses on payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. The PPP allows the interest and principal on the PPP loan to be forgiven if the business spends the loan proceeds on these expense items within a designated period of time after receiving the proceeds and uses at least a certain percentage of the PPP loan proceeds on payroll expenses.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by IRS – Criminal Investigations, the FBI, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General, and the Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew S. Ebert and Allison K. Ethen are prosecuting the case.
Red Lake Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Red Lake man has pleaded guilty to possessing images depicting the sexual abuse of children, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.
According to court documents, on March 7, 2020, following a traffic stop, Bobby Lee Donnell, Sr., 43, was arrested by the Red Lake Police Department pursuant to an open warrant. After taking Donnell into custody, officers found on Donnell’s cell phone images of child sexual abuse involving minors under the age of 12.
Donnell pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright to one count of possession of child pornography. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled for a later date.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force, the Red Lake Tribal Police Department, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan B. Gilead is prosecuting the case.
Minneapolis Man Sentenced to Prison for Sexually Abusing a Minor Aboard a Flight En Route to MSPRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 15 months in prison for engaging in abusive sexual contact on an airplane. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, in April 2019, Neeraj Chopra, 41, knowingly engaged in abusive sexual contact with a 16-year-old victim who was seated next to him aboard a Jet Blue flight from Boston to Minneapolis. During the flight, Chopra retrieved a blanket from his backpack and draped it over his lap, with a portion of the blanket also covering the victim’s right leg. Chopra put his hand under the blanket and began inappropriately touching the victim. Chopra ignored the victim’s multiple requests to stop and continued to inappropriately touch the victim.
On July 14, 2021, following a three-day trial, a federal jury convicted Chopra on one count of abusive sexual contact.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport Police.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren O. Roso and Michelle E. Jones.
Minneapolis Felon Sentenced to 9.5 Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm, AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 115 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright sentenced the defendant.
On August 3, 2021, following a four-day trial, Johnnie Lamar Haynes, 33, was convicted of one count of possessing a firearm as a felon and one count of possessing ammunition as a felon.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on August 5, 2019, Minneapolis police officers responded to a shots-fired call at a gas station near Lowry Avenue and Logan Avenue North in Minneapolis. Upon arrival, officers found 11 discharged cartridge casings on the street in front of the gas station. Video surveillance footage showed Haynes interacting with two men inside the gas station. After leaving the gas station the two other men got in a vehicle and drove off. Minutes later, the two men circled the block in their vehicle and returned to the gas station. Haynes then began shooting at the vehicle as it drove off. A nearby business was in the line of Haynes’s gunfire and was struck by multiple rounds. Surveillance video footage from the business captured the bullets entering the building, causing employees to duck and take shelter.
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 (ATF) and the Minneapolis Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez prosecuted the case.
Albert Lea Sex Offender Sentenced to Life in Prison for Sextortion, Online Child Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – An Albert Lea man has been sentenced to life plus ten years in prison for engaging in sextortion and online sexual exploitation of minors. Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright sentenced the defendant.
According to court documents, in 2017, Travis Kyle Mayer, 33, downloaded and received child pornography from a Russian-based child pornography distribution website. In 2018, Mayer sexually exploited a 15-year-old girl, through persuasion and coercion, using her to produce child pornography, which he then possessed and distributed. Mayer committed these crimes while he was required to register as a sex offender, based on his prior conviction for attempted third degree criminal sexual conduct. Between June 20, 2019, and October 11, 2019, Mayer attempted to obstruct the administration of justice by requesting a witness to testify falsely regarding the child sexual exploitation investigation.
Acting United States Attorney Charles J. Kovats stated: “For years, this defendant victimized children by sexually exploiting them. Despite prior criminal convictions, Mayer continued his pattern of predatory behavior by exploiting, extorting, coercing, and threatening his minor victims. A sentence of life in prison is justified and ensures that he will never again victimize another child.”
“There is no group of people more deserving of our diligent protection than children, and no offender more deserving of strong justice than one who blatantly targets those most vulnerable to exploitation. Whenever anyone repeatedly harms children and persists in those acts despite previous intervention, we will work hard for a severe sentence like the one levied today,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael Paul. “The FBI will continue to do everything thing we can to ensure those who choose to harm our children face severe consequences, and their victims receive the justice they deserve.”
On June 29, 2021, following a six-day trial, a federal jury convicted Mayer on two counts of production and attempted production of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography, one count of coercion and enticement of a minor, one count of committing a felony offense involving a minor while required to register as a sex offender, and one count obstruction of justice.
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.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Albert Lea Police Department, and the Albany (Oregon) Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander D. Chiquoine and Joseph H. Thompson.