Northern District of Mississippi
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Cleveland Woman Sentenced for Hospice FraudRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss. - Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi; Derrick L. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; Donald Alway, Special Agent in Charge at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood announced that:
Sandra Livingston, 64, of Cleveland, Mississippi, was sentenced on December 3, 2015 by United States District Judge Sharion Aycock in Aberdeen, Mississippi to thirty-six (36) months imprisonment to be followed by three (3) years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay
$1,098,639 in restitution to the Medicare program. Livingston will report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons on January 25, 2016.
Livingston previously pled guilty on July 30, 2015 to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1347 & 1349. Livingston owned and operated Milestone Hospice, located in Grenada, Mississippi, and admitted to using patient recruiters to solicit patients that were not hospice appropriate. Through Milestone Hospice, Livingston submitting fraudulent charges to Medicare and received over one million dollars in Medicare funds based on alleged hospice services for patients that were not eligible for hospice services; or for services that were never provided.
Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney, said, “The United Sates Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi is working aggressively to pursue unscrupulous hospice care providers who commit fraudulent acts and bring them to justice. Yesterday’s sentence insures that these illegal practices will not be tolerated and fraudsters will be punished. Our office appreciates the hard work of all of the federal, state, and local agencies that participated in the investigation.”
"Working with our law enforcement partners, we have pooled our resources and taken a team approach to tackling the hospice fraud problem in Northern Mississippi," said Derrick L. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General in Atlanta. "The message I would send to those who have stolen over a million of dollars from Medicare and Medicaid is this: You will eventually end up in federal prison just like the defendant in this case."
“This scheme is particularly sickening because the defendant charged Medicare over a million dollars in services for "treating" folks who have no idea they were on hospice because they weren't at the end of the lives,” said Donald Alway, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Mississippi. “The FBI and our partners are fully committed to finding and arresting those who commit such crimes.”
“Healthcare fraud, while directly affecting Mississippi’s most vulnerable citizens, also steals
tax-payer money from the Medicaid and Medicare programs. The Attorney General’s Office will continue to participate, with other State and Federal agencies, in this successful multi-agency approach to fight healthcare fraud in our State," said Attorney General Jim Hood.
This is the third conviction as part of a joint effort by the United States Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Mississippi Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and targeting fraudulent hospice providers who have billed Medicare and Medicaid for medically unnecessary services.
Former Tate County, Mississippi, Sheriff’s Deputy Pleads Guilty to Unlawful TasingRead the Press Release
Former Tate County, Mississippi, Lieutenant Randy T. Doss pleaded guilty in federal court today to unlawfully tasing an inmate at the Tate County Jail. The tasing, which occurred in 2012, caused J.W., a pre-trial detainee, to fall to the concrete floor and fracture his skull.
On Jan. 27, 2012, a jail-wide search was ordered after an inmate was reportedly assaulted with a razor. When corrections officers entered J.W.’s pod to conduct their search, he and his fellow inmates were ordered to stand facing the wall. At the time of the incident, the victim was standing against a wall with his hands over his head, not posing a physical threat to anyone. Doss tased the victim from 11 feet away. The victim fell backward and hit his head on the concrete floor, necessitating brain surgery. The incident was captured on video.
“The defendant was an experienced law-enforcement officer who abused the authority entrusted to him,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Civil Rights Division. “The right to be free from excessive force is a Constitutional guarantee for all citizens, including those in custody. The U.S. Department of Justice and the Civil Rights Division will vigorously enforce this right.”
“The actions of the defendant are reprehensible and inexcusable,” said U.S. Attorney Felicia C. Adams of the Northern District of Mississippi. “He abused his authority, violated the law and the public trust. While the majority of law enforcement officers are hardworking professionals who risk their lives daily for our safety, the U. S. Attorney's Office is committed to aggressively prosecuting those officers who break the law and violate the public trust.”
“Officers who abuse their power further undermine the public's trust in law enforcement,” said Special Agent in Charge Donald Alway of the FBI’s Jackson Division. “These types of cases are some of the FBI's most important work and help ensure and maintain a healthy democracy."
Doss, 63, had more than 20 years of experience in law enforcement. He had been certified to train other officers on the proper use of force, including how to use a taser.
The defendant was indicted on March 30, 2015, by a grand jury sitting in Oxford, Mississippi. He was charged with a single count of violating the victim’s right not to be deprived of liberty without due process of law. Doss was charged with both using a dangerous weapon – a taser electronic control device – and causing bodily injury to the victim.
The defendant will be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Michael P. Mills of the Northern District of Mississippi on Feb. 18, 2016.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Jackson Division, with the cooperation of the Tate County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Coleman of the Northern District of Mississippi and Trial Attorneys Dana Mulhauser and Andres Palacio of the Civil Rights Division.
Doss Plea Agreement
Former Tate County, Mississippi, Sheriff’s DeputyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Former Tate County, Mississippi, Lieutenant Randy T. Doss pleaded guilty in federal court today to unlawfully tasing an inmate at the Tate County Jail. The tasing, which occurred in 2012, caused J.W., a pre-trial detainee, to fall to the concrete floor and fracture his skull.
On Jan. 27, 2012, a jail-wide search was ordered after an inmate was reportedly assaulted with a razor. When corrections officers entered J.W.’s pod to conduct their search, he and his fellow inmates were ordered to stand facing the wall. At the time of the incident, the victim was standing against a wall with his hands over his head, not posing a physical threat to anyone. Doss tased the victim from 11 feet away. The victim fell backward and hit his head on the concrete floor, necessitating brain surgery. The incident was captured on video.
“The defendant was an experienced law-enforcement officer who abused the authority entrusted to him,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Civil Rights Division. “The right to be free from excessive force is a Constitutional guarantee for all citizens, including those in custody. The U.S. Department of Justice and the Civil Rights Division will vigorously enforce this right.”
“The actions of the defendant are reprehensible and inexcusable,” said U.S. Attorney Felicia C. Adams of the Northern District of Mississippi. “He abused his authority, violated the law and the public trust. While the majority of law enforcement officers are hardworking professionals who risk their lives daily for our safety, the U. S. Attorney's Office is committed to aggressively prosecuting those officers who break the law and violate the public trust.”
“Officers who abuse their power further undermine the public's trust in law enforcement,” said Special Agent in Charge Donald Alway of the FBI’s Jackson Division. “These types of cases are some of the FBI's most important work and help ensure and maintain a healthy democracy."
Doss, 63, had more than 20 years of experience in law enforcement. He had been certified to train other officers on the proper use of force, including how to use a taser.
The defendant was indicted on March 30, 2015, by a grand jury sitting in Oxford, Mississippi. He was charged with a single count of violating the victim’s right not to be deprived of liberty without due process of law. Doss was charged with both using a dangerous weapon – a taser electronic control device – and causing bodily injury to the victim.
The defendant will be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Michael P. Mills of the Northern District of Mississippi on Feb. 18, 2016.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Jackson Division, with the cooperation of the Tate County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Coleman of the Northern District of Mississippi and Trial Attorneys Dana Mulhauser and Andres Palacio of the Civil Rights Division.
Former Water Valley Loan Officer ArrestedRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss. - United States Attorney Felicia C. Adams, Special Agent in Charge, FDIC – Office of Inspector General, Dallas Regional Office, Laurie L. Younger, and Special Agent in Charge, USDA – Office of Inspector General, Southwestern Region, Patrick Munday announced today that William J. Pullen, age 38 of Water Valley, MS, was arrested last week on Federal Bank Fraud charges. Pullen has entered a plea of not guilty to all counts of an Indictment charging him with Bank Fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1344 and Embezzlement by a Bank Officer in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 656. On both counts of the Indictment, Pullen faces a maximum of thirty years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine, five years of post-release supervision and restitution in the amount of loss.
Pullen was released pending his trial on a $5,000 secured bond. His trial is currently set for November 23, 2015.
This matter is being handled by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi, FDIC – Office of Inspector General, Dallas Regional Office and USDA – Office of Inspector General, Southwestern Region.
Man Sentenced in Connection with Rope Tied Around Neck of James Meredith Statue on Ole Miss CampusRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – U.S. District Court Judge Michael P. Mills of the Northern District of Mississippi today sentenced Graeme Phillip Harris to six months in prison and one year supervised release for helping place a rope around the neck of the James Meredith statue on the University of Mississippi campus.
The incident occurred in the early morning hours of Feb. 16, 2014. Court documents show that Harris and others hung a rope and an outdated version of the Georgia state flag—which prominently depicts the Confederate battle flag—around the neck of the Meredith statue, with the intent to threaten and intimidate African-American students and employees at the university. The iconic statue honors Meredith’s role as the university’s first African-American student.
Harris was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 27 on one count of conspiracy to violate civil rights and one count of using a threat of force to intimidate African-American students because of their race or color. On June 18, he pleaded guilty to the threats charge, pursuant to a plea agreement.
“Those who would use threats and intimidation to spread fear and hatred through our schools and workplaces should know that the Department of Justice will vigorously prosecute these cases,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Civil Rights Division. “No one should have to endure threats or intimidation because of their race or the color of their skin.”
“The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi greatly appreciates the assistance of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, the FBI, and the University of Mississippi in the investigation and prosecution of this case,” said U.S. Attorney Felicia C. Adams of the Northern District of Mississippi.
“The FBI is committed to the protection of the civil rights of all citizens and will continue to investigate allegations of crime motivated by hate,” said Special Agent in Charge Donald Alway of the FBI’s Jackson Division. “I’m hopeful that this sentencing will clarify the consequences for anyone contemplating senseless, hurtful actions such as this.”
The investigation is ongoing.
This case is being investigated by the Oxford Resident Agency of the FBI’s Jackson, Mississippi, Division’s and the University of Mississippi Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of Mississippi.
Man Sentenced in Connection with Rope Tied Around Neck of James Meredith Statue on Ole Miss CampusRead the Press Release
U.S. District Court Judge Michael P. Mills of the Northern District of Mississippi today sentenced Graeme Phillip Harris to six months in prison and one year supervised release for helping place a rope around the neck of the James Meredith statue on the University of Mississippi campus.
The incident occurred in the early morning hours of Feb. 16, 2014. Court documents show that Harris and others hung a rope and an outdated version of the Georgia state flag—which prominently depicts the Confederate battle flag—around the neck of the Meredith statue, with the intent to threaten and intimidate African-American students and employees at the university. The iconic statue honors Meredith’s role as the university’s first African-American student.
Harris was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 27 on one count of conspiracy to violate civil rights and one count of using a threat of force to intimidate African-American students because of their race or color. On June 18, he pleaded guilty to the threats charge, pursuant to a plea agreement.
“Those who would use threats and intimidation to spread fear and hatred through our schools and workplaces should know that the Department of Justice will vigorously prosecute these cases,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Civil Rights Division. “No one should have to endure threats or intimidation because of their race or the color of their skin.”
“The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi greatly appreciates the assistance of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, the FBI, and the University of Mississippi in the investigation and prosecution of this case,” said U.S. Attorney Felicia C. Adams of the Northern District of Mississippi.
“The FBI is committed to the protection of the civil rights of all citizens and will continue to investigate allegations of crime motivated by hate,” said Special Agent in Charge Donald Alway of the FBI’s Jackson Division. “I’m hopeful that this sentencing will clarify the consequences for anyone contemplating senseless, hurtful actions such as this.”
The investigation is ongoing.
This case is being investigated by the Oxford Resident Agency of the FBI’s Jackson, Mississippi, Division’s and the University of Mississippi Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of Mississippi.
Armed Bank Robber Sentenced to 211 Months ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss. - Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, and Special Agent in Charge Donald Alway, Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that Cordette Lindell Mottley, 28, of Como, Mississippi, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Michael P. Mills in Oxford, Mississippi, to 211 months imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release, restitution in the amount of $1200 and a special assessment of $100.
Mottley, a career offender, previously pled guilty on May 12, 2015, to the armed robbery of First Security Bank, Como, Mississippi, in violation of 18 U. S. C. Sections 2113(a) and (d). Mottley was remanded to the custody of the U. S. Marshal Service pending designation by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Panola County Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi.
Mississippi Couple Charged with Conspiracy and Attempt to Provide Material Support to ISILRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Starkville, Mississippi, couple was arrested over the weekend for allegedly conspiring and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a designated foreign terrorist organization.
The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin, U.S. Attorney Felicia C. Adams of the Northern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Donald Alway of the FBI’s Jackson Division.
Jaelyn Delshaun Young, 20, and Muhammad Oda Dakhlalla, 22, were charged by criminal complaint with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to ISIL. They appeared this morning for preliminary and detention hearings before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Allan Alexander of the Northern District of Mississippi. Young and Dakhlalla were denied bond and remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service.
According to the criminal complaint filed in this case:
This investigation began in May 2015, when the defendant expressed a desire to travel to Syria in support of ISIL, and made several supportive statements about the designated foreign terrorist organization. Both defendants subsequently expressed their readiness to travel overseas to join ISIL.
The defendants procured passports and made arrangements to fly to Istanbul via Amsterdam. On or about Aug. 8, 2015, Young and Dakhlalla travelled to the Golden Triangle Regional Airport in Columbus, Mississippi, for their international flight. The defendants were arrested and, according to the complaint, were interviewed and both confessed to attempting to travel to Turkey to join ISIL in Syria.
The charge in the complaint carries a maximum of potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Jackson’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Clayton Joyner and Robert Norman of the Northern District of Mississippi and Trial Attorney Rebecca Magnone of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Mississippi Couple Charged with Conspiracy and Attempt to Provide Material Support to ISILRead the Press Release
A Starkville, Mississippi, couple was arrested over the weekend for allegedly conspiring and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a designated foreign terrorist organization.
The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin, U.S. Attorney Felicia C. Adams of the Northern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Donald Alway of the FBI’s Jackson Division.
Jaelyn Delshaun Young, 20, and Muhammad Oda Dakhlalla, 22, were charged by criminal complaint with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to ISIL. They appeared this morning for preliminary and detention hearings before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Allan Alexander of the Northern District of Mississippi. Young and Dakhlalla were denied bond and remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service.
According to the criminal complaint filed in this case:
This investigation began in May 2015, when the defendant expressed a desire to travel to Syria in support of ISIL, and made several supportive statements about the designated foreign terrorist organization. Both defendants subsequently expressed their readiness to travel overseas to join ISIL.
The defendants procured passports and made arrangements to fly to Istanbul via Amsterdam. On or about Aug. 8, 2015, Young and Dakhlalla travelled to the Golden Triangle Regional Airport in Columbus, Mississippi, for their international flight. The defendants were arrested and, according to the complaint, were interviewed and both confessed to attempting to travel to Turkey to join ISIL in Syria.
The charge in the complaint carries a maximum of potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Jackson’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Clayton Joyner and Robert Norman of the Northern District of Mississippi and Trial Attorney Rebecca Magnone of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Young and Dakhkalla Complaint
Man Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Charge in Connection with Rope Tied Around Neck of James Meredith Statue on Ole Miss CampusRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced that Graeme Phillip Harris pleaded guilty today in federal court to threatening African-American students and employees at the University of Mississippi by helping place a rope around the neck of the James Meredith statue on campus.
According to documents filed in connection with the plea, Harris admitted to joining with others to use the cover of darkness to hang a rope and an outdated version of the Georgia state flag—which prominently depicts the Confederate battle flag—around the neck of the statue, with the intent to threaten and intimidate African-American students and employees at the university. The iconic statue honors Meredith’s role as the university’s first African-American student after its contentious 1962 integration. The incident occurred in the early morning hours of Feb. 16, 2014.
Harris was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 27 on one count of conspiracy to violate civil rights and one count of using a threat of force to intimidate African-American students because of their race or color. This plea resolves all charges against Harris in the matter.
“We will not tolerate threats of racial violence intended to intimidate students and university employees,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “No one should have to endure threats or intimidation at our nation’s universities because of their race or the color of their skin.”
“The reprehensible actions of the defendant evoke painful memories of a shameful period in our past when some American citizens were subjected to threats and intimidation by lynching solely because of the color of their skin,” said U.S. Attorney Felicia C. Adams of the Northern District of Mississippi. “Attempts to categorize the defendant’s offense conduct as a mere college prank only serve as a hollow denial of our collective history and a repudiation of the legacy of those who fought to obtain and preserve our historic civil rights. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, in conjunction with the DOJ Civil Rights Division, will aggressively prosecute hate crimes and other civil rights violations which occur in our district. I sincerely appreciate the assistance of the FBI and the University of Mississippi in the investigation and prosecution of this case.”
“What these individuals did was not a prank,” said Special Agent in Charge Donald Alway of the FBI Jackson, Mississippi, Division. “It was an intentional effort to belittle and intimidate persons of a particular race, and was exactly the type of action the federal civil rights statutes were enacted to prevent. The FBI is committed to the protection of the civil rights of all citizens and will continue to investigate allegations of crime motivated by hate.”
The investigation, which is ongoing, is being conducted by the FBI Jackson Division’s Oxford Resident Agency and the University of Mississippi Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of Mississippi.
Man Who Tied Rope Around Neck of James Meredith Statue on University of Mississippi Campus Indicted on Civil Rights ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Acting Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Felicia C. Adams of the Northern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Donald Alway of the FBI Jackson Office announced today that a man was charged with federal civil rights crimes for engaging in threatening conduct directed at African American students and employees at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi. Graeme Phillip Harris was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of conspiracy to violate civil rights and one count of using a threat of force to intimidate African American students because of their race or color.
According to the charging documents, Harris, a student at the university, conspired with others to use the cover of darkness to hang a rope and an outdated version of the Georgia state flag, which prominently depicts the Confederate battle flag, around the neck of the James Meredith statue on the campus of the University of Mississippi, with the intent to threaten and intimidate African-American students and employees at the university. The iconic statue honors Meredith’s role as the university’s first African American student after its contentious 1962 integration. The incident occurred in the early morning hours of Feb. 16, 2014.
“This shameful and ignorant act is an insult to all Americans and a violation of our most strongly-held values,” said Attorney General Eric Holder. “No one should ever be made to feel threatened or intimidated because of what they look like or who they are. By taking appropriate action to hold wrongdoers accountable, the Department of Justice is sending a clear message that flagrant infringements of our historic civil rights will not go unnoticed or unpunished.”
An indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. The investigation is ongoing.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Jackson, Mississippi, Division’s Oxford Resident Agency and the University of Mississippi Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of Mississippi.
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Delta Woman Sentenced in Connection with Hospice FraudRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss. - Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi; Donald Alway Special Agent in Charge at the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Derrick L. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood announced that:
Betty Powell, 48, of Webb, Mississippi, was sentenced on February 12, 2015 by United States District Judge Sharion Aycock in Aberdeen, Mississippi to fourteen (14) months imprisonment to be followed by three (3) years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $244,500 in restitution to the Medicare program. Powell will report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons on April 6, 2015.
Powell previously pled guilty in August 2014 to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1347 & 1349. Powell admitted to providing patient names and identifying information to Regina Swims-King in return for approximately $244,500 in payments from Swims-King. Swims-King has also pled guilty and been sentenced in this case for submitting fraudulent charges to Medicare and receiving millions of dollars in Medicare funds based on alleged hospice services for patients that were not eligible for hospice services; services that were never provided; or claims based on the forged signatures of physicians. Swims-King was sentenced to seventy (70) months imprisonment and ordered to pay $7,941,335.26 in restitution to the Medicare program.
Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi said, “The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi is working aggressively to pursue unscrupulous health care providers who commit fraudulent acts and bring them to justice. Today’s sentence insures that these illegal practices will not be tolerated and fraudsters will be punished. Our office appreciates the hard work of all of the federal, state, and local agencies that participated in this investigation.”
"Health care fraud threatens the most vulnerable of our citizens by endangering the programs which provide care for them," stated Don Alway, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Mississippi. "I want to commend the investigators from the federal and state agencies who worked together on this case. We look forward to continued partnerships such as this among the law enforcement community in Mississippi.”
“Medical identity theft is a growing problem,” said Derrick L. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General in Atlanta. “As this case demonstrates, dishonest health care providers can make a lot of money by trafficking in patient information. But as this sentence shows, there is a price for stealing patient identities and the price is prison time.”
“Healthcare fraud is a serious problem in Mississippi and across the nation. These crimes steal money from government programs and have a direct impact on our State’s most vulnerable citizens. We will continue to pursue and prosecute these offenders. Joint State and Federal investigations and prosecutions are essential to protect our healthcare systems and our citizens,” said Attorney General Jim Hood.
This case was investigated by the Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the Mississippi State Attorney General’s Office - Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi.
Greenwood Woman Sentenced for Millions in Hospice FraudRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss. - Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi; Donald Always, Special Agent in Charge at the Federal Bureau of InvestigationDerrick L. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; and Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood announced that:
Regina Swims-King, 54, of Greenwood, Mississippi, was sentenced on December 18, 2014 by United States District Judge Michael Mills in Oxford, Mississippi, to seventy (70) months imprisonment to be followed by three (3) years of supervised release. Swims-King will report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons on February 23, 2015.
Swims-King previously pled guilty in February 2014 to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1347 & 1349. Swims-King admitted to submitting fraudulent charges to Medicare and receiving millions of dollars in Medicare funds based on alleged hospice services for patients that were not eligible for hospice services; services that were never provided; or claims based on the forged signatures of physicians. In addition to her prison sentence, Swims-King was ordered to pay $7,941,335.26 in restitution to the Medicare program. Swims-King also forfeited seventeen (17) vehicles worth over $600,000 and twelve (12) pieces of real property valued at over $700,000.
Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney, said, “Health care fraud affects every citizen because it takes critical resources out of our health care system. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi is working aggressively to pursue health care fraud criminals and bring them to justice. Today’s sentence ensures that these illegal practices will not be tolerated in our district. We are grateful for the hard work of all the federal, state and local agencies who worked tirelessly to bring this investigation to a successful conclusion.”
“Rooting out health care fraud is essential to the well being of both our citizens and our economy,” said Donald Alway, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Mississippi. “The teamwork of each agency involved in this investigation helps to keep programs like these in place for the most vulnerable of our residents who need it the most. I want to thank the investigators who worked this case and look forward to continued partnerships to combat crime in the Magnolia State.”
“Hospice fraud is a serious problem in Mississippi,” said Derrick L. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General in Atlanta. “There are several sham providers that are billing for patients who are not terminally ill and paying kickbacks to doctors and patient recruiters. We plan to identify the individuals committing these crimes and to put them in prison just like we did in this case.”
“Healthcare fraud is a serious crime which not only steals money from government programs, but has a lasting effect on benefits available to our State’s most vulnerable citizens. We will continue to work with our federal partners to fight healthcare fraud in our state,” said Attorney General Jim Hood.
This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Mississippi State Attorney General’s Office - Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi.
Former Chief Financial Officer for Miss Eaton, Inc. Sentenced for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss. – Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, together with Acting Special Agent in Charge, Jerome R. McDuffie with IRS Criminal Investigation-New Orleans Field Office announce:
William Dewey Harrison of Sun City, Arizona, was sentenced on December 11, 2014 by United States District Court Judge Michael P. Mills, in Oxford, Mississippi, following a guilty plea to one felony count of attempting to evade or defeat income tax in relation to his previous employment as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the company formerly known as Miss Eaton, Inc., a furniture manufacturer in Pontotoc, Mississippi.
Harrison was hired by Miss Eaton, Inc. as the CFO in 2000 and worked for the company until 2008. An investigation by the government revealed that over the course of his employment as CFO for the company, Harrison executed a scheme to embezzle funds. Harrison’s illegal scheme resulted in the embezzlement of over $600,000 dollars from the company which he then failed to report as income received, filing false and fraudulent income tax returns for the years 2004-2008. Additionally, Harrison failed in his fiduciary duty as CFO to properly withhold and pay employment taxes on behalf of Miss Eaton’s employees, instead diverting these funds for his own use. Acting Special Agent in Charge, Jerome R. McDuffie, stated, “Evading the assessment and payment of your income taxes is against the law. Mr. Harrison’s decision to break the law has earned him time in federal prison. The Special Agents of IRS-CI stand ready to pursue tax violators and will seek prosecution of these offenses to the fullest extent of the law.”
Judge Mills sentenced Harrison to fifty-one (51) months imprisonment, followed by three (3) years of supervised release and ordered Harrison to pay $2,312,353.69 in restitution to the Department of the Treasury-IRS.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad M. Doleac.
Coldwater Man Guilty of Mail FraudRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss. – Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, Mississippi State Auditor Stacey Pickering, and Jerome R. McDuffie, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation Division, New Orleans Field Office, announce that:
Eric Davis, 54, of Coldwater, Mississippi, was sentenced Thursday by United States District Judge Michael P. Mills in Oxford, Mississippi, to 70 months imprisonment for a mail fraud scheme that employed the personal identification information of state prisoners in Tennessee and Mississippi to file false tax returns. His sentence is consecutive to a State of Mississippi sentence he is currently serving. In addition, Davis was ordered to pay $223,245.19 in restitution to the United States Treasury, 3 years supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Davis pled guilty on June 5, 2014 to an indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit mail fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1341 and 1349. “Mr. Davis will have a lengthy prison term to contemplate the consequences of his wrong doing,” said Jerome R. McDuffie, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation Division, New Orleans Field Office. “I would additionally warn others who might consider this type of criminal behavior, that IRS-CI will not stand idly by and ignore these attempts to steal taxpayer dollars. We will continue our diligent pursuit to seek prosecution of cases involving identity theft and tax fraud.”
This case was investigated by Special Agents of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division and by Agents of the United States Postal Inspection Service and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Clay Joyner.
Twenty-five Alleged Aryan Brotherhood Members and Associates Indicted on Federal Racketeering Charges in Mississippi and OklahomaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Fourteen alleged members of the Aryan Brotherhood of Mississippi, including four of its most senior leaders, have been indicted by a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Mississippi for conspiring to participate in a racketeering enterprise. In a separate indictment, 11 alleged members and associates of the Universal Aryan Brotherhood of Oklahoma have been charged by a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Oklahoma for conspiring to participate in a racketeering enterprise, among other charges.
Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Felicia C. Adams of the Northern District of Mississippi and U.S. Attorney Danny C. Williams of the Northern District of Oklahoma made the announcement.
In the Northern District of Mississippi, the 10-count indictment was returned on Oct. 23, 2014, and unsealed today. Thirteen individuals were taken into custody today. In the Northern District of Oklahoma, the four-count indictment was returned on Nov. 5, 2014, and unsealed on Nov. 10, 2014. All of the charged defendants are in custody.
“The Aryan Brotherhood is a violent gang that has seeped from behind prison walls into communities throughout this nation,” said Assistant Attorney General Caldwell. “Working in lockstep with our law enforcement partners and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country, we are targeting and dismantling these gangs from the top general to the foot soldier so they can no longer terrorize our communities.”
“These charges resulted from an unprecedented collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement officers targeting a large scale prison gang involved in violent organized crime throughout the state of Mississippi,” said U.S. Attorney Adams. “This indictment represents a critical first step toward dismantling this violent organization and clearly signals that the United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners have an unwavering commitment to hold those individuals accountable who insist on creating an atmosphere of violence and fear in our communities.”
“My office remains steadfast in its commitment to work in collaboration with law enforcement to disrupt and dismantle violent crime and gang activities,” said U.S. Attorney Williams.
According to the indictments, the Aryan Brotherhood of Mississippi (ABM) and Universal Aryan Brotherhood of Oklahoma (UAB) are violent, “whites only,” prison-based gangs with members operating inside and outside of state penal institutions in their respective states. The gangs allegedly modeled themselves after and adopted many of the precepts and writings of the Aryan Brotherhood, a California-based prison gang that was formed in the California prison system during the 1960s. The ABM was allegedly founded in 1984, and in early 2013, pursued unification with the Aryan Brotherhood of California in order to achieve national recognition.
The UAB was allegedly founded in 1993. According to the Oklahoma indictment, the UAB has a militaristic structure comprised of a Main Council, Yard Captains and Soldiers. The Main Council has ultimate authority in all gang matters.
The indictment alleges that both gangs enforced their rules and promoted discipline among members, prospects and associates through violence and threats against those who violated the rules or posed a threat to the gangs. Members, and oftentimes associates, were required to follow the orders of higher-ranking members.
According to the Mississippi indictment, in order to be considered for ABM membership, a person must be sponsored by another ABM member. Once sponsored, a prospective member must serve a probationary term of not less than six months, during which he is referred to as a prospect, and his conduct is observed by the members of the ABM. The prospect is required to sign a “prospect compact,” swear to an oath of secrecy and declare a life-time commitment to the ABM.
The ABM allegedly has a detailed and uniform organizational structure divided into three separate geographic areas of control. The state is overseen and directed by a three-member “wheel” commonly referred to as “spokes.” The wheel has ultimate authority in all gang matters. The indictment charges four alleged wheel members: Frank Owens, Jr, 44, aka “State Raised,” of D’Iberville, Mississippi; Perry Mask, 46, of Corinth, Mississippi; Stephen Hubanks, 45, of Rienzi, Mississippi; and Brandon Creel, 46, aka “Oak,” of Ellisville, Mississippi, with conspiracy to participate in the racketeering activities of the ABM, among other charges. The indictment also charges 10 other alleged members of the ABM. All 14 alleged members of the ABM are charged with conspiracy to participate in the racketeering activities of the gang and with involvement in murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, assault, money laundering, firearms trafficking and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
The charges contained in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The Mississippi case is being investigated by a multi-agency task force consisting of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Drug Enforcement Administration; FBI; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations; Mississippi Highway Patrol; Mississippi Bureau of Investigation; Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics; Harrison County Sheriff’s Office; South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team; Tupelo Mississippi Police Department; North Mississippi Narcotics Unit; Tishomingo County Sheriff’s Office; Lee County Sheriff’s Office; Forrest County District Attorney’s Office; Prentiss County Sheriff’s Office; Jones County Sheriff’s Office; Harrison County Sheriff’s Office; and South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team.The Oklahoma case is being investigated by a multi-agency task force consisting of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations; Tulsa Police Department; ATF; Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division; Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office; and Oklahoma Department of Corrections.
The cases are being prosecuted by the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Northern District of Mississippi and the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Leading Edge Aviation Services Sentenced for Unlawful Handling of Hazardous Waste at Greenville, Mississippi, FacilityRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss.—Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, together with Maureen O’Mara, Special Agent in Charge of the Environmental Protection Agency’s criminal enforcement program in the Southeast, announces:
Leading Edge Aviation Services, Inc. (Leading Edge), a corporation headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Glen Davidson, in Aberdeen, Mississippi, following a guilty plea to one felony count of treating, storing, or disposing of hazardous waste without a permit at Leading Edge’s now shuttered Greenville, Mississippi, facility.
Leading Edge operated a commercial aircraft painting facility at Greenville’s Mid-Delta Regional Airport until mid-2013. The process of stripping paint from aircraft in preparation for repainting generated large volumes of hazardous wastes that Leading Edge was required to properly manage. However, an investigation by the government revealed that from April 23, 2010 to May 16, 2010, Leading Edge failed to properly manage its hazardous wastes when it stored them in an open pit without a permit.Judge Davidson sentenced Leading Edge to pay a criminal fine in the amount of $700,000. Leading Edge will pay a separate $275,000 civil penalty to the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality and a $25,000 community service payment to the Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials, a non-profit corporation. Leading Edge was also ordered to serve a term of probation of 12 months. The sentence further requires Leading Edge to complete cleanup of its Greenville facility, implement a corporate-wide hazardous waste training program, hire an Environmental, Health and Safety Manager, obtain ISO 14001 environmental management certification for its operating facilities, adopt a corporate code of ethics policy, and conduct ethics training for senior management.
The activity to which Leading Edge plead guilty occurred prior to the company’s purchase by a new ownership group in April 2012. The company, under the direction of its new ownership, cooperated fully with the EPA’s investigation of this matter.
Felicia C. Adams, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, said, “The former owners of Leading Edge flouted the law by failing to properly manage its hazardous waste. Today’s sentence ensures that these illegal practices will not continue. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi is committed to maintaining the health and safety of our citizens.”
“Our nation’s environmental laws help ensure that human health and safety is not endangered by companies looking to cut costs illegally,” said Maureen O’Mara, Special Agent in Charge of EPA’s criminal enforcement program in Mississippi. "The defendant’s actions callously placed the health of nearby residents at great risk. The paints and solvents used in this case were especially hazardous, requiring proper handling and disposal. This case sends a clear message that corporations that fail to properly manage hazardous wastes will be prosecuted and held accountable for their actions.”
This case was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division, and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality.
2014 Election Day ProgramRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Felicia C. Adams announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Robert W. Coleman II, will lead the efforts of her office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 4, 2014, general elections. AUSA Robert W. Coleman II, has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Northern District of Mississippi and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Adams said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen because of fraud. The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combatting these violations whenever and wherever they occur. This Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on Election Day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice.
The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses on November 4, 2014, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, United States Attorney Adams stated that AUSA/DEO Robert Coleman will be on duty in the Northern District of Mississippi while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 662-234-3351. In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day. The local FBI in the Northern District of Mississippi can be reached by the public at 662-234-1713.
Complaints about ballot access problems or discrimination can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington at 1-800-253-3931 or 202-307-2767.
United States Attorney Adams said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the cooperation of the America electorate. It is imperative that those who have specific information about discrimination or election fraud make that information available immediately to my office, the FBI or the Civil Rights Division.”
Oliver Pleads Guilty to Unemployment FraudRead the Press Release
OXFORD, MS. - Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, and Richard L. Walker, Special Agent in Charge, U. S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General – Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations announced that:
Olivia Oliver, age 41, of Tupelo, Mississippi, pled guilty October 9, 2014, before United States District Court Judge Deborah M. Brown, in Greenville, Mississippi. Oliver pled guilty to making false material representations in a matter within the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Labor, that is, that she was unemployed when in truth and in fact she was gainfully employed, thereby receiving $26,525 in unemployment insurance benefits from the Mississippi Department of Employment Security funded by the Federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program to which she was not entitled.
Oliver was released on a pre-existing bond pending sentencing, which will take place following the completion of a pre-sentence report. At sentencing, she faces a maximum possible penalty of five (5) years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three (3) years supervised release.United States Attorney Felicia C. Adams stated: “The Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program is intended to assist those who could not secure employment, and Oliver and those who give false information regarding their employment will not be allowed to profit by wrongfully taking funds from the citizens of the Northern District of Mississippi who are truly in need of this assistance.”
Mark Henry, Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Employment Security said, “We at the Department of Employment Security are committed to ensuring that only honest Mississippians who have lost their jobs receive unemployment benefits. That is why this guilty plea is so important, and I commend Special Agent in Charge Richard L. Walker and U. S. Attorney Felicia Adams for seeing that justice was done in this case.”
This case was investigated by the United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.Chief of Police Sentenced for Color of Law ViolationRead the Press Release
OXFORD: Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, and Johnnie Sharp, Acting, Special Agent in Charge (SAC), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), announced today that Jimmie Johnson, age 31, former Tutwiler, Mississippi, Police Officer and former Chief of Police of Webb, Mississippi, was sentenced by Chief U. S. District Judge Sharion Aycock to serve twenty (20) months in prison, followed by two (2) years of supervised release, after pleading guilty of violating a federal civil rights statute. Johnson was also ordered to complete fifty (50) hours of community service. In addition, Johnson agreed to never seek future employment in law enforcement.
Johnson was indicted on October 31, 2013, for an incident which occurred in February of 2012, while he was employed as a captain with the Tutwiler, Mississippi, Police Department. On March 25, 2014, Johnson pled guilty to Count One of the indictment, which stated that while acting under color of law, Johnson assaulted an individual by striking him in the face with his fist, causing bodily injury, and thereby willfully depriving that individual of the right to be free from the use of unreasonable force by a law enforcement officer, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 242.
U.S. Attorney Felicia C. Adams stated, “Johnson’s actions were reprehensible. He abused his authority, violated the law and the public trust. Today’s sentence demonstrates that such actions undermine the rule of law and will not be tolerated. While the majority of law enforcement officers are hardworking professionals who risk their lives daily for our safety, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to aggressively prosecuting those officers who break the law and violate the public trust.”
A/SAC Sharp stated: “Every citizen has the right to expect law enforcement officers to act in accordance with the laws they have sworn to uphold. We entrust law enforcement officers with certain powers and authority, which they are expected to wield with the utmost integrity. This case proves that abuse of that power and authority will not be tolerated.”This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Tallahatchie County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi.
Greenville Bank Robbery Suspects SentencedRead the Press Release
Oxford, MS: All four individuals responsible for the September 10, 2013 robbery of a bank in Greenville, Mississippi, have now been sentenced for their crimes.
Johnnie Sharp, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Mississippi, and Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, announced that Derotha Lovette Wallace (aka DeDe Wallace), age 29; Warren Gene Williams, III, age 19; and Freddie Djuan Clark, age 26, and Wilbert Parish, Jr., partnered together to rob the Planters Bank and Trust Company, located on Washington Avenue, on Tuesday, September 10, 2013. According to witnesses, Williams, Clark, and Parish entered the bank armed with handguns and robbed the bank of a substantial sum of money. Williams and Clark were captured by Greenville police officers immediately while exiting the bank, and the stolen money was recovered. Wallace, who was to drive the get-away vehicle, turned herself in Tuesday night. Parish, who initially evaded capture, was located and arrested in Memphis, Tennessee with the assistance of the Memphis FBI, the United States Marshals Service (USMS), and the Memphis Police Department.
On November 1, 2013, Warren Williams pleaded guilty to bank robbery; brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and bomb threat by means of a cellular telephone. On June 18, 2014, Williams was sentenced to serve a total of 96 months in prison, to be followed by three (3) years of supervised release.
On January 4, 2014, Derotha Wallace pleaded guilty to bank robbery; possession of a firearm during a crime of violence; and bomb threat by means of a cellular telephone. On May 22, 2014, Wallace was sentenced to 36 months imprisonment, followed by three (3) years supervised release.
January 23, 2014, Freddie D’Juan Clark pleaded guilty to armed bank robbery and possession of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. On June 19, 2014, Clark was sentenced to serve sixty-two (62) months in prison, followed by five (5) years supervised release.
On March 17, 2014, Wilbert Parish, Jr. pleaded guilty to armed bank robbery, brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and making a bomb threat by means of a cellular telephone. On September 11, 2014, Parish, found to be the mastermind of the conspiracy, received a sentence of 162 months in prison, followed by 3 years supervised release.
This case was investigated by the FBI, and the Greenville, Mississippi Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert H. Norman and Susan S. Bradley.
Greenwood Resident Sentenced to Submitting Fraudulent Federal Aid ApplicationsRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss. - Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, Yessyka Santana, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Department of Education Office of Inspector General, Southeastern Regional Office, and Craig Caldwell, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Birmingham Field Office, announced that:
Shantel McClung aka Shantel Davis, 31, of Greenwood, Mississippi, was sentenced on September 4, 2014, by United States District Judge Sharion Aycock, following her plea of guilty on February 18, 2014 to one count of mail fraud, one count of fraud in relation to student aid provided by the U.S. Department of Education, and one count of aggravated identity theft. The charges stem from a series of fraudulent applications for federal student aid submitted by McClung to the U.S. Department of Education. Each of the fraudulent submissions sought federal student aid for individuals enrolled in online classes, which individuals had no intention of completing the coursework or seeking a degree.
Judge Aycock ordered McClung to serve a total of 57 months in prison, followed by 3 years supervised release. She was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $374,000.00. McClung is scheduled to report to prison on October 27.
“Federal student aid exists so that individuals can pursue and make their dream of a higher education a reality. As the law enforcement arm of the U.S. Department of Education, ensuring that those who steal student aid or game the system for their own selfish purposes are stopped and held accountable for their criminal actions is a big part of our mission,” said Yessyka Santana, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Department of Education Office of Inspector General's Southeastern Regional Office. "That’s why I’m proud of the work of OIG special agents and our law enforcement colleagues for holding Shantel McClung accountable for her criminal actions.”
Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi said: “The punishment imposed upon Shantel McClung reinforces the message that federal courts view her actions as serious crimes which warrant significant punishment. The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to holding those individuals who seek to profit from their fraudulent schemes accountable for their illegal activities.”
This case was investigated by the Department of Education, Office of Inspector General and the United States Secret Service.
Wisconsin Man Pleads Guilty to Lacey Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss. - Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, and Luis Santiago, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, announced that:
Peter Jesunas, Jr, 32, of Shiocton, Wisconsin, pled guilty on August 11, 2014, before United States Magistrate Judge David A. Sanders, in Aberdeen, Mississippi, to transporting and attempting to sell wildlife pelts taken in violation of state law. The guilty plea arose out of an investigation which determined that Jesunas had travelled to Mississippi in the Spring of 2012 for the purpose of trapping wildlife on private property. Due to a previous conviction for wildlife related offenses, Jesunas was unable to purchase the required Mississippi trapper’s license. Jesunas successfully trapped approximately 350 animals from 7 different species, all of which were taken illegally since Jesunas did not have a Mississippi trapper’s license.
On or about April 1, 2012, Jesunas transported the pelts back to Wisconsin, where he attempted to sell them. A valid CITES tag is required to transport bobcat and otter skins or pelts in interstate commerce. Jesunas had his brother, Patrick Jesunas, purchase a Mississippi trapper’s license, which Peter Jesunas used to fraudulently obtain the required CITES tags. Jesunas plead guilty to violating the Lacey Act, which states, in relevant part, that it is illegal to transport in interstate commerce wildlife that has been transported or possessed in violation of any state law or regulation. Jesunas violated the Lacey Act in trapping animals without a license and obtaining CITES tags through fraud/false statement, then transporting the pelts across state lines for sale.
Following his guilty plea Jesunas was ordered to pay restitution to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Foundation, and to the Lacey Act Fund, in the total amount of $10,000. Jesunas was further required to forfeit the pelts to the State of Wisconsin. Jesunas was also placed on probation for a period of three years, and, as a condition of his probation, Jesunas will be prohibited from hunting or trapping in any manner, anywhere in the world, during the course of his three-year probationary period.
Patrick Jesunas previously plead guilty to a separate charge for his role in aiding and abetting a violation of the Lacey Act by assisting his brother, Peter Jesunas, in fraudulently obtaining CITES tags. Patrick Jesunas was ordered to pay a fine in the amount of $1,500.
“We are committed to working with Mississippi and its citizens to conserve and protect wildlife,” said United States Fish and Wildlife Service Special Agent in Charge Santiago. “Our collective efforts help ensure that these resources will be here for future generations of fair chase hunters, trappers and outdoor enthusiasts.”
This case was investigated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.
Reading Consultant SentencedRead the Press Release
FOR PAYING BRIBES TO FORMER GREENVILLE SUPERINTENDENTOXFORD, Miss. - Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, Mississippi State Auditor Stacey Pickering, and Yessyka Santana, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General's Southeastern Regional Office announced that:
Edna Goble, 67, of Asheville, North Carolina, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to pay bribes in connection with federal program funds in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371 and was sentenced on June 19 by United States District Judge Michael Mills in Oxford, Mississippi, to 30 months imprisonment. Goble admitted to paying bribes and kickbacks to Harvey Franklin, the former superintendent of the Greenville Public School District, in connection with a contract for reading services between the Greenville Public Schools and Edna Goble’s company, Teach Them to Read, Inc. d/b/a Early Detection Necessary Action. In addition, Goble was ordered to pay $1,041,432, joint and severally with Franklin, in restitution to the Department of Education, sentenced to 3 years supervised release following her term of imprisonment, and required to pay a $100 special assessment.
"Today’s action shows that Ms. Goble not only knowingly and willfully abused her position of trust for personal gain, but did so at the expense of the educational development of children. That is unacceptable," said Yessyka Santana, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General Southeastern Regional Office. “Deservedly, like her cohort-in-crime former superintendent Franklin, she will be held accountable for cheating Greenville's students."
“This is one of the more appalling cases that my Office has been involved in since I became State Auditor,” Auditor Pickering said. “Ms. Goble and Mr. Franklin worked together to cheat and steal from the students of Greenville, and I am glad both parties are being held accountable for their actions.
Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney said, “The actions of Ms. Goble and Mr. Franklin harmed the integrity of our public school system and adversely impacted some of our more vulnerable citizens, the children of the Greenville Public School District. When individuals abuse the public trust, our office will remain steadfast in prosecuting those individuals and ultimately ensuring that justice is served.”
This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Department of Education, Office of Inspector General and the Office of the State Auditor for the State of Mississippi and was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi.
Mississippi Man Pleads Guilty in Ricin Letter InvestigationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON— James Everett Dutschke, 41, of Tupelo, Mississippi, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Sharion Aycock, in Aberdeen, Mississippi, to a 300 month prison sentence for developing and possessing the biological agent ricin and subsequently mailing ricin-laced, threatening letters including one that threatened bodily harm to the President of the United States. Dutschke was also sentenced to serve a term of 5 years supervised release.
The sentence was announced by John Carlin, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Felicia Adams, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, Daniel McMullen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Jackson Field Office, and Craig Caldwell, Special Agent in Charge of the Secret Service’s Birmingham, Alabama, District Field Office.
Following an investigation, Dutschke was arrested on April 27, 2013, and indicted by a federal grand jury on June 3, 2013. A superseding indictment was filed on November 20, 2013. Dutschke pled guilty on January 17, 2014 to one count of developing and possessing ricin, and three subsequent counts of mailing threatening letters laced with the substance to the President of the United States, U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, and Lee County, Mississippi, Justice Court Judge Sadie Holland. According to the plea agreement between Dutschke and the U.S. Attorney’s Office that was filed in U.S. District Court in Oxford, Dutschke had agreed to serve a 300 month prison sentence and had waived his right to appeal.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Jackson and Memphis Joint Terrorism Task Forces, the U.S. Secret Service, the U. S. Postal Inspection Service, the U. S. Capitol Police and was assisted by the following state and local agencies: Mississippi National Guard 47th Civil Support, Mississippi Office of Homeland Security, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Prentiss County Sheriff’s Office, Corinth Police Department, Tupelo Police Department and Booneville Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chad Lamar, Clay Joyner and Clyde McGee of the Northern District of Mississippi, and Andrew Sigler of the Department of Justice, National Security Division.
West and Hardy Plea Guilty to ForgeryRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss - Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, Craig Caldwell, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, and Special Agent in Charge Gabriel L. Grchan, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation announced that:
Sadie West, 35, of Greenwood, Mississippi, and Mary Ann Hardy, 38, of Greenville, Mississippi, pled guilty on April 15, 2014 before United States District Judge Sharion Aycock, in Aberdeen, Mississippi. Both West and Hardy pled guilty to count one of an indictment, charging each with conspiracy to pass United States Treasury checks bearing a forged endorsement or signature as well as conspiracy to pass forged commercial checks.
West remains out on a pre-existing bond while Hardy is being detained pending sentencing, which will take place following the completion of a presentence report. At sentencing, West and Hardy face a maximum possible penalty of five years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years supervised release.
Malcolm Alexander, 39, and Jacarda Lawrence, 39, both of Greenville, recently pled guilty to similar charges in this matter. Alexander pled guilty to one count of conspiracy and one count of passing a forged commercial check while Lawrence pled guilty to one count of passing a forged commercial check. Alexander faces a maximum possible penalty of five years imprisonment on the conspiracy charge and ten years imprisonment on the forged commercial check charge, a $250,000.00 fine on each charge, and three years supervised release on each charge. Lawrence faces a maximum possible penalty of ten years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years supervised release. Lawrence remains out on a pre-existing bond while Alexander is being detained pending sentencing.
Gabriel L. Grchan, Special Agent in Charge for the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation stated:
"We are pleased with the guilty pleas entered by Sadie West, Mary Hardy, Malcolm Alexander, and Jacarda Lawrence. Conspiracies to steal from the U.S. Treasury cause great detriment to our nation's economy and discourage honest taxpayers who pay their fair share. I would like to thank our law enforcement partners and the Office of the United States Attorney for their roles in the investigation and prosecution of this case."
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Internal Revenue Service, Office of Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert Mims.
Holly Springs Residents Sentenced on Wire Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss. - Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, Daniel P. McMullen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi, Phillip M. Durham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Keith Brown, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New Orleans Field Division, announced that:
Denisha Nicole Pore aka Denisha House, 30, of Holly Springs, Mississippi, and Samantha Marie Evans, 30, also of Holly Springs, were sentenced on February 26 and 27, respectively, by United States District Judge Glen Davidson, following their plea of guilty in April 2013 to one count of wire fraud each. Evans also plead guild to one count of using a communication facility (telephone) to facilitate the distribution of cocaine. The wire fraud charges stem from a scheme to steal money from various bank accounts through a series of fraudulent transactions.
Judge Davidson ordered Pore to serve 125 months in prison, followed by 5 years supervised release. She was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $104,384.76. Pore was taken into custody immediately following imposition of her sentence.
Judge Davidson ordered Evans to serve 21 months in prison on each count, to run concurrently, followed by 3 years supervised release on the wire fraud charge and 1 year supervised release on the drug charge, also to run concurrently. She was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $29,999.97. Evans is scheduled to report to prison on April 7.
A third defendant, Melinda Evans, is set to be sentenced at a later date.
“The sentences received from the courts send a clear message of deterrence to those individuals who would contemplate performing any criminal mischief in the Northern Judicial District of Mississippi,” said ATF New Orleans Field Division Special Agent in Charge Phil Durham. “The efforts of our agents and law enforcement partners in concert with the Holly Springs community deserve great credit for the results derived from this investigation.”
Daniel McMullen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Mississippi, stated: “The significant sentence of Denisha Pore reflects the hard work and determined efforts of the FBI Special Agents and federal prosecutors who worked on this case, and the substantial investigative assistance provided by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as well as the Drug Enforcement Administration. These sentences further reflect the intolerance of the criminal justice system for those who engage in criminal schemes to enrich themselves at the expense of others.”
Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi said: “The sentences imposed reinforce the message that federal courts view the actions of the defendants as serious crimes that warrant significant punishment. The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to holding those who seek to profit from these fraudulent schemes accountable for their illegal activities.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Drug Enforcement Adminstration and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert Mims.
Northern District of Mississippi U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects $1,936,411.56 in Civil and Criminal Actions for U.S. Taxpayers in Fiscal Year 2013Read the Press Release
(OXFORD) - U.S. Attorney Felicia C. Adams announced today that the Northern District of Mississippi collected $1,936,411.56 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2013. Of this amount, $1,736,873.89 was collected in criminal actions and $199,537.67 was collected in civil actions
Additionally, the Northern District of Mississippi worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $184,251,500.00 in cases pursued jointly with these offices.
Attorney General Eric Holder announced on Thursday that the Justice Department collected approximately $8.1 billion in civil and criminal actions in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2013. The more than $8 billion in collections in FY 2013 represents nearly three times the appropriated $2.76 billion budget for the 94 U.S. Attorney’s offices and the main litigating divisions in that same period.“The department’s enforcement actions help to not only ensure justice is served, but also deliver a valuable return to the American people,” said Attorney General Holder. “It is critical that Congress provide the resources necessary to match the department’s mounting caseload. As these figures show, supporting our federal prosecutors is a sound investment.”
“During this time of economic recovery, these collections are more important than ever,” said U.S. Attorney Felicia C. Adams. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is dedicated to protecting the public and recovering funds for the federal treasury and for victims of federal crime. We will continue to hold accountable those who seek to profit from their illegal activities.”
This past November, the Northern District of Mississippi recovered $525,500.00 as part of a plea agreement in a multi-state tobacco tax evasion criminal case.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims’ Fund, which distributes the funds to state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
The largest civil collections were from affirmative civil enforcement cases, in which the United States recovered government money lost to fraud or other misconduct or collected fines imposed on individuals and/or corporations for violations of federal health, safety, civil rights or environmental laws. In addition, civil debts were collected on behalf of several federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, Internal Revenue Service, Small Business Administration and Department of Education.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in the Northern District of Mississippi working with partner agencies and divisions, collected$1,865,649.00 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2013. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
Retirement of Criminal Chief John Marshall AlexanderRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss. - Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, announced that:
On November 30, 2013, John Marshall Alexander, Chief of the Criminal Division for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi, retired after more than 31 years of distinguished service. A 1981 graduate of the University of Mississippi School of Law, Mr. Alexander began his career at the U. S. Attorney’s Office in March, 1982. During his time with the U. S. Attorney’s Office, Mr. Alexander served as the Judicially appointed United States Attorney in 2010-2011 and as Criminal Chief from 2007 until his retirement. Also, Mr. Alexander served as the Project Safe Neighborhoods Coordinator, Anti-Gang Coordinator, Triggerlock Coordinator and Public Information Officer. In his various capacities, Mr. Alexander received numerous commendations and awards, including the Attorney General’s Special Achievement Award for Superior Performance of Duty. Mr. Alexander has extensive trial experience and, as Criminal Chief, he either tried or oversaw numerous cases which garnered national attention. Mr. Alexander intends to enjoy his retirement “for a while” until he finalizes his plans.
In honor of Mr. Alexander’s 31 years of service, a retirement reception will be held on Tuesday, December 17, 2013, at 2 o’clock p.m, at The Atrium of the First Baptist Church,800 Van Buren Avenue, Oxford, Mississippi. The public is invited to attend.
Franklin Sentenced to 76 Months for Receiving BribesRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss. - Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, Mississippi State Auditor Stacey Pickering, and Yessyka Santana, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General's Southeastern Regional Office announced that:
Harvey Franklin, 57, of Monroe, Georgia, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Sharion Aycock in Aberdeen, Mississippi, to 76 months imprisonment for receiving bribes and kickbacks from Edna Cochran Goble and embezzling federal funds from the Department of Education in connection with a contract for reading services between the Greenville, Mississippi, Public School District and Edna Goble’s company, Teach Them to Read, Inc. d/b/a Early Detection Necessary Action. In addition, Franklin was ordered to pay $1,201,247 in restitution to the Department of Education, including an immediate payment of $75,000, 3 years supervised release, 300 hours of community service and a $300 special assessment.
Franklin pled guilty on August 2, 2012, to a three count Information charging him with conspiracy to receive bribes and kickbacks in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371; receiving bribes and kickbacks in connection with federal program funds in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 666(a)(1)(B); and embezzlement of federal funds in violation of 18 U.S.C. §641.
Edna Goble pled guilty on October 7, 2013, to Count One of an Indictment charging her with Conspiracy to pay bribes and kickbacks in connection with federal program funds in violation of 18 U.S.C. §371. No sentencing date has been set for Goble.
This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Department of Education, Office of Inspector General and the Office of the State Auditor for the State of Mississippi and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Clay Dabbs and Clay Joyner.
Leland Tax Return Preparer Guilty of False ClaimsRead the Press Release
Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, and Gabriel “Gabe” Grchan, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New Orleans Field Office, announce that:
Felicia R. Fults, 31, of Leland, Mississippi, pled guilty on October 24 to filing false claims with the federal government. Fults will be sentenced in approximately 90 days. Fults faces up to nine years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine and up to one year supervised release.
The investigation by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations revealed that Fults submitted tax returns to the IRS fraudulently claiming inflated or fabricated Schedule C income for her clients and by claiming her clients were Statutory Employees, resulting in self-employment taxes not being calculated, thus enabling her clients to maximize their tax refund. The false returns resulted in claimed refunds of approximately $2,567,988.
Return Preparer fraud is a priority for IRS Criminal Investigation, and we have committed many resources to investigating and prosecuting cases just like this one,” said Gabriel Grchan, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-CI, New Orleans Field Office. “It is my hope that the guilty plea entered today by Felicia Fults further assures the taxpaying citizens of our country that IRS – CI is serious about protecting the United States Treasury.”
This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations, and was prosecuted by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi.
Former Water Valley Police Officer SentencedRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss. Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, and Daniel McMullen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi, announce that:
John David Hernandez, 35, of Olive Branch, Mississippi, was sentenced on October 31, 2013 by United States District Judge Glen H. Davidson, following his plea of guilty in July 2013 to one count of extortion under color of official right, one count of money laundering, and one count of obstruction of a federal investigation. The charges arose out of Hernandez, while a Water Valley, Mississippi Police Officer, receiving money from a drug trafficker in return for providing law enforcement information.
Judge Davidson ordered Hernandez to serve 12 months and one day in custody on each count of conviction, to run concurrently, followed by 3 years supervised release. The United States Attorney’s Office obtained a forfeiture in the form of a money judgment against Hernandez in the amount of $5,000.00.
United States Attorney Felicia C. Adams stated that: “Hernandez’s actions were reprehensible.
He abused his authority, violated the law and the public trust. Today’s sentence demonstrates that such actions undermine the rule of law and will not be tolerated. While the majority of law enforcement
officers are hardworking professionals who risk their lives daily for our safety, the U.S. Attorney’s
Office is committed to aggressively prosecuting those officers who break the law and violate the public
trust.”This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and was part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force initiative. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Clyde McGee IV and Samuel D. Wright.
Columbus Tax Return Preparer Guilty of False ClaimsRead the Press Release
Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, and Gabriel “Gabe” Grchan, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New Orleans Field Office, announce that:
Cynthia H. Carter, 27, of Columbus, Mississippi, pled guilty on October 24 to filing a false claim with the federal government. Carter will be sentenced in approximately 90 days. Carter faces up to five years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine and up to three years supervised release.
The investigation by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations revealed that Carter submitted tax returns to the IRS fraudulently claiming the First Time Home Buyers Credit. The false returns resulted in claimed refunds of approximately $3,838,312.
Return Preparer fraud is a priority for IRS Criminal Investigation, and we have committed many resources to investigating and prosecuting cases just like this one,” said Gabriel Grchan, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-CI, New Orleans Field Office. “It is my hope that the guilty plea entered today by Cynthia Carter further assures the taxpaying citizens of our country that IRS – CI is serious about protecting the United States Treasury.”
This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation and was prosecuted by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi.
Lafayette County Man Imprisoned for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, announced that:
Brandon Matthew Oliver, 37, of Oxford, Mississippi, was sentenced Wednesday, October 2, 2013, by U. S. District Judge Michael P. Mills, in Oxford, Mississippi. Oliver had previously pled guilty to attempting to entice a 15 year old girl to meet him for sex in Tupelo, Mississippi, using a means of interstate communication. Oliver was sentenced to 120 months in prison and was sentenced to 7 years supervised release following the term of imprisonment. Oliver remained in custody and will be required to register as a sex offender when released from prison.
The case was investigated by the Tupelo, Mississippi, Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Clay Joyner.
Contact:
John Marshall Alexander, Chief of Criminal Division, United States Attorney’s Office,
Oxford, Mississippi (662) 234-3351Jones and Van Horn Sentenced on FEMA Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss. Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, and James E. Ward, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General announced that:
Tamya H. Jones, 36, of Houston, Texas, formerly of Sledge, Mississippi, was sentenced by Senior United States District Judge Glen H. Davidson in Aberdeen, Mississippi, and Laura Van Horn, 34, of Lansing, Michigan, formerly of Tunica, Mississippi, was sentenced by United States District Judge Sharion Aycock, following each defendant’s plea of guilty earlier this year to one count of fraud in relation to a claim for disaster benefits. The charge to which Jones pled guilty involved making a materially false statement to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in an application for benefits following a series of tornadoes that struck Mississippi in late April 2011. The charge to which Van Horn pled guilty involved making a similar false statement to FEMA in an application for benefits following the Mississippi River flood of May 2011.
Judge Davidson ordered Jones to serve 12 months and 1 day in prison, followed by 5 years supervised release. She was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $21,052.25. Ms. Jones has been ordered to report to prison on November 4.
Judge Aycock ordered Van Horn to serve 37 months in prison, followed by 5 years supervised release. She was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $4,199.38. Van Horn is already in custody serving her sentence.
James E. Ward, Special Agent in Charge for the U. S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of the Inspector General stated:
“The Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General is dedicated to investigating fraud related to DHS programs, specifically FEMA Emergency Disaster Relief Funds. The charges against this defendant serve as an example of our commitment to investigating FEMA fraud allegations and pursuing federal prosecution to the fullest extent of the law. DHS-OIG places a high priority on the investigation of these types of crimes, which negatively impact our federal system and programs that are intended for law abiding citizens.”
Both cases were investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, and were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert Mims.
Anyone who has knowledge of fraud, waste, abuse, or allegations of mismanagement involving disaster relief operations, may contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud toll free at (866) 720-5721. Information can also be sent by fax to (225) 334-4707, by e-mail to [email protected] or by writing to National Center for Disaster Fraud, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4909. Calls can be made anonymously and confidentially.
Panola County Man Imprisoned for FraudRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss. Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, and Daniel P. McMullen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi, announced that:
Bobby Louis Sanford, 54, of Courtland, Mississippi, was sentenced on September 18 by United States District Judge Sharion Aycock, following his plea of guilty in October 2012 to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering, both of which charges involved Sanford’s scheme to obtain money from out-of-state victims through a series of fraudulent misrepresentations.
Judge Aycock ordered Sanford to serve 120 months in prison on each count of conviction, to run concurrently, followed by 3 years supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $489,395.00.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert Mims.
Marshall County Woman Imprisoned for EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, and
Daniel P. McMullen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi, announced that:Kimberly Cray Burk, 45, of Byhalia, Mississippi, was sentenced Monday, September 16, by Senior U.S. District Judge Neal B. Biggers, Jr. in Oxford, Mississippi. Burk had previously pled guilty to embezzling money from her employer via a wire fraud scheme. Burk was sentenced to 96 months in prison and ordered to pay $1,406,470.25 in restitution to Mid-South Maintenance, Inc. Burk was also sentenced to 3 years supervised release following the term of imprisonment. Burk remained in custody.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Clay Joyner.
Contact:
John Marshall Alexander, Chief of Criminal Division, United States Attorney’s Office,
Oxford, Mississippi (662) 234-3351.Dutschke Indicted in Ricin Letters CaseRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss. Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, and Daniel McMullen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Mississippi, announce:
James Everett Dutschke, age 41, of Tupelo, Mississippi, has been charged as a defendant in a five-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury sitting in the Northern District of Mississippi. The indictment charges Dutschke with one count of knowingly developing, producing, stockpiling, transferring, acquiring, retaining and possessing a biological agent, toxin and delivery system, for use as a weapon, to wit: ricin, and with attempting to do the same, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 175(a) (if convicted on this charge, Dutschke faces maximum possible penalties of life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and 5 years of supervised release); one count of threatening the President of the United States by mail, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 871 (maximum penalties of 5 years imprisonment, $250,000 fine and 3 years supervised release); two counts of threatening others by mail, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 876(c) (maximum penalties of 20 years imprisonment, $250,000 fine and 3 years supervised release); and one count of falsifying, concealing and covering up by trick, scheme and fraudulent device, material facts, to impede the investigation of threatening letters containing ricin, in an effort to make it appear that someone else had sent the threatening letters, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001 (maximum penalties of 5 years imprisonment, $250,000 fine and 3 years supervised release). A copy of the Indictment is attached.
Dutschke is expected to appear in the United States District Court in Oxford, Mississippi, on Thursday, June 6, 2013, before U. S. Magistrate Judge S. Allan Alexander. The indictment is a charge and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
The indictment resulted from a cooperative investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Mississippi and Memphis Joint Terrorism Task Forces, the United States Secret Service, the U. S. Postal Inspection Service, the U. S. Capitol Police, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi and the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, assisted by the following state and local agencies: Mississippi National Guard 47th Civil Support, Mississippi Office of Homeland Security, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Prentiss County Sheriff’s Office, Corinth Police Department, Tupelo Police Department and Booneville Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John Marshall Alexander, Chad Lamar and Clay Joyner of the Northern District of Mississippi, and Andrew Sigler of the Department of Justice, National Security Division.Marshall County Bank Embezzler Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss. Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, Laurie Younger, Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Region, Office of Inspector General for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and, and Daniel McMullen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi, announce that:
Deborah Shaw, 53, of Waterford, Mississippi, former employee of Merchants and Farmers Bank in Holly Springs, has been sentenced by United States Senior District Judge Neal B. Biggers, Jr., in Oxford, Mississippi, following her plea of guilty last fall on one count of embezzlement by a bank employee.
Judge Biggers ordered Shaw to serve 30 months in prison, followed by 5 years supervised release. She was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $327,842.00. Ms. Shaw has been ordered to report to prison on June 17.
United States Attorney Felicia C. Adams stated: “The sentence Ms. Shaw received reinforces the message that federal courts view embezzlement as a serious crime that warrants significant punishment. The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to holding those who abuse their authority accountable for their illegal activities.”
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Special Agent in Charge Younger stated: “The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Office of Inspector General is pleased to join our law enforcement colleagues in bringing Ms. Shaw to justice. We are especially concerned when trusted insiders abuse their positions to harm the financial institutions that employ them. We will continue our efforts to investigate such abuses in FDIC-insured financial institutions throughout the country.”
Daniel McMullen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi, stated: “Working alongside our law enforcement partners, we will use every appropriate tool and available resource to find, stop, and punish those who commit fraud schemes that impact our financial institutions.”
This case was investigated by the Office of Inspector General for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert J. Mims and Clayton A. Dabbs.
Leland Tax Return Preparer Sentenced for False ClaimsRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss. - Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, and Gabriel “Gabe” Grchan, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New Orleans Field Office, announce that:
Lynisha Robinson, 27, of Leland, Mississippi, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Sharion Aycock in Aberdeen, Mississippi, for filing false claims with the federal government. Robinson was ordered to serve 36 months in prison, followed by a term of 3 years supervised release. In addition, Robinson was ordered to pay $112,839.78 in restitution to the IRS and prohibited from employment as a tax preparer while on supervised release.
Robinson pled guilty on November 7, 2012, to six counts of an information charging her with preparing and transmitting fraudulent and material information to the IRS in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 287 and 7206(2).
The investigation by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation revealed that Robinson submitted the false returns to the IRS through Twin Taxes, a business Robinson owned and operated in Leland and Greenville, Mississippi. The false returns resulted in the payment of earned income credit benefits to which neither Robinson nor the filers were entitled.
"Return preparer fraud affects not only the preparer, but the individuals who have filed false information with the Internal Revenue Service," said Gabriel Grchan, IRS Special Agent in Charge of the New Orleans Field Office. "It is our hope that Ms. Robinson's sentence of three years of imprisonment will send a clear message to those who commit tax fraud that there are serious consequences to these crimes."
This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Clyde McGee IV.
***Dutschke Charged in Ricin CaseRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss. B Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, and Daniel McMullen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Mississippi, announce:
James Everett Dutschke, age 41, of Tupelo, Mississippi, has been arrested on a Criminal Complaint charging him with knowingly developing, producing, stockpiling, transferring, acquiring, retaining and possessing a biological agent, toxin and delivery system, for use as a weapon, to wit: ricin, and with attempting, threatening and conspiring to do the same, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 175(a). If convicted on this charge, Dutschke faces maximum possible penalties of life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and 5 years of supervised release.
Dutschke is expected to appear in the United States District Court in Oxford, Mississippi, on Monday, April 29, 2013, before U. S. Magistrate Judge S. Allan Alexander. The arrest is based on a federal charge. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
The arrest resulted from a cooperative investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Mississippi and Memphis Joint Terrorism Task Forces, the United States Secret Service, the U. S. Postal Inspection Service, the U. S. Capitol Police, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi and the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, assisted by the following state and local agencies: Mississippi National Guard 47th Civil Support, Mississippi Office of Homeland Security, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Prentiss County Sheriff’s Office, Corinth Police Department, Tupelo Police Department and Booneville Police Department.
The public is reminded to be vigilant in alerting any suspicious letters or activity to the appropriate authorities.
Mississippi Resident Charged with Threats Against the President and with other Threatening CommunicationsRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss. B Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, and Daniel McMullen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Mississippi, announce:
Paul Kevin Curtis,age 45, of Corinth, Mississippi,has been arrested on a criminal complaint charging him with (1) knowingly depositing for conveyance in the mail and for delivery from any post office any letter, paper, writing or document containing threats to take the life of or to inflict bodily harm upon the President of the United States, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 871; and (2) knowingly depositing and causing to be delivered by the Postal Service according to the directions thereon, communications addressed to other persons, and containing a threat to injure the person of others, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 876(c). If convicted on these charges, Curtis faces maximum possible penalties of 15 years imprisonment,$500,000 in fines and 3 years of supervised release.
Curtis is expected to appear in the United States District Court in Oxford, Mississippi, later today, Thursday, April 18, 2013, before U. S. Magistrate Judge S. Allan Alexander. The arrest is based on federal charges. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
The arrest resulted from a cooperative investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Mississippi and Memphis Joint Terrorism Task Forces, the United States Secret Service, the U. S. Postal Inspection Service, the U. S. Capitol Police,the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Northern District of Mississippi and the Western District of Tennessee,and the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, assisted by the following state and local agencies: Mississippi National Guard 47th Civil Support, Mississippi Office of Homeland Security, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Prentiss County Sheriff’s Office, Corinth Police Department, Tupelo Police Department and Booneville Police Department.
The public should be assured that the threat of danger has been averted. However, the public is reminded to be vigilant in alerting any suspicious letters or activity to the appropriate authorities.
Marietta resident pleads guilty to shooting bald eagleRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss. B Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, Luis Santiago, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, Chief of Law Enforcement Steve Adcock announced that:
Benjamin Tyler Wallace, 23, of Marietta, Mississippi, pled guilty on February 19th before United States Magistrate Judge David A. Sanders, in Aberdeen, Mississippi, to a one-count Information charging him with shooting a mature bald eagle in violation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, 16 U.S.C. § 668, a class A misdemeanor. Wallace shot and killed the eagle while duck hunting in Itawamba County on December 2, 2012.
Following his guilty plea, Wallace was placed on probation for a period of one year, during which time Wallace will be prohibited from hunting in any manner or being present at any hunting camp or campsite anywhere in the world at any time during any season open to hunting. In lieu of a fine, Wallace was further ordered to forfeit to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks the boat, motor, trailer, and two firearms used in the commission of the offense.
United States Fish and Wildlife Service Special Agent in Charge Luis Santiago stated that: “We take our mission working with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks and the citizens of Mississippi in conserving, protecting, and enhancing fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats very seriously, investigating those who choose to violate state and federal laws. They undermine the proud tradition of hunting for all hunters.”
This case was investigated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. Mims.
Teen Dating Violence Awareness and PreventionRead the Press Release
Valentine’s Day is a time to celebrate loving relationships. But maybe it is also a good time for parents to check-in with their teenagers who may be involved in a romantic relationship.
If you are a parent of a teenager, do you know the names and faces of three of their friends? Chances are, one of them—maybe your own son or daughter—will be in an abusive relationship.
The fact is teen dating violence is often hidden and unreported. Not only do teens often lack the experience to navigate romantic relationships, they may also be unable to voice their feelings or communicate when emotional situations take a turn for the worse. Even more frightening is that if adolescents find the courage to tell their friends about being in an abusive relationship, statistics show that more times than not, their friends won’t know what to do to get them help.
February is National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month and it is a great opportunity to raise awareness and focus efforts on breaking the cycle of violence by providing information about the availability of services and the importance of healthy relationships to young victims, their families, and their communities.
While the Nation’s understanding of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking has increased, so too has our awareness that these forms of violence affect all age groups and that violence within relationships often begins during adolescence. However the pattern of abuse can start much earlier. Studies show that children who are victimized or witness violence may carry this experience with them to the playground, classroom and later to teen relationships and ultimately adult intimate partner violence. As professionals, parents, educators, political and business leaders and other members of our local communities, we must teach about and model healthy, non-violent relationships. Intervention and prevention efforts are key elements to stopping the cycle of abuse and are priorities at the Department of Justice and here in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi.
Attorney General Eric Holder’s Defending Childhood initiative is leveraging existing resources across the department to focus on preventing, addressing, reducing, and more fully understanding childhood exposure to violence. In support of this initiative, the Department’s Office on Violence Against Women awarded $5.6 million to 17 organizations that support services for children and caretakers including direct counseling, advocacy or mentoring for children or youth exposed to domestic and dating violence, sexual assault and stalking.
The Office on Violence Against Women administers several youth focused grant programs established by the Violence Against Women Act. Through these grants, federal funds provide unique opportunities for communities to increase collaboration among victim service providers, children, youth, and men’s groups and schools to help teens understand healthy relationships. Through these partnerships, agencies can focus on educating the community, teens, and children about identifying the signs of abuse, and assist them in locating services if they or someone they know is experiencing a physically or emotionally abusive relationship.
Working to end violence in families and communities remains one of the highest priorities for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi. Every year, millions of children and adolescents across the United States are victimized and exposed to violence in their homes and communities, and often suffer severe long-term emotional and physical consequences. When these problems remain unaddressed, children are at higher risk for school failure, substance abuse, repeat victimization, and, perhaps, most disturbingly, perpetrating violent behavior later in their own lives. It is our responsibility to address this serious issue and protect our children.
So on this Valentine’s Day, I encourage everybody, especially parents, to look beyond the roses and chocolate-filled hearts that your children may have exchanged and provide an environment to talk about healthy, violence-free relationships.
Cleveland Hunter Sentenced for Migratory Bird ViolationsRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss. Felicia C. Adams, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, Luis Santiago, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, Chief of Law Enforcement Steve Adcock announced that:
Cecil Allen “Torch” Tindle, 50, of Cleveland, Mississippi, pled guilty on February 8, 2013, before United States Magistrate Judge David A. Sanders, in Aberdeen, Mississippi, to four counts of a 20-count Information charging him with various migratory bird violations. Charges to which Tindle pled guilty included taking migratory birds from a motor boat while the boat was under power and aiding and abetting other hunters in the taking of ducks in excess of the daily bag limit during a commercially guided duck hunt.
Following his guilty plea, Tindle was ordered to pay a fine of $4,000, including associated fees and court costs, and to pay restitution to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks in the amount of $4,000 to offset a portion of the costs of investigation. Tindle was further placed on probation for a period of two years, during which he will be prohibited from hunting in any manner or at any hunting camp or campsite anywhere in the world at any time during any season open to hunting.
“We are committed to working with Mississippi and its citizens to conserve and protect waterfowl and other wildlife,” said United States Fish and Wildlife Service Special Agent in Charge Santiago. “Our collective efforts help ensure that these resources will be here for future generations of fair chase hunters and outdoor enthusiasts.”
This case was investigated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement, the National Wildlife Refuge Division of Law Enforcement and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. Mims.