Eastern District of North Carolina
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Rocky Mount Man Sentenced to 262 Months for Heroin Distribution and Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina John Stuart Bruce announced that yesterday in federal court, Senior U.S. District Court Judge Malcolm J. Howard, sentenced QUINCY ANDRE JONES, 38, of Pinetops, North Carolina to 262 months imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release. On August 8, 2016, JONES pled guilty to one-count of Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Heroin and to one-count of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
U.S. Attorney John Stuart Bruce commented, “Our office is working every day with federal, state, and local law enforcement to fight the nationwide plague of heroin/opioid abuse. Vigorous prosecution of the dealers of this poison is an essential part of this effort.”
“It is always a good day when a heroin dealer goes to prison for over 20 years,” said Rocky Mount Chief of Police James C. Moore. “Heroin addiction is an unwelcome habitual disease that is devastating our society. I hope that this sentence will make other dealers think twice before they decide to sell drugs in Rocky Mount.”
Investigation revealed that between January 19, 2016, and June 3, 2016, investigators from the Rocky Mount Police Department, conducted nine controlled purchases of heroin, or substances purporting to be heroin, from JONES or individuals working for JONES.
On June 3, 2016, following the controlled transactions detailed above, investigators initiated a traffic stop of JONES’ vehicle and he was taken into custody without incident. Following his arrest, JONES provided a statement to investigators. JONES advised that he obtained a handgun two weeks earlier from a heroin addict, in exchange for 30 bindles of heroin. He explained that he started selling heroin in December 2015, and that he purchased 1 to 2 bricks (1.2 to 2.4 grams) of heroin per day from his supplier. JONES went on to discuss his own drug trafficking and noted that he made approximately $800 per day.
The case was investigated by the Rocky Mount Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Special Assistant United States Attorney Boz Zellinger prosecuted the case.
Oxford Man Sentenced to 130 Months for Cocaine DistributionRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina John Stuart Bruce announced that yesterday in federal court, Senior U.S. District Court Judge Malcolm J. Howard, sentenced ANTONIO RODRIGUEZ CROSS, 33, of Oxford, to 130 months imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release. On April 10, 2017, CROSS pled guilty to one-count of Distribution and Possession with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Cocaine and to one-count of Distribution and Possession with Intent to Distribute 28 Grams or More of Cocaine Base.
In 2014, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Raleigh, along with officers from the Oxford Police Department initiated an investigation into the drug-trafficking activities of CROSS. They discovered that CROSS sold cocaine and the defendant also converted cocaine into cocaine base on occasion. Agents conducted eight controlled purchases from CROSS beginning in March 2014 and concluding in April 2015. Further investigation revealed CROSS was arrested on numerous occasions for drug-trafficking activities.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Oxford Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Toby Lathan prosecuted the case for the government.
Henderson, North Carolina Couple Sentenced for Heroin and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
ELIZABETH CITY – United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina John Stuart Bruce announced that in federal court yesterday, United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced MICHAEL L. MILES and ROSLYN WYNN of Henderson, North Carolina for possession with intent to distribute heroin and firearms charges. MILES was sentenced to 108 months imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute heroin and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. WYNN was sentenced to 5 years of probation for her role in the possession with intent to distribute heroin.
MILES and WYNN were named in a three-count Indictment filed in the Eastern District of North Carolina on June 28, 2016. Count one charged MILES and WYNN with Conspiracy to Distribute and Possession with the Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Heroin from April 1, 2016, to June 28, 2016.
On May 26, 2016, Henderson Police Department officers executed a search warrant at MILES and WYNN’s house in Henderson, North Carolina. As a result of the search, the following items were seized: a FN Five-seven semi-automatic handgun; a 9 mm firearm; 50 bindles of heroin; multiple rounds of ammunition; a digital scale; ten cell phones; and $4,684 in United States currency. Officers also executed a search warrant at the storage unit rented by WYNN, which resulted in the seizure of approximately 63.44 grams of heroin, a stolen AR-15 semiautomatic rifle, a stolen AK-47 semi-automatic rifle, and ammunition. During an interview with law enforcement, MILES informed officers that he directed WYNN to rent the storage unit on his behalf.
This investigation was part of the Strategic Heroin Initiative, initiated by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina in partnership with the Department of Justice's Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).
The case was investigated by the Henderson Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF). The federal prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Edward D. Gray.
Two Aliens Indicted on Illegal Reentry ChargesRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE – John Stuart Bruce, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that a federal grand jury in Raleigh has returned an indictment charging GENRI GONZALEZ-CARRENO, age 39, of Mexico, and ROGELIO GUTIERREZ-GALLEGOS, age 41, of Mexico with Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien.
GONZALEZ-CARRENO and GUTIERREZ-GALLEGOS are alleged to have been previously deported twice each from the United States and reentered without permission. If convicted, they would face a maximum imprisonment term of 2 years, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The cases are being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security.
Alien Indicted on Illegal Reentry ChargeRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – John Stuart Bruce, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that a federal grand jury in Raleigh has returned an indictment charging ELY OSCAR MORENO-PONCE, age 41, of Mexico, with Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien.
MORENO-PONCE is alleged to have been previously deported subsequent to an aggravated felony conviction (possession with intent to manufacture, deliver or sell marijuana). Therefore, if convicted, he would face a maximum imprisonment term of 20 years, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security.
Six Aliens Indicted on Illegal Reentry ChargesRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON – John Stuart Bruce, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that a federal grand jury in Raleigh has returned indictments charging JOSE LUIS CRUZ-HERNANDEZ, age 33, of Honduras, LUCIO HERNANDEZ-VARGAS, age 43, of Mexico, ROBERTO MACEDA-TEQUEXTLE, age 39, of Mexico, MARIO MOTA-SERRANO, age 41, of Mexico, SANTOS DAMIAN ROBLERO-MORALES, age 34, of Mexico, and RAMON RUTILIO ROMERO-ORTIZ, age 44, of Honduras, with Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien.
If convicted of Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien, HERNANDEZ-VARGAS, MOTA-SERRANO, ROBLERO-MORALES, and ROMERO-ORTIZ would face maximum penalties of two years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
CRUZ-HERNANDEZ is alleged to have been previously deported subsequent to a felony conviction (illegal reentry of a deported alien). Therefore, if convicted, he would face a maximum imprisonment term of 10 years, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
MACEDA-TEQUEXTLE is alleged to have been previously deported subsequent to an aggravated felony conviction (possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine). Therefore, if convicted, he would face a maximum imprisonment term of 20 years, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The cases are being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security.
Wilson City Drug Trafficker Found Guilty of Heroin Distribution That Resulted in A DeathRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina announced that in federal court in New Bern, N.C., United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan presiding, a jury found ELTON WAYNE WALSTON, from Wilson, North Carolina, guilty of one count of distribution of heroin that resulted in the death of a Wilson, N.C. man, one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin, one count of illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition, and four counts of distribution of heroin.
In 2015, the Wilson Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Raleigh, North Carolina, identified the defendant as a source of heroin in the Wilson, Greenville, and Nash County areas. Investigation confirmed that the defendant sold heroin on multiple occasions including a sale that led to the death of a Wilson man in March of 2015.
“Heroin and other opioids are a deadly plague across our country. Our office - along with the entire U.S. Department of Justice - is determined to hold accountable those who deal these deadly drugs to enrich themselves. This prosecution is an example of that determination,” said John Stuart Bruce, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
“This guilty verdict is a victory for law enforcement and the citizens of North Carolina. DEA and our law enforcement partners are committed to bringing to justice those who prey on individuals who are unfortunately addicted to this poison. Hopefully, this verdict, will bring some comfort to the families impacted by Mr. Walston’s illegal activities,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Daniel R. Salter.
The case was investigated by the DEA Raleigh Resident Office, Wilson Police Department, North Carolina State Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations Crime Lab, and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF). The federal prosecution was handled by Special Assistant United States Attorney Boz Zellinger and Assistant United States Attorney Edward D. Gray.
This investigation was part of the Strategic Heroin Initiative, initiated by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina in partnership with the Department of Justice's Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force.
Seven Aliens Indicted on Illegal Reentry ChargesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – John Stuart Bruce, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that a federal grand jury in Raleigh has returned indictments charging MARTIN CABALLERO-CABALLERO, age 59, of Mexico, FEDERICO ESPINDOLA-PINEDA, age 42, of Mexico, JOSE HUMBERTO ESPINOZA-EGUIA, age 36, of Mexico, RICARDO GOMEZ-GONZALEZ, age 34, of Mexico, ESNANONAM MATUTE-MATUTE, age 29, of Honduras, ROSALINDO RIOS-MARTINEZ, age 35, of Mexico, and LUIS ROSAS, age 38, of Mexico, with Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien.
If convicted of Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien, ESPINDOLA-PINEDA, ESPINOZA-EGUIA, and MATUTE-MATUTE, would face maximum penalties of two years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
CABALLERO-CABALLERO and RIOS-MARTINEZ are alleged to have been previously deported subsequent to a felony conviction (illegal reentry of a deported alien, and trafficking cocaine, respectively). Therefore, if convicted, they each would face a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
GOMEZ-GONZALEZ and ROSAS are alleged to have been previously deported subsequent to an aggravated felony conviction (possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, respectively). Therefore, if convicted, they each would face a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The cases are being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security.
Justice Department Conducts Animal Fighting Investigations TrainingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - On June 21 to 22, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Environmental Crimes Section and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General (USDA OIG) hosted over 100 federal and state regulators, criminal investigators and prosecutors from across the country for an animal fighting investigations training held at the National Guard Joint Forces Headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina.
“Animal fighting ventures are violent and unlawful,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood of the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Ending these cruel practices will require a close partnership among local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, including coordinated investigations and enhanced training programs. Our Division is proud to be a leader in this worthy cause.”
“Our office was pleased to host this important conference on the serious problem of animal fighting and abuse,” said U.S. Attorney John Stuart Bruce for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “Federal, state, and local law enforcement, along with non-governmental animal welfare groups, are working together to stop these horrific crimes, and the associated crimes that usually accompany them.”
“As the criminal investigations agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Office of Inspector General has successfully conducted animal fighting investigations across the country, with the assistance of our Federal, State and local law enforcement partners,” said Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Ann M. Coffey.
“The USDA OIG is pleased to have worked closely with the Department of Justice to coordinate this important training initiative to combat animal fighting and the associated crimes which often occur in animal fighting ventures,” said Special Agent in Charge Karen Citizen-Wilcox for the USDA OIG Southeast Region Office of Investigations. “Special Agents from all of the OIG’s regional offices will share their knowledge of and experiences with animal fighting investigations with personnel attending from other law enforcement agencies and private organizations.”
During the training, animal fighting investigators from the Humane Society of the United States, along with prosecutors and USDA OIG agents who have successfully investigated and prosecuted animal fighting cases, shared their experiences with attendees. Instructors provided participants with an overview of the business of dog fighting, a description of federal animal welfare and cruelty statutes, effective investigative techniques, evidence collection best practices, available resources and authorities for the seizure and post-seizure care of animals and successful sentencing strategies.
State and national animal control associations estimate that upwards of 40,000 people participate in dog fighting in the United States at a professional level, meaning that dog fighting and its associated gambling are their primary or only source of income. An unknown but potentially larger number of people participate in dog fighting on an occasional basis. Cockfighting is thought to be similarly widespread. In addition, animal fighting activities attract other serious crimes, such as gambling, drug dealing, weapons offenses and money laundering. Children are commonly present at animal fighting events.
The federal Animal Welfare Act makes it a felony punishable by up to five years in prison to knowingly sell, buy, possess, train, transport, deliver, or receive any animal, including dogs, for purposes of having the animal participate in an animal fighting venture. In 2014, the Department of Justice designated the Environment and Natural Resources Division as the centralized body within the Department responsible for tracking, coordinating, and working with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices on animal cruelty enforcement matters.
For more information on the Department's efforts, visit: https://www.justice.gov/enrd/animal-welfare.
Justice Department Conducts Animal Fighting Investigations TrainingRead the Press Release
On June 21 to 22, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Environmental Crimes Section and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General (USDA OIG) hosted over 100 federal and state regulators, criminal investigators and prosecutors from across the country for an animal fighting investigations training held at the National Guard Joint Forces Headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina.
“Animal fighting ventures are violent and unlawful,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood of the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Ending these cruel practices will require a close partnership among local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, including coordinated investigations and enhanced training programs. Our Division is proud to be a leader in this worthy cause.”
“Our office was pleased to host this important conference on the serious problem of animal fighting and abuse,” said U.S. Attorney John Stuart Bruce for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “Federal, state, and local law enforcement, along with non-governmental animal welfare groups are working together to stop these heinous crimes, and the associated crimes that usually accompany them.”
“As the criminal investigations agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Office of Inspector General has successfully conducted animal fighting investigations across the country, with the assistance of our Federal, State and local law enforcement partners,” said Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Ann M. Coffey.
“The USDA OIG is pleased to have worked closely with the Department of Justice to coordinate this important training initiative to combat animal fighting and the associated crimes which often occur in animal fighting ventures,” said Special Agent in Charge Karen Citizen-Wilcox for the USDA OIG Southeast Region Office of Investigations. “Special Agents from all of the OIG’s regional offices will share their knowledge of and experiences with animal fighting investigations with personnel attending from other law enforcement agencies and private organizations.”
During the training, animal fighting investigators from the Humane Society of the United States, along with prosecutors and USDA OIG agents who have successfully investigated and prosecuted animal fighting cases, shared their experiences with attendees. Instructors provided participants with an overview of the business of dog fighting, a description of federal animal welfare and cruelty statutes, effective investigative techniques, evidence collection best practices, available resources and authorities for the seizure and post-seizure care of animals and successful sentencing strategies.
State and national animal control associations estimate that upwards of 40,000 people participate in dog fighting in the United States at a professional level, meaning that dog fighting and its associated gambling are their primary or only source of income. An unknown but potentially larger number of people participate in dog fighting on an occasional basis. Cockfighting is thought to be similarly widespread. In addition, animal fighting activities attract other serious crimes, such as gambling, drug dealing, weapons offenses and money laundering. Children are commonly present at animal fighting events.
The federal Animal Welfare Act makes it a felony punishable by up to five years in prison to knowingly sell, buy, possess, train, transport, deliver, or receive any animal, including dogs, for purposes of having the animal participate in an animal fighting venture. In 2014, the Department of Justice designated the Environment and Natural Resources Division as the centralized body within the Department responsible for tracking, coordinating, and working with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices on animal cruelty enforcement matters.
For more information on the Department's efforts, visit: https://www.justice.gov/enrd/animal-welfare.
Eight Current and Former Law Enforcement Officers, Four Correctional Officers, and Others Sentenced for Their Participation in Drug Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Greenville - Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and United States Attorney John Stuart Bruce announced that eight current and former law enforcement officers, four correctional officers and two other individuals have been sentenced for their participation in trafficking narcotics and narcotics proceeds for a purported large-scale drug trafficking organization. The individuals used their affiliation with law enforcement to make money by protecting shipments of purported narcotics and narcotics proceeds.
Senior United States District Court Judge Malcolm J. Howard sentenced the following 14 defendants on a variety of charges, including conspiracy to distribute illegal narcotics, firearm charges and bribery charges: Lann Tjuan Clanton, 38, of Garysburg, NC was sentenced to 195 months; Ikeisha Jacobs, 33, of Rich Square, NC, was sentenced to 120 months; Jason Boone, 31 of Henrico, NC, was sentenced to 96 months; Wardie Vincent Jr., 37, of Henrico, NC, was sentenced to 72 months; Adrienne Moody, 38 of Roanoke Rapids, NC was sentenced to 87 months; Cory Jackson, 45, of Garysburg, NC, was sentenced to 87 months; Jimmy Pair Jr., 50, of Pleasant Hill, NC, was sentenced to 87 months; Curtis Boone, 37, of Gaston, NC, was sentenced to 87 months; Thomas Jefferson Allen, 39 , of Roanoke Rapids, NC, was sentenced to 87 months; Alaina Sue-Kam-Ling, 27, of Charlotte, NC, was sentenced to 38 months; Kavon Phillips, 26, of Rich Square, NC, was sentenced to 57 months; Alphonso Ponton, 44, of Weldon, NC, was sentenced to 48 months; Crystal Pierce, 32, of Roanoke Rapids, NC, was sentenced to 6 months; and Tohsa Dailey, 37, of Garysburg, NC, was sentenced to 24 months.
According to factual statements made in connection with the defendants’ guilty pleas, at the time of the crimes charged, Jacobs, Jason Boone, Pair Jr., Curtis Boone and Allen were Deputy Sheriffs at the Northampton County Sheriff’s Office; Clanton, Vincent Jr. and Jackson were former law enforcement officers; Moody, Sue-Kam-Ling, Phillips and Ponton were correctional officers; and Dailey was a 911 dispatch operator for Northampton County.
John Stuart Bruce, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, stated: "Our office was pleased to partner with the FBI and the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section in this important case. When law enforcement officers breach their public trust by agreeing to assist criminal organizations for profit, they must be held accountable, as was done in this prosecution."
"They vowed to protect and serve, but instead these law enforcement officers sold their badges to line their own pockets. Public corruption is the number one criminal priority of the FBI and we will work aggressively to protect the public trust," said John Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina.
The charges stemmed from a large-scale undercover investigation into allegations of systemic law enforcement corruption in Northampton County. Admissions made in connection with the defendants’ guilty pleas revealed that during the course of the undercover investigation, the defendants aided in transporting purported illegal narcotics and illegal narcotics proceeds through North Carolina and elsewhere in exchange for thousands of dollars of payments.
In May 2017, a jury convicted a fifteenth defendant, Antonio Tillmon, 34, of Windsor, NC of drug, firearm and bribery charges relating to this scheme. Tillmon, a former North Carolina police officer, will be sentenced on Aug. 8, 2017. All 15 defendants indicted in this case have now been convicted of various offenses.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Charlotte Division, Raleigh Resident Agency. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Toby W. Lathan of the Eastern District of North Carolina and Trial Attorneys Lauren Bell and Molly Gaston of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section.
Eight Current and Former Law Enforcement Officers, Four Correctional Officers, and Others Sentenced for Their Participation in Drug Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Eight current and former law enforcement officers, four correctional officers and two other individuals have been sentenced for their participation in trafficking narcotics and narcotics proceeds for a purported large-scale drug trafficking organization. The individuals used their affiliation with law enforcement to make money by protecting shipments of purported narcotics and narcotics proceeds.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney John Stuart Bruce of the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement.
Senior United States District Court Judge Malcolm J. Howard sentenced the following 14 defendants on a variety of charges, including conspiracy to distribute illegal narcotics, firearm charges and bribery charges: Lann Tjuan Clanton, 38, of Garysburg, N.C., was sentenced to 195 months in prison; Ikeisha Jacobs, 34, of Rich Square, N.C., was sentenced to 120 months in prison; Jason Boone, 31, of Henrico, N.C., was sentenced to 96 months in prison; Wardie Vincent Jr., 37, of Henrico, N.C., was sentenced to 72 months in prison; Adrienne Moody, 39, of Roanoke Rapids, N.C., was sentenced to 87 months in prison; Cory Jackson, 45, of Garysburg, N.C., was sentenced to 87 months in prison; Jimmy Pair Jr., 51, of Pleasant Hill, N.C., was sentenced to 87 months in prison; Curtis Boone, 38, of Gaston, N.C., was sentenced to 87 months in prison; Thomas Jefferson Allen II, 39, of Roanoke Rapids, N.C., was sentenced to 87 months in prison; Alaina Sue-Kam-Ling, 28, of Charlotte, N.C., was sentenced to 38 months in prison; Kavon Phillips, 27, of Rich Square, N.C., was sentenced to 57 months in prison; Alphonso Ponton, 45, of Weldon, N.C., was sentenced to 48 months in prison; Crystal Pierce, 33, of Roanoke Rapids, N.C., was sentenced to 6 months in prison and 6 months of house arrest; and Tohsa Dailey, 37, of Garysburg, N.C., was sentenced to 24 months in prison.
According to factual statements made in connection with the defendants’ guilty pleas, at the time of the crimes charged, Jacobs, Jason Boone, Pair Jr., Curtis Boone and Allen were Deputy Sheriffs at the Northampton County Sheriff’s Office; Clanton, Vincent Jr. and Jackson were former law enforcement officers; Moody, Sue-Kam-Ling, Phillips and Ponton were correctional officers; and Dailey was a 911 dispatch operator for Northampton County.
The charges stemmed from a large-scale undercover investigation into allegations of systemic law enforcement corruption in Northampton County. Admissions made in connection with the defendants’ guilty pleas revealed that during the course of the undercover investigation, the defendants aided in transporting purported illegal narcotics and illegal narcotics proceeds through North Carolina and elsewhere in exchange for thousands of dollars of payments.
In May 2017, a jury convicted a fifteenth defendant, Antonio Tillmon, 33, of Windsor, N.C., of drug, firearm and bribery charges relating to this scheme. Tillmon, a former North Carolina police officer, is set for sentencing during the Court’s September 12, term. All 15 defendants indicted in this case have now been convicted of various offenses.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Charlotte Division, Raleigh Resident Agency. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Lauren Bell and Molly Gaston of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Toby W. Lathan of the Eastern District of North Carolina.
Raleigh Investment Advisor Sentenced to Prison for Orchestrating Ponzi Scheme on ClientsRead the Press Release
Raleigh - United States Attorney John Stuart Bruce announced that yesterday afternoon in federal court Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever, III sentenced HUGH MONROE DYSON, 67, of Holly Springs, North Carolina, to serve 48 months in federal prison, for committing Mail Fraud. DYSON was also ordered to forfeit the proceeds of the offense, to make restitution, and to serve three years of supervised release.
Between 1993 and 2012, DYSON was a registered representative and financial advisor who was employed at two financial services firms in Raleigh, where he provided financial advice to various investor clients. During that same time period, DYSON created a fictitious entity, known as “Keyport Oil,” which purported to be an oil and gas limited partnership. DYSON actively marketed Keyport Oil to his clients and represented that it was a real company that was engaged in petroleum drilling operations in another state.
Over 19 years, investors gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to DYSON who, in turn, fabricated stock certificates for investors using scissors, tape, and a copy machine. DYSON did not invest his clients’ money in Keyport Oil. Instead, he used the money on personal expenses and to pay other investors. Periodically, DYSON issued checks to the investors which purported to be a portion of Keyport Oil’s sales revenue. In fact, these funds generally came from the investment funds of other victims. Ultimately, DYSON’s scheme collapsed, and investors lost their entire principal investment.
At the sentencing DYSON argued that he should be sentenced to probation to permit him an opportunity to make restitution to his defrauded clients. The court heard argument, however, that since the scheme unraveled in 2012, DYSON had made no effort to repay the investors the money he stole. In fact, the investors had previously sued DYSON in state court and obtained a judgment against him for the same fraud, but DYSON had paid nothing on the judgment. The Court rejected DYSON’s request, and sentenced him to prison for four years.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney William M. Gilmore represented the United States.
Five Aliens Indicted on Illegal Reentry ChargesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – John Stuart Bruce, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that a federal grand jury in Raleigh has returned indictments charging ALEXIS AQUIRRE-VELASQUEZ, age 29, of Guatemala, FERNANDO CARILLO-VASQUEZ, age 27, of Mexico, NESTOR RAFAEL CHAVEZ-DAVID, age 36, of Honduras, JUAN EDGAR MARTINEZ-RUIZ, age 30, of Mexico, and ROSALIO QUINTERO-CASTILLO, age 40, of Mexico, with Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien.
If convicted of Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien, AQUIRRE-VELASQUEZ, CHAVEZ-DAVID, MARTINEZ-RUIZ and QUINTERO-CASTILLO would face maximum penalties of two years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
CARILLO-VASQUEZ is alleged to have been previously deported subsequent to a felony conviction (trafficking cocaine). Therefore, if convicted, he would face a maximum imprisonment term of 10 years, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The cases are being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security.
Tobacco Farmer Sentenced to 6 Months Imprisonment for Obstructing an On-Going Federal InvestigationRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – United States Attorney John Stuart Bruce announced that today in federal court, the Honorable James C. Dever III, Chief United States District Judge, sentenced KAY WEEKS FISHER, 67, of Whitakers, North Carolina, to six-months imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release and a $25,000 fine for making material false statements.
According to the Criminal Information and information in the public record, KAY WEEKS FISHER, being aware of an on-going federal grand jury investigation, took steps to help another farmer conceal the sales of hidden tobacco and encouraged the farmer to provide false testimony to federal agents. The farmer, who was also prosecuted by this office, eventually told the truth. FISHER’s criminal conduct, however, obstructed the investigation and ultimately judicial proceedings.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigations, the United States Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General, and Risk Management Agency - Special Investigations Branch. Assistant United States Attorney Banumathi Rangarajan represented the government.
Pembroke Man Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to File Fraudulent Income Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina John Stuart Bruce announces that today, in federal court, Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever, III, sentenced ROBBIE GLENN REVELS, 45, of Pembroke, North Carolina, to 54 months imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $1,806,734 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.
On August 17, 2016, REVELS pled guilty to False, Fictitious, and Fraudulent Claims for Refunds and Aggravated Identity Theft.
“Just as the filing season has ended, today’s sentencing of Robbie Revels, for filing false tax returns and identity theft, is a powerful reminder of what can happen when you decide to steal from honest taxpayers,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Holloman, III. “IRS - Criminal Investigation’s Special Agents will continue their aggressive pursuit of those who attempt to defraud the United States Treasury, erode taxpayer’s confidence in the tax system and show blatant disregard for the victims of their schemes.”
In 2013, agents with the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) received information that REVELS was filing false income tax returns. As a result, IRS CI initiated an investigation into the activities of REVELS. The investigation established that between January 2011 and January 2013, REVELS engaged in a scheme to defraud the United States government of millions of dollars by filing false income tax returns.
In 2009, REVELS opened Fashion Icons, a retail-clothing store, in Pembroke, North Carolina. REVELS had multiple employees and regular customers who frequented his store. REVELS was known in the community to prepare or assist others in the preparation of tax returns. In 2011, REVELS began filing false income tax returns for the 2010 tax year. REVELS recruited several employees from his store as well as family members to participate in the scheme by using their bank accounts to receive deposits of fraudulent refunds. According to these individuals, REVELS did not pay them for their services directly, but he (REVELS) bought them clothes, food, and provided other benefits for their participation in the offense.
REVELS typically filed returns claiming $4,000 to $5,000 in refunds. These returns contained falsified W-2 wages and withholdings, medical expenses, charitable donations, and job expenses. By falsifying the reported earnings and withholdings, REVELS was typically able to take advantage of the earned income tax credit, resulting in substantial refunds.
Agents determined that over $1.5 million from these returns went directly into REVELS’s employees’bank accounts. While some of the “taxpayers” whose names were used to file the returns may have been aware of the fraudulent returns being filed in their names, most of them did not.
The Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation led the investigation of this case.
Assistant United States Attorney David Bragdon prosecuted the case and Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Kessler handled the sentencing for the government.
Goodall Sentenced to Life in Prison for Kidnapping Case of Wake Forest ManRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina John Stuart Bruce announced that today in federal court, Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever, III, sentenced SHAMIEKA GOODALL, a/k/a Donna Diva, 30, of Covington, Georgia to life imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release. On January 23, 2017, a jury found GOODALL guilty of Conspiracy to Kidnap a relative of a North Carolina state prosecutor and of a separate substantive count of Kidnapping relating to the same.
In October of 2012, Kelvin Melton, one of the founding members of the United Blood Nation, was convicted by a Wake County jury on two counts pertaining to a gang-related shooting that occurred in Raleigh in September of 2011. As a result of this conviction, Melton was sentenced to life imprisonment and incarcerated in the maximum security unit at Polk Correctional Institution (“Polk”) in Butner, North Carolina. Melton concocted a plan under which he arranged for various low ranking gang members located in the vicinity of Atlanta, Georgia, to kidnap a person related to the North Carolina state prosecutor. Melton planned to use such hostage to extort dismissal of his life imprisonment sentence.
During the early morning hours of Saturday, April 5, 2014, Melton held a conference call with various gang members located at GOODALL’s home in Covington, Georgia, during which he generally discussed the mission. The kidnapping team (which included a member that had been recruited by GOODALL) assembled at GOODALL’s house and GOODALL provided the team with funds to use during the course of the kidnapping mission. After traveling from Covington, Georgia, to Wake Forest, North Carolina, the kidnapping team arrived at the home of Frank Janssen (the state prosecutor’s father) just prior to noon on April 5, 2014. The kidnapping team used the ruse of delivering lost mail, to get Frank Janssen to open his front door. Mr. Janssen was then pistol whipped, tazed, and taken from his home against his will.
During the course of the trip back to Georgia, GOODALL and others were called upon to determine the location at which Mr. Janssen would be held. The kidnapping team was then instructed to bring Mr. Janssen to an apartment located in Southeast Atlanta. Mr. Janssen was bound to a chair and held in a small closet from the early evening of April 5, 2014, through late on the night of April 9, 2014. Just hours before Mr. Janssen was rescued, Melton called and instructed the kidnapping team (including the team member recruited by GOODALL) to find a location to bury Mr. Janssen and then return to the apartment and kill Mr. Janssen. Through a coordinated effort involving many federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team rescued Mr. Janssen at 11:55 pm on April 9, 2014.
United States Attorney John Stuart Bruce stated, “As I stated when Kelvin Melton was convicted, this crime was monstrously cruel to the victim and his family, including a dedicated public servant who was being targeted for her public service. It was also an attack on our criminal justice system. We must do more to stop convicted prisoners from reaching out from their prison cells to harm witnesses and law enforcement officials, and to continue their criminal enterprises. The convictions in this case are a start.”
“Today is the final chapter in the prosecution of a heinous crime conducted by members of a violent gang. We hope this conviction sends a message that all gang members involved in these crimes will be held accountable. We would like to thank our federal and local law enforcement partners for their incredible cooperation which lead to an innocent man’s rescue and the convictions of those responsible,” said John Strong, the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina.
The case was investigated by the FBI Charlotte, FBI Atlanta, the Wake Forest Police Department, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation with assistance by the Durham County Sheriff’s Office, Raleigh Police Department, Durham Police Department, North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement, Garner Police Department, North Carolina Highway Patrol, RDU Police, City County Bureau of Investigation, the Cobb County Police Department, Alpharetta Police Department, Atlanta Police Department, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina is handling the prosecution of these cases.
Former NC Correctional Officer Sentenced to 14 Years for the Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEW BERN – United States Attorney John Stuart Bruce announced that today in federal court, United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan sentenced JOSHUA LYNN GONDERMAN, 23, from Lumberton, N.C., to 168 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release for the Receipt of Child Pornography (CP). GONDERMAN pled guilty to the charge on February 16, 2017.
In March 2016, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Fayetteville discovered that GONDERMAN had received CP from a target of another FBI investigation out of state. During their investigation they also learned that GONDERMAN was employed as a correctional officer at the NC Department of Public Safety Lumberton Correctional Institution.
On May 31, 2016, a search warrant was executed on GONDERMAN’s residence and multiple storage devices were seized. A preliminary review of the seized items uncovered CP and GONDERMAN was arrested on state charges. As determined by the investigation, GONDERMAN used a smartphone to receive and store images and videos of CP. He possessed 4,712 images of CP. Several of the images depicted the sexual exploitation of infants and portrayed sadistic and masochistic conduct.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fayetteville Office and the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office. The federal prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Ethan A. Ontjes.
This case was part of the Project Safe Childhood initiative, a national program aimed at ensuring that criminals exploiting children are effectively prosecuted by making full use of all available law enforcement resources at every level. For more information about this important national project, Project Safe Childhood, go to www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Two Who Targeted U.S. Marines Sentenced for Conspiracy, Wire Fraud, and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, John Stuart Bruce, announced that today, Senior District Court Judge W. Earl Britt sentenced JONES TYLER MARTIN, of Hampton, South Carolina, and HAILEY TYKOSKI, of Wayne, Michigan, for their convictions in a fraudulent scheme that seriously impacted the United States Marine Corps and numerous victim Marines from North Carolina to California. MARTIN was sentenced to 57 months imprisonment, 5 years supervised release, and was ordered to pay $117,306.42 in restitution, and TYKOSKI was sentenced to 5 years probation and was ordered to pay $42,289.05 in restitution.
In September 2016, a federal grand jury in Wilmington, North Carolina, returned a five-count indictment charging MARTIN and TYKOSKI with conspiring to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and aiding and abetting. On January 30, 2017, MARTIN pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. On March 27, 2017 TYKOSKI pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
John Stuart Bruce, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, stated: “The U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in this district treat cases such as this one with high priority. There will continue to be vigorous prosecution of those who commit fraud and cybercrimes targeting members of the armed services and veterans.”
H. Andrew Goodridge, Special Agent in Charge, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, stated: “This case reminds all of us to remain vigilant about what information we provide to strangers, it also demonstrates that NCIS is committed to pursuing those who exploit US service members."
The investigation revealed that between 2013 and 2015, MARTIN, working with accomplices including TYKOSKI, created fake female identities on internet dating websites for the purpose of targeting and luring young enlisted Marines into virtual relationships. In the course of the fraud scheme, the defendants sent text messages and emails to Marines who were deceived into believing they were in online romantic relationships. The conspirators induced the victims to take out personal loans from Navy Federal Credit Union. Using the victims’ personal identification, MARTIN then initiated wire transfers of the loan proceeds into other accounts. MARTIN also withdrew funds using new lines of credit and accounts in the victims’ names, leaving the victim Marines to pay off the debts.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Field Office Carolinas, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Special Assistant United States Attorney Mark Griffith prosecuted the case for the government.
Seven Sentenced to Prison in Identity Theft and Credit Fraud Scam at Sam’s Club and Walmart StoresRead the Press Release
Raleigh - United States Attorney John Stuart Bruce announced that today in federal court United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced seven defendants to federal prison for their participation in an identity theft and credit card scheme carried out at various Walmart and Sam’s Club stores. The Court also directed that each of the defendants serve terms of supervised release, and the forfeiture of the proceeds of their crimes.
In November of 2015, a grand jury issued a true bill of indictment charging ten defendants with engaging in a complicated scheme involving the use of stolen credit information. The indictment alleged that the defendants acquired stolen credit information from overseas hackers, and then encoded the stolen credit information onto plastic gift cards. Members of the conspiracy then took the counterfeit gift cards to Walmart locations in various states and used them to buy genuine Walmart gift cards. After acquiring genuine gift cards, the conspirators took them to Sam’s Club stores (who accept Walmart gift cards as tender) where they used them to purchase more than $1 Million in cigarettes. The conspirators then sold off the cigarettes for cash to various black market vendors.
The following previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering and Aggravated Identity Theft. Their information and sentence is listed below.
TENDAI MUNYARADZI MAKONI, 34, of Durham, NC, was sentenced to 144 months in prison.
MOMAR TALLA NDIR, 32, of Raleigh, NC, was sentenced to 42 months in prison.
DABED DEL JESUS SANCHEZ, 22, of Raleigh, NC, was sentenced to 42 months in prison.
MOMAR TALLA NDIR, 32, of Raleigh, NC, was sentenced to 42 months in prison.
JOSEPH DAREN HOLCOMB, 43, of Charlotte, NC, was sentenced to 34 months in prison.
AARON KENT DAVIS, 23, of Raleigh, NC, was sentenced to 84 months in prison.
MARK TONY EVANS, 28, of New York, was sentenced to 30 months in prison.
Additionally, PA AMBROSE MENDY, 31, of Raleigh, NC, was convicted at trial in September of 2016, and was sentenced to 30 months in prison on charges of Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Trafficking in Counterfeit Access Devices and Aiding and Abetting.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the United States Secret Service, with the assistance of the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, the Durham Police Department, and the Fuquay Varina Police Department. The Defense Criminal Investigative Service also assisted in the prosecution of the case. Assistant United States Attorney William M. Gilmore represented the United States. Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Kessler also represented the United States in the trial of Pa Mendy.
North Carolina Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Charges Involving Scheme to Compel Five Women to ProstituteRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Eric J. Thompson, 29, of Jacksonville, N.C., was sentenced today to 15 years in prison and ordered to pay $19,200 in restitution after pleading guilty on November 9, 2016, to one count of interstate transportation for prostitution and one count of using an interstate facility to promote a prostitution business enterprise. Acting Assistant Attorney General Tom Wheeler of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney John Stuart Bruce of the Eastern District of North Carolina, and Special Agent in Charge Nick Anan of ICE Homeland Security Investigations Atlanta announced the sentence.
According to documents filed in the case and admissions in connection with the guilty plea, Thompson operated an interstate prostitution business enterprise in North Carolina and South Carolina. He used false promises of money and fame to recruit and entice five women to prostitute for his profit, and then used a scheme involving isolation, threats, and abuse to compel them to continue prostituting. Thompson further filmed himself performing sexual acts with the women and posted those videos online for sale without the victims’ consent.
“Human tracking is a heinous violation of an individual’s rights and freedoms, and today’s sentence sends a clear message that the Department of Justice will work tirelessly on behalf of human trafficking victims in order to stop this appalling criminal activity,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Tom Wheeler of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are grateful for our law enforcement partners and U.S. Attorney Bruce as we combat and dismantle human trafficking networks.”
“Our office was pleased to partner with the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecutions Unit, ICE Homeland Security Investigations Atlanta, and the Raleigh Police Department in this important case. This prosecution gave the victims of this horrific human trafficking crime a voice and an opportunity to seek justice,” said United States Attorney John Stuart Bruce.
“Human trafficking is quite simply, a form of modern-day slavery, and the threats and abuse inflicted on these particular victims only adds to the heinous nature of the crime,” said Special Agent in Charge of ICE Homeland Security Investigations Atlanta Nick Annan. “HSI made a record number of more than 2,000 human trafficking arrests in 2016 and rescued more than 400 trafficking victims nationwide, with many of them often hidden in plain sight. HSI will continue our relentless pursuit to investigate and seek prosecution of criminal traffickers while ensuring the victims of this terrible crime are rescued and get the care they need.”
Thompson was indicted on March 16, 2016, and charged with one count of sex trafficking, five counts of interstate transportation for prostitution, one count of using an interstate facility to promote a prostitution business enterprise, and one count of failing to maintain records related to individuals depicted in videos of sexually explicit conduct. A second defendant, Dequann Ross, was charged by information and pleaded guilty on August 9, 2016 to one count of using an interstate facility to promote a prostitution business enterprise for his role in aiding and abetting Thompson. He was sentenced on February 2, 2017, to 30 months in prison.
The case was jointly investigated by ICE Homeland Security Investigation’s Atlanta Division and the Raleigh Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Blondel and Eleanor Morales of the Eastern District of North Carolina and Trial Attorney Vasantha Rao of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
USAO-EDNC Celebrates National Drug Court MonthRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – In celebration of National Drug Court Month, the United States Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of North Carolina (EDNC) spotlights the two Federal Drug Courts that operate in the EDNC. The H.O.P.E. Program, (Helping Offenders Pursue Excellence), began 2009 and is held in Raleigh, North Carolina. The S.T.A.R. Program, (Striving to Achieve Recovery), began in 2016 and is held in Greenville, North Carolina.
Both courts involve a collaborative effort between the EDNC’s U.S. District Court, U.S. Probation Office, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Federal Public Defender’s Office, and other agencies that provide rehabilitative services to former federal inmates with substance abuse issues, such as First Step Services and East Coast Counseling. These courts provide participants with a system of support through a range of incentives and sanctions aimed at promoting and targeting long-term, sustainable, positive change. A major goal of these drug reentry courts is to enable participants to manage and overcome their substance abuse issues using the tools provided to them during their participation in the court. These tools will help them to be successful on supervision and afterward.
National Drug Court Month is coordinated by the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP). Today, nearly 3,200 treatment courts are in operation in all 50 states, plus US territories, successfully treating close to 150,000 substance-addicted individuals each year.
Individuals on federal pretrial or supervised release interested in either of these programs should contact their supervising probation officer. For more information about the H.O.P.E. Program or the S.T.A.R. Program, contact Senior U.S. Probation Officer Julie Rosa at (919)861-8660.
Three Aliens Indicted on Illegal Reentry ChargesRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON – John Stuart Bruce, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that a federal grand jury in Wilmington has returned indictments charging FRANKIE GARCIA-PINEDA, age 36, of Mexico, TYRONE LEONARD JAMES, age 55, of Jamaica, and TEOFILO PINO-CANELA, age 55, of Mexico, with Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien.
If convicted of Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien, GARCIA-PINEDA and PINO-CANELA would face maximum penalties of two years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
JAMES is alleged to have been previously deported subsequent to aggravated felony convictions (possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and illegal reentry of an aggravated felon). Therefore, if convicted, he would face a maximum imprisonment term of 20 years, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The cases are being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Maxton Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – John Stuart Bruce, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announced that in federal court today, Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever, III, sentenced RONNIE DEESE, 39, of Maxton, NC to 240 months of imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release.
DEESE was named in a three-count Superseding Indictment filed on September 21, 2016. On October 25, 2016, DEESE pled guilty to discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
On May 28, 2016, investigators with the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, responded to a residence on Tuscarora Nation Road in Maxton in reference to a shooting. They met with a witness who stated that prior to the deputies arriving, he heard a knock on his door and observed a male with blood on his face standing outside his door. He opened his door and the victim walked into the home, followed by DEESE. DEESE was armed and pointed a firearm at the homeowner while ordering him to give DEESE what he had, referring to marijuana. The homeowner told DEESE he did not have anything and DEESE shot the man in the foot. DEESE then began searching the home. Once DEESE entered the kitchen, the homeowner fled from the home through the front door. DEESE soon left the residence with a trash bag containing approximately $5,000 worth of marijuana.
Investigators interviewed the man with blood on his face, who had multiple lacerations to the top of his head. He told investigators that prior to the robbery, DEESE approached him near a creek and struck him on the head with a firearm. DEESE instructed the victim to take him, “where the grass was,” referring to marijuana, and DEESE forced him to ride with DEESE to the residence.
On June 2, 2016, members of the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at DEESE’S residence. At the time, DEESE had outstanding warrants for his arrest based upon the incidents that transpired on May 28, 2016. While searching DEESE’S residence, investigators located and seized a stolen 9mm semi-automatic pistol from DEESE’S master bedroom.
This case was part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative which encourages federal, state, and local agencies to cooperate in a unified “team effort” against gun crime, targeting repeat offenders who continually plague their communities.
The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the criminal investigation of this case. Assistant United States Attorney Peggah Wilson handled the prosecution of this case for the government.
Former North Carolina Law Enforcement Officer Found Guilty for Role in Providing Armed Support to Large-Scale Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A jury in the Eastern District of North Carolina found a former North Carolina police officer guilty of drug, firearm and bribery charges stemming from his participation in trafficking narcotics and narcotics proceeds for a large-scale drug trafficking organization.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney John Stuart Bruce of the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement.
Antonio Tillmon, 33, a former police officer with the Windsor City Police Department, was found guilty of multiple counts of conspiring to distribute controlled substances, attempting to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, conspiring to use and carry firearms in relation to drug trafficking offenses, using and carrying firearms in relation to drug trafficking offenses and federal programs bribery. Senior U.S. District Judge Malcom J. Howard of the Eastern District of North Carolina scheduled sentencing for Aug. 8, 2017.
The charges stemmed from a large scale undercover investigation into allegations of systemic law enforcement corruption in Northampton County, North Carolina. The evidence at trial established that Tillmon accepted $6,500 from undercover FBI agents posing as drug traffickers in return for transporting a total of 30 kilograms of heroin from North Carolina to Maryland over three separate occasions between August 2014 and April 2015. On each occasion, Tillmon carried his law enforcement badge and a firearm to secure the illicit narcotics. Tillmon was prepared to use his badge and fake documentation to evade drug interdiction in the event the transport vehicle was stopped. The evidence also showed that Tillmon agreed to participate in a fourth drug transport, to which he brought five firearms, including an assault rifle accompanied by three magazines of ammunition.
Fourteen other defendants, 13 of whom were law enforcement or correctional officers, were charged in the drug trafficking and firearm conspiracies – the law enforcement and correctional officers were also charged with federal programs bribery. Those defendants all pleaded guilty to various offenses and are scheduled to be sentenced later this year. Tillmon is the only charged defendant who proceeded to trial.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Lauren Bell and Molly Gaston of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Toby Lathan of the Eastern District of North Carolina. The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Charlotte Division, Raleigh Resident Agency.
Former North Carolina Law Enforcement Officer Found Guilty for Role in Providing Armed Support to Large-Scale Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
A jury in the Eastern District of North Carolina found a former North Carolina police officer guilty of drug, firearm and bribery charges stemming from his participation in trafficking narcotics and narcotics proceeds for a large-scale drug trafficking organization.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney John Stuart Bruce of the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement.
Antonio Tillmon, 33, a former police officer with the Windsor City Police Department, was found guilty of multiple counts of conspiring to distribute controlled substances, attempting to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, conspiring to use and carry firearms in relation to drug trafficking offenses, using and carrying firearms in relation to drug trafficking offenses and federal programs bribery. Senior U.S. District Judge Malcom J. Howard of the Eastern District of North Carolina scheduled sentencing for Aug. 8, 2017.
The charges stemmed from a large scale undercover investigation into allegations of systemic law enforcement corruption in Northampton County, North Carolina. The evidence at trial established that Tillmon accepted $6,500 from undercover FBI agents posing as drug traffickers in return for transporting a total of 30 kilograms of heroin from North Carolina to Maryland over three separate occasions between August 2014 and April 2015. On each occasion, Tillmon carried his law enforcement badge and a firearm to secure the illicit narcotics. Tillmon was prepared to use his badge and fake documentation to evade drug interdiction in the event the transport vehicle was stopped. The evidence also showed that Tillmon agreed to participate in a fourth drug transport, to which he brought five firearms, including an assault rifle accompanied by three magazines of ammunition.
Fourteen other defendants, 13 of whom were law enforcement or correctional officers, were charged in the drug trafficking and firearm conspiracies – the law enforcement and correctional officers were also charged with federal programs bribery. Those defendants all pleaded guilty to various offenses and are scheduled to be sentenced later this year. Tillmon is the only charged defendant who proceeded to trial.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Lauren Bell and Molly Gaston of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Toby Lathan of the Eastern District of North Carolina. The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Charlotte Division, Raleigh Resident Agency.
Five Aliens Indicted on Illegal Reentry ChargesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – John Stuart Bruce, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that a federal grand jury in Raleigh has returned indictments charging FRANCISCO ACUAPA-MADRIGAL, age 30, of Mexico, ALEJANDRO GALVAN-GABRIEL, age 42, of Mexico, JOSE MANUEL MARTINEZ-ORTEGA, age 37, of Mexico, JORGE SALVADOR-MORALES, age 35, of Mexico, JOSE VELASQUEZ-JUAREZ, age 19, of Mexico, with Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien.
If convicted of Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien, ACUAPA-MADRIGAL, GALVAN-GABRIEL, MARTINEZ-ORTEGA, ROBLERO-VASQUEZ, would face maximum penalties of two years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
SALVADOR-MORALES is alleged to have been previously deported subsequent to a felony conviction (trafficking marijuana). Therefore, if convicted, he faces a maximum imprisonment term of 10 years, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The cases are being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security and the United States Department of State.
Federal Jury Convicts Alien for Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
NEW BERN – John Stuart Bruce, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that on May 17, 2017, in federal court, ISMAEL AZUA-RINCONADA, 27, of Mexico, was convicted following a three-day trial before United States District Judge Louise Wood Flanagan. The jury found the defendant guilty of Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien.
At trial, the evidence showed that AZUA-RINCONADA, a citizen of Mexico, was found in Robeson County, North Carolina, after having previously been deported from the United States on June 21, 2011, at Hidalgo, Texas, and again on September 17, 2011, at Calexico, California. The evidence further showed that AZUA-RINCONADA had been previously convicted of illegal entry and reentered without having obtained the express permission of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security.
The investigation of this case was conducted by agents of Homeland Security Investigation and the Hoke County Sheriff’s Office.
Former NC Superior Court Judge Arnold O. Jones, II Sentenced for Felony Payment of Gratuity to a Public Official ChargeRead the Press Release
ELIZABETH CITY – United States Attorney John Stuart Bruce announced that today in federal court before United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle, former North Carolina Superior Court Judge ARNOLD OGDEN JONES, II was sentenced to 2 years’ probation, fined $5,000.00, and ordered to perform 100 hours of community service. On March 16, 2017 JONES pled guilty to Promising and Paying Gratuities to a Public Official.
During the hearing on the defendant’s guilty plea, the Government summarized the evidence supporting the defendant’s guilty plea. The evidence established that between October 10, 2015 and November 3, 2015 JONES gave, offered, and promised cases of beer and $100 to a Federal Bureau of Investigation Task Force Officer in contemplation of the Task Force Officer’s act of compelling Verizon to produce JONES’s wife’s text messages in order to disclose those messages to JONES, even though JONES was not permitted to receive them by law.
The evidence showed that, as a judge, JONES was familiar with the processes and procedures law enforcement must undertake to obtain private text message content, including the need for the FBI to have an ongoing investigation and a legitimate law enforcement need for such text content. The evidence established that JONES desired the text messages for use in a personal domestic dispute. Multiple recorded conversations established JONES’s desire to conceal the FBI Task Force Officer’s involvement in obtaining the texts. JONES agreed to destroy evidence of the crime, including a disk that purported to contain the text messages and text messages coordinating the exchange of cash and a disk. The evidence also included a video of JONES exchanging the cash and disk on the steps of the Wayne County Courthouse in his judicial robe. No text messages were obtained or delivered to JONES.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation of this case. Assistant United States Attorneys William M. Gilmore and Adam F. Hulbig prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Robbery of Riegelwood Federal Credit UnionRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE –United States Attorney John Stuart Bruce announced that today in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Kimberly A. Swank, BORENZO CORTEZ PATRICK pled guilty to Armed Bank Robbery and to Brandishing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence.
During the defendant’s guilty plea hearing, the Government summarized the evidence supporting the defendant’s guilty plea. The evidence established that on December 22, 2016, at approximately 8:16 a.m., PATRICK robbed the Riegelwood Federal Credit Union (RFCU), located at 2065 Andrew Jackson Highway, Leland, NC, at gunpoint. During the robbery, PATRICK conducted a violent armed takeover of the credit union, and was carrying an AK-47 style assault rifle. Though it was later determined that the rifle was unloaded during the robbery, PATRICK pointed the rifle at several bank employees and customers, forcing the employees to lay face down on the ground and racking the rifle bolt several times.
At sentencing, on the charge of Armed Bank Robbery, the defendant faces not more than 25 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines. On the charge of Brandishing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence, the defendant faces a minimum term of 7 years in prison and up to life in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Leland Police Department, Brunswick County Sherriff’s Office, and Columbus County Sherriff’s Office conducted the investigation of this case. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Louisburg Man Pleads Guilty to Serveral Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE – The United States Attorney’s Office announced that today in federal court, DAVID EARL GILL, JR., 26, of Louisburg, North Carolina, pled guilty to carjacking and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Additionally GILL plead guilty to possession of a stolen firearm in the Northern District of Georgia.
According to the Indictment and information in the public records, on July 31, 2015, GILL and his codefendant Kyara Nicole Jones, forced entry into a residence in Louisburg, North Carolina. GILL was armed with a sawed off shotgun and forced the homeowner into a closet and barricaded the door with furniture and took the homeowner’s vehicle. Jones previously pled guilty for her role on January 12, 2017,
On August 5, 2015, GILL pawned a shotgun that was reported stolen from Rockingham County at a store in McDonough, Georgia. The next day, law enforcement officers in McIntosh arrested GILL when they located him driving the stolen vehicle from Louisburg, North Carolina.
A sentencing hearing will be set at a later date. GILL faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, and the McIntosh Georgia Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jane Jackson prosecuted the case for the Eastern District of North Carolina and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bret Hobson prosecuted the case for the Northern District of Georgia.
Nine Aliens Indicted on Immigration, Passport, and Social Security OffensesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – John Stuart Bruce, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that a federal grand jury in Raleigh has returned indictments charging GRACIANO BERMUDEZ-OCHOA, age 39, of Mexico, JUAN CARLOS CUANAS-PEDRO, age 30, of Mexico, ANTONIO LAMAS-RIOS, age 42, of Mexico, SERGIO MENDOZA-GOMEZ, age 48, of Mexico, MARBIN RAMIREZ-PEREZ, age 36, of Honduras, FELIPE RENTERIA-GOMEZ, age 35, of Mexico, ABIEL ROBLERLO-VASQUEZ, age 27, of Mexico, and JOSE ALFONSO RODRIGUEZ-GARCIA, age 49, of El Salvador, with Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien. Also, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging LUCAS RIVERA-HERNANDEZ, age 41, of Mexico, with Passport Fraud and False Representation of a Social Security Account Number.
If convicted of Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien, BERMUDEZ-OCHOA, CUANAS-PEDRO, RAMIREZ-PEREZ, and ROBLERO-VASQUEZ, would face maximum penalties of two years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
LAMAS-RIOS and RENTERIA-GOMEZ are alleged to have been previously deported subsequent to a felony conviction (sale or transportation of a controlled substance, and trafficking cocaine, respectively). Therefore, if convicted, they face a maximum imprisonment term of 10 years, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
MENDOZA-GOMEZ is alleged to have been previously deported subsequent to an aggravated felony conviction (attempted second degree robbery). RODRIGUEZ-GARCIA is alleged to have been previously deported ten times and having sustained aggravated felony convictions (grand theft and illegal reentry subsequent to an aggravated felony conviction). If convicted, both face a maximum imprisonment term of twenty years, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
If convicted of Passport Fraud and False Representation of a Social Security Account Number, RIVERA-HERNANDEZ would face maximum penalties of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The cases are being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service.
Fayetteville Man Sentenced for Trafficking in Counterfeit GoodsRead the Press Release
NEW BERN – John Stuart Bruce, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina announces that today in Federal court, United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan sentenced KURT MICHAEL KROL, 36, of Fayetteville, North Carolina to 72 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release. Additionally, KROL agreed to forfeit to the government all counterfeit articles seized; proceeds of $156,932 seized from four BB&T bank accounts, proceeds of $51,988 seized from two USAA bank accounts; a residence located in Fayetteville; a residence located in Raeford; and a money judgment in the amount of the gross proceeds of the offense.
KROL was named in a Criminal Information filed on October 14, 2015, which charged him with trafficking in counterfeit goods from September 2012 to February 2015. On December 15, 2015, KROL pled guilty to the charge.
The investigation revealed that on January 22, 2008, KROL founded Universal Mania, Inc. (UM), an internet based marketplace for consumer electronics located in Fayetteville. KROL, president and CEO of UM, initially sold legitimate consumer electronic equipment; however, in 2011 or 2012, he was introduced to a representative of a company in Hong Kong, China, that sold counterfeit Otterbox products (OBP). Thereafter, KROL began purchasing counterfeit OBP from that company.
On October 31, 2012, Otterbox alleged that UM had infringed on their federal trademark registrations. UM subsequently filed a Complaint for Declaratory Judgment against Otterbox in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina on February 8, 2013. Otterbox filed a counter-claim on April 12, 2013. On December 17, 2013, the court entered a Consent Judgment ordering UM to pay Otterbox $200,000 for trademark infringement. The court also entered a permanent injunction, prohibiting UM from the unauthorized use of any Otterbox trademark.
However, the investigation discovered that KROL met with a representative from the Chinese company in Fayetteville to find out what products they could counterfeit. KROL then imported counterfeit products including L’Oreal (Clarisonic), HSI Professional, and Conair (Babyliss) beauty products; Garmin products; Choon’s Design (Rainbow Loom) toys; Philips (Sonicare) products; Zing Anything bottles; Harman International Industries (JBL), LG, and Bose speakers and/or headphones; and Spectrum Brands FURminator dog brushes. The investigation found that 2,047 shipments originating in Hong Kong were addressed to KROL between August 2012 and February 2015.
KROL sold counterfeit merchandise, as well as merchandise from legitimate distributors on the internet. He comingled the sales proceeds from the counterfeit products with proceeds from legitimate sales. When one internet business discovered UM was selling counterfeit items through its website, they terminated UM’s accounts. KROL then solicited UM employees, friends, and family members to establish accounts on the website to sell UM’s counterfeit products.
“Defendants such as Krol while trafficking in counterfeit goods, undermine our fair trade and free market system to generate illicit proceeds,” said HSI North Carolina Assistant Special Agent in Charge Christopher Healy, “This significant sentence will let people, such as Krol, know that this illegal activity impacts not only our national economy but the local economies where these illegal traffickers operate.”
Between October 2013 and January 2015, agents with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) seized counterfeit items from several different locations. During the execution of a search warrant at UM on February 25, 2015, HSI agents seized multiple counterfeit products and KROL acknowledged that he sold counterfeit items, despite the Otterbox civil judgment against him, the receipt of numerous seizure notices from DHS, and warnings from an online distributor.
This investigation was conducted by HSI in Raleigh.
Women Sentenced to Imprisonment for Conspiring with Tax Preparer to File More Than $1.5 Million in Fraudulent RefundsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina announced that today in federal court, Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever III sentenced alicia johnson jenkins, 35, of Kinston, to 60 months imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised released and was ordered to pay $1,759,830 to the IRS. KIAWANNA MONIKA LANGLEY, 33, of Greenville, was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years supervised release, and ordered to pay $20,322 in restitution to the IRS. On November 7, 2016, JENKINS and LANGLEY pled guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud the United States With Respect to Claims.
The Indictment alleged that JENKINS and LANGLEY conspired with Isaac Augustus Blount, III, and others, to file false income tax returns (Forms 1040 and 1040A) with the Internal Revenue Service for tax years 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012. During the course of the scheme, LANGLEY would refer clients to JENKINS, who would prepare false W-2 forms which reflected false income and withholdings amounts. JENKINS would then refer the clients to Blount, who prepared and filed the false income tax returns electronically through his tax business, Enriched Tax Services in Greenville, North Carolina. Based on the false information in the returns, the clients were issued tax refunds to which they were not entitled. JENKINS, LANGLEY, Blount, and others usually split $1,500.00 in cash from each refund check.
Blount pled guilty to False Claims Against the United States and False Statements Related to Health Care Matters on June 20, 2016. On November 9, 2016, Chief Judge Dever sentenced Blount to a total of 27 months imprisonment, 3 years supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,645,788.00 to the Internal Revenue Service and $131,915.68 to the North Carolina Fund for Medical Assistance.
“Individuals like Langley and Jenkins who commit refund fraud of this magnitude deserve to be punished to the fullest extent of the law,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Holloman III of the IRS-Criminal Investigation. “These individuals demonstrated a blatant disregard of the integrity of the United States tax system. IRS-Criminal Investigation remains committed to the pursuit of refund fraud and, together with our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we will hold those who engage in similar conduct accountable.”
The criminal investigation of this case was conducted by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Medicaid Criminal Investigations Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Susan Menzer handled the case on behalf of the Government.
Fayetteville Man Sentenced for Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina announced that in federal court today, Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever, III, sentenced DARIUS JEROME BRADLEY, 28, of Fayetteville, NC to 204 months of imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release.
BRADLEY was named in a three-count Indictment filed on August 2, 2016. On October 25, 2016, BRADLEY pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of marijuana and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On January 10, 2016, officers with the Fayetteville Police Department (FPD) responded to an anonymous call from a concerned citizen regarding individuals smoking marijuana. When officers arrived at the scene and approached the vehicle, they noticed the strong smell of marijuana and observed BRADLEY exit the driver’s side. Upon searching the vehicle, officers seized 10 grams of marijuana, a loaded .380 caliber handgun, a digital scale, and a box of plastic bags used for distribution. BRADLEY was arrested, but subsequently released on bond on January 11, 2016.
On February 3, 2016, FPD officers again responded to a citizen’s complaint of suspected drug activity from a vehicle in a residential section of Fayetteville. Officer initiated blue lights and siren for a car matching the description given. Eventually BRADLEY stopped the car that he was driving, but remained in the driver’s seat. Officers approached the car. BRADLEY then started the vehicle, put the car in reverse, and began backing up at a high rate of speed. One of the officers was forced to jump out of the way to avoid being struck by BRADLEY’s vehicle. BRADLEY crashed his vehicle into a nearby tree. When the defendant exited the vehicle, a struggle ensued until he was apprehended. BRADLEY was found in possession of cocaine and of cocaine base. There were two other adults and one juvenile in BRADLEY’s car. Upon searching the vehicle, officers seized 12 grams of marijuana from the driver’s floorboard.
This case was part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative which encourages federal, state, and local agencies to cooperate in a unified “team effort” against gun crime, targeting repeat offenders who continually plague their communities.
The Fayetteville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the criminal investigation of this case. Assistant United States Attorney S. Katherine Burnette handled the prosecution of this case for the government.
Sampson County Drug Trafficker Sentenced for Cocaine, Methamphetamine, and Marijuana Conspiracy and Money Laundering Conspiracy; Texas Man Sentenced for Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina announced that in federal court on April 26, 2017, United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced MARTIN ACOSTA, from Sampson County, North Carolina, to 420 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, five hundred grams or more of methamphetamine, and one hundred kilograms or more of marijuana, as well as conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. ACOSTA pled guilty to these charges on August 1, 2016.
Judge Boyle also sentenced codefendant NOE BARREIRO, from McAllen, Texas, to 84 months in prison for conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. BARREIRO pled guilty to this charge on August 1, 2016.
In 2009, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Wilmington, North Carolina, identified a drug trafficking organization (DTO) led by brothers Manual Acosta and MARTIN ACOSTA. Investigators determined that the DTO would hide narcotics in shipments of fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes. The DTO would ship the narcotics from Mexico into Texas, and then to various locations in the United States.
Within the Eastern District of North Carolina, the DTO primarily distributed cocaine and marijuana in Sampson County. The DTO also distributed narcotics (including methamphetamine and cocaine) from Texas to Illinois and from Florida to Georgia.
In total, investigators determined that the DTO was responsible for distributing more than 50,000 kilograms of cocaine.
Furthermore, DTO members concealed the proceeds of the criminal enterprise through multiple cash deposits. Drug proceeds were deposited into multiple bank accounts controlled by the defendants at various banks from North Carolina to Georgia. DTO members then made withdrawals of cash in Texas or sent international transfers of money to Mexico. The group was responsible for laundering more than $3,000,000 in DTO proceeds.
The case was investigated by the DEA Atlanta Strike Force, the DEA Ft. Meyers Resident Office, the DEA McAllen Field Office, the DEA Houston Resident Office, the DEA Wilmington Field Office, the Vance County Sheriff’s Office, the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives (ATF). The federal prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Edward D. Gray and Scott Lemmon.
USAO-EDNC Partners with Others for National Reentry WeekRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – The Department of Justice designated the week of April 24-28, 2017 as National Reentry Week. National Reentry Week, which was first observed in April 2016, is a week designed to highlight the efforts to assist formerly incarcerated individuals as they successfully return to and contribute to their communities. National Reentry Week seeks to promote a reduction in recidivism through the elimination of barriers to successful reentry as formerly incarcerated individuals compete for jobs, obtain stable housing, and seek to support for their families.
Prior to and during National Reentry Week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina (USAO-EDNC) has participated in several recent events.
On March 29, 2017, USAO-EDNC hosted a Reentry Council Networking Forum where USAO-EDNC’s federal, state, and local partners gathered to share and discuss innovative ways to address barriers and service gaps that impact the success of formerly incarcerated individuals. Also, USAO-EDNC hosted a Focused Deterrence Call-In Forum whereby law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies from across the District gathered to learn about focused deterrence call-ins and how they can be utilized to decrease the recidivism rate and create safer communities.
On April 18, 2017, USAO-EDNC hosted a group of middle school students from Pitt County Sheriff’s Office’s Youth Program. Students learned about avoiding violence and gang activity by making good decisions. Several speakers shared statistics and real life examples to help the youth understand the consequences of making bad choices. In addition, students were provided with a guided tour of the federal building, featuring United States Marshal’s Offices and a federal courtroom.
As part of National Reentry Week, USAO-EDNC will join with other agencies to address reentry topics. On April 25th, USAO-EDNC joined with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, for the Middle and Western Districts of North Carolina, the United States Probation Office, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, and the North Carolina Network for Safe Communities, in a joint meeting to discuss ways in which the federal districts and state agencies can collectively support the ongoing reentry work across the state. Today, USAO-EDNC is partnering with the Reentry Affairs Division of the Bureau of Prisons in Butner for two resource fairs, which will assist current inmates in preparing for their return to society at the end their incarceration.
National Reentry Week events are being planned in and across the United States. Various U.S. Attorney’s Offices and Bureau of Prison facilities are holding similar events.
EDNC U.S Attorney John Stuart Bruce stated: “The U.S. Department of Justice and our office are determined to reverse recent trends by reducing violent crime and illegal drug trafficking, which plague our communities. Reducing recidivism with effective reentry programs is an important part of this effort.”
Pasquotank County Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 25 YearsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina announced that in federal court today, United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced DAVON KELLY BENNETT, 42 years of age from Elizabeth City, N.C., to 240 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, 100 grams or more of heroin and marijuana; possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, 100 grams or more of heroin and marijuana; and money laundering by concealment. Judge Boyle also sentenced BENNETT to 60 months for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime to run consecutively to the 240-month sentence, for a total sentence of 300 months. BENNETT will be on supervised release for 5 years upon his release from the Bureau of Prisons. Additionally, Judge Boyle entered an order forfeiting BENNETT’S residence, several motor vehicles and firearms, as well as directing that a money judgment be entered against BENNETT in the amount of $1,000,000 representing the gross proceeds of his drug trafficking. A jury in Elizabeth City, N.C. convicted BENNETT of the charges on October 20, 2016.
On March 4, 2015, detectives with the Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office and other agencies executed a search warrant at BENNETT’S residence located at 1300 Brothers Lane, Elizabeth City, N.C. During the search, $81,047 was seized from BENNETT’S washing machine. Detectives found more than $10,000 in U.S. currency, three firearms, and titles to multiple motor vehicles registered in the names of nominee owners in BENNETT’S bedroom. Detectives located 92 grams of marijuana, a vacuum sealer, two sets of digital scales and two money counters in the house, and approximately 180 grams of marijuana in a shed on the property. Motor vehicles parked at the residence, including a Honda Odyssey, were searched the following day. Detectives recovered 3 kilograms of cocaine, 789 grams of heroin, $60,100 and a stolen .38 caliber revolver from a hidden compartment in the floor board of the Honda Odyssey.
Evidence presented at trial established that BENNETT had conspired to traffic narcotics, including over 45 kilograms of cocaine, since 2000 and had paid associates to register motor vehicles in their names to conceal his drug proceeds. BENNETT and his associates had been subjects of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Operation Dare Devil, a long-term investigation conducted by several federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, the Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office, the Dare County Sheriff’s Office, the Greenville Regional Drug Task Force, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement, the Nags Head Police Department, the Kill Devil Hills Police Department, the Kitty Hawk Police Department, the Elizabeth City Police Department, and North Carolina Wildlife Enforcement.
The federal prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Brad Knott and Special Assistant United States Attorney Glenn Perry. Mr. Perry is a prosecutor with the Pitt County District Attorney’s Office. Pitt County District Attorney Kimberly Robb has assigned Mr. Perry to the United States Attorney’s Office, pursuant to funding provided by the North Carolina Conference of District Attorneys, to prosecute federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force criminal matters.
Wilmington Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Heroin and Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE – The United States Attorney’s Office announced that on April 12, 2017 in Federal court, Senior United States District Judge Malcolm J. Howard sentenced TROY AHKEEM WILSON, 38, of Wilmington to 144 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
WILSON was named in a two-count Superseding Indictment filed on September 21, 2016, and pled guilty to Possess with the Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Heroin and Possess with the Intent to Distribute 40 Grams of More of Fentanyl on January 12, 2017.
The basis of his charges stemmed from two incidents in February and April of 2016. On February 3, 2016, officers from the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by WILSON. WILSON and a passenger in the vehicle gave consent for the vehicle to be searched. During the search of the vehicle, officers observed an off-white powdery substance on WILSON’s hands and coat and seized an open plastic bag containing .81 gram of heroin on the ground where WILSON had been sitting. WILSON and the passenger were arrested and transported to jail.
Upon being searched at the jail, a small plastic package containing 16.73 grams of heroin was located in the passenger’s bra. She told law enforcement officers that she and WILSON drove to New York where WILSON met a man in order to purchase heroin. On the trip back from New York to Wilmington, WILSON possessed three glove “fingers” of heroin and gave her one. Law enforcement officers later searched the police vehicle used to transport WILSON to jail and located another small plastic package containing 13.18 grams of heroin.
On April 29, 2016, officers from the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by WILSON. Upon approach, the officer smelled marijuana coming from the vehicle. A search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of three small bags of marijuana, five bags of heroin banded together, and a large bag containing several individual bags of fentanyl, and other drug paraphernalia. The amount of drugs seized from the vehicle was 95.70 grams of fentanyl and 3.48 grams of a fentanyl and heroin mixture. WILSON was arrested and transported to jail.
Fentanyl is an extremely dangerous drug to law enforcement officers and, if improperly handled, it has deadly consequences. According to the DEA, it is 40 to 50 times stronger than street-level heroin. A very small amount ingested or absorbed through the skin can kill. For more information about this dangerous drug, you can go to this link https://ndews.umd.edu/sites/ndews.umd.edu/files/DEA%20Fentanyl.pdf.
Based on the investigation, WILSON is accountable for approximately 99.18 grams of fentanyl, 30.94 grams of heroin, 14 grams of marijuana, and 0.4 gram of crack cocaine.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Coastal Carolinas Criminal Enterprise Task Force consisting of the FBI’s Wilmington Resident Agency, the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. Additional assistance was provided by the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Howard prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
Six More Aliens Indicted on Immigration and Fraud ViolationsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – John Stuart Bruce, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that a federal grand jury in Raleigh has returned indictments charging RAUNEL BENITEZ-GOROSTIETA, age 42, of Mexico, ENRIQUE ESTRADA-NOYOLA, age 43, of Mexico, JONATAN GONZALEZ-VELASQUEZ, age 24, of Mexico, JORGE HERNANDEZ-BARAHONA, age 41, of Mexico, SILVESTER ROGEL-GANDARIA, age 34, of Mexico, and JOSE ALBERTO TREVINO-CHAVEZ, age 58, of Mexico, with Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien.
If convicted of Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien, ESTRADA-NOYOLA, GONZALEZ-VELASQUEZ, HERNANDEZ-BARAHONA, and ROGEL-GANDARIA, would face maximum penalties of two years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
TREVINO-CHAVEZ is alleged to have been previously deported subsequent to a felony conviction (trafficking in marijuana by possession). Therefore, if convicted, he faces a maximum imprisonment term of 10 years, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
BENITEZ-GOROSTIETA is alleged to have been previously deported subsequent to an aggravated felony conviction (voluntary manslaughter). Therefore, if convicted, he faces a maximum imprisonment term of twenty years, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The cases are being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security.
Winterville Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Heroin Distribution and Possession of Ammunition by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE – The United States Attorney’s Office announced that today in Federal court, Senior United States District Judge Malcolm J. Howard sentenced MAURICE EUGENE MOORE, JR., 27, of Winterville, North Carolina to 300 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
MOORE was named in a three-count Indictment filed on April 20, 2016, and pled guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess With the Intent to Distribute 100 Grams or More of Heroin and Possession of Ammunition by a Felon on December 5, 2016.
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) initiated an investigation in 2013 in Jacksonville, North Carolina, after they received information that identified MOORE as a local heroin distributor and a pimp. The information revealed that MOORE was promoting prostitution at the nearby U.S. Marine Corps bases.
The investigation revealed that MOORE purchased heroin from an individual in New York and used women as drug mules to bring the narcotics back to North Carolina. Multiple witness statements revealed that MOORE was frequently seen with firearms; and that he was in possession of both assault rifles and heroin in the hotel rooms and other locations he used to stash his drugs. The investigation further revealed that MOORE got the prostitutes he was pimping addicted to heroin to facilitate the distribution of the drug.
This case was investigated by the NCIS, the Craven County Sheriff’s Office, the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office, the Pamlico County Sheriff’s Office, the Havelock Police Department, and the Jacksonville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Lemmon is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
Fayetteville Man Sentenced for Car Jacking & Man and Woman Also Sentenced for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE – The United States Attorney’s Office announced that today in Federal court, Senior United States District Judge Malcolm J. Howard sentenced BOBBY DESHAWN BAILEY, 22, of Fayetteville, North Carolina to 144 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Also sentenced was ERICKA ANDREA MONIQUE JOHNSON, 22, of Shannon, North Carolina to 14 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
BAILEY was named in an Indictment on September 7, 2016 charging him with Carjacking and Brandishing a Firearm During and In Relation To a Crime of Violence, and he pled guilty to those charges on February 13, 2017.
On January 5, 2015, an ex-boyfriend of ERICKA JOHNSON’s and his two sons, ages 8 and 14, exited their residence in St. Pauls, North Carolina, and walked towards their vehicle. As they did, BOBBY BAILEY (JOHNSON'S boyfriend at the time) and three other men, who were armed with handguns, approached the victims and yelled, "Police!"
BAILEY and the other men attempted to force the adult victim back into his residence; however, the door was locked. The victim’s girlfriend was inside the residence, but she refused to unlock the door. BAILEY and the others forced the ex-boyfriend and his children into the ex-boyfriend’s vehicle. The ex-boyfriend was bound with his own shoelaces, and he was repeatedly hit during the ordeal; his sons witnessed the abuse.
The victims were driven around the area while the armed kidnappers demanded money from them. The men pointed firearms at the victims and threatened that the victims would be harmed or killed if the kidnappers’ demands were not met. The kidnappers used the ex-boyfriend’s cellular telephone to call his girlfriend to demand money. The kidnappers also used the victim’s phone to call a friend of the victim, and the kidnappers demanded $10,000.00. The victim’s friend was informed that the victim and his children were going to be killed if he did not "hurry up."
The victim and his children were eventually taken to a wooded area in Fayetteville. The victims escaped, and the kidnappers fled with the victims' cell phones and the vehicle.
BAILEY and JOHNSON were also charged in a separate Indictment filed on June 1, 2016. The indictment charged them with two counts of Bank Fraud and Aiding and Abetting, and the indictment charged JOHNSON with Access Device Fraud and Aiding and Abetting. BAILEY pled guilty to the Bank Fraud counts on August 8, 2016. JOHNSON pled guilty to the three charges she faced on January 12, 2017.
The fraud investigation revealed in December 2015, BAILEY and JOHNSON, along with several unindicted co-conspirators, perpetrated a scheme to defraud banks, including the United States Automobile Association Federal Savings Bank (USAA) and other banks.
To perpetuate the fraud scheme, BAILEY and JOHNSON deposited stolen or counterfeit checks into automatic teller machines (ATMs) located throughout North Carolina and Virginia. As soon as the stolen or counterfeit checks were deposited, BAILEY, JOHNSON, and others involved in the conspiracy would withdraw funds from an ATM, or they would attempt to obtain the money via debit purchases and “cash back” at stores. They also moved money between accounts in order to make the transfer more difficult to track and to circumvent USAA's maximum ATM withdrawal policy.
These cases were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Department of the Treasury--Office of Inspector General, the Fayetteville Police Department, the St. Pauls Police Department, and the Hope Mills Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Lemmon is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
Henderson Man Sentenced for Possession of a Firearm by a FelonRead the Press Release
NEW BERN – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina announced that in federal court on April 5, 2017, United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan sentenced WILLIAM LACHLIAN ORMOND, III, 29, of Henderson, NC to 57 months of imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release.
ORMOND was named in an Indictment filed on March 22, 2016 and charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Felon. On June 16, 2016, ORMOND pled guilty to that charge.
On October 29, 2015, an officer with the Henderson Police Department in Henderson encountered ORMOND walking down the street, and knew him to have outstanding warrants for his arrest. The officer suspected that ORMOND was armed due to the way he was holding his waistband, and attempted to engage ORMOND in conversation. ORMOND attempted to flee on foot and was captured by the officer. Upon taking the defendant into custody, the officer located a 9mm handgun with a large capacity magazine on the defendant. The handgun was loaded with 22 rounds of ammunition.
This case was part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative which encourages federal, state, and local agencies to cooperate in a unified “team effort” against gun crime, targeting repeat offenders who continually plague their communities.
The Henderson Police Department, North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement, North Carolina State Crime Lab, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) conducted the criminal investigation of this case. Assistant United States Attorney S. Katherine Burnette handled the prosecution of this case and Assistant United States Attorney Peggah Wilson handled the sentencing hearing.
Durham Men Sentenced to Decades in Prison for Home Invasion Robbery and ShootingRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – United States Attorney John Stuart Bruce announced that yesterday in federal court, Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever, III, sentenced two Durham men, JAMES STEPHEN THORPE, 25, to 480 months imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release and JOSHUA RAYSHAWN MELVIN, 23, to 444 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release. The defendants were found guilty following a jury trial before Chief Judge James C. Dever, III, of Conspiracy to Interfere With Commerce by Robbery, Interfering with Commerce by Robbery, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.
THORPE and MELVIN, along with two co-conspirators Jahid Preston Diggs and Ervin Montez Alston, Jr., were indicted by a federal grand jury on March 16, 2016. Diggs and Alston were previously sentenced for their role in these crimes. Diggs was sentenced to 180 months imprisonment and Austin to 192 months imprisonment.
Evidence presented at trial established that THORPE, MELVIN, and others conspired to rob one of the victims of the proceeds of a local nightclub, for which the victim was a promoter. The defendants affixed a GPS tracking device to the victim’s vehicle in an effort to track his whereabouts and to determine the location of his residence.
On or about March 16, 2015, THORPE, MELVIN, and others traveled to the victim’s Morrisville residence and conducted a violent home-invasion robbery. Multiple victims were present during the robbery, including a female child and her mother. The child was pulled from her mother’s arms, forced into a bedroom, and threatened to be drowned as the robbers demanded money from the other victims. When an adult female victim attempted to intervene, she was beaten and forced to the ground. The intended target of the robbery was shot before jumping to the ground from a second story balcony. The defendants then led police on a car chase as they fled.
U.S. Attorney Bruce stated: “Attorney General Sessions has directed that U.S. Attorneys’ Offices step up their work, in partnership with state and local law enforcement, on effective strategies to reduce violent crime. This includes federal prosecution of persons responsible for significant violent crimes in our respective districts. This case is an excellent example of how this strategy can work.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Raleigh Durham Safe Streets Task Force, the Morrisville Police Department, and the Durham County Sheriff’s Office.
Nine Aliens Indicted on Immigration and Fraud ViolationsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – John Stuart Bruce, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that a federal grand jury in Raleigh has returned indictments charging VICTOR DIAZ-HERNANDEZ, age 46, of Mexico, OSMAN MAURICIO GOMEZ-MARTINEZ, age 19, of Honduras, JUAN CARLOS GUTIERREZ, age 51, of Honduras, JORGE ORLIN MAYORGA-RAMOS, age 33, of Honduras, JOSE LUIS MONTERO-GARCIA, age 28, of Mexico, JOSE GUADALUPE RAMIREZ-LOPEZ, age 28, of Mexico, GONZALO RUIZ-MARTINEZ, age 24, of Mexico, and RICARDO ADAN SANCHEZ-CAMPOS, age 36, of El Salvador, with Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien. Further, a federal grand jury in Raleigh has returned an indictment charging ELIZABETH JOSE-MORALES, age 29, of Mexico, with False Representation of a Social Security Account Number and Fraud and Misuse of Visas, Permits, and other Documents.
If convicted of Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien, DIAZ-HERNANDEZ, GUTIERREZ, MONTERO-GARCIA, RAMIREZ-LOPEZ, RUIZ-MARTINEZ, and SANCHEZ-CAMPOS would face maximum penalties of two years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
GOMEZ-MARTINEZ and MAYORGA-RAMOS are alleged to have been previously deported subsequent to aggravated felony convictions (larceny after breaking and entering, and common law robbery, respectively). Therefore, if convicted, they face a maximum imprisonment term of twenty years, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
If convicted of False Representation of a Social Security Account Number and Fraud and Misuse of Visas, Permits, and other Documents, JOSE-MORALES faces a maximum imprisonment term of twenty-five years, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The cases are being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security.
Swindler Ronald McCullough Sentenced to 10 Years ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – United States Attorney John Stuart Bruce announced that today in federal court, United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced Ronald McCullough, 45, of Atlanta, GA to 120 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release. He also was ordered to make payment of $1,726,400 in restitution.
McCullough was named in a Superseding Indictment filed on July 2, 2014. He was originally indicted on July 9, 2013. His co-defendant, David Mayhew, was previously convicted after a jury trial and sentenced to 26 years in prison.
At the codefendant Mayhew’s trial, the Government presented evidence that Mayhew and MCCULLOOUGH were involved in an investment fraud scheme that spanned from January 2009 to May 2012 and swindled more than $2,000,000 from investors, promising them returns as much as 100% in 30 days. One victim testified that he had lost his family’s house as a result of the fraud. Two other victims testified that they had to back out of contracts to purchase property because of the fraud.
Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Holloman III stated, “The IRS, Criminal Investigation is committed to using our Agent’s financial expertise to help bring those that prey on innocent taxpayers for their own enrichment to justice.”
"When making investment decisions, Investors should always consider that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” said David McGinnis, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Charlotte Division. "This case was especially egregious because the defendants used the victims’ religious beliefs to gain their trust and steal their money. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will continue to vigorously pursue those who utilize the U.S. Mail to steal our customers’ hard earned money."
“For years, Ronald McCullough led a lavish lifestyle using money he swindled from innocent people. When his scheme was exposed, he chose to run rather than face his prison sentence. The FBI never stopped searching for McCullough and now he’s learned firsthand, you can’t escape justice,” said John Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the FBI, the IRS Criminal Investigation, the Postal Inspection Service, and the North Carolina Secretary of State’s office, Securities Division. Assistant United States Attorney David A. Bragdon represented the government at trial and Assistant United States Attorney Ethan Ontjes represented the government at MCCULLOUGH’S sentencing.
Charlotte Resident Sentenced in Connection with Business Email Compromise Scheme, Access Device Fraud, and Check FraudRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – The United States Attorney’s Office announced that today in Federal court, United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced OBINNA IZUCHI ONWUZURIKE, 27, of Charlotte, North Carolina to 65 months of imprisonment and $154,928 in restitution.
ONWUZURIKE was named in a Criminal Information filed on August 30, 2016 which charged him with conspiracy to commit money laundering and access device fraud and aggravated identity theft. On September 26, 2016, pursuant to a waiver of indictment, ONWUZURIKE pled guilty to the charges.
According to the charging instrument, statements made in court, and other public information, ONWUZURIKE conspired with others to engage in acts of money laundering, access device fraud, and check fraud. Among other things, ONWUZURIKE was involved in the laundering of fraud proceeds generated by “business email compromise” (BEC) schemes through one or more domestic bank accounts. BEC schemes are sophisticated scams targeting businesses working with foreign suppliers and/or businesses that regularly perform wire transfer payments. The scam is carried out by compromising legitimate business email accounts through social engineering or computer intrusion techniques to conduct unauthorized transfers of funds.
ONWUZURIKE also engaged in access device fraud involving the theft of credit card information for the purpose of making unauthorized charges against victim accounts. Additionally, as part of the conspiracy, ONWUZURIKE committed check fraud. In one instance, ONWUZURIKE deposited a $60,000 counterfeit check into the bank account of a sham company opened with victim information. The check itself purported to be drawn on another victim’s home equity line of credit.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cyber Division. Assistant United States Attorney Adam F. Hulbig prosecuted the case for the government.
Three More Commercial Fisherman Plead Guilty to Illegally Harvesting and Selling Atlantic Striped BassRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON – The United States Attorney’s Office announced that today in federal court, Bryan H. daniels, 54, of Belhaven, North Carolina, STEPHEN DANIELS, 63, of Wanchese, North Carolina, and JAMES K. LEWIS, 46, of Gloucester, North Carolina pled guilty to federal charges regarding the illegal harvest and sale of Atlantic striped bass from federal waters off the coast of North Carolina.
According to the Indictments and information in the public records, in February 2010, a Special Agent with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) received information that commercial trawlers were illegally fishing for Atlantic striped bass in federal waters off the coast of North Carolina. Since 1990, there has been a ban on the harvesting of Atlantic striped bass in the United States’ Exclusive Economic Zone (“EEZ”) which spans between 3 miles and 200 miles seaward of the U.S. Atlantic coastline.
Upon receiving the information, NOAA engaged the assistance of the U.S. Coast Guard. A single patrol vessel in the area intercepted one of 17 commercial trawlers in the EEZ, (the fishing vessel Lady Samaira) and boarded the vessel. At the time of the boarding, the Lady Samaira was captained by Defendant Ellis Leon Gibbs, Jr.
Given the other commercial trawlers in the same area, NOAA conducted an analysis of electronic data and written reports from those vessels. The electronic mail retrieved, which included captains sharing LORAN coordinates and Buoy Numbers where they successfully harvested Atlantic striped bass, combined with the vessel monitoring track lines, illustrated a concerted effort by various commercial fisherman to illegal target and harvest that species from the EEZ. The review also revealed multiple years of illegal harvests by commercial trawlers.
Based on its review, NOAA determined that between January 27, 2009, and February 2, 2010, BRYAN H. DANIELS, then Captain of the Joyce D, a commercial trawler, harvested approximately 8,625 pounds of Atlantic striped bass from the EEZ, which he sold to a fish dealer in Engelhard, North Carolina. The estimated fair market retail value of the 8,625 pounds of illegally harvested fish exceeds $68,000. BRYAN H. DANIELS submitted false statements for two of three fishing trips charged in the Indictment, and under penalty of perjury to NOAA, claimed he caught the fish in state waters.
Based on this same review, NOAA determined that between January 27, 2010, and February 9, 2010, STEPHEN DANIELS, then Captain of the Bailey Boy, a commercial trawler, harvested approximately 11,843 pounds of Atlantic striped bass from the EEZ, which he sold to a fish dealer in Wanchese, North Carolina. The estimated fair market retail value of the 11,843 pounds of illegally harvested fish exceeds $94,000. To further conceal his illegal activities, on at least two occasions, STEPHEN DANIELS, off-loaded 100 fish, then captained his vessel into inland waters, before returning a few hours later to off-load the remainder of the catch.
NOAA also determined that between January 19, 2009, and January 27, 2009, LEWIS, then the Captain of the fishing vessel Wonder Woman, harvested approximately 3,368 pounds of Atlantic Striped Bass from the EEZ, which he later sold to a seafood dealer in Engelhard, North Carolina. The investigation further revealed that between on or about January 27, 2010, and February 9, 2010, LEWIS, then the Captain of the fishing vessel Gulf Stream III, harvested at least an additional 5,025 pounds of Atlantic Striped Bass from the EEZ, which he later sold to a seafood dealer in Wanchese, North Carolina. Similar to STEPHEN DANIELS, to further conceal his illegal activities, on at least one occasion, LEWIS, off-loaded 100 fish, then captained his vessel into inland waters, before returning a few hours later to off-load the remainder of the catch. The estimated fair market retail value of the 8,393 pounds of illegally harvested fish exceeds $67,000.
During the winter 2010 Atlantic striped bass ocean trawl season, it is estimated that over 90,000 pounds of North Carolina’s 160,160 ocean trawl quota were taken illegally from the EEZ.
Eight other commercial fishermen previously entered guilty pleas for conduct uncovered by the same investigation. United States v. Dewey W. Willis, Jr., No. 2:15-CR-3-BO, United States v. James Ralph Craddock, No. 2:15-CR-7-BO, United States v. Joseph Howard Williams, No. 4:15-CR-2-BO; United States v. Ellis Leon Gibbs, Jr., No. 4:14-CR-9-BO, United States v. Dwayne J. Hopkins, 2:15-CR-8-BO; United States v. John Roberts¸ No. 4:15-CR-3-BO; United States v. David Saunders, Jr., No. 2:15-CR-2-B0; and United States v. Michael Potter, No. 2:15-CR-6-BO.
“These prosecutions make clear that efforts to circumvent laws regulating commercial fishing -- which are implemented to sustain the species for the benefit of future generations -- will be enforced vigorously,” said U.S. Attorney John Stuart Bruce for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “We are pleased to partner with our colleagues in DOJ’s Environmental Crimes Section to prosecute these important cases.”
Manny Antonaras, Acting Assistant Director for NOAA’s Southeast Division’s Office of Law Enforcement stated, "NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement is committed to ensuring a level playing field for law abiding fishermen and coastal communities that rely upon our nation’s living marine resources. When people cheat the system, it hurts those who follow the rules the most."
A sentencing hearing will be set at a later date. All three defendants face a maximum sentence of 5 years imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine.
The investigation was conducted by the Law Enforcement Offices of NOAA, with assistance of the Investigative Service from the U.S. Coast Guard, the North Carolina Marine Patrol, and the Virginia Marine Police. This case is being prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Banumathi Rangarajan of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina, and Trial Attorneys Shennie Patel and Shane Waller of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section.
Five Indicted for Possessing Cell Phones in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON – John Stuart Bruce, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that a federal grand jury in Wilmington has returned indictments in five unrelated cases charging JAMES BOSTIC, age 45, MAURICE KNIGHT, age 38, MICHAEL MARSHALL, age 40, KAVIN DATRON WILLIAMS, age 35, and JURHON LEE ROBINSON, age 44, with possession of a prohibited cell phone in federal prison. All are currently serving federal sentences for previous convictions at Butner Correctional Institute in Butner, North Carolina.
If convicted each would face not more than one year imprisonment, not more than $100,000 fine and not more than one year supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
U.S. Attorney Bruce commented, “The possession of cell phones by prisoners is a threat to public safety, endangering correctional officers as well as the general public. Any such cases will be prosecuted vigorously.”
The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The cases are being investigated by the Bureau of Prisons and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
Raleigh Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Export Defense Articles (Firearms)Read the Press Release
RALEIGH – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina announced that in federal court today, Senior United States District Judge W. Earl Britt sentenced ALHAJI BOYE, 46, of Raleigh to 9 months of imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release.
BOYE pled guilty on October 31, 2016 to Conspiracy to Export Defense Articles (Firearms) from the United States from January 1, 2014 to June 21, 2016.
In 2012, with the intention of bringing political and social change to The Gambia, Gambian-American citizens and others joined a conspiracy entitled, The Gambia Freedom League. The group hoped to take over the country, gain support from internal allies, and bring about regime change. The primary goal was to overthrow the Gambian President Yahya Jammeh who had been in control of Gambia since his own nonviolent coup in 1994 and whose rule had been marred by accusations of years of human rights violations.
The conspiracy included directives for certain individuals to purchase firearms, others to ship them to The Gambia in 55-gallon barrels concealed among secondhand clothing, and others to travel and physically engage in the coup itself. BOYE’S role was to purchase firearms and ammunition.
On December 30, 2014, members of the armed conspiracy attempted to violently breach the door of the State House in Gambia. The attempt failed and many of the conspirators died as a result of the ensuing gun battle. Following the assault, the Gambian military recovered at least 35 firearms, assault gear, vehicles, and 55-gallon barrels.
On December 31, 2014, a member of The Gambia Freedom League returned to the United States and was interviewed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). With the information received from the interview, the FBI initiated their investigation. The Investigation revealed bank records displaying that on August 25, 2014, $7,000 had been wired to BOYE in Raleigh. On August 26, 2014, BOYE had purchased two AK-47 style assault rifles, as well as 7,000 rounds of ammunition, and 98 AK-47 magazines. On September 5, 2014, BOYE also purchased four Diamondback rifles.
In early 2015, following the failed coup, FBI agents traveled to The Gambia, inventoried, and photographed the 35 firearms seized by the Gambian government. Five of those firearms matched serial numbers on the firearms purchased by BOYE.
President Jammeh was ultimately defeated in a 2016 democratic election. He initially conceded defeat, but then refused to recognize the results; however, on January 21, 2017, Jammeh relented to the external pressures applied by the United Nations and the African Union and he departed the country.
This criminal investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Jason Kellhofer prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.