District of Minnesota
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Self-Described Member of Boogaloo Bois Arrested, Charged with Illegal Possession of A Machine GunRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk today announced a federal criminal complaint charging MICHAEL PAUL DAHLAGER, 27, of St. Cloud, Minnesota, with illegal possession of a machine gun. DAHLAGER, who was taken into custody early this morning, made his initial appearance today before Magistrate Judge Becky Thorson in U.S. District Court. DAHLAGER was ordered to remain in custody pending a formal detention hearing, which is scheduled for April 9, 2021.
According to the allegations in the criminal complaint, in November of 2020, the FBI initiated an investigation into DAHLAGER, a self-proclaimed member of the “Boogaloo Bois,” a loosely connected group of individuals who espouse violent anti-government sentiments. The term “Boogaloo” itself references an impending second civil war in the United States and is associated with violent uprisings against the government. In November 2020, the FBI learned through a confidential human source (“CHS”) that DAHLAGER was discussing his willingness to kill members of law enforcement. The FBI also learned that DAHLAGER was in possession of a 3D-printed “drop in auto sear” and a homemade firearm suppressor. An “auto sear” is a part designed and intended for use in converting a semi-automatic weapon to shoot automatically by a single pull of the trigger and is a machine gun under federal law.
According to the allegations in the criminal complaint, on November 21, 2020, while meeting with the CHS and others at his residence, DAHLAGER showed the CHS several tactical items including body armor, an AR-15 style assault rifle with a folding stock, and an item DAHLAGER claimed was a suppressor. The CHS observed loaded magazines for an assault rifle in DAHLAGER’s residence. DAHLAGER also showed the CHS two auto sears, which DAHLAGER said a friend had created using a 3D printer. DAHLAGER told the CHS that his residence has port-holes to make a stand if law enforcement confronts him.
According to the allegations in the criminal complaint, on December 12, 2020, DAHLAGER traveled from St. Cloud to conduct surveillance at the Minnesota State Capitol building in St. Paul, Minnesota, while attending a “Stop the Steal” rally. DAHLAGER scouted law enforcement numbers, over-watch positions for the Boogaloo Bois, quick reaction forces, and which streets were blocked by law enforcement. DAHLAGER made a video recording of his observations at the Minnesota State Capitol rally, which he later reviewed with the CHS.
According to the allegations in the criminal complaint, on January 10, 2020, the CHS approached DAHLAGER about obtaining an auto sear. DAHLAGER told the CHS he had several auto sears and was willing to provide one to the CHS. DAHLAGER told the CHS that he bought a cover for his suppressor to make the device appear to be a heat shield because DAHLAGER knew the suppressor was not legal. DAHLAGER also showed the CHS a video depicting DAHLAGER shooting what appeared to be the same rifle equipped with the same suppressor the CHS had seen in the PREMISES on November 21, 2020. On February 3, 2021, during a meeting at his residence, DAHLAGER provided two auto sears to the CHS and demonstrated how the devices should be inserted into a firearm.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Winter, and Trial Attorneys George Kraehe and Phil Viti of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section.
The charges contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
MICHAEL PAUL DAHLAGER, 27
St. Cloud, Minn.
Charges:
- Unlawful possession of a machine gun, 1 count
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Illinois Man Pleads Guilty to Arson of Minneapolis Cell Phone StoreRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk today announced the guilty plea of MATTHEW LEE RUPERT, 28, to one count of arson. RUPERT, who was initially charged on June 1, 2020, pleaded guilty today before Judge Nancy E. Brasel in U.S. District Court. A sentencing date will be scheduled at a later time.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed with the court, on May 28, 2020, RUPERT, a resident of Galesburg, Illinois, posted messages on his Facebook account referencing the public protests occurring in the Twin Cities following the death of George Floyd, including one that stated, “I’m going to Minneapolis tomorrow who coming only goons I’m renting hotel rooms.” On May 29, 2020, RUPERT posted a self-recorded cell phone video to his Facebook account indicating that he was in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In his Facebook Live video, RUPERT announced that he came “to riot,” and is depicted encouraging violence against law enforcement officers, actively damaging property, breaking into buildings, and looting businesses.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed with the court, the video depicts RUPERT asking for lighter fluid before entering a boarded-up Sprint store located on Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis. RUPERT canvassed the store and eventually entered a backroom while telling others that he had located a store safe. RUPERT and others then knocked several boxes into a pile on the ground. RUPERT sprayed the pile of boxes with lighter fluid and another individual—at the time a juvenile and acting at RUPERT’S direction—lit the pile on fire. RUPERT fled the building and stated, “I lit it on fire!” The store sustained damage as a result of the fire.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI Minneapolis Field Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with assistance from the FBI Chicago Field Office, the FBI Springfield Field Office, and the Chicago Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angela M. Munoz and Jordan L. Sing.
Defendant Information:
MATTHEW LEE RUPERT, 28
Galesburg, Ill.
Convicted:
- Arson, 1 count
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Minneapolis Man and Woman Charged in Violent Twin Cities Carjacking SpreeRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk today announced a federal indictment charging JEREMIAH LEE IRONROPE, 24, and KRISANNE MARIE BENJAMIN, 25, with multiple carjackings occurring across the Twin Cities. IRONROPE was also charged with using, carrying and brandishing a firearm, during and in relation to a crime of violence, during one of the carjackings. IRONROPE made his initial appearance today before Magistrate Judge Becky Thorson in U.S. District Court. BENJAMIN made her initial appearances in U.S. District Court on March 25, 2021.
According to the allegations in the indictment, on July 26, 2020, IRONROPE and BENJAMIN, using force, violence, and intimidation, with the intent to cause serious bodily harm, stole a 2008 Lexus ES350. On August 7, 2020, IRONROPE and BENJAMIN, using force, violence, and intimidation, with the intent to cause serious bodily harm, stole a 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe. On August 28, 2020, IRONROPE and BENJAMIN, using force, violence, and intimidation, with the intent to cause serious bodily harm, stole a 2017 Audi A4. On December 20, 2020, IRONROPE, using force, violence, and intimidation, with the intent to cause serious bodily harm, stole a 2015 GMC Terrain. During the August 28 carjacking incident, IRONROPE brandished a firearm, namely a Remington 870 12-gauge shotgun, with a sawed-off barrel.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Minneapolis Police Department, the St. Paul Police Department, the Maple Grove Police Department, the Richfield Police Department, the Edina Police Department, the Roseville Police Department, and the Minnesota State Patrol.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan H. Nelson.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
JEREMIAH LEE IRONROPE, 24
Minneapolis, Minn.
Charges:
- Carjacking, 4 counts
- Using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, 1 count
KRISANNE MARIE BENJAMIN, 25
Minneapolis, Minn.
Charges:
- Carjacking, 3 counts
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Minneapolis Felon Charged with Possession of Multiple FirearmsRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk today announced federal charges against BRANDON MARCEL THOMAS, 33, for illegal possession of firearms. THOMAS made his initial appearance on April 1, 2021, before Magistrate Judge Becky Thorson in U.S. District Court. Earlier today, Magistrate Judge Thorson ordered THOMAS to remain in custody pending further proceedings.
According to the allegations in the criminal complaint, in March 2021, Minneapolis Police officers received information that THOMAS was engaged in drug and firearms trafficking. Officers executed a search warrant at a storage locker in Minneapolis that had been leased by THOMAS since approximately October 2020. Officers recovered from the storage locker a suitcase with a luggage tag in THOMAS’s name showing travel on February 28, 2021, from Las Vegas to Minneapolis. Officers also recovered approximately 1,050 Oxycodone pills and seven firearms, including a rifle and six pistols.
Because THOMAS has prior felony convictions, including a 2009 carjacking conviction in the District of Minnesota, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Minneapolis Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Steinkamp.
The charges contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
BRANDON MARCEL THOMAS, 33
Minneapolis, Minn.
Charges:
- Felon in possession of firearms, 1 count
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Plymouth Man Sentenced to 151 Months in Prison for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk today announced the sentencing of ALEXZANDER MICHAEL CARNEAL, 29, to 151 months in prison for distributing child pornography. CARNEAL, who pleaded guilty on November 30, 2020, was sentenced today before Judge Susan Richard Nelson in U.S. District Court.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed with the court, CARNEAL used GigaTribe to acquire and trade diaper erotica and other sexually explicit content involving minors. On multiple occasions between May and June 2019, CARNEAL exchanged messages with an undercover federal agent. CARNEAL also stated to the undercover agent that he had a large collection of child pornography and diaper content, which CARNEAL made available for distribution.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by FBI Minneapolis, FBI New York, and the Plymouth Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura M. Provinzino and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie E. Allyn.
Defendant Information:
ALEXZANDER MICHAEL CARNEAL, 29
Plymouth, Minn.
Convicted:
- Distribution of child pornography, 1 count
Sentenced:
- 151 months in prison
- 20 years of supervised release
- Restitution ordered – amount to be determined at a later date
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Blaine Man Charged with Illegal Possession of Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk today announced a federal criminal complaint charging THOMAS WILDER MOSELEY, 29, with illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. MOSELEY will make his initial appearance on March 31, 2021, before Magistrate Judge Becky Thorson in U.S. District Court.
According to the allegations in the criminal complaint, on August 15, 2020, a protest took place at the Minneapolis Police Department’s 5th Precinct building in south Minneapolis. The event became violent and destructive when individuals began throwing rocks and other objects, breaking windows, firing mortar-type fireworks at the building and at officers stationed on the roof, spray painting the building, and using paint to obscure the video surveillance cameras. After reviewing video surveillance footage, investigators were able to identify MOSELEY as one of the individuals who was spray painting the front windows of the building. The building sustained several thousand dollars’ worth of damages a result of the incident.
According to the allegations in the criminal complaint, on October 15, 2020, MOSELEY was present inside the Hennepin County Government Center where protesters had gathered during a court appearance for the four former Minneapolis police officers charged in the death of George Floyd. Hennepin County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested MOSELEY on probable cause based on his involvement in the August 15 incident. At the time of his arrest, MOSELEY was carrying a loaded handgun. MOSELEY was subsequently charged in Hennepin County District Court with possessing a dangerous weapon within a courthouse complex, a felony.
According to the allegations in the criminal complaint, following MOSELEY’s arrest, Minneapolis Police officers executed a search warrant at MOSELEY’s residence in Blaine, Minnesota, and recovered two firearms, more than 1,400 rounds of ammunition, 96 grams of marijuana, and other drug paraphernalia. Officers also obtained a search warrant for MOSELEY’s Toyota Tacoma, which was parked in downtown Minneapolis near the Government Center. Among other things, officers recovered from the vehicle five firearms, a large amount of ammunition, a hatchet, a crowbar, gas masks, and controlled substances, including marijuana, psychedelic mushrooms, and cocaine.
According to the allegations in the criminal complaint, while investigating MOSELEY for criminal damage to property at the 5th Precinct, officers observed on several occasions MOESLEY smoking marijuana. Following MOSELEY’s arrest on October 15, he was booked and held at the Hennepin County jail, where personnel ordered that he be given a bottom bunk for the first seven days due to “unknown medical” precautions and drug withdrawal symptoms.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Minneapolis Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amber M. Brennan.
The charges contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
THOMAS WILDER MOSELEY, 29
Blaine, Minn.
Charges:
- Possessing firearms and ammunition while being an unlawful user of, and addicted to, controlled substances, 1 count
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Two Red Lake Men Charged with Sexual Abuse of ChildrenRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk today announced federal charges against two men in separate child sexual abuse cases occurring on the Red Lake Indian Reservation. The defendants, KEITH ALLEN EHRICH, 38, and KORY PAUL LUSSIER, 24, made their initial appearances earlier today before Magistrate Judge David T. Schultz in U.S. District Court.
According to the allegations in the indictment against EHRICH, between August 2017 and October 11, 2020, EHRICH knowingly engaged in the sexual abuse of a minor.
According to the allegations in the criminal complaint against LUSSIER, between August 2, 2014 and September 20, 2020, LUSSIER knowingly engaged in the sexual abuse of a minor.
These cases are the result of investigations conducted by the Red Lake Department of Public Safety and the FBI Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander D. Chiquoine.
The charges contained in the indictment and the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
KEITH ALLEN EHRICH, 38
Red Lake, Minn.
Charges:
- Sexual abuse of a minor, 1 count
- Abusive sexual contact with a child, 1 count
KORY PAUL LUSSIER, 24
Red Lake, Minn.
Charges:
- Aggravated sexual abuse of a child, 1 count
- Abusive sexual contact with child, 1 count
- Sexual abuse of a minor, 1 count
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
13 Defendants Indicted in $5.4 Million Health Care Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk today announced charges against 13 defendants in a multi-million dollar health care fraud conspiracy. The defendants made their initial appearances yesterday before Magistrate Judge David T. Schultz in U.S. District Court.
According to the allegations in two separate indictments, 13 defendants are charged with participating in a scheme to defraud the Medicaid program. The scheme involved mental health practitioners and interpreters who were associated with Live Better, LLC, a patient services company with offices in Roseville and Minneapolis, and Multicultural Counseling Clinic (“MMCC”), a counseling clinic with offices in St. Paul, Brooklyn Park, and Burnsville. As part of the scheme, the health practitioners and interpreters would submit fraudulent claims through their respective employers for services purportedly provided to Medicaid recipients. In reality, neither the mental health services nor the ancillary interpretation services were rendered. Some defendants participated in this scheme for nearly three years. As a result of the false and fraudulent claims, the Medicaid program paid Live Better and MMCC a total of more than $5.4 million.
The two separate indictments charge defendants OKACH OKWAYOO KWOT, 51, ELIJAH S. KOLLIE, 62, ABDIRAHMAN YONIS, 33, ALPHONSO VASCO JOHNSON, 58, ILYAS ABDI FARAH, 38, ANAB ARTAN AWAD, 50, AYAN ALI MOHAMUD, 41, ELIFAA HENRY KINYAIYA, 45, VARBAR B. KANNEH, 30, ESKENDER M. YOUSUF, 39, HODAN ABDI HASHI, 52, OMAR ALI OSMAN, 28, and UBAH HASSAN HAGI, 43, with conspiracy and wire fraud.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and the Minnesota Attorney General Office’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela M. Munoz.
The charges contained in the indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
OKACH OKWAYOO KWOT, 51
Columbia Heights, Minn.
Charges:
- Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 1 count
- Wire fraud, 3 counts
ELIJAH S. KOLLIE, 62
Robbinsdale, Minn.
Charges:
- Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 1 count
- Wire fraud, 2 counts
ABDIRAHMAN YONIS, 33
Bloomington, Minn.
Charges:
- Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 1 count
- Wire fraud, 2 counts
ALPHONSO VASCO JOHNSON, 58
Oakdale, Minn.
Charges:
- Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 1 count
- Wire fraud, 2 counts
ILYAS ABDI FARAH, 38St. Louis Park, Minn.
Charges:
- Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 1 count
- Wire fraud, 2 counts
ANAB ARTAN AWAD, 50
Plymouth, Minn.
Charges:
- Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 1 count
- Wire fraud, 2 counts
AYAN ALI MOHAMUD, 41
St. Paul, Minn.
Charges:
- Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 1 count
- Wire fraud, 2 counts
ELIFAA HENRY KINYAIYA, 45
Brooklyn Park, Minn.
Charges:
- Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 1 count
- Wire fraud, 2 counts
VARBAR B. KANNEH, 30
New Brighton, Minn.
Charges:
- Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 1 count
- Wire fraud, 2 counts
ESKENDER M. YOUSUF, 39
Maple Grove, Minn.
Charges:
- Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 1 count
- Wire fraud, 2 counts
HODAN ABDI HASHI, 52
Woodbury, Minn.
Charges:
- Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 1 count
- Wire fraud, 2 counts
OMAR ALI OSMAN, 28
Eagan, Minn.
Charges:
- Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 1 count
- Wire fraud, 2 counts
UBAH HASSAN HAGI, 43
Eagan, Minn.
Charges:
- Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 1 count
- Wire fraud, 2 counts
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Austin Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk today announced the sentencing of PHILLIP ARLAN KOONTZ, 53, to 20 years in prison for distributing child pornography. KOONTZ, who pleaded guilty on January 22, 2020, was sentenced yesterday afternoon by Judge Joan N. Ericksen in U.S. District Court.
“The sexual exploitation of children is a heinous crime, one deserving of a lengthy prison sentence,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Anders Folk. “Here in Minnesota we are fortunate to have dedicated federal, state, and local investigators who are committed to seeking justice for those who abuse and exploit innocent children.”
“This repeat offender will spend the next 20 years behind bars,” said Jamie Holt, acting special agent in charge of HSI St. Paul. “Community safety is our top priority and hopefully this lengthy sentence will give peace of mind to his victims and their families. HSI special agents will continue to work with our Minnesota law enforcement partners, like the Austin police, to relentlessly pursue child predators and ensure they are brought to justice.”
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed with the court, on April 30, 2018, KOONTZ began chatting online with an undercover federal agent who was posing as a 13-year-old girl. KOONTZ sent to the agent multiple images containing sexually explicit content involving minors, falsely representing that the images were of KOONTZ’s daughters and her friends. KOONTZ also possessed 478 sexually explicit images depicting minors, including prepubescent minors. KOONTZ has a previous felony conviction in Mower County for criminal sexual conduct in the second degree.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and the Austin Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Manda M. Sertich.
Defendant Information:
PHILLIP ARLAN KOONTZ, 53
Austin, Minn.
Convicted:
- Distribution of child pornography, 1 count
Sentenced:
- 240 months in prison
- 20 years of supervised release
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Duluth Man Charged with Covid Relief Fraud, Identity Theft, Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk today announced a 16-count federal indictment charging JARED JOHN FIEGE, 34, with fraud, aggravated identity theft, and illegal possession of firearms. FIEGE will make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court at a later date.
According to the allegations in the indictment, from at least April 2020 through August 2020, FIEGE devised and executed a scheme to fraudulently obtain COVID-19 relief through Unemployment Insurance (UI) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program. As part of the scheme, FIEGE submitted fraudulent applications for UI benefits and EIDL assistance by using stolen names, birth dates, and social security numbers of at least 25 individuals. In applying for EIDL assistance and advances, FIEGE also invented fictional business entities, which he linked to the identities of real persons without their knowledge or consent. FIEGE possessed multiple cell phones and registered numerous email addresses which he used to impersonate others. FIEGE also impersonated others by using fraudulent passports as a means of identity verification. FIEGE established false bank accounts and requested bank cards to be issued by mail, allowing him to withdraw significant amounts of cash from those accounts.
According to the allegations in the indictment, FIEGE illegally possessed two firearms, namely a Glock 43, 9 mm handgun and a Sig Sauer handgun. Because he has prior felony convictions, FIEGE is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Small Business Administration Office of the Inspector General, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Duluth Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey E. Middlecamp.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
JARED JOHN FIEGE, 34
Duluth, Minn.
Charges:
- Mail fraud, 5 counts
- Wire fraud, 4 counts
- Bank fraud, 2 counts
- Aggravated identity theft, 4 counts
- Felon in possession of a firearm, 1 count
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Lyon County Men Plead Guilty to Causing 3,900 Gallon Oil Spill into Yellow Medicine RiverRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk today announced the guilty pleas of ERIC JAY WECKWORTH-PINEDA, 25, and TANNER JOHN SIK, 21, to one count each of negligent discharge of a pollutant. WECKWORTH-PINEDA and SIK, who were charged by misdemeanor information on October 8, 2020, pleaded guilty before Senior Judge Michael J. Davis in U.S. District Court. Sentencing dates will be scheduled at a later time.
“The reckless behavior of these defendants led to significant damage to the Magellan Pipeline and subsequent release to the Yellow Medicine River,” said Jennifer Lynn, Special Agent in Charge of the EPA’s criminal enforcement program in Minnesota. “EPA will continue to hold individuals responsible for their environmental violations and the resulting harm.”
According to the defendants’ guilty pleas and documents filed with the court, on April 24, 2019, WECKWORTH-PINEDA and SIK traveled to the northwest side of Cottonwood Lake in Lyon County, Minnesota, to a bridge that spans a dam between Cottonwood Lake and a creek called Judicial Ditch 24, which flows into the Yellow Medicine River. WECKWORTH-PINEDA and SIK took guns to the bridge to shoot. SIK used a DPMS AR-15 rifle to fire multiple shots at a diesel fuel pipeline that runs perpendicular across Judicial Ditch 24. WECKWERTH-PINEDA used the scope on his own rifle to spot SIK’s shots. WECKWORTH-PINEDA and SIK admit that multiple shots hit the pipeline and one shot ruptured the pipe. Later that day, WECKWORTH-PINEDA and SIK returned to the area and saw that the pipeline was leaking and reported the leak to the authorities.
According to the defendants’ guilty pleas and documents filed with the court, the owner of the pipeline, Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P., claimed that the pipe’s rupture caused at least 3,906 gallons of diesel fuel to spill into Judicial Ditch 24 at a cost of approximately $1,122,617.64 to clean up the spill and repair the pipeline. The Environmental Protection Agency also expended $16,154.42 in assisting in the clean-up operation. WECKWORTH-PINEDA and SIK each face up to one year in prison and are liable for up to $1,138,772.06 in restitution.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Transportation Office of the Inspector General, the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lyon County Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Polachek is prosecuting the case.
Defendant Information:
ERIC JAY WECKWORTH-PINEDA, 25
Cottonwood, Minn.
Convicted:
- Negligent discharge of a pollutant, 1 count
TANNER JOHN SIK, 21
Ivanhoe, Minn.
Convicted:
- Negligent discharge of a pollutant, 1 count
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Former Fortune Bay Casino Supervisor Pleads Guilty to Embezzling More Than $300,000Read the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk today announced the guilty plea of JENNIFER LYNN BOUTTO, 32, to one count of embezzlement and theft of Tribal funds. BOUTTO, who was charged by felony information on December 14, 2020, pleaded guilty this morning before Judge Eric C. Tostrud in U.S. District Court. A sentencing date will be scheduled at a later time.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed with the court, in 2008, BOUTTO began working as a reservationist at the Fortune Bay Resort Casino, which is owned and operated by the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa. BOUTTO later received a promotion to Front Desk Supervisor, a position that allowed her to issue cash refunds without direct supervision. Between January 2013 and October 2019, BOUTTO used her position at Fortune Bay to steal money by issuing false cash refunds against the invoices of previous Fortune Bay customers. BOUTTO would then access the Fortune Bay vault and retrieve the falsely refunded amount. In total, BOUTTO executed the scheme 2,994 times and stole $315,739.87.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, with significant assistance from the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan L. Sing is prosecuting the case.
Defendant Information:
JENNIFER LYNN BOUTTO, 32
Orr, Minn.
Convicted:
- Embezzlement and theft of Tribal funds, 1 count
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Former Bank CEO Sentenced to Prison for Falsifying Bank Records, Misappropriating More Than $1.6 MillionRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk today announced the sentencing of ROBERT JOHN HAGER, 70, a former bank CEO, to 18 months in prison for making a false entry in bank records. HAGER, who pleaded guilty on May 18, 2020, was sentenced earlier today by Judge Patrick J. Schiltz in U.S. District Court.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed with the court, HAGER was the CEO of Border State Bank (“Border”) and served as a director of the bank’s holding company, Border Bancshares, Inc. HAGER also held various executive positions in banks that Border Bancshares, Inc. acquired, including the former First State Bank of Clearbrook and the former First Advantage Bank. In late 2015 and early 2016, HAGER loaned money to a bank customer to invest in a diamond and gold venture in Liberia, Ghana, and Kenya that promised a quick return. After he depleted his own personal funds on the investment and maxed out the amount he could borrow from the bank, HAGER asked other individuals, including bank customers, shareholders, and directors of the bank to lend him money, which would enable HAGER to recover his personal funds.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed with the court, between 2016 and 2017, HAGER requested a series of loans by having Border bank customers take out loans in their own names, or draw from loans they already had, and then transfer the funds to HAGER. In May 2016, HAGER issued three unauthorized Standby Letters of Credit (SBLCs) worth $1.6 million to facilitate the purchase and delivery of diamonds and gold from Africa. In each instance, Hager issued the SBLC on the letterhead of First Advantage Bank and signed the letter as CEO of First Advantage. Letters of Credit are considered obligations of a bank, and they can impact a bank’s financial standing. Such obligations must be entered into the bank’s general ledger so that they can be accounted for and tracked by regulators. In order to conceal his actions, HAGER failed to report the SBLCs to bank personnel so that they could be logged into the bank’s system.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Office of Inspector General for the Federal Reserve Board, the Office of Inspector General for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and the FBI.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amber M. Brennan.
Defendant Information:
ROBERT JOHN HAGER, 70
Greenbush, Minn.
Convicted:
- Making false entries in bank records, 1 count
Sentenced:
- 18 months in prison
- Two years of supervised release
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Eleven Additional Defendants Plead Guilty in $300 Million Nationwide Telemarketing Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the guilty pleas of eleven additional defendants for their roles in a $300 million telemarketing fraud scheme that targeted elderly and other vulnerable victims. The defendants, who were indicted on October 27, 2020, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count each of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
According to their guilty pleas and documents filed with the court, the defendants participated in the fraud scheme in various roles, including telemarketers, call center managers, or magazine company owners. The defendants used, or directed their co-defendants to use, fraudulent sales scripts to defraud victim-consumers, many of whom were elderly or otherwise vulnerable, out of hundreds or even thousands of dollars. The fraudulent sales scripts were designed to induce consumers, through a series of lies and misrepresentations, into making large or repeat payments to the companies.
JANNICE KRISTINA LAUR, 39, the manager of a telemarketing call center in Pompano Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty on February 26, 2021, to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud before Senior Judge David S. Doty in U.S. District Court. As part of her guilty plea, LAUR agreed to pay $100,000 in restitution to all identified victims in this and related cases.
VASEAN BERIOISOVA RICKS, 53, a telemarketer at a call center in Oxford, Mississippi, pleaded guilty on February 26, 2021, to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud before Senior Judge David S. Doty in U.S. District Court. As part of her guilty plea, RICKS agreed to pay $15,000 in restitution to all identified victims in this and related cases.
JARED THOMAS MICHELIZZI, 37, the owner and operator of fraudulent magazine sales companies in Fridley, Minnesota, and San Diego, California, , pleaded guilty on February 25, 2021, to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud before Senior Judge Paul A. Magnuson in U.S. District Court. As part of his guilty plea, MICHELIZZI agreed to pay $22,076,363 in restitution to all identified victims in this and related cases.
JAMES ANTHONY SIERRA, 55, the manager of telemarketing call centers in Tempe, Arizona, pleaded guilty on February 22, 2021, to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud before Senior Judge David S. Doty in U.S. District Court. As part of his guilty plea, SIERRA agreed to pay $100,000 in restitution to all identified victims in this and related cases.
DANIEL MATHIAS, 62, the owner and operator of an Oxford, Mississippi-based company involved in fraudulent magazine sales, pleaded guilty on February 17, 2021, to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud before Senior Judge David S. Doty in U.S. District Court. As part of his guilty plea, MATHIAS agreed to pay $2,746,547 in restitution to all identified victims in this and related cases.
LLOYD JOSEPH LOFTIS, 60, the manager of a telemarketing call center in Cape Coral, Florida, pleaded guilty on January 28, 2021, to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud before Senior Judge David S. Doty in U.S. District Court. As part of his guilty plea, LOFTIS agreed to pay $50,000 in restitution to all identified victims in this and related cases.
CORLOS KENTRELL SMITH, 41, a telemarketer at a call center in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, pleaded guilty on January 5, 2021, to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud before Senior Judge Paul A. Magnuson in U.S. District Court. As part of his guilty plea, SMITH agreed to pay $15,000 in restitution to all identified victims in this and related cases.
IRMA BEATRICE TIMMERMAN, 47, an owner and operator of Arizona-based companies involved in fraudulent magazine sales, pleaded guilty on December 16, 2020, to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud before Senior Judge Paul A. Magnuson in U.S. District Court. As part of her guilty plea, TIMMERMAN agreed to pay $1,853,293 in restitution to all identified victims in this and related cases.
RONALD OLLO COLEMAN, 59, an owner and operator of Georgia-based companies involved in fraudulent magazine sales, pleaded guilty on December 16, 2020, to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud before Senior Judge Paul A. Magnuson in U.S. District Court. As part of his guilty plea, COLEMAN agreed to pay $1,762,912 in restitution to all identified victims in this and related cases.
JOHN MICHAEL BLALOCK, 53, the owner and manager of a fraudulent magazine sales company in Cape Coral, Florida, pleaded guilty on December 11, 2020, to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud before Senior Judge David S. Doty in U.S. District Court. As part of his guilty plea, BLALOCK agreed to pay $100,000 in restitution to all identified victims in this and related cases.
SHARON DENISE MCEWEN, 54, a telemarketer at a cell center in Oxford, Mississippi, pleaded guilty on December 9, 2020, to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud before Senior Judge Paul A. Magnuson in U.S. District Court. As part of her guilty plea, MCEWEN agreed to pay $15,000 in restitution to all identified victims in this and related cases.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has set up website containing additional information about the case, including information about how victims of the fraud scheme can submit claims for restitution. The website is available at https://www.justice.gov/usao-mn/magazine-scam-victim-information
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Additional assistance was provided by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) and the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Harry M. Jacobs, and Melinda A. Williams are prosecuting the case.
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald to Depart Justice DepartmentRead the Press Release
On February 28, 2021, United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald will step down as United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota. After her departure, First Assistant U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk will assume the role of Acting U.S. Attorney.
“My highest priority as U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota has always been safety and security of the individuals, families, and communities of this great state and nation,” said U.S. Attorney MacDonald. “Serving as the United States Attorney has been my great honor and privilege. I have always been and continue to be humbled and inspired by the women and men of this office whose dedication to the pursuit of truth and justice is unwavering.”
“We Minnesotans have been very fortunate to have Erica MacDonald serve as our United States Attorney for the last three years. Erica has been a leader in the fight for justice and a great working partner to the Minnesota Attorney General’s office: she’s taken initiative, been responsive, and shown up every time we’ve needed her. She’s been a champion for Minnesotans trying to afford their lives and a leader in the fight against consumer fraud. At start of the pandemic, Erica took the initiative to found the Minnesota COVID-19 Action Team that brought together both of our offices, county attorneys, and federal, state, and local law enforcement to ensure that we were all working together to protect Minnesotans from scams, fraud, and abuse as we navigated America’s deadliest public-health crisis in a century. She provided determined, rock-solid leadership at a time when Minnesotans needed it most — and characteristically, did it not to get credit or praise, but because it was the right thing to do,” said Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. “Erica MacDonald has earned Minnesotans’ respect, and I’m grateful for her partnership and her friendship. She’s talented, gifted, and cares about people, so wherever she goes next, she’s sure to be well appreciated and very successful. I wish her the best.”
“As I think back to my time as the special agent in charge of the Minneapolis Division, working with Erica McDonald is one of the highlights of that part of my FBI career. From the day I attended her swearing in, I saw Erica’s dedication to the law, and her unwavering commitment to making Minnesota a better and safter place to live and raise a family,” said FBI Assistant Director for Counterterrorism Jill Sanborn. “All of our Federal partners appreciated her leadership in leading what we called the federal family in Minnesota, where we worked to build on the strong foundation of trust and partnership that the public expects from its law enforcement leaders. I’ve often said that the strongest partnerships often lead to lasting friendships, and I’m proud not only call Erica a colleague, but a friend as well.”
“United States Attorney Erica MacDonald on countless occasions during her tenure showed her care and support to the residents and businesses in the city of Minneapolis. U.S. Attorney MacDonald was an active leader in public safety assisting the Minneapolis Police Department in addressing violent crime and lead a task force last year that brought resources to keep our city safe,” said Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo. “She also recognized the importance in trying to steer young people away from making bad decisions that could harm them and our communities. She was a key member of our local Group Violence Intervention (GVI) program and met regularly with our city’s African American Faith leadership. As Chief of the Minneapolis Police Department I want to thank U.S. Attorney MacDonald for her honorable and dedicated service to public safety and the citizens of Minneapolis.”
Since June 11, 2018, Ms. MacDonald has served as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the District of Minnesota. During her tenure, Ms. MacDonald lead an office of approximately 130 employees, including 18 new Assistant U.S. Attorneys and 17 new support staff she hired. The
Office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in the district, representing the United States in affirmative and defensive civil cases, and assisting communities throughout Minnesota in appropriate crime prevention and community-building efforts.
Under Ms. MacDonald’s leadership, the U.S. Attorney’s Office prioritized the prosecution of violent crime and narcotics, public safety in Indian Country, prosecutions of child exploitation and human trafficking cases, cybercrime investigations and prosecutions, and national security cases. Ms. MacDonald also led impactful outreach connected to cases involving child victims and human trafficking victims a priority of her work as U.S. Attorney.
In addition to outreach and prosecutions, during her tenure, the U.S. Attorney’s Office recovered more than $36 million in restitution for victims of crime, vigorously defended the government in numerous civil actions, reenforced law enforcement partnerships, and sought to enhance public safety through community engagement. A few of the many significant achievements of the Office during Ms. MacDonald’s tenure include:
- On December 9, 2020, Michael Hari was convicted of hate crimes and civil rights violations for his role in the 2017 bombing of the Dar al-Farooq Islamic Center in Bloomington, Minnesota. Ms. MacDonald described the conviction as a condemnation of hatred and ignorance, and an affirmation of our fundamental right to live and worship free from the threat of violence and discrimination.
- Ms. MacDonald took an aggressive approach to combating child exploitation, human trafficking and the growing epidemic of sextortion, a form of cybercrime involving the extortion of vulnerable victims, often minors, by disseminating or threatening to disseminate sexually explicit content. The Office brought several successful sextortion prosecutions and held multiple community education and outreach events around the state to help build awareness about this heinous crime.
- Ms. MacDonald’s passion for fighting for the safety and protection of vulnerable individuals extended to elderly populations who are often the targets of scam artists. On October 28, 2020, the Office brought criminal conspiracy charges against 60 defendants for their roles in a $300 million nationwide telemarketing fraud scheme that targeted senior citizens. To date, the Office has secured 24 guilty pleas in these cases. Under Ms. MacDonald’s leadership the Office also hosted roundtables and trainings with stakeholders focused on reporting and combatting elder abuse.
- In September of 2019, Ms. MacDonald was appointed by Attorney General William P. Barr to be a member of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC). Created in 1973, the AGAC is a group of 15 U.S. Attorneys who advise the Attorney General on matters of policy and substantive issues affecting the Justice Department. Ms. MacDonald also served as the co-chair of the AGAC’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Working Group.
- In January of 2020, Attorney General William P. Barr appointed Ms. MacDonald to the Presidential Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice. The purpose of the Commission was to conduct a modern study of the state of American policing and determine specific measures to reduce crime and promote the rule of law.
- In accordance with one of her top priorities, Ms. MacDonald increased the number of prosecutors and support staff assigned to the violent crime and narcotics section. Under the Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) initiative, Ms. MacDonald worked in close partnership with local organizations, federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and prosecutors to ensure the most significant violent crime problems facing the district were addressed through enforcement actions, treatment options, and prevention efforts.
- Under Ms. MacDonald’s leadership, the Office’s PSN strategy focused on the reduction of gang and group violence within the Twin Cities. As part of that strategy the Office continued its active partnership in the City of Minneapolis’ Group Violence Intervention (GVI) Initiative, which consists of a cohesive partnership between local government, state, and federal law enforcement, community leaders, and social service providers who seek to improve public safety by challenging the peer dynamics in violent street groups in Minneapolis. Working with community organizations and leadership and based on the evidence-based successes seen in the Minneapolis GVI, the Office supported the development of a Group Violence Intervention in St. Paul. The Office further supported programmatic planning to reduce recidivism rates and assist in reentry for violent crime and drug offenders, within the City of Duluth.
- In the summer of 2020, Ms. MacDonald stood up a Twin Cities Violent Crime Task Force to marshal federal and state resources in response to an extraordinary spike in gun violence and violent crime.
- During her tenure, Ms. MacDonald committed additional resources to enhancing public safety and prosecuting crimes in Indian Country, including appointing two Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys (SAUSAs) and a Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Coordinator. These resources have increased the Office’s ability to address the violent crime that disproportionately impacts Native Americans, particularly women and children.
- The Office’s Civil Division continued its enforcement of federal civil rights statutes, including the ADA, Fair Housing Act, and servicemember rights’ statutes. The Civil Division has a robust program supporting DOJ’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative, which included trainings with community and local housing organizations and a sexual harassment lawsuit against several Minneapolis rental properties. In addition, the Civil Division defended more than 1,200 lawsuits challenging policies and actions of the executive branch with excellent results.
- During her tenure, the Civil Division’s Financial Litigation Unit successfully collected more than $36 million in criminal restitution payments for victims of crime and another $25 million in civil recoveries for the United States. Many of the civil recoveries were the result of civil investigations, litigation, and settlement in False Claims Act and other federal fraud statutes enforced by the Civil Division.
- Ms. MacDonald also oversaw the establishment and expansion and of a training and mentorship program for new Assistant U.S. Attorneys, and an employee wellness program.
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Federal Prison Inmate Sentenced to Additional Prison Time for Attempting to Obtain ContrabandRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the sentencing of CURTIS BRENT CARICO, 46, to an additional three months in prison for attempting to obtain a controlled substance in prison. CARICO, who pleaded guilty on September 9, 2020, was sentenced earlier today by Judge Eric C. Tostrud in U.S. District Court.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed with the court, CARICO was an inmate at the Sandstone Federal Correctional Institution (Sandstone) on January 24, 2020, when he attempted to obtain synthetic cannabinoid, a prohibited Schedule 1 controlled substance. In order to bypass security protocols, CARICO conspired with a co-defendant to have a magazine mailed to him at Sandstone that contained a page that had been soaked with liquid synthetic cannabinoid.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chelsea A. Walcker.
Defendant Information:
CURTIS BRENT CARICO, 46
Inmate at Sandstone FCI
Convicted:
- Attempting to obtain contraband in prison, 1 count
Sentenced:
- Three months in prison
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Former Vermillion Township Clerk Charged with $650,000 Wire Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced a felony information charging MARYANN HELEN STOFFEL, 70, of Hastings, Minn., with one count of wire fraud. STOFFEL will make her initial appearance before a Judge in U.S. District Court at a later date.
According to the allegations in the information, from December 2012 through October 2020, STOFFEL used her position as the Clerk of the Township of Vermillion, an elected position, to misappropriate more than $650,000 of Township funds. Although, in her role as Clerk, STOFFEL had signature authority over the Township’s bank account, Township checks required at least two signatures. As part of the fraud scheme, STOFFEL, at times, forged the signatures of the Township’s Treasurer and the Chairman of the Township Board on Township checks. At other times, STOFFEL solicited signatures from the Township’s Treasurer and the Chairman of the Township Board on blank Township checks by falsely representing that she would use the checks to pay the Township’s bills. Instead of using the funds to pay the Township’s bills, STOFFEL transferred the funds to her personal bank account for her own use and benefit. STOFFEL concealed her fraud from the Township and from the State of Minnesota by excluding the unauthorized payments to herself on the Township’s annual report.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Svendsen is prosecuting the case.
The charges contained in the information are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
MARYANN HELEN STOFFEL, 70
Hastings, Minn.
Charges:
- Wire fraud, 1 count
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Two Rochester Fugitives Arrested in Mexico, Charged in Arson IndictmentRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the arrest of JOSE ANGEL FELAN, JR., 34, and MENA DHAYA YOUSIF, 22, for their roles in multiple arsons on May 28, 2020. FELAN and YOUSIF were detained on February 15, 2021, in Mexico by Mexican authorities for immigration violations after the U.S. Marshals Service located them. A superseding indictment charges FELAN with three counts of arson and YUSIF with being an accessory after the fact. FELAN and YOUSIF made their initial appearances on February 17, 2021, before a Magistrate Judge in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of California. The defendants were ordered to remain in custody pending a formal detention hearing on February 23, 2021.
“Thanks to the skilled investigative work of the ATF and the tireless apprehension efforts of the U.S. Marshals Service these two defendants, who have been on the run for more than eight months, will be returned to Minnesota to face justice,” said U.S. Attorney Erica H. MacDonald.
According to the allegations in the superseding indictment, on May 28, 2020, FELAN maliciously damaged and destroyed by means of fire 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. YOUSIF assisted FELAN in preventing his apprehension by law enforcement.
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 Polachek.
The charges contained in the superseding indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
JOSE ANGEL FELAN, JR., 34
Rochester, Minn.
Charges:
- Arson, 3 counts
MENA DHAYA YOUSIF, 22
Rochester, Minn.
Charges:
- Accessory after the fact (arson), 1 count
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Thai Woman Extradited to U.S., Indicted for Role in International Sex Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the extradition and indictment of SUMALEE INTARATHONG, 59, for her role in an international Thai sex trafficking organization. The 10-count superseding indictment charges INTARATHONG with conspiracy, human trafficking violations, and visa fraud. Thirty-six co-defendants have been charged and convicted for their roles in the conspiracy. On February 16, 2021, INTARATHONG made her initial appearance before Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright and was ordered to remain in detention pending further proceedings.
According to allegations in the superseding indictment and documents filed in court, the criminal organization compelled hundreds of women from Bangkok, Thailand, to engage in commercial sex acts in various cities across the United States. Before her arrest in Belgium on August 5, 2016, INTARATHONG served as a boss/trafficker for the organization. Each trafficked victim was “owned” by INTARATHONG or another boss/trafficker, until the victim could repay an exorbitant “bondage debt” of between $40,000 and $60,000. INTARATHONG and other co-conspirators arranged for victims to travel from Thailand to the United States and placed the victims in a house of prostitution somewhere in the United States.
According to allegations in the superseding indictment and documents filed in court, INTARATHONG and other co-conspirators in the organization engaged in widespread visa fraud to facilitate the international transportation of the victims. Members of the criminal organization assisted the victims in obtaining fraudulent visas and travel documents. As a part of obtaining visa documents, members of the criminal conspiracy gathered personal information from the victims, including the location of the victims’ families in Thailand. This information was later used to threaten victims who became non-compliant or tried to flee the organization in the United States.
According to allegations in the superseding indictment and documents filed in court, the organization dealt primarily in cash and engaged in rampant and sophisticated money laundering in order to promote and conceal illegal profits. Throughout the course of the conspiracy the criminal organization has moved tens of millions of dollars in illegal proceeds from the United States to Thailand and elsewhere.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, Criminal Investigation Division of the IRS, Diplomatic Security Service, St. Paul Police Department, Anoka County Sheriff’s Office and Cook County (Illinois) Sheriff’s Office, with the support of the International Organized Crime Intelligence and Operations Center (IOC-2). The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided critical assistance in securing the defendant’s extradition from Belgium.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melinda Williams and Laura Provinzino are prosecuting the case with the assistance of the DOJ Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit and the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section.
The charges contained in the superseding indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
SUMALEE INTARATHONG, 59
Citizen of Thailand
Charges:
- Conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, 1 count
- Sex trafficking by use of force, fraud, and coercion, 1 count
- Conspiracy to commit forced labor, 1 count
- Conspiracy to commit transportation to engage in prostitution, 1 count
- Transportation to engage in prostitution, 1 count
- Conspiracy to engage in money laundering, 1 count
- Conspiracy to use a communication facility to promote prostitution, 1 count
- Conspiracy to commit visa fraud, 1 count
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Maple Grove Investment Advisor Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Clients Out of More Than $2.2 MillionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the guilty plea of ISAIAH LESLIE GOODMAN, 33, to one count of mail fraud. GOODMAN entered his guilty plea earlier today before Judge Susan Richard Nelson in U.S. District Court. GOODMAN is scheduled to be sentenced on June 29, 2021.
According to his guilty plea and documents filed with the court, GOODMAN was a registered investment advisor and broker who owned Becoming Financial Group, Inc., and Becoming Financial Advisory Services L.L.C. GOODMAN also owned and operated MoneyVerbs, a business that claimed to provide customers with financial guidance through an internet-based app. Through Becoming Financial Group, Inc., and Becoming Financial Advisory Services L.L.C., GOODMAN represented that he would provide his clients with financial planning and investment advice, including purporting to place his clients’ savings and retirement funds into financial accounts that GOODMAN claimed were safe, secure, and profitable.
According to his guilty plea and documents filed with the court, from at least 2017 through November 2020, GOODMAN defrauded at least 23 of his investor clients out of approximately $2,250,123. As part of his scheme to defraud, GOODMAN lied to prospective and existing clients about his use of their money, the security and profitability of the financial accounts he claimed to administer on their behalf, and the status and performance of their funds. During in-person sales pitches or through email messages and phone calls, GOODMAN provided clients with materially false and fraudulent information, including investment proposals and bogus online account information. GOODMAN also misrepresented to clients that their funds would be returned to them upon request, when, in fact, GOODMAN either kept all of the money or provided investors with refunded payments that were late, incomplete, or both, or that were refunds actually funded by other clients’ money.
According to his guilty plea and documents filed with the court, instead of placing his clients’ money into safe and secure investment accounts, GOODMAN deposited client funds into bank accounts he controlled. GOODMAN misappropriated his clients’ funds for his own use and benefit by, among other things, purchasing and remodeling his home in Maple Grove, using funds for the purchase and construction of a $1.69 million home in Plymouth, buying a 2019 Ford Expedition and a 2020 Ford Explorer, funneling approximately $700,000 toward his other business, MoneyVerbs, and paying for personal expenditures, including a hot tub, a cruise, fitness club memberships, jewelry, and credit card payments.
As part of the plea agreement, GOODMAN will forfeit to the United States his right, title, and interest in any property, which constitutes or is derived from proceeds traceable to his mail fraud scheme, including real property in Maple Grove and Plymouth, Minnesota, vehicles, and his interest in his MoneyVerbs business.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Minnesota Commerce Fraud Bureau.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew S. Ebert is prosecuting the case.
Defendant Information:
ISAIAH LESLIE GOODMAN, 33
Maple Grove, Minn.
Convicted:
- Mail fraud, 1 count
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Red Lake Woman Pleads Guilty to Child EndangermentRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the guilty plea of MARTHA ANN SMITH, 69, to one count of felony child endangerment. SMITH, who was charged by felony information on January 26, 2021, pleaded guilty this morning before Judge Michael J. Davis in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota. A sentencing date will be scheduled at a later time.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed with the court, SMITH endangered a minor child in her foster care on multiple occasions at her residence on the Red Lake Indian Reservation. SMITH admitted that on the evening of October 10, 2019, through the morning of October 11, 2019, SMITH tightly bound the 5-year-old child’s wrists and ankles to the sides of a highchair and forced the child to remain shackled to the high chair throughout the night. As a result of the shackling, the child suffered bruising and lacerations on her wrists and ankles as well as mental and emotional trauma. SMITH further admitted that she neglected and endangered the child on multiple occasions during the time the child was under SMITH’s foster care, since the child was approximately three months old.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Red Lake Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chelsea A. Walcker and Lindsey Middlecamp are prosecuting the case.
Defendant Information:
MARTHA ANN SMITH, 69
Red Lake, Minn.
Convicted:
- Child endangerment, 1 count
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Long Lake Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Arson of Dakota County Government BuildingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the guilty plea and sentencing of GARRETT PATRICK ZIEGLER, 25, to 60 months in prison for aiding and abetting arson. ZIEGLER who also plead guilty today, was sentenced by Judge Susan Richard Nelson, in U.S. District Court, in St. Paul, Minnesota.
According to ZIEGLER’s guilty plea and documents filed with the court, in the early morning hours of May 29, 2020, ZIEGLER drove himself and co-defendant Fornandous Cortez Henderson to the Dakota County Western Service Center (the ''WSC") located at 14955 Galaxie Avenue in Apple Valley, Minnesota. The WSC houses state and local agencies and organizations, including Dakota County court facilities, as well as a U.S. Passport center. Once there, ZIEGLER and Henderson broke multiple windows using baseball bats. ZIEGLER and Henderson threw in multiple Molotov cocktails into the broken windows. Some of these devices successfully ignited and caused fire damage to the WSC. ZIEGLER and Henderson also started and attempted to start other fires at the WSC by pouring ignitable liquids, and throwing unlit Molotov cocktails, in and around the broken windows, then attempting to start the liquids on fire. Henderson selected the WSC as a target because he had previous court appearances at the WSC and was angry with law enforcement regarding the recent death of George Floyd. ZIEGLER who was also angry at law enforcement agreed to the target because of its connection to law enforcement.
ZIEGLER also admitted in his guilty plea that on May 26 through May 28, 2020, he purchased or provided a number of items that were used to construct the Molotov cocktails and carry out the attack on the WSC, including mason jars, pushpins and other similar sharp objects, isopropyl alcohol, nail polish remover, bottles of high-proof alcohol, lighter fluid, bandanas/scarves, and a baseball bat.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Apple Valley Police Department, and the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Dakota County Attorney’s Office.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander D. Chiquoine and Chelsea A. Walcker.
Defendant Information:
GARRETT PATRICK ZIEGLER, 25
Long Lake, Minn.
Convicted:
- Aiding and abetting arson, 1 count
Sentenced:
- 60 months in prison
- 3 years supervised release
- $205,872.53 in restitution
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Thief River Falls Man Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison, Lifetime Supervised Release for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the sentencing of BENJAMIN JOSEPH ROGGENBUCK, 39, to 540 months in prison for production and attempted production of child pornography. ROGGENBUCK, who pleaded guilty on September 17, 2020, was sentenced earlier today before Judge Nancy E. Brasel in U.S. District Court.
“The sentence handed down today ensures that this predator will no longer pose a threat or cause harm to innocent children,” said U.S. Attorney Erica H. MacDonald. “I commend our law enforcement partners who stand with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in our fight against child exploitation.”
“While 45 years in prison is appropriate for this case, these children are now permanent victims of a crime no person should ever experience,” said Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans. “The BCA will continue to pursue criminals who would exploit Minnesota’s children in this terrible way and bring them to justice.”
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed with the court, between November 2012 and February 2020, ROGGENBUCK used or attempted to use two prepubescent minor children to produce visual depictions of sexually explicit conduct. ROGGENBUCK also admitted to possessing and distributing sexually explicit images depicting prepubescent minors. As part of the plea agreement, ROGGENBUCK also pleaded guilty to first-degree criminal sexual conduct charges brought by the Pennington County Attorney’s Office.
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. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and Thief River Falls Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chelsea A. Walcker and Miranda E. Dugi prosecuted the case.
Defendant Information:
BENJAMIN JOSEPH ROGGENBUCK, 39
Thief River Falls, Minn.
Convicted:
- Production and attempted production of child pornography, 2 counts
Sentenced:
- 540 months in prison
- Lifetime of supervised release
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Former St. Thomas Student Sentenced to Prison for Hoax Bomb ThreatsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the sentencing of RAY GHANSHAM PERSAUD, 22, to one year and one day in prison for calling in a bomb threat to the University of St. Thomas on September 17, 2019. PERSAUD, who pleaded guilty on September 22, 2020, was sentenced earlier today by Judge Eric C. Tostrud in U.S. District Court in St. Paul, Minnesota.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed with the court, on three separate occasions – April 17, 2019; August 20, 2019; and September 17, 2019 – PERSAUD, who was at the time an undergraduate student at the University of St. Thomas, called in to the University’s main switchboard and falsely stated that there was a bomb on the St. Paul campus. The bomb threats caused substantial fear and disruption to the University, including the evacuation of campus buildings and a childcare center, re-routing of traffic on nearby streets, and a full response by the University’s Public Safety personnel. PERSAUD admitted that on the dates he called in the bomb threats he had failed to complete his homework and was unprepared for class.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the St. Paul Police Department.
This case was being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Docherty.
Defendant Information:
RAY GHANSHAM PERSAUD, 22
Blaine, Minn.
Convicted:
- Using an instrumentality of interstate commerce to maliciously make a threat to damage and destroy any building, by means of explosives, 1 count
Sentenced:
- One year and one day in prison
- Two years supervised release
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Maple Grove Investment Advisor Charged with Defrauding Clients Out of More Than $2.2 MillionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced a felony information charging ISAIAH LESLIE GOODMAN, 33, of Maple Grove, Minn., with one count of mail fraud. GOODMAN will make his initial appearance before a Magistrate Judge in U.S. District Court at a later date.
According to the allegations in the information, GOODMAN was a registered investment advisor and broker who owned Becoming Financial Group, Inc., and Becoming Financial Advisory Services L.L.C. GOODMAN also owned and operated MoneyVerbs, a business that claimed to provide customers with financial guidance through an internet-based app. Through Becoming Financial Group, Inc., and Becoming Financial Advisory Services L.L.C., GOODMAN represented that he would provide his clients with financial planning and investment advice, including purporting to place his clients’ savings and retirement funds into financial accounts that GOODMAN claimed were safe, secure, and profitable.
According to the allegations in the information, from at least 2017 through November 2020, GOODMAN defrauded at least 23 of his investor clients out of approximately $2,250,123. As part of his scheme to defraud, GOODMAN lied to prospective and existing clients about his use of their money, the security and profitability of the financial accounts he claimed to administer on their behalf, and the status and performance of their funds. During in-person sales pitches or through email messages and phone calls, GOODMAN provided clients with materially false and fraudulent information, including investment proposals and bogus online account information. GOODMAN also misrepresented to clients that their funds would be returned to them upon request, when, in fact, GOODMAN either kept all of the money or provided investors with refunded payments that were late, incomplete, or both, or that were refunds actually funded by other clients’ money.
According to the allegations in the information, instead of placing his clients’ money into safe and secure investment accounts, GOODMAN deposited client funds into bank accounts he controlled. GOODMAN misappropriated his clients’ funds for his own use and benefit by, among other things, purchasing and remodeling his home in Maple Grove, using funds for the purchase and construction of a $1.69 million home in Plymouth, buying a 2019 Ford Expedition and a 2020 Ford Explorer, funneling approximately $700,000 toward his other business, MoneyVerbs, and paying for personal expenditures, including a hot tub, a cruise, fitness club memberships, jewelry, and credit card payments.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Minnesota Commerce Fraud Bureau.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew S. Ebert is prosecuting the case.
The charges contained in the information are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
ISAIAH LESLIE GOODMAN, 33
Maple Grove, Minn.
Charges:
- Mail fraud, 1 count
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Faribault Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the guilty plea of ANDREW ALBERT COMEAUX, 38, to one count of felon in possession of a firearm. COMEAUX pleaded guilty earlier today before Judge Patrick J. Schiltz in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota. COMEAUX is currently scheduled to be sentenced on May 25, 2021.
According to COMEAUX’s guilty plea and documents filed with the court, on June 15, 2020, multiple law enforcement agencies executed a search warrant at COMEAUX’s residence. During the search, law enforcement found a .22 caliber rifle and a Mosin-Nagant 7.62x54R caliber rifle. COMEAUX also admitted to possessing an AR-15 style pistol with a large capacity magazine and a homemade suppressor/silencer. Because COMEAUX has prior felony convictions in Blue Earth County and in Le Sueur County, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the South Central Drug Task Force, the Cannon River Drug Task Force, Rice and Steel County Sheriff’s Offices, the Faribault and Owatonna Police Departments, Metro SWAT, and the St. Paul Bomb Squad, with coordination from the Rice County Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander D. Chiquoine is prosecuting the case.
Defendant Information:
ANDREW ALBERT COMEAUX, 38
Faribault, Minn.
Convicted:
- Felon in possession of a firearm, 1 count
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Superseding Indictment Charges Six Men with Conspiracy, Firearms Violations, Violent CarjackingsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced a federal superseding indictment against JOSHOAMEI DEANGELO RICHARDSON, 19, JAMES BROCK WILLIAMS, JR., 20, ISAIAH STACY ALSTAD, 22, CLIFTON GERMAINE WALKER, JR., 23, JORDAN SYDNEY SHAMAH RHODES, 22, and ERIC TROY BALLARD, JR., 18, for conspiracy, firearms violations, and carjacking. All six defendants have been ordered to remain in custody pending further proceedings.
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald stated, “This past summer the Twin Cities saw a disturbing trend of shootings and carjackings. This criminal activity will not be tolerated in our communities. Federal law enforcement, in concert with our state and local partners, is committed to holding accountable the perpetrators of this violence.”
According to the allegations in the superseding indictment and documents filed with the court, from at least May 2020 through January 2021, the defendants maintained active membership in the street gang known as the “Top 5.” The purpose of the gang was to make money for its members through criminal acts, including thefts, robberies, and distribution and sale of controlled substances. Proceeds of the money obtained through the commission of criminal acts were distributed among the Top 5 members. Top 5 members would use, carry, and possess firearms to commit these criminal acts as well as carry out acts of violence against rival gang members, including shootings and assaults. Top 5 members used social media to discuss criminal activity, recruit new members, and display cash, firearms, and controlled substances.
According to the allegations in the superseding indictment and documents filed with the court, on August 25, 2020, at approximately 2:30 a.m., WILLIAMS and BALLARD, carjacked a 2006 black BMW 530i, near the 1200 block of Jackson Street, in St. Paul, Minnesota, at gunpoint and physically assaulted the driver of the vehicle. That same day, at approximately 6:50 a.m., RICHARDSON, WILLIAMS, ALSTAD, WALKER, and BALLARD, carjacked a 2012 Dodge Charger, at gunpoint, from the parking lot of a restaurant near White Bear Avenue in St. Paul. That same day, at approximately 9:00 a.m., RICHARDSON, WILLIAMS, ALSTAD, and BALLARD carjacked a 2012 blue Subaru Outback, at gunpoint, from Maria Avenue near Metropolitan State University in St. Paul. During the time period alleged in the superseding indictment and documents filed with the court, the defendants illegally possessed 10 semiautomatic pistols and committed other violent acts and crimes.
These cases are the result of investigations conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Saint Paul Police Department, the Minneapolis Police Department, the Columbia Heights Police Department, and the South Saint Paul Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Bejar and Thomas Calhoun-Lopez.
The charges and allegations contained in the superseding indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
JOSHOAMEI DEANGELO RICHARDSON, a/k/a Yoshi, a/k/a Yodaa Ballard, 19
St. Paul, Minn.
Charges:
- Conspiracy to use, carry, and brandish firearms during and in relation to a crime of violence, 1 count
- Felon in possession of a firearm, 1 count
- Aiding and abetting carjacking, 2 counts
- Aiding and abetting using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, 2 counts
JAMES BROCK WILLIAMS, JR., a/k/a Jackboy, a/k/a J, 20
St. Paul, Minn.
Charges:
- Conspiracy to use, carry, and brandish firearms during and in relation to a crime of violence, 1 count
- Aiding and abetting carjacking, 3 counts
- Aiding and abetting using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, 3 counts
ISAIAH STACY ALSTAD, a/k/a Zay, a/k/a Lil Zay, a/k/a Zay Money, 22
Columbia Heights, Minn.
Charges:
- Conspiracy to use, carry, and brandish firearms during and in relation to a crime of violence, 1 count
- Felon in possession of a firearm, 2 counts
- Aiding and abetting carjacking, 2 counts
- Aiding and abetting using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, 2 counts
CLIFTON GERMAINE WALKER, JR., a/k/a K-Killa, a/k/a Clif, 23
St. Paul, Minn.
Charges:
- Conspiracy to use, carry, and brandish firearms during and in relation to a crime of violence, 1 count
- Aiding and abetting carjacking, 1 count
- Aiding and abetting using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, 1 count
- Felon in possession of a firearm, 1 count
JORDAN SYDNEY SHAMAH RHODES, a/k/a 2 3, 22
White Bear Lake, Minn.
Charges:
- Conspiracy to use, carry, and brandish firearms during and in relation to a crime of violence, 1 count
- Unlawful Controlled-Substance User in Possession of Firearms, 3 counts
ERIC TROY BALLARD, JR., a/k/a Donk, a/k/a Lil Donk, a/k/a Tray Williams, 18
St. Paul, Minn.
Charges:
- Conspiracy to use, carry, and brandish firearms during and in relation to a crime of violence, 1 count
- Aiding and abetting carjacking, 3 counts
- Aiding and abetting using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, 3 counts
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Two Men Plead Guilty to Arson of Target Corporation HeadquartersRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the guilty pleas of SHADOR TOMMIE CORTEZ JACKSON, 24, and LEROY LEMONTE PERRY WILLIAMS, 34, to one count each of conspiracy to commit arson of the Target Corporation’s corporate headquarters building located at 1000 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, Minnesota. JACKSON and WILLIAMS are scheduled to be sentenced on May 4 and May 18, 2021, respectively, before Judge Patrick J. Schiltz in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis.
According to the defendants’ guilty pleas and documents filed with the court, on Wednesday, August 26, 2020, Minneapolis experienced arson, rioting, and looting following the suicide of a suspect in a homicide, and in response to false rumors surrounding the man’s death. JACKSON, WILLIAMS, and their co-defendant, VICTOR DEVON EDWARDS, 31, went to the Target Corporation’s corporate headquarters building (“Target Corporation building”) where dozens of other people had gathered. JACKSON used a construction sign to break through one of the glass doors into the Target Corporation building. JACKSON, WILLIAMS, and EDWARDS, along with others, breached the doors and entered the Target Corporation building. Once inside, JACKSON, aided and abetted by EDWARDS, intentionally set a fire on a counter inside the mailroom. JACKSON attempted to light a second fire in the mailroom on top of cardboard boxes using a lighter and a bottle of ignitable liquid. JACKSON, WILLIAMS, EDWARDS, along with identified and unidentified others, then ran out of the building using the same door. WILLIAMS subsequently re-entered the building and attempted to light a fire inside the building entrance before leaving the scene.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Minneapolis Fire Department, and the Minneapolis, Bloomington, and Richfield Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chelsea A. Walcker.
Defendant Information:
SHADOR TOMMIE CORTEZ JACKSON, 24
Richfield, Minn.
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to commit arson, 1 count
LEROY LEMONTE PERRY WILLIAMS, 34
Minneapolis, Minn.
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to commit arson, 1 count
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Two Men Plead Guilty to Minneapolis Police Third Precinct ArsonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the guilty pleas of DAVON DE-ANDRE TURNER, 25, and BRANDEN MICHAEL WOLFE, 23, to one count each of conspiracy to commit arson at the Minneapolis Police Department’s Third Precinct headquarters. TURNER entered his guilty plea today before Judge Patrick J. Schiltz in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota. WOLFE entered his guilty plea on December 22, 2020, before Judge Patrick J. Schiltz in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota. WOLFE will be sentenced on April 22, 2021, and TURNER will be sentenced on May 13, 2021.
According to TURNER’s and WOLFE’s guilty pleas and documents filed with the court, on the night of May 28, 2020, TURNER and WOLFE separately went to the Third Precinct where a crowd of hundreds had gathered. At one point, the crowd began shouting, “Burn it down, burn it down.” Soon after, a fence that was designed to keep trespassers out of the Third Precinct building was torn down. TURNER and an individual unknown to him at the time (later identified as co-defendant Bryce Michael Williams) worked together to light an incendiary device which they intended to be used to start or further accelerate a fire. The incendiary device was taken into the Third Precinct headquarters by TURNER and was used to start a fire. WOLFE pushed a barrel into a fire located in the entrance of the Third Precinct headquarters that had been set by other unidentified co-conspirators. In his guilty plea, WOLFE admitted that he pushed the barrel with the intent to accelerate the existing fire.
Co-conspirators Bryce Michael Williams and Dylan Shakespeare Robinson have also pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to commit arson for their roles in the arson at the Third Precinct building. Williams will be sentenced on March 9, 2021, and Robinson will be sentenced on April 6, 2021.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted jointly by the ATF, the FBI, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal Division.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Jacobs and David P. Steinkamp.
Defendant Information:
DAVON DE-ANDRE TURNER, 25
St. Paul, Minn.
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to commit arson, 1 count
BRANDEN MICHAEL WOLFE, 23
St. Paul, Minn.
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to commit arson, 1 count
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
St. Paul Man Charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced a federal criminal complaint against JUAN MANUEL BUENDIA-CALDERA, 40, charging him with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. BUENDIA-CALDERA, who was taken into federal custody on January 21, 2021, made his initial appearance earlier today before Magistrate Judge David T. Schultz in U.S. District Court.
According to the allegations in the criminal complaint and law enforcement affidavit, after receiving information that an individual named “Migo,” later identified as BUENDIA-CALDERA, was selling fentanyl in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, an undercover law enforcement officer contacted BUENDIA-CALDERA to purchase fentanyl. BUENDIA-CALDERA delivered 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl to the undercover officer. During the transaction, BUENDIA-CALDERA discussed his ability to provide an additional two kilograms of fentanyl as well as crystal methamphetamine. On January 21, 2021, following CALDERA’s arrest, law enforcement seized from BUENDIA-CALDERA’s residence more than two kilograms of fentanyl.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the DEA Minneapolis, DEA Fargo, St. Paul Police Department, Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, Ramsey County VCET, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Minnesota State Patrol, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Southwest Metro Drug Task Force.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin A. Wesley.
The charges contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
JUAN MANUEL BUENDIA-CALDERA, 40
St. Paul, Minn.
Charges:
- Possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, 1 count
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
St. Paul Man Charged with Interstate Communication of A ThreatRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced a federal criminal complaint against JASON ROBERT KARIMI, 32, charging him with interstate communication of a threat. KARIMI, who was taken into federal custody on January 21, 2021, made his initial appearance earlier today before Magistrate Judge David T. Schultz in U.S. District Court.
According to the allegations in the criminal complaint and law enforcement affidavit, on January 11, 2021, U.S. Capitol Police reviewed a voicemail left on the office telephone of a U.S. Representative. The voicemail contained graphic threats of violence. The caller’s telephone number was traced to a cell phone in KARIMI’s name. On January 12, 2021, agents arranged to meet with KARIMI near his St. Paul residence. KARIMI told agents that he works as a lobbyist for the marijuana industry and the voicemail was meant to cause “political pain” to the U.S. Representative’s political career.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the U.S. Capitol Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Steinkamp.
The charges contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
JASON ROBERT KARIMI, 32
St. Paul, Minn.
Charges:
- Interstate communication of a threat, 1 count
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Owatonna Man Charged with Possession of an Unregistered FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced a federal criminal complaint against DAYTON CHARLES SAUKE, 22, charging him with possessing an unregistered firearm. SAUKE was taken into federal custody on January 15, 2021, and will make his initial appearance today before Magistrate Judge David T. Schultz in U.S. District Court.
According to the allegations in the criminal complaint and law enforcement affidavit, on July 30, 2020, the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office received information that SAUKE was selling narcotics and manufacturing and dealing firearms without a license. Beginning on December 6, 2020, law enforcement agents monitored SAUKE’s Snapchat account. SAUKE made numerous posts consistent with manufacturing and dealing firearms without a license, as well as using and dealing drugs. Between December 6, 2020, and January 12, 2021, SAUKE posted pictures of a short-barreled shotgun and made several threatening posts about killing law enforcement and politicians. On January 15, 2021, two undercover agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) met with SAUKE and purchased from him a privately made firearm for $1,500. SAUKE discussed with the undercover agents the cost for manufacturing additional firearms. During the conversation, SAUKE showed the undercover agents photos of firearms they could purchase and said he had a “sawed-off shotgun” in his car. The undercover agents agreed to purchase two additional firearms from SAUKE and paid him $900 toward the purchases. Once the purchase was complete, SAUKE was taken into custody. Agents recovered from SAUKE’s vehicle a short-barreled shotgun, similar to the gun shown in SAUKE’s Snapchat posts, and a box of shotgun ammunition. Federal law requires shotguns with reduced barrels and overall lengths (often referred to as “sawed-off” or “short-barreled” shotguns) to be registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. The shotgun was not registered to SAUKE.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the ATF, FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office, the South Central Drug Investigations Unit, and the Cannon River Drug Task Force.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin A. Wesley.
The charges contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
DAYTON CHARLES SAUKE, 22
Owatonna, Minn.
Charges:
- Possession of an unregistered firearm, 1 count
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Statement on Federal Law Enforcement’s Safety and Security EffortsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota and its federal law enforcement partners, including the FBI, ATF, U.S. Marshals and Homeland Security Investigations, will devote all our resources to protect public safety throughout the State of Minnesota in the coming days. Federal law enforcement is leaning forward to both respond to threats of violence and acts of violence and to assist state and local law enforcement to ensure public safety in our communities. We are leveraging additional resources, including an FBI-led 24-hour command post to facilitate information and intelligence sharing across the law enforcement spectrum, in order to achieve this shared goal. In accordance with our public safety mission, federal law enforcement will hold accountable any individuals or groups who commit any criminal activity in our communities.
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald urges the public to be safe and to report suspicious activity to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324).
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Federal Grand Jury Returns Indictment Charging Red Lake Man with MurderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced a federal indictment charging RALPH EDWARD CLOUD, JR., 36, with murder in the second degree. CLOUD made his initial appearance today before Magistrate Judge Jon T. Huseby in U.S. District Court.
According to the allegations in the indictment, on September 12, 2020, on the Red Lake Indian Reservation, CLOUD unlawfully killed an individual with malice aforethought.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Red Lake Tribal Police Department and the FBI Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily A. Polachek and Deidre Y. Aanstad.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
RALPH EDWARD CLOUD, JR., 36
Red Lake, Minn.
Charges:
- Murder in the second degree, 1 count
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Two Canadian Citizens Charged with Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced a federal criminal complaint against DAYNE ADRIAN SITLADEEN, 29, and MUZAMIL ADEN ADDOW, 29, charging them with being unlawful aliens in possession of firearms. SITLADEEN and ADDOW are currently in federal custody and will make their initial appearances later this week before a Magistrate Judge in U.S. District Court.
According to the allegations in the criminal complaint and law enforcement affidavit, on January 10, 2021, at approximately 10:10 p.m. near Fergus Falls, a Minnesota State Patrol Trooper conducted a traffic stop on a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck with Texas license plates that was traveling between 95-100 miles per hour. When the Trooper approached the vehicle, the driver provided an Ontario, Canada driver’s license with a false name. The front seat passenger provided a false Florida identification card. The driver was later identified as ADDOW and the passenger was later identified as SITLADEEN.
According to the allegations in the criminal complaint and law enforcement affidavit, after detecting the odor of marijuana in the vehicle and receiving suspicious and inconsistent statements from SITALDEEN and ADDOW, the Trooper searched the vehicle. As a result of the search, law enforcement officers recovered a total of 67 firearms and numerous pistol magazines from four bags in the vehicle. Law enforcement later discovered a provisional federal arrest warrant from the United States Marshals Service for SITLADEEN, which was based on a 2019 Canadian arrest warrant for first degree homicide, fentanyl distribution, and possession of proceeds of crime. Law enforcement also determined that ADDOW has outstanding felony arrest warrants in Canada for firearms offenses and kidnapping.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Minnesota State Patrol.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samantha Bates and John Docherty.
The charges contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
DAYNE ADRIAN SITLADEEN, 29
Citizen of Canada
Charges:
- Unlawful alien in possession of firearms, 1 count
MUZAMIL ADEN ADDOW, 29
Citizen of Canada
Charges:
- Unlawful alien in possession of firearms, 1 count
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Minnesota Man Pleads Guilty to Providing Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the guilty plea of ABDELHAMID AL-MADIOUM, 24, to one count of providing and attempting to provide material support and resources, namely personnel and services, to ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization. AL-MADIOUM entered his guilty plea today before Judge Ann D. Montgomery in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Sentencing is currently scheduled for May 26, 2021 at 1:30 pm.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed with the court, on June 23, 2015, AL-MADIOUM and his family traveled from St. Louis Park, Minnesota, to Casablanca, Morocco, to visit their extended family. On July 8, 2015, AL-MADIOUM left Morocco and traveled to Istanbul, Turkey. There, AL-MADIOUM met up with members of ISIS who aided his border-crossing into Syria. Once in Syria, the defendant joined other members of ISIS who brought him to Mosul, Iraq.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea, after AL-MADIOUM arrived in Mosul, he enrolled into ISIS and received military training from its members. AL-MADIOUM was then assigned to the Tariq Bin-Ziyad Battalion of the Abu Mutaz al-Qurashi Division of ISIS, where he served as a solider for ISIS until 2016, when he was injured conducting military activities on behalf of ISIS. Following AL-MADIOUM’s injury, he remained a member of ISIS and continued to receive a stipend until his surrender to Syrian Democratic Forces in or near Baghouz, Syria, in March of 2019. In September of 2020, AL-MADIOUM was returned to Minnesota.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Winter and Trial Attorney Danielle S. Rosborough of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
Defendant Information:
ABDELHAMID AL-MADIOUM, 24
St. Louis Park, Minn.
Convicted:
- Providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization (ISIS), 1 count
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Brownsville Felon Sentenced to Prison for Manufacturing and Selling Explosive MaterialRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the sentencing of KENNETH RAY MILLER, 58, to 22 months in prison for manufacturing and dealing in explosive material. MILLER, who pleaded guilty on September 8, 2020, was sentenced earlier today before Judge Patrick J. Schiltz in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
According to MILLER’s guilty plea and documents filed with the court, in the spring of 2019, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) was notified of a Popular Science magazine article about MILLER manufacturing pyrotechnics on his property in Brownsville, Minnesota. MILLER, a convicted felon, is prohibited from possessing firearms and manufacturing and dealing in explosive material.
According to MILLER’s guilty plea and documents filed with the court, from 2013 to March 3, 2020, he manufactured and sold smoke generating devices containing electric igniters (also known as electric matches) and a chlorate explosive mixture to customers across the country. MILLER admitted that he did not have a license, permit, exemption or other authorization from the ATF to possess or use the electric matches or chlorate explosive mixtures.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Houston County Sheriff’s Office, the St. Paul Police Department, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (State Fire Marshal).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Polachek prosecuted the case.
Defendant Information:
KENNETH RAY MILLER, 58
Brownsville, Minn.
Convicted:
- Manufacturing and dealing explosive materials, 1 count
Sentenced:
- 22 months in prison
- Three years of supervised release
- Prohibited from buying, selling, using, or possessing pyrotechnic materials
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Joint Statement of United States Attorney Erica MacDonald and FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael Paul on the Violence at the U.S CapitolRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota and the FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office condemn the violence and terror that took place at our Nation’s Capitol and surrounding area. This was a reprehensible affront to our institution of democracy. We are committed to upholding the rule of law and will hold accountable any individual who traveled from the District of Minnesota to commit illegal, violent acts.
The FBI is seeking information that will assist in identifying individuals who are actively instigating violence in Washington, DC. The FBI is accepting tips and digital media depicting rioting and violence in the U.S. Capitol Building and surrounding area in Washington, DC, on January 6, 2021.
If you have witnessed unlawful violent actions, we urge you to submit any information, photos, or videos that could be relevant at fbi.gov/USCapitol
You may also call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) to verbally report tips and/or information related to this investigation.
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Owner of Waseca Travel Agency Charged with Defrauding Travel Agents Nationwide of Nearly $500,000 in Commission MoneyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced a federal indictment charging MATTHEW HARALD SCHUMACHER, 44, with four counts of wire fraud. SCHUMACHER will make his initial appearance before Magistrate Judge Tony N. Leung in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 4, 2020.
According to the allegations in the indictment, SCHUMACHER was owner and operator of Travel Troops, LLC, and Vacation Agent Nation, LLP, which were host travel agencies based in Waseca, Minnesota. Through his businesses, SCHUMACHER purported to provide host travel services to independent travel agents throughout the United States in exchange for a monthly fee. SCHUMACHER represented that his host travel business was a reliable and profitable means for his fee-paying travel agents to receive higher commission rates from travel industry suppliers, such as airlines, resorts, and cruise companies, than if the individual travel agents booked their customers’ travel arrangements. Pursuant to service agreements that SCHUMACHER entered into with travel agents, SCHUMACHER claimed to receive and collect on behalf of travel agents commission payments from travel industry suppliers and to distribute those commission payments to the various travel agents who booked the travel and earned the commissions.
However, according to the allegations in the indictment, SCHUMACHER defrauded at least 36 travel agents by misappropriating for his own personal use and benefit at least approximately $484,000 in commission payments owed to them from travel suppliers. SCHUMACHER tried to retain his travel agents’ money and to lull them into a false sense of security by, among other things, providing the travel agents with partial payments and by giving them materially false and fraudulent information.
As further alleged in the indictment, SCHUMACHER misappropriated travel agents’ commission payments for his own personal use and benefit by, among other things, depositing at least approximately $160,000 to a personal account, funding of at least approximately $150,000 for his own travel expenses, including travel to Australia, the Caribbean, Mexico, Alaska, and multiple European countries, withdrawing of at least approximately $33,000 in cash, purchasing approximately $3,117 of electronics at Best Buy, as well as making payments for personal expenses, such as retail purchases, restaurant bills, car payments, credit card bills, StubHub ticket purchases, and loan payments.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew S. Ebert is prosecuting the case.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
MATTHEW HAROLD SCHUMACHER, 44
Waseca, Minn.
Charges:
- Wire fraud, 4 counts
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Member of "Boogaloo Bois" Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to HamasRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald and National Security Division Assistant Attorney General John Demers today announced the guilty plea of BENJAMIN RYAN TEETER, 22, to conspiracy to provide material support and resources, namely property, services and weapons, to Hamas, a designated foreign terrorist organization. TEETER, who was charged via a superseding indictment on November 6, 2020, pleaded guilty today before Judge Michael J. Davis in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota. A sentencing date will be scheduled at a later time.
“The defendant was a self-described member of the Boogaloo Bois whose extremist ideologies had moved into the realm of violent action,” said United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald. “I am grateful for the quick and effective action by law enforcement to keep our community safe.”
“This case highlights the real threat posed by domestic violent extremists who self-radicalize and threaten to violently attack others opposed to their views, with little or no warning,” said Michael Paul, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Minneapolis field office. “Preventing terrorist attacks is the FBI’s number one priority and the primary mission of our Joint Terrorism Task Forces. The FBI and its task force partners will persist in using every investigative tool available to identify, assess and disrupt those willing to compromise the safety of our neighbors and communities.”
According to documents filed with the court, in late May of 2020, the FBI initiated an investigation into TEETER and co-defendant Michael Robert Solomon, two members of the “Boogaloo Bois,” and a sub-group called the “Boojahideen.” The Boogaloo Bois are a loosely-connected group of individuals who espouse violent anti-government sentiments. The term “Boogaloo” itself references an impending second civil war in the United States and is associated with violent uprisings against the government.
According to TEETER’s guilty plea and documents filed with the court, in early June, the FBI received information about TEETER, Solomon, and other members of the Boogaloo Bois and the Boojahideen through a confidential human source (“CHS”), whom the defendants believed to be a member of Hamas. In audio-recorded conversations, TEETER and Solomon expressed that Hamas shares anti-U.S. government views that align with their own views. TEETER and Solomon also expressed their desire to employ themselves as “mercenaries” for Hamas to generate cash for the Boogaloo Bois/Boojahideen movement, including funding for recruitment and purchasing land for a training compound. TEETER admitted in his guilty plea that he knew Hamas was a designated foreign terrorist organization, and that the organization had engaged and was engaging in terrorist activity or terrorism.
According to TEETER’s guilty plea and documents filed with the court, throughout the summer of 2020, TEETER and co-defendant Solomon met with the CHS on multiple occasions.
On June 14, 2020 TEETER met with the CHS and proposed ways to assist Hamas including using explosives to destroy government buildings in the United States. In exchange, TEETER sought financial backing from Hamas for the Boogaloo Bois. On June 18, 2020, TEETER identified to the CHS a courthouse in northern Minnesota that TEETER and Solomon believed was a suitable target for destruction. On June 19, 2020, TEETER and Solomon met with the CHS and continued to discuss, among other topics, the plot to destroy a courthouse.
On June 28, 2020, TEETER, Solomon, and the CHS, met an undercover employee of the FBI (“UCE) that TEETER believed was a member of Hamas. During this meeting, TEETER and Solomon proposed manufacturing suppressors, untraceable firearms, and fully automatic firearms for Hamas.
On July 6, 2020, TEETER and Solomon purchased a drill press for the purpose of manufacturing suppressors for Hamas. TEETER admitted in his guilty plea that he planned to produce suppressors, some of which could be sold to others. TEETER and Solomon brought the drill press to Solomon’s home and later used the drill press to manufacture five suppressors. TEETER and Solomon delivered the five suppressors to the CHS and UCE on July 30, 2020, believing those devices would be used by Hamas. During that meeting, TEETER and Solomon agreed to manufacture additional suppressors for Hamas believing that the next batch of suppressors would be used against Israeli and United States military personnel overseas.
TEETER and Solomon again met the UCE on August 29, 2020. During this meeting TEETER and Solomon gave the UCE a 3-D printed “auto sear” believing that the auto sear would be used by Hamas to convert semi-automatic rifles into fully automatic rifles. At this time TEETER and Solomon agreed to obtain, and did obtain, another order of auto sears for the CHS and the UCE.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Winter, and Trial Attorneys George Kraehe and Phil Viti of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the cases.
These cases fall with the purview of the Attorney General’s Task Force to Combat Violent Anti-Government Extremism. Launched in June 2020, the Task Force is dedicated to supporting the investigation and prosecution of any person or group who commits violence in the name of an anarchist ideology.
The charges against defendant Michael Robert Solomon are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
BENJAMIN RYAN TEETER, 22
Hampstead, N.C.
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization (Hamas), 1 count
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
California Woman Is 63rd Defendant Charged in Nationwide Telemarketing SchemeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced a federal indictment charging CAROL ANN OLBERG, 46, with three counts wire fraud and violating the Senior Citizens Against Marketing Scams Act of 1994 (the “SCAMS Act”). OLBERG is the 63rd defendant charged to date as part of a nationwide telemarketing scheme that targeted elderly and vulnerable victims. OLBERG will make her initial appearance in U.S. District Court at a later date.
According to allegations in the indictments and documents filed with the court, from 2013 through 2020, OLBERG owned and operated Sun Coast Readers LLC, a California-based company involved in fraudulent magazine sales. OLBERG ran Sun Coast Readers from her home in Winchester, California. As part of the fraud scheme, OLBERG obtained lists of consumers who had active and ongoing magazine subscriptions through other companies. OLBERG knew that many of the consumers on these lists were elderly or otherwise susceptible to fraudulent and deceptive sales tactics. OLBERG used the information on these lists to fraudulently pose as the victim-consumers’ existing magazine provider, calling about an existing subscription. Using a series of knowing and deliberate lies and misrepresentations OLBERG signed the victim-consumers up for expensive magazine subscriptions or falsely claimed to be calling with an offer to renew the victim-consumer’s existing magazine subscription, often at a reduced cost. In reality, OLBERG and her company had no existing relationship with most of the victim-consumers and OLBERG was not calling about an existing magazine subscription. Instead she was calling to defraud them by tricking them into unwittingly signing up for entirely new magazine subscriptions.
According to allegations in the indictment and documents filed with the court, OLBERG also defrauded victim-consumers who had been previously defrauded by multiple magazine companies. These victim-consumers had been “sold” magazine subscriptions they did not want and did not knowingly sign up for. The victim-consumers were being billed by multiple other magazine sales companies—as many as a dozen magazine companies at a time. Many of these victim-consumers were elderly and otherwise vulnerable. They were desperate to cancel their magazines. As part of the fraud scheme, when victim-consumers said they did not want the magazines they were already receiving, OLBERG used a fraudulent “cancellation” pitch in which she fraudulently claimed that the victim-consumers owed a large outstanding balance for existing magazine subscriptions with their company. OLBERG then fraudulently offered to pay off that balance in exchange for a large lump-sum payment. In reality, the customers did not owe OLBERG or her company any money and OLBERG simply stole the money. During the course of the scheme, OLBERG defrauded more than 3,000 victims across the United States. Between 2013 and 2020, she received approximately $1.4 million from victims of her scheme.
This indictment is related to the cases United States v. Rahm, et al., 20-cr-232; United States v. Timmerman et al., 20-cr-233; United States v. Mathias et al., 20-cr-231; United States v. Dahl, 18-cr-305 and United States v. Oelrich, 20-cr-128.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Additional assistance was provided by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) and the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Harry M. Jacobs, and Melinda A. Williams are prosecuting the case.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
CAROL ANN OLBERG, 46
Winchester, Cali.
Charges:
- Wire fraud, 3 counts
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Brainerd Man Pleads Guilty to Minneapolis Police Third Precinct ArsonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the guilty plea of DYLAN SHAKESPEARE ROBINSON, 23, to one count of conspiracy to commit arson at the Minneapolis Police Department’s Third Precinct. ROBINSON entered his guilty plea today before Judge Patrick J. Schiltz in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota. A sentencing date will be scheduled at a later time.
According to the ROBINSON’s guilty plea and documents filed with the court, on the night of May 28, 2020, ROBINSON went to the Third Precinct where a crowd of hundreds had gathered. At one point, the crowd began shouting, “Burn it down, burn it down.” Soon after, a fence that was designed to keep trespassers out of the Third Precinct building was torn down. ROBINSON, along with other co-conspirators, breached the fence and entered the Third Precinct building. ROBINSON, assisted by an unidentified co-conspirator, lit a device held by the unidentified co-conspirator who threw it toward the Third Precinct building with the intent that it would start a fire or fuel an existing fire.
On November 19, 2020, co-conspirator Bryce Michael Williams plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit arson for his role in the arson at the Third Precinct building.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted jointly by the ATF, the FBI, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal Division.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Jacobs and David P. Steinkamp.
Defendant Information:
DYLAN SHAKESPEARE ROBINSON, 23
Brainerd, Minn.
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to commit arson, 1 count
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Owner of St. Cloud Press Bar Charged with Arson, Insurance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the unsealing of a federal indictment charging ANDREW CHARLES WELSH, 41, with intentionally setting fire to his business and submitting a fraudulent insurance claim. WELSH, who was arrested earlier today, made his initial appearance today before Magistrate Judge Kate M. Menendez in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
According to the allegations in the indictment, WELSH is the owner and operator of the Press Bar and Parlor located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota. WELSH purchased and maintained a $1,350,000 business owner’s insurance policy for the Press Bar and Parlor. On February 17, 2020, WELSH used an ignitable liquid to set fire to the basement of the Press Bar and Parlor. The fire eventually spread and resulted in the total destruction of the building as well as other losses. On February 24, 2020, WELSH retained a Public Insurance Adjuster to assist in the preparation, presentation, and adjustment of insurance claims related to the fire. On February 26, 2020, WELSH, through the Public Insurance Adjuster, claimed that he was entitled to payment from the insurance company in the amount $1,430,123.28 for property damage and other losses related to the February 17, 2020 fire.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the St. Cloud Police Department, the St. Cloud Fire Department, and the Minnesota State Fire Marshals, Stearns County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Stearns County Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan H. Nelson and Evan B. Gilead are prosecuting the case, with support from Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Teirab.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
ANDREW CHARLES WELSH, 41
Saint Joseph, Minn.
Charges:
- Arson, 1 count
- Use of fire to commit a federal felony, 1 count
- Wire fraud, 1 count
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Three Men Charged with Conspiracy to Commit Arson of Target Corporation HeadquartersRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced a federal indictment charging SHADOR TOMMIE CORTEZ JACKSON, 24, VICTOR DEVON EDWARDS, 31, and LEROY LEMONTE PERRY WILLIAMS, 34, each with one count of conspiracy to commit arson of the Target Corporation’s corporate headquarters building located at 1000 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, Minnesota. JACKSON, EDWARDS, AND WILLIAMS were previously charged via federal complaint with arson. Formal detention and arraignment hearings will be scheduled at a later date.
According to allegations in the federal indictment and documents filed with the court, on Wednesday, August 26, 2020, Minneapolis experienced arson, rioting, and looting following the suicide of a suspect in a homicide, and in response to false rumors surrounding the man’s death. JACKSON, EDWARDS, and WILLIAMS went to the Target Corporation’s corporate headquarters building (“Target Corporation building”) where dozens of other people had gathered. JACKSON used a construction sign to break through one of the glass doors into the Target Corporation building. JACKSON, EDWARDS, and WILLIAMS, along with unidentified others, breached the doors and entered the Target Corporation building. Once inside, JACKSON intentionally set a fire on a counter inside the mailroom while EDWARDS stood nearby. EDWARDS later added a liquid accelerant to the fire located on the mailroom counter with the intent to fuel the existing fire. JACKSON attempted to light a second fire in the mailroom on top of cardboard boxes using a lighter and a bottle of ignitable liquid. JACKSON, EDWARDS, and WILLIAMS, along with unidentified others then ran out of the building together using the same door. WILLIAMS subsequently re-entered the building and attempted to light a fire inside the building entrance before leaving the scene.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Minneapolis Fire Department, and the Minneapolis, Bloomington, and Richfield Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chelsea A. Walcker.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Information:
SHADOR TOMMIE CORTEZ JACKSON, 24
Richfield, Minn.
Charges:
- Conspiracy to Commit Arson, 1 count
VICTOR DEVON EDWARDS, 31,
St. Paul, Minn.
Charges:
- Conspiracy to Commit Arson, 1 count
LEROY LEMONTE PERRY WILLIAMS, 34
Minneapolis, Minn.
Charges:
- Conspiracy to Commit Arson, 1 count
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Federal Jury Convicts Illinois Man for Bombing the Dar al-Farooq Islamic CenterRead the Press Release
Yesterday, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict against Micheal Hari, 49, for his role in the bombing of the Dar al-Farooq Islamic Center in Bloomington, Minnesota, on Aug. 5, 2017.
Following a three week trial, the jury convicted Hari on all five counts of the indictment, including intentionally defacing, damaging, and destroying any religious real property because of the religious character of that property; intentionally obstructing, and attempting to obstruct, by force and the threat of force, the free exercise of religious beliefs; conspiracy to commit federal felonies by means of fire and explosives; carrying and using a destructive device during and in relation to crimes of violence; and possession of an unregistered destructive device. Hari faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years in prison.
“I commend the outstanding efforts of the trial team from the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI, which tried this case with support from the Civil Rights Division. The jury’s verdict confirms the fundamental principle that every person in this country has the right to exercise religion free from violence and fear,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. “We are grateful for our law enforcement partners on this case and are pleased to see justice being carried out.”
“Michael Hari’s goal in bombing the Dar al-Farooq Islamic Center was to spread hatred, instill fear, and threaten the constitutionally protected right to freedom of religion. This act of violence, driven by hatred and ignorance, shook our community,” said U.S. Attorney Erica H. MacDonald for the Distirct of Minnesota. “This guilty verdict represents a condemnation of that hatred and upholds our fundamental right to live and worship free from the threat of violence and discrimination. I am sincerely grateful to the Assistant U.S. Attorneys and the FBI special agents who, over several years, have remained steadfast in their pursuit of justice.”
As proven at trial, during the summer of 2017, Hari established in Clarence, Illinois, a terrorist militia group called “The White Rabbits.” Hari recruited several men, including co-defendants Michael McWhorter and Joe Morris, to join the militia group, which he outfitted with tactical vests and assault rifles. On Aug. 4 and 5, 2017, Hari, McWhorter, and Morris drove in a rented pickup truck from Clarence to Bloomington, Minnesota, with the mission of bombing the Dar al-Farooq (DAF) Islamic Center. Hari targeted DAF in an attempt to scare Muslims into believing they are not welcome in the United States and should leave the country.
As proven at trial, Hari, McWhorter and Morris arrived at DAF on Aug. 5, 2017, at approximately 5:00 a.m. Morris used a sledgehammer to break a window, which was part of DAF’s Imam’s office, and threw a plastic container containing diesel fuel and gasoline mixture into the building. McWhorter then lit the fuse on a 10-pound black powder pipe bomb that Hari had built and threw it through the broken window. McWhorter and Morris ran back to the truck, where Hari was waiting in the driver’s seat. The three men sped away from the building and drove back to Clarence. When the pipe bomb exploded, it ignited the mixture in the plastic container, causing extensive fire and smoke damage to the Imam’s office, in addition to water damage caused by the building’s sprinkler system. At the time of the bombing, several congregants were gathered in the mosque for morning prayers.
On Jan. 24, 2019, McWhorter and Morris pleaded guilty to their roles in the bombing.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
U.S. Attorney MacDonald thanks Assistant U.S. Attorneys John F. Docherty, Allison Ethen and Timothy C. Rank, who tried this case with assistance from Lead Paralegal Specialist Lynette Simser, Witness Specialist Jeffery Knopps, former Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie E. Allyn, Trial Attorney Tim Visser from the Civil Rights Division, and the Special Agents of the FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office. Their hard work and commitment to the pursuit of justice made this result possible.
Savage Man Sentenced to More Than 6 Years in Prison for Arson of Dakota County Government BuildingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the sentencing of FORNANDOUS CORTEZ HENDERSON, 33, to 78 months in prison for aiding and abetting arson. HENDERSON who plead guilty on August 26, 2020, was sentenced today by Judge Susan Richard Nelson, in U.S. District Court, in St. Paul, Minnesota.
According to HENDERSON’s guilty plea and documents filed with the court, HENDERSON and GARRETT PATRICK ZIEGLER[1] (co-defendant) constructed multiple Molotov cocktails. In the early morning hours of May 29, 2020, HENDERSON and the co-defendant went to the Dakota County Western Service Center (the ''WSC") located at 14955 Galaxie Avenue in Apple Valley, Minnesota. The WSC houses state and local agencies and organizations, including Dakota County court facilities, as well as a U.S. Passport center. HENDERSON admitted in his guilty plea that he chose the WSC as a target for this arson because he had previously made court appearances at that building and because he was angry with law enforcement regarding the recent death of George Floyd. Using baseball bats, HENDERSON and the co-defendant broke multiple windows at the WSC and threw in multiple, lit Molotov cocktails. Some of these devices successfully ignited and caused fire damage to the WSC. The attacked caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage.
According to HENDERSON’s guilty plea and documents filed with the court, HENDERSON and the co-defendant also started and attempted to start other fires at the WSC by pouring ignitable liquids and throwing unlit Molotov cocktails in and around the broken windows, then attempting to start the fluids on fire.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Apple Valley Police Department, and the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Dakota County Attorney’s Office.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander D. Chiquoine and Chelsea A. Walcker.
Defendant Information:
FORNANDOUS CORTEZ HENDERSON, 33
Savage, Minn.
Convicted:
- Aiding and abetting arson, 1 count
Sentenced:
- 78 months in prison
- 3 years supervised release
- $205,872.53 in restitution
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
[1] The charges against co-defendant Garrett Patrick Ziegler are accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Federal Jury Convicts Illinois Man for Bombing the Dar Al-Farooq Islamic CenterRead the Press Release
Today, a federal jury returned guilty verdicts against MICHAEL HARI, 49, for his role in the bombing of the Dar al-Farooq (“DAF”) Islamic Center in Bloomington, Minnesota, on August 5, 2017. The announcement was made by United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota Erica H. MacDonald, Assistant Attorney General Eric S. Dreiband of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, and Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Minneapolis field office Michael Paul. Following a five week trial, the jury convicted HARI on all five counts of the indictment, including Intentionally Defacing, Damaging, and Destroying any Religious Real Property Because of the Religious Character of that Property; Intentionally Obstructing, and Attempting to Obstruct, by Force and the Threat of Force, the Free Exercise of Religious Beliefs; Conspiracy to Commit Federal Felonies by Means of Fire and Explosives; Carrying and Using a Destructive Device During and in Relation to Crimes of Violence; and Possession of an Unregistered Destructive Device. HARI faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 35 years in prison. A sentencing date before U.S. District Judge Donovan W. Frank will be scheduled at a later time.
“Michael Hari’s goal in bombing the Dar al-Farooq Islamic Center was to spread hatred, instill fear, and threaten the constitutionally protected right to freedom of religion. This act of violence, driven by hatred and ignorance, shook our community,” said United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald. “Today’s guilty verdicts represent a condemnation of that hatred and uphold our fundamental right to live and worship free from the threat of violence and discrimination. I am sincerely grateful to the Assistant U.S. Attorneys and the FBI Special Agents who, over several years, have remained steadfast in their pursuit of justice. I also want to extend my deepest gratitude to the members of DAF who, despite their fears, showed strength and resiliency by testifying at trial. I hope today’s verdict offers a sense of peace as the community moves forward.”
“I commend the outstanding efforts of the trial team from the United States Attorney’s Office and the FBI, which tried this case with support from the Civil Rights Division. The jury’s verdict confirms the fundamental principle that every person in this country has the right to exercise religion free from violence and fear,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. “We are grateful for our law enforcement partners on this case and are pleased to see justice being carried out.”
"Extremist violence such as this – fueled by exclusive, insular hatred and intended to intimidate Minnesotans based simply on their faith – will not be tolerated by the FBI and our regional law enforcement partners,” said Michael Paul, special agent in charge of the FBI's Minneapolis field office. “Today's verdict is a strong warning to criminal extremists conspiring and calculating to target innocent Americans because of their personal beliefs. Our ranks are universally steadfast in our commitment to the FBI’s core mission – to protect our communities and to protect the rights of all Americans.”
As proven at trial, during the summer of 2017, HARI established a terrorist militia group called “The White Rabbits” in Clarence, Illinois. HARI recruited co-defendants Michael McWhorter and Joe Morris to join the militia, which he outfitted with paramilitary equipment and assault rifles. On August 4 and 5, 2017, HARI, McWhorter, and Morris drove in a rented pickup truck from Illinois to Bloomington, Minnesota, to bomb the DAF Islamic Center. HARI targeted DAF to terrorize Muslims into believing they are not welcome in the United States and should leave the country.
As proven at trial, HARI, McWhorter, and Morris arrived at DAF on August 5, 2017, at approximately 5:00 a.m. At HARI’s direction, Morris used a sledgehammer to break the window of the Imam’s office at DAF, and he threw a plastic container with a mixture of diesel fuel and gasoline into the office. Also at HARI’s direction, McWhorter then lit the fuse on a 20-pound black powder pipe bomb and threw it through the broken window. McWhorter and Morris ran back to the truck, where HARI was waiting in the driver’s seat. The three men sped away from the building and drove back to Illinois. When the pipe bomb exploded, the blast caused extensive damage to the Imam’s office. It also ignited the gasoline and diesel mixture, causing extensive fire and smoke damage. At the time of the bombing, several worshipers were gathered in the mosque for morning prayers.
On January 24, 2019, McWhorter and Morris pleaded guilty to their roles in the bombing.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
United States Attorney MacDonald thanks Assistant United States Attorneys John Docherty, Allison Ethen and Timothy Rank, Justice Department Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Timothy Visser, Lead Paralegal Specialist Lynette Simser, Witness Specialists Jeffery Knopps and Selina Kolsrud, Community Affairs Director Angie LaTour, former Assistant United States Attorney Julie Allyn, and the special agents of the FBI’s Minneapolis and Springfield, Illinois Divisions, the ATF, and the Bloomington Police Department for their hard work and commitment to the pursuit of justice. United States Attorney further thanks the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois and the FBI’s Springfield field office for their collaboration and partnership. United States Attorney MacDonald also thanks Assistant United States Attorney Eugene Miller, of the Central District of Illinois, for his support and assistance to this case.
Defendant Information:
MICHAEL HARI, 49
Clarence, Ill.
Convicted:
- Intentionally Defacing, Damaging, and Destroying any Religious Real Property Because of the Religious Character of that Property, 1 count
- Intentionally Obstructing, and Attempting to Obstruct, by Force and the Threat of Force, the Free Exercise of Religious Beliefs, 1 count
- Conspiracy to Commit Federal Felonies by Means of Fire and Explosives, 1 count
- Carrying and Using a Destructive Device During and in Relation to Crimes of Violence, 1 count
- Possession of an Unregistered Destructive Device, 1 count
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Montrose Man Sentenced to 180 Months in Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the sentencing of MARK OREN SCHORN, 53, to 180 months in prison for his role in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy. SCHORN, who pleaded guilty on August 19, 2020, was sentenced today before Judge Eric C. Tostrud in U.S. District Court in St. Paul, Minnesota.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, SCHORN and his co-conspirators engaged in a large-scale methamphetamine trafficking operation. On April 14, 2020, law enforcement stopped SCHORN’s co-conspirators, including Lucas Jay Madison, near Faribault, Minnesota, as they traveled back from Phoenix, Arizona. Law enforcement conducted a search of the vehicle and recovered approximately 23 pounds of methamphetamine contained within a backpack. Lucas Jay Madison was sentenced to 235 months in prison on November 24, 2020.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, the recovered methamphetamine was intended for delivery to SCHORN and other co-conspirators in the Twin Cities. On the same day, law enforcement conducted multiple search warrants, including at SCHORN’s apartment in Montrose, Minnesota. Law enforcement found over $100,000, two digital scales, an empty holster, metal knuckles with a retractable knife, and ammunition in various calibers inside SCHORN’s bedroom. During the execution of the search warrant, SCHORN attempted to flee the apartment. The following day, law enforcement located a 9mm handgun hidden along SCHORN’s flight path.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, the Anoka Hennepin Drug Task Force, the Cannon River Drug & Violent Offender Task Force, the Southeast Minnesota Gang and Drug Task Force, the Wright County Sheriff’s Office, the Rice County Sheriff’s Office, the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office, the Minnesota State Patrol, and the Edina Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Allen A. Slaughter prosecuted the case.
Defendant Information:
MARK OREN SCHORN, 53
St. Paul, Minn.
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 1 count
Sentenced:
- 180 months in prison
- Five years of supervised release
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
St. Paul Man Sentenced to 235 Months in Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the sentencing of LUCAS JAY MADISON, 40, to 235 months in prison for his role in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy. MADISON, who pleaded guilty on July 21, 2020, was sentenced yesterday before Judge Eric C. Tostrud in U.S. District Court in St. Paul, Minnesota.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, MADISON and his co-conspirators engaged in a large-scale methamphetamine trafficking operation. On April 14, 2020, law enforcement stopped MADISON and his co-conspirator near Faribault, Minnesota, as they traveled back from Phoenix, Arizona. Law enforcement conducted a search of the vehicle and recovered approximately 23 pounds of methamphetamine contained within a backpack. The methamphetamine was intended for delivery to MADISON’s co-conspirators in the Twin Cities. On the same day, law enforcement conducted search warrants at MADISON’s car detailing business in Bloomington, Minnesota, and his apartment in St. Paul. As a result of these searches, law enforcement agents recovered approximately 680 grams of methamphetamine, a Hi Point Model 9 9mm semi-automatic handgun, a digital scale, THC cartridges, and multiple cell phones. Afterward, law enforcement searched other conspiracy locations and seized over $100,000 in U.S. currency, two handguns, over 100 grams of methamphetamine, additional digital scales, and drug paraphernalia.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, the Anoka Hennepin Drug Task Force, the Cannon River Drug & Violent Offender Task Force, the Wright County Sheriff’s Office, the Rice County Sheriff’s Office, the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office, and the Edina Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Allen A. Slaughter prosecuted the case.
Defendant Information:
LUCAS JAY MADISON, 40
St. Paul, Minn.
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 1 count
Sentenced:
- 235 months in prison
- Five years of supervised release
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Five Defendants Plead Guilty in $300 Million Nationwide Telemarketing Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the guilty pleas of five additional defendants for their roles in a $300 million telemarketing fraud scheme that targeted elderly and other vulnerable victims. STACEY LEIGH PERSONS, 34, PATRECIA NICHOLE SHINN, 33, LEEANN GARCIA, 26, PETRA JINETTE LABOY, 42, and ANGEL WILSON, 49, were indicted on October 27, 2020, and pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to commit mail fraud in U.S. District Court earlier today.
STACEY LEIGH PERSONS pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud before Senior Judge David S. Doty in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota. According to her guilty plea and documents filed with the court, from January 2010 through February 2020, PERSONS owned and operated General Subscription Services (“GSS”) and Amerimag Services LLC (“Amerimag”), two Minnesota-based companies involved in fraudulent magazine sales. PERSONS and her companies ran a telemarketing call center in Fridley, Minnesota. As part of the scheme, PERSONS obtained lists of consumers who had active magazine subscriptions through other companies. PERSONS and her co-conspirators knew that many of the consumers on these lists were elderly or otherwise susceptible to fraudulent and deceptive sales tactics. At PERSONS’ direction, her sales employees called the people on these lists and, through lies and misrepresentations, signed them up for expensive magazine subscriptions or falsely claimed to renew victim-consumer’s existing magazine subscription at a reduced cost. In reality, GSS and Amerimag often had no existing relationship with the victim-consumers and the telemarketers were not calling about an existing magazine subscription. Instead, the telemarketers were calling to defraud the victim-consumers by tricking them into unwittingly signing up for entirely new magazine subscriptions. PERSONS, GSS, and Amerimag defrauded thousands of victims and amassed approximately $6,894,439 from victims as a result of this fraudulent scheme. As part of her guilty plea, PERSONS agreed to pay $6,894,439.00 in restitution to all identified victims in this and related cases.
PATRECIA NICHOLE SHINN and LEEANN GARCIA pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to commit mail fraud before Senior Judge Paul A. Magnuson in U.S. District Court in St. Paul, Minnesota. SHINN and GARCIA worked as telemarketers for GSS and Amerimag. At PERSONS’ direction, SHINN and GARCIA made calls to victim-consumers using fraudulent scripts. SHINN and GARCIA knew that many of the consumers on these lists were elderly or otherwise susceptible to fraudulent and deceptive sales tactics. SHINN and GARCIA, using a series of knowing and deliberate lies and misrepresentations, signed the victim-consumers up for expensive magazine subscriptions or falsely claimed to be calling with an offer to renew the victim-consumer’s existing magazine subscription, often at a reduced cost. As part of their guilty pleas, SHINN and GARCIA agreed to pay $50,000 and $15,000, respectively, in restitution to all identified victims in this and related cases.
PETRA JINETTE LABOY pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud before Senior Judge David S. Doty in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota. According to LABOY’s guilty plea and documents filed with the court, from January 2011 to February 2020, LABOY worked as a sales manager and telemarketer for several fraudulent magazine companies in south Florida, including MO Management LLC, Preferred Media Source Inc., Preferred Media Solutions, American Readers Service, Atlantic Media Source, North American Direct Service, Inc., and North America’s Readers Choice (the “fraudulent companies”). These fraudulent companies were owned by MICHAEL OELRICH, who pleaded guilty to mail fraud on July 2, 2020, and were operated on behalf of co-defendant RUSSELL RAHM. In her role, LABOY worked out of an office in Cape Coral, Florida, and used fraudulent sales scripts to defraud elderly victim-consumers out of hundreds or even thousands of dollars. LABOY was eventually promoted to sales manager. As a sales manager, LABOY would oversee and train other telemarketers to commit the fraud, using the fraudulent scripts. The companies fraudulently obtained more than $72 million from victims over the period in which LABOY worked for the companies. As part of her guilty plea, LABOY agreed to pay $50,000 in restitution to all identified victims in this and related cases.
ANGEL WILSON pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud before Senior Judge David S. Doty in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota. From 2007 through 2010 and 2017 and 2020, WILSON worked as a telemarketer for Online Reading Club Inc., a Mississippi company that also conducted business under the names Readers Pros and Online Reading Pros. (collectively, “Readers Pros”). The companies were owned by co-defendant DANIEL MATHIAS. The companies ran a telemarketing call center in Oxford, Mississippi. Readers Pros employed a similar fraud scheme that also targeted victim-consumers who were elderly or otherwise vulnerable. Using scripts provided by MATHIAS, WILSON called the vulnerable victim-consumers on the lists and, through a series of knowing and deliberate lies and misrepresentations, defrauded them. WILSON falsely claimed that the victim-consumers owed a large outstanding balance for existing magazine subscriptions and fraudulently offered to pay off that balance in exchange for a one-time payment of $507. In reality, the victim-consumers did not have any existing subscriptions with Readers Pros, did not owe Readers Pros any outstanding balance, and Readers Pros did not have the ability to cancel the victim-consumers ongoing magazine subscriptions. Readers Pros fraudulently obtained more than $1.6 million from victim-consumers during the period in which WILSON worked for the company. As part of her guilty plea, WILSON agreed to pay $15,000 in restitution to all identified victims in this and related cases.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Additional assistance was provided by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) and the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Harry M. Jacobs, and Melinda A. Williams are prosecuting the case.
Defendant Information:
STACEY LEIGH PERSONS, 34
Andover, Minn.
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to commit mail fraud, 1 count
PATRECIA NICHOLE SHINN, 33
Cambridge, Minn.
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to commit mail fraud, 1 count
LEEANN GARCIA, 26
Cambridge, Minn.
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to commit mail fraud, 1 count
PETRA JINETTE LABOY, 42
Cape Coral, Fl.
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to commit mail fraud, 1 count
ANGEL WILSON, 42
Oxford, Miss.
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to commit mail fraud, 1 count
###
Additional news available on our website.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600