Middle District of North Carolina
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Chapel Hill Man Sentenced for Involvement in Multi-State Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
WINSTON-SALEM – A Chapel Hill man was sentenced today to 188 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston.
According to court documents, ABEL GASPAR, JR., age 35, was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit drug trafficking along with one co-defendant after both admitted their involvement in trafficking drugs across state lines and sales of multiple quantities of methamphetamine to undercover officers. In January of 2022, a confidential source (CS) contacted the Sanford Police Department officers to provide information about a drug dealer involved in the sale of cocaine and methamphetamine. At the time of the interaction, the drug dealer was already known to officers. Officers then arranged a meeting between the CS and the dealer wherein GASPAR was seen leaving a package containing 159 grams of methamphetamine for the CS in exchange for $1,800. On February 15, 2022, the CS informed the dealer of another potential client and arranged the sale of 439 grams of methamphetamine between the dealer and an undercover officer in Raleigh for $3,500.
On February 25, 2022, a Guilford County Sheriff’s Office Deputy pulled over GASPAR for erratic driving and attempted to perform a field sobriety test as a result of GASPAR’s driving. GASPAR briefly struggled with the deputy and fled on foot. A deputy then searched GASPAR’s car and located multiple plastic bags containing a total of 2,036 grams of methamphetamine, a firearm, 12 grams of marihuana, and a large amount of cash. In interviews with investigators, GASPAR later revealed his supplier to be an individual from Atlanta.
GASPAR was sentenced today to a 188-month term of imprisonment by the Honorable Loretta C. Biggs, United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. In addition to prison time, GASPAR was ordered to serve a five-year term of supervised release and to pay a special assessment of $100.00. GASPAR’s co-defendant is set for sentencing on June 2, 2023.
This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s drug supply reduction strategy. OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.
This case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Agency, the North Carolina State Bureau Investigation, the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sanford Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jake Pryor.
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Richmond County Man Sentenced to over 12 Years for ArsonRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. - A Richmond County resident was sentenced on May 18, 2023, in federal court in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for maliciously damaging and destroying by means of fire or an explosive a building used in interstate or foreign commerce, specifically rental property located at 199 Dixieland Drive, Rockingham, North Carolina, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina. COREY LAMONT CARTER, age 45, was convicted after his guilty plea on October 3, 2022.
On January 24, 2022, at approximately 1:37 p.m., Richmond County Deputy Sheriffs responded to a reported structure fire at 199 Dixieland Drive in Rockingham. Upon arrival the building (a residence) was fully engulfed in flames. The home’s occupant told deputies that her boyfriend, COREY LAMONT CARTER, had set the residence on fire. The occupant said that she and her son made it out of the home safely. The occupant told deputies that she and CARTER had an argument and she walked outside to call police. She then noted, after turning back towards the residence, that it was on fire. CARTER then fled the scene.
A short time later a resident of the Maner Road section of Rockingham reported to deputies that she saw a man matching the description of CARTER running north on U.S. 1 carrying a gas can. The caller told deputies that he then ran to an abandoned two-story white house near the wood line. As deputies approached the front door to the home, the door slowly opened and CARTER walked out of the home with his hands up. Deputies detained CARTER and confirmed his identity. As he was being escorted to a patrol vehicle CARTER spontaneously stated, “I know what ya’ll looking for, the gas can it’s in the house.” CARTER was then placed under arrest. Incident to arrest deputies located two books of matches and a lighter in CARTER’s left front pocket. Deputies also recovered the gas can from inside the abandoned home. In a post-Miranda statement, CARTER admitted to having set the fire at 199 Dixieland Drive. The residence was being used as rental property at the time of the fire with a tenant living in the home, and the fire resulted in a complete loss, including contents.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation processed the fire scene. After careful consideration of the evidence at the scene and information provided by witnesses, agents formed the opinion that this fire was ignited when a person, presumably CARTER, poured an unknown ignitable liquid on the floor in the bedroom located at the end of the hallway and up the hallway to the kitchen, and then introduced an open flame through a lighter, match, or similar device which ignited the vapors. The fire then spread through the available combustibles inside the house. The fire was classified as incendiary in nature.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas D. Schroeder sentenced CARTER to 151 months in federal prison. In addition to the prison time, CARTER was ordered to serve a three-year term of supervised release, pay restitution of $11,500, and to pay a special assessment of $100.00.
The case was investigated by the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Clifton T. Barrett.
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New York Man Sentenced to 33 Months in Money Laundering CaseRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. - A resident of New York was sentenced to 33 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release after a federal jury convicted him of conspiracy to commit money laundering, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina.
KAODICHIMMA OKECHUKWU ANYANWU of Valley Stream, New York, was sentenced to a 33-month term of imprisonment by the Honorable William L. Osteen, Jr., United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. In addition to prison time, ANYANWU was ordered to serve three years of supervised release and pay a special assessment of $100.00.
According to court filings and evidence at trial, the case involved a business email compromise, which was an act of wire fraud, and a group of individuals who subsequently laundered the proceeds of that crime. A business email compromise or “BEC” is a cyber fraud scheme through which criminals target companies, large and small, that frequently transfer money by wires. In the typical BEC scheme, criminals use information obtained through a computer intrusion or social engineering to send spoofed emails or other phishing emails in an effort to trick the company’s employees into conducting unauthorized and unintended transfers of funds. Once the victim of the BEC transfers money to the criminal network, individuals who receive ill-gotten gains from these types of crimes frequently open bank accounts in the names of shell companies, fictitious identities, or stolen identities in an attempt to distance their true selves from being associated with the crime.
In this case, according to court filings and evidence at trial, ANYANWU’s co-conspirators obtained approximately $660,766 through a BEC that victimized a public university located within the Middle District of North Carolina. ANYANWU, who was born in Nigeria, laundered approximately $67,921 of that money through a bank account ANYANWU held in the name of an alias.
A federal jury convicted ANYANWU after a week-long trial.
“Business email compromises like the one in this case continue to threaten organizations and institutions across the United States,” said United States Attorney Hairston. “Alongside our law enforcement partners, we will continue to pursue the criminals who, here or abroad, participate in any way to further these conspiracies.”
The investigation was undertaken by Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tanner Kroeger and Nicole DuPré.
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False Claims Act Settlement Reached with Rockingham Health Care ProviderRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston announced today that Compassionate Counseling Services, LLC (“Compassionate”), a behavioral health provider located in Rockingham, North Carolina, has agreed to pay $150,000 to settle civil claims under the Federal and North Carolina False Claims Acts concerning allegations that Compassionate caused the submission of false claims to the North Carolina Medicaid program.
Specifically, the United States and the State of North Carolina alleged that from June 7, 2016 through January 8, 2021, Compassionate circumvented North Carolina Medicaid requirements by improperly submitting claims for Diagnostic Assessments and also by improperly submitting claims following those Diagnostic Assessments. Under North Carolina Medicaid rules and regulations, Diagnostic Assessments serve as the initial order to establish medical necessity for certain treatment services: they must be signed and dated by certain professionals and serve as the initial order for services to take place.
The governments alleged that Compassionate employed only one such authorized professional to sign Diagnostic Assessments, who only worked on-site at Compassionate’s office location on the third Friday of each month and could not have provided the required signatures until then. The governments alleged that Compassionate circumvented the Diagnostic Assessment requirements by billing for, but failing to maintain, Diagnostic Assessments that were properly signed and dated by a required professional, while also engaging in the improper backdating of Diagnostic Assessments. As a result of failing to maintain properly signed and dated Diagnostic Assessments, the governments alleged that Compassionate failed to maintain documents supporting that the Diagnostic Assessments were properly rendered as claimed. The governments also alleged that Compassionate was unable to support medical necessity for services that were claimed as being rendered following the Diagnostic Assessments that were improperly billed without signature from a required professional.
“Healthcare providers who choose to circumvent rules and regulations for an increase in their profits cause harm to our government healthcare programs and the populations they serve,” said United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston. “My office will continue to hold such providers accountable for their actions to protect the integrity of our government sponsored healthcare programs, for North Carolina Medicaid recipients, and taxpayers.”
“Health care providers that receive Medicaid resources need to use those resources properly,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “When providers fail to responsibly steward taxpayer dollars, my office will hold them accountable. I’m grateful to U.S. Attorney Hairston and her office for their continued partnership to protect health care resources.”
The civil claims resolved by settlement here are allegations only. There has been no judicial determination of wrongdoing or admission of liability, and Compassionate denies the allegations.
This matter was investigated by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina and the Medicaid Investigations Division of the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office (“MID”). Special Deputy Attorney General Matthew R. Petracca, who also serves as a Special Assistant United States Attorney, represented the United States and the State of North Carolina.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina, in partnership with law enforcement agencies and state entities, investigates and prosecutes healthcare providers that defraud government programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, and abuse their patients. The Medicaid Investigations Division investigates and prosecutes Medicaid fraud, patient abuse of Medicaid recipients, patient abuse of any patient in facilities that receive Medicaid funding, and misappropriation of any patients’ private funds in nursing homes that receive Medicaid funding.
To report Medicare fraud or patient abuse in North Carolina, please visit the United States Department of Health and Human Services’ website at https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/ or call 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). To report Medicaid fraud or patient abuse in North Carolina, please call the MID at 919-881-2320.
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Local Prosecutor Brings African Cybercrime Delegation to Greensboro & Washington, D.C.Read the Press Release
GREENSBORO – United States Attorney Sandra Hairston announced today that a delegation of African judges, prosecutors, and investigators arrived in Greensboro as part of an international exchange program. The visit is taking place from May 14 to 19, 2023, and will involve meetings with government officials, local law enforcement, and crime analysts with the goal of sharing information and strengthening transnational partnerships among the United States and multiple African governments.
The study visit was organized by Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Anand Ramaswamy, in his capacity as the International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (ICHIP) Attorney Advisor for sub-Saharan Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT). AUSA Ramaswamy has been detailed overseas as part of the U.S. Transnational High-Tech Crime Global Law Enforcement Network (GLEN) as an International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (ICHIP) attorney advisor focused on combating cybercrime. The GLEN is a worldwide law enforcement capacity building network of ICHIP attorney advisors and others who deliver training and technical assistance to foreign law enforcement, prosecutorial, and judicial partners to combat intellectual property and cybercrime activity as well as to help strengthen foreign partners’ ability to collect and use electronic evidence to combat all types of crime, including transnational organized crime. The GLEN is a partnership between the U.S. Department of State, the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), the U.S. Department of Justice’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS), and the Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance, and Training (OPDAT). INL provides the funding for the ICHIPs and their assistance activities, including this study tour.
The objective of the GLEN is to promote the rule of law and to protect Americans from criminal threats emanating from abroad by delivering targeted training to encourage both immediate assistance as well as long-term institutional change. This assistance includes training workshops, legislative review, case-based mentoring, skills-development, and promoting institutional reform, such as the formation of specialized units to address these criminal threats. There are currently 12 ICHIP attorney advisors in Sao Paulo, Brazil; Panama City, Panama; Eurojust at The Hague; Bucharest, Romania; Zagreb, Croatia; Abuja, Nigeria; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Hong Kong; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Bangkok, Thailand; two global ICHIPs, based in the United States, one for dark web/cryptocurrency and the other focused on internet-based fraud/public health; as well as a Global Cyber Forensic Advisor based in Washington, DC.
AUSA Ramaswamy previously served as an Assistant District Attorney in Alamance, Orange, and Rockingham counties before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the Middle District of North Carolina in 2007. During his tenure in the USAO, Ramaswamy prosecuted both national and international cybercrimes, online human trafficking and exploitation, and many other federal crimes. Since 2020, he has served the Department of Justice overseas as an ICHIP attorney advisor working to build a stronger international front against cybercrime.
The visit includes representatives from Angola, Botswana, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Zambia. After spending Monday and Tuesday in Greensboro, delegates will travel to Washington, DC for the remainder of the visit.
Learn more about the ICHIP program, here.
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Kernersville Man Sentenced to Prison and Ordered to Pay $956,028 for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, NC – A local man was sentenced in federal court today for filing false tax returns. U.S. District Court Judge William Osteen, Jr. sentenced Brandon Michalak, 41, to 15 months in the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Michalak was ordered to pay restitution of $956,028 in tax loss to the IRS.
In January of 2023, Michalak pled guilty to two counts of filing a false tax return, a violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206(1).
According to court filed documents, Michalak was part-owner of a metal recycling business known as Sarah’s Recycling that specialized in the collection and bulk resale of used catalytic converters. Michalak operated the business from his home in Forsyth County, North Carolina. The investigation revealed that during the years 2014-2018, Michalak omitted $11,022,953 in sales generated by his catalytic converter business. Each year, Michalak reported minimal taxable income and claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit, which is a refundable credit designed to provide relief for low-to-moderate-income working people. Simultaneously, Michalak led a lavish lifestyle that included home and property purchases without financing, home renovations, pool installation, extravagant jewelry purchases in cash, and at least 20 vehicle purchases for himself and family members. As an example, he paid approximately $136,788 in cash for the purchase of a 2018 BMW Alpina.
“Honest, hardworking citizens should be appalled by the conduct of the defendant in this case,” said United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston. “Tax evasion hurts all of us, and we will aggressively prosecute anyone who willfully files false tax returns or fails to pay their fair share of taxes, especially in egregious cases like this.”
“The license to run a business is not a license to avoid paying taxes,” said Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Charlotte Field Office, SAC Donald “Trey” Eakins. "The defendant’s misconduct, hiding income, and having his business pay his personal expenses, cheated all Americans who pay their fair share for the government services and protections that we enjoy.”
Sandra J. Hairston, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge William Osteen, Jr. sentenced Michalak. The Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Clifton T. Barrett prosecuted the case.
Durham Man Sentenced for Firearms Charges after Fleeing from Highway PatrolRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – A Durham man was sentenced today to 5 years in prison, after pleading guilty to firearms charges stemming from two incidents in 2022, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston.
According to court documents, JHAMAR ORATAVIO DAWSON, also known as “Smoke”, age 22, fled from a North Carolina State Highway Patrol trooper on June 21, 2022, after nearly colliding with the trooper’s car at a traffic light in Durham. As he fled, DAWSON reached a speed of 75mph in a 45mph zone and drove toward oncoming traffic. At the intersection of E. Club Blvd. and Dearborn Dr., DAWSON’s car skidded into a ditch, went airborne, and burst into flames.
DAWSON and an unidentified passenger fled on foot. The trooper pursued them and caught DAWSON. Law enforcement officers found a handgun on the driver’s seat of the car driven by DAWSON. DAWSON was arrested on state charges.
DAWSON was previously convicted of felony flee to elude arrest in a motor vehicle in December 2021 in Durham County Superior Court and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm.
In October 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Safe Streets Task Force arrested DAWSON at an apartment in Wake County, NC for possessing a firearm in June. During DAWSON’s arrest, FBI agents discovered a stolen firearm, a large amount of cash, and small bags of suspected controlled substances.
DAWSON was charged both in the Middle District of North Carolina and the Eastern District of North Carolina with a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1), felon in possession of a firearm. DAWSON pleaded guilty to both counts in the Middle District of North Carolina on January 17, 2023.
DAWSON is facing additional charges in Wayne County, NC stemming from a July 2020 incident, including felony flee to elude arrest in a motor vehicle, possession of a stolen firearm, and assault with a deadly weapon on a government official.
DAWSON was sentenced today to a 60-month term of imprisonment by the Honorable William L. Osteen, Jr., United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. In addition to prison time, DAWSON was ordered to serve a three-year term of supervised release and to pay a special assessment of $200.00.
The cases were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, and the Durham Police Department, and are being prosecuted by Middle District of North Carolina Assistant United States Attorney Eric Iverson with assistance from the Eastern District of North Carolina.
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Greensboro Man Sentenced for Role in Two Greensboro Shootings and Drug Trafficking in the Middle DistrictRead the Press Release
WINSTON SALEM – A Greensboro man was sentenced today to 25 years in prison, after pleading guilty to firearms charges connected to two Greensboro shootings and drug trafficking in the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC), announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston.
LAJAUREN DAMITRI WIMBUSH, age 36, was indicted in February 2022 for two separate incidents, one involving possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one in which he was charged with three counts of illegal firearm and/or ammunition possession by a felon. According to court records, in September 2020, Surry County Sheriff’s Deputies executed a search warrant on a residence in Mount Airy where they encountered WIMBUSH and confiscated multiple bags of suspected methamphetamine from his vehicle. During his arrest, WIMBUSH claimed ownership of the contents of the bags, which were later confirmed by the State Crime Lab to contain quantities of methamphetamine.
WIMBUSH was also indicted in another case with three counts of felon in possession of a firearm and/or ammunition stemming from two Greensboro shootings at the Four Seasons Mall on December 21, 2021, and at Studio Motel 6 on January 6, 2022. According to court documents, the Greensboro Police Department (GPD) responded to reports of a shooting at the Four Seasons Mall in Greensboro on the afternoon of December 21st and located a victim who had been shot multiple times. Mall security footage showed the exchange between the victim and assailant in the parking lot of the mall, and officers were able to locate additional footage tracing the assailant back to a motel room which WIMBUSH was staying in at the time.
On January 6, 2022, an officer with the GPD responded to reports of an aggravated assault at the same motel and located a victim who had been shot multiple times and beaten by WIMBUSH. Surveillance footage from the motel confirmed the victim’s account of events and showed WIMBUSH shooting at and attacking the victim. At the time of both shootings, WIMBUSH was a previously convicted felon and was aware that he was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. WIMBUSH is facing additional charges in these cases in state court.
WIMBUSH pleaded guilty on November 10, 2022, in a combined plea agreement to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and two counts of felon in possession of a firearm. WIMBUSH was sentenced today to 300 months imprisonment in case number 1:22CR44, and two 120-month terms of imprisonment in case number 1:22CR41 to run concurrent with his sentence in case number 1:22CR40 by the Honorable Loretta C. Biggs, United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC. In addition to prison time, WIMBUSH was ordered to serve concurrent five year terms of supervised release, pay a special assessment of $300.00, and pay $8,762.28 in restitution.
The cases were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Greensboro Police Department, and the Surry County Sheriff’s Department, and are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cliff Barrett.
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Former Bankruptcy Court Employee Pleads Guilty to Damaging a Protected Computer Without AuthorizationRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, NC – Sandra J. Hairston, United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC), announced today that ROBERT MATTHEW BRITTAIN, of Lexington, pleaded guilty in federal court to one felony count of computer fraud.
According to publicly filed court documents, BRITTAIN was previously employed by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the MDNC as a court management analyst wherein he managed and configured computer products operated by the court’s employees. BRITTAIN resigned from this position in April 2022 after an internal investigation into his conduct. Before leaving his position, BRITTAIN allegedly established a VPN connection from his home to the court’s network which, after his termination, he illegally used to access another employee’s passwords and remotely wipe an iPad belonging to the Bankruptcy Court.
BRITTAIN pleaded guilty to a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1030(a)(5)(A), which criminalizes the knowingly transmission of a program, information, code, or command, and as a result of such conduct, intentionally causing damage without authorization, to a protected computer. Because the computer at issue was used in the administration of justice, BRITTAIN is subject to heightened penalties under Title 18, United States Code, Section 1030(c)(4)(B)(i). Specifically, BRITTAIN faces a maximum term of 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release of not more than 3 years, a fine not to exceed $250,000, and a mandatory special assessment of $100.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tanner Kroeger.
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Durham Man Sentenced for 2021 Black Friday Shooting at the Streets at SouthpointRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – A Durham man was sentenced yesterday to 110 months in prison, after pleading guilty to a firearms charge related to a mall shooting in the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC), announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston.
ROMEO KEVANTE PRIDE, age 27, pled guilty to one count of felon in possession of a firearm in December of 2022. According to court documents and facts found by the court at sentencing, Pride, a convicted felon, went to the Streets at Southpoint Mall in Durham on November 26, 2021, a date colloquially known as “Black Friday,” armed with a loaded .40 caliber Glock handgun. In the course of a botched attempted robbery of another mall patron, both Pride and the patron discharged handguns. Durham Police Department officers recovered a spent .40 caliber shell casing fired from Pride’s handgun and surveillance video from the mall confirmed the events. Pride and two innocent bystanders were shot during the exchange of gunfire.
PRIDE was sentenced yesterday to a 110-month term of imprisonment by the Honorable Catherine C. Eagles, United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC. In addition to prison time, PRIDE was ordered to serve a three-year term of supervised release and to pay a special assessment of $100.00.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Raleigh-Durham Safe Streets Task Force with assistance from the Durham Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney JoAnna G. McFadden.
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Federal Officials Meet with the Family of Shanquella RobinsonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Federal officials with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in the Middle and Western Districts of North Carolina and the FBI met with the family of Ms. Shanquella Robinson and family representatives today to offer their condolences and present the findings of the federal investigation into the death of Ms. Robinson.
The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Ms. Robinson has been a priority for federal prosecutors and the FBI.
The FBI has worked diligently to conduct a detailed and thorough investigation of the evidence available in this case. In coordination with Ms. Robinson’s family, an autopsy was conducted in the United States by the Medical Examiner’s Office in Mecklenburg County.
As in every case under consideration for federal prosecution, the government must prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that a federal crime was committed. Based on the results of the autopsy and after a careful deliberation and review of the investigative materials by both U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, federal prosecutors informed Ms. Robinson’s family today that the available evidence does not support a federal prosecution.
The death of Ms. Robinson has been incredibly difficult for her family and the community. As a matter of policy, federal officials generally do not issue public statements concerning the status of an investigation. However, given the circumstances of Ms. Robinson’s death and the public concern surrounding this investigation, it is important to reassure the public that experienced federal agents and seasoned prosecutors extensively reviewed the available evidence and have concluded that federal charges cannot be pursued.
As in any case, the government is prepared to review and examine new information related to the investigation should it become available.
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Durham Crips Gang Member Sentenced for Fifth Robbery ConvictionRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – A North Carolina man was sentenced today to 19 years in prison, after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit robbery and two counts of felon in possession of a firearm by an armed career criminal, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC).
DEVONTE DAQUAN COZART, age 28, of Durham, North Carolina, was sentenced to a 228-month term of imprisonment by the Honorable Catherine C. Eagles, United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC. He pleaded guilty on December 8, 2022, to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951(a), and two counts of felon in possession of a firearm by an armed career criminal, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1) and 924(e). COZART also agreed to forfeit two handguns.
A codefendant, Tori Demarco Bumpers, pleaded guilty on September 8, 2022, to the same statutory violations. Bumpers’ sentencing is scheduled for August 4, 2023, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
According to court records, COZART, a member of the Eight Trey Gangster Crips street gang, and Bumpers left the area of Glenbrook Drive on March 14, 2022, just before dark in COZART’s gray Honda Accord. At approximately 9:30 p.m. that night, Bumpers robbed a vape shop located at West Club Boulevard in Durham at gunpoint, taking cash, cigarettes, a “Cookies” brand backpack, and other items. Bumpers left the store and fled on foot with a second man. At approximately 9:50 p.m., two men wearing dark clothing and masks robbed an individual waiting for a ride to work (Victim-1). After one of the men, whose height and hair was consistent with COZART’s, got in Victim-1’s face and pointed a gun at him, the assailants took cash, electronics, and an Oakley backpack from Victim-1. At approximately 10:10 p.m., Bumpers aimed a gun at the clerk of a convenience store on Fayetteville Road in Durham and demanded cash and cigarettes. After taking the items, he left the store and ran across the parking lot to a waiting car. Around 10:30 p.m. Durham Police Department officers stopped COZART’s gray Honda Accord on East Club Boulevard. COZART was driving, and Bumpers was in the front passenger seat. A black mask was resting between COZART’s right leg and the center console. Officers removed the men from the car and placed them in handcuffs. Upon searching the vehicle, officers recovered items from each of the above-described robberies and a loaded .45 handgun.
On May 12, 2022, investigators executing a warrant to arrest COZART on federal charges stemming from the March 14, 2022, robberies searched the Durham residence where he was located and found a 9mm handgun. Subsequent investigation identified a fingerprint on the gun’s magazine as having been made by COZART’s right thumb.
The previous year, on April 8, 2022, investigators encountered COZART in a Durham apartment near a .357 magnum revolver. COZART admitted that the gun belonged to him.
At the time of these offenses, COZART had been previously convicted of Common Law Robbery and Breaking and Entering (offense date May 7, 2014); Common Law Robbery and Conspiracy to Commit Common Law Robbery (offense date March 24, 2015); Common Law Robbery (offense date February 5, 2015); Common Law Robbery and Conspiracy to Commit Common Law Robbery (offense date May 1, 2018); and Attempted Common Law Robbery (offense date April 28, 2018). In connection with these offenses COZART was sentenced to multiple terms of imprisonment exceeding one year. Thus, at the time of the offenses, COZART was legally barred from possessing a firearm due to his status as a felon.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Raleigh-Durham Safe Streets Task Force (SSTF), the Durham Police Department, and the Durham County Sheriff’s Office. The lead investigator was an FBI Task Force Officer from the Durham County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric Iverson.
Since 1992, the FBI's Safe Streets Violent Crime Initiative has successfully aligned FBI Agents, state and local law enforcement investigators, and federal and state prosecutors onto SSTFs to reduce violent crime. This nationwide initiative brings resources together in a "force multiplier concept" and utilizes the expertise of each agency. SSTFs focus primarily upon street gang and drug-related violence through sustained, proactive, coordinated investigations to obtain prosecutions on violations such as racketeering, drug conspiracy, and firearms violations.
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Albemarle Man Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
Winston-Salem, NC – MICHAEL TODD FORREST of Albemarle NC, appeared in federal court today on tax fraud charges, announced Sandra J. Hairston, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina. FORREST pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return, a violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206(1), after an investigation revealed that he had withheld information from a tax return preparer regarding income related to his business.
According to court-filed documents, FORREST owned and operated a business known as The Forrest Fence Company, LLC located in Albemarle, North Carolina. The investigation revealed that during the years 2017-2021, FORREST routinely directed Forrest Fence customers to make checks payable to him, instead of to the business. Forrest would, in turn, cash those checks or deposit the checks into a personal bank account instead of the Forrest Fence business checking account. As part of his scheme, FORREST would conceal those checks from his tax return preparer, which resulted in a tax loss of over $200,000.
“To attempt to evade taxes by hiding income and filing false returns, is a theft from the American public. It is a felony offense that carries severe consequences,” said Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Charlotte Field Office. “The overarching principle of IRS’s enforcement strategy is simply this: We protect the integrity of the tax system by ensuring everyone pays their fair share of tax.”
Sentencing is scheduled to take place on August 14, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, courtroom number 2, before United States District Court Thomas D. Schroeder. At sentencing, Forrest faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison, a period of supervised release of up to one year, and monetary penalties.
Sandra J. Hairston, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina made the announcement after United States District Judge Thomas D Schroeder accepted the plea. IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Waid is prosecuting the case.
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Winston-Salem Man Pleads Guilty to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Winston-Salem, NC – JAVAR LAJUAN CLARK of Winston-Salem, NC pled guilty today to one count of wire fraud for fraudulently obtaining an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) authorized under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act and administered by the Small Business Association (“SBA”), announced United States Attorney Sandra Hairston.
According to court documents, CLARK applied for an EIDL loan for a business called “Handy Works by J Clark.” The loan application falsified the business’s gross revenues and number of employees. Based on CLARK’s fraudulent representations, the SBA granted CLARK an EIDL loan of $130,500 and an advance of $10,000. Following disbursement of the loan, CLARK used the proceeds on trips to Las Vegas and New York City, jewelry, and a house.
Sentencing is scheduled to take place on August 1, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, courtroom number two, before United States District Judge Thomas D. Schroeder. At sentencing, CLARK faces a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison, a period of supervised release of up to three years, and monetary penalties. As part of his plea agreement, CLARK also agreed to forfeit the property purchased using the fraudulently obtained funds.
The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration is investigating the case, and it is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Waid.
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Department of Justice Applies More Than Five Million Dollars from Forfeited Property to Reimburse Fraud Loss of the North Carolina Medicaid ProgramRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. - The Department of Justice recently secured $5,245,640.02 in restitution to the North Carolina Medicaid system, which provides access to health care services for millions of North Carolina, United States Attorney Sandra Hairston announced today. The restitution resulted from a 2018 case involving a Greensboro medical transportation provider convicted of defrauding Medicaid.
According to court records, the Greensboro-based medical transport company Gate City Transportation, Inc., misrepresented their services on reimbursement applications from November 2010 until February 2015, stealing over five million dollars from the Medicaid program. The investigation revealed that Gate City Transportation deliberately submitted false claims in order to receive higher reimbursements than were appropriate by coding their services as if they were an ambulance provider despite not being authorized to do so.
Gate City Transportation pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud in September 2018, and was sentenced on August 15, 2019, and ordered to pay restitution. A total of $5,553,486.62 will be paid to the victim which includes principal of $5,245,640.02 plus interest of $307,846.60. The funds were obtained through seizure and forfeiture of Gate City Transportation assets.
“Securing this restitution means that millions across the state of North Carolina will be able to get the healthcare they need,” said U.S. Attorney Sandra Hairston. “I am very happy that we are able to return the money that was stolen and thankful to the agencies that worked so hard to secure justice in this case.”
The 2018 criminal case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the North Carolina Attorney General’s Medicaid Investigations Unit.
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Charlotte Woman Sentenced in Middle District for Conspiracy Drug Trafficking After Multi-State OperationRead the Press Release
WINSTON SALEM – A North Carolina woman was sentenced today to 14 years in prison, after pleading guilty to a one-count indictment which charged her and six codefendants with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute quantities of methamphetamine. The case was part of a multi-state organized crime investigation, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC).
BETTY ODESSA DOVER, age 49, of Charlotte, North Carolina, was sentenced to a 168-month term of imprisonment by the Honorable Loretta C. Biggs, United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC. In addition to prison time, DOVER was ordered to serve three years of supervised release and to pay a special assessment of $100.00. She pleaded guilty on September 15, 2022, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, a violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846 and 841(b)(1)(C).
According to court records, in 2020, various law enforcement agencies began investigating a drug trafficking organization based in Mexico. Members of this organization had been previously convicted in the MDNC for drug trafficking. Defendants in another drug-related case had reported picking up tens of thousands of dollars at a time from DOVER and dropping off money and kilogram amounts of cocaine to DOVER for the drug trafficking organization. During the investigation into those offenses, investigators executed a search warrant at DOVER’s home and recovered 238 grams of cocaine, drug paraphernalia, and three firearms. DOVER admitted to investigators during an interview that she had participated in the purchasing and selling of drugs along with another codefendant, Whitney Leigh Estep, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on March 10, 2023.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, and multiple sheriff’s offices and police departments across North Carolina. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jacob D. Pryor.
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Fentanyl Dealer, Felon Who Possessed Firearm Sentenced to More Than 20 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. - A former resident of Alamance County was sentenced to 248 months in federal prison for fentanyl- and firearm-related charges, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina.
RAYMOND RONALD JENNINGS of Burlington, North Carolina, age 52, was sentenced to a 248-month term of imprisonment by the Honorable Thomas D. Schroeder, Chief United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. In addition to prison time, JENNINGS was ordered to serve five years of supervised release and pay a special assessment of $400.00.
According to a complaint filed in the case, law enforcement recovered 27.72 grams of fentanyl and a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson pistol from the home of JENNINGS, who was a convicted felon at the time. The grand jury charged JENNINGS with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (841(b)(1)(C); maintaining a drug involved premises, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 856(a)(1); possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c); and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1).
A federal jury convicted JENNINGS after a three-day trial.
“Fentanyl continues to devastate communities in the Middle District of North Carolina, and across the country,” said United States Attorney Hairston. “Cases like this show our commitment to combatting the crisis in the court of law.”
The investigation was undertaken by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”) and the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tanner Kroeger and Nicole DuPré.
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Wilkesboro Woman Sentenced to Prison for Conspiracy Drug Trafficking after Multi-State OperationRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – A North Carolina woman was sentenced today to 15 years in prison, after pleading guilty to a one-count indictment which charged her and six codefendants with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute quantities of methamphetamine. The case was part of a multi-state organized crime investigation, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina.
WHITNEY LEIGH ESTEP, age 32, of Wilkesboro, North Carolina, was sentenced to a 180-month term of imprisonment by the Honorable William L. Osteen, Jr., United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. In addition to prison time, ESTEP was ordered to serve three years of supervised release. She pleaded guilty on August 26, 2022, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, a violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846 and 841(b)(1)(C).
According to court records, ESTEP and six additional defendants were indicted in June 2022 after an investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies revealed a multi-state organized crime conspiracy. Beginning in 2020, law enforcement agencies from several states began investigating a drug trafficking organization rooted in Mexico. During the investigation, it was revealed that ESTEP was sent by a member of the organization to obtain cocaine and deliver it to other individuals in the organization. In March of 2022, task force officers visited ESTEP’s home which was the location of multiple methamphetamine deals prosecuted in another case. ESTEP admitted to officers that she had been working with others for a year and a half, transporting money and providing marijuana in return. The money picked up and delivered by ESTEP was then sent to the Sinaloa drug cartel in Mexico, and ESTEP admitted to investigators that she knew the money was involved in the trafficking of drugs. ESTEP believed she had transferred tens of thousands of dollars, and investigators later confirmed that ESEP had wired funds to Mexico.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, and multiple sheriff’s offices and police departments across North Carolina. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jake D. Pryor.
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Fayetteville Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
WINSTON SALEM – A North Carolina man pled guilty today to a felony firearm offense after fleeing a traffic stop in January, announced Sandra J. Hairston, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina.
According to court documents, William Lawrence Bethea, Jr., 26, was charged with felony possession of a firearm after a detective with the Hoke County Sheriff’s Office attempted a traffic stop in January, 2023, and Bethea fled the vehicle. At the time, Bethea was well known to detectives. In his attempt to flee, he discarded a firearm which was then collected by the pursuing detective. Bethea was arrested a few days later on a federal warrant where he mentioned to authorities that they must have known he was in possession of a firearm at the time.
At the time of the incident, Bethea had been convicted in the Superior Court of Cumberland County of felony common law robbery and was sentenced to a term of imprisonment exceeding one year. Therefore, he was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Sentencing is scheduled to take place on August 16, 2023, at 2:00 pm in Winston Salem Courtroom Number Four before the Honorable Loretta C. Biggs. At sentencing, Bethea faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a period of supervised release of up to three years, and monetary penalties.
Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Hoke County Sheriff's Office, Raeford Police Department, North Carolina State Highway Patrol, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and Hoke County Emergency Management investigated the case. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Ann Courtney.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Ayden Crips Gang Member Sentenced to More than 14 Years in Prison for Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – An Ayden man was sentenced today to 165 months in prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine and for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. On July 19, 2022, Maurice Montrell Greene pled guilty to his role in the conspiracy. Greene was the leader of the local “Grape Street” Crips gang set during the time that he was under investigation.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Greene, 34, was involved with a group of individuals that were obtaining kilograms of cocaine for distribution in Ayden and the greater Pitt County area. A multi-year investigation spanning from 2016 to February 2019 included controlled purchases, surveillance, witness interviews, and a court authorized wiretap on Greene and others’ cellular phones led to the seizure of approximately 1800 grams of cocaine and over $382,000 in U.S. Currency. Specifically, as to Greene, over $47,000 cash, 935 grams of cocaine, and a firearm were seized from residences where Greene lived.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Greenville Regional Drug Task Force, and the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Webb prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:19-CR-9-FL-1.
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WFBMC Agrees to Pay U.S. $754,585 Following Documentation Issues Relating to Therapy Services at Wilkesboro Skilled Nursing FacilityRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. - Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center (WFBMC) has agreed to pay the government $754,585 to resolve an overpayment resulting from improper documentation at the Wilkes Medical Center Skilled Nursing Unit (“Wilkes SNU”), announced U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston.
WFBMC acquired Wilkes Medical Center, including the Wilkes SNU, on July 1, 2017. The United States contends that between January 1, 2015 and September 30, 2019, the Wilkes Medical Center submitted or caused to be submitted claims to Medicare for physical and occupational therapy services provided to patients at the Wilkes SNU that were not supported by documentation.
The United States initiated its investigation when a whistleblower filed a lawsuit under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, which allow private parties to bring suit on behalf of the government and to share in any recovery. WFBMC cooperated with the United States’ investigation and took remedial actions to address the issues discovered during the investigation.
“Medical facilities that submit claims to Medicare must ensure that those claims are supported by documentation and are medically necessary,” said Sandra J. Hairston, United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina. “This office is dedicated to protecting federal health care programs and ensuring that the government does not pay for unsupported claims.”
This case was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina with assistance from Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services.
The lawsuit is captioned United States ex rel. Cook v. Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center et al., No. 20-CV-386 (M.D.N.C.). The claims settled by this agreement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. The Settlement Agreement is not an admission of liability or wrongdoing by WFBMC.
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Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. - On February 22, 2023, a judge in federal district court sentenced CLYDE TURAINE BRAND to 120 months in prison, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina.
On September 20, 2022, following a five-day trial, a jury found BRAND, age 38, guilty of three counts: felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a stolen firearm, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Evidence at trial showed that on June 30, 2021, BRAND possessed with intent to distribute 2.55 grams of fentanyl, a rifle, and two stolen Smith & Wesson handguns at a residence in Concord, North Carolina, following the execution of a search warrant. BRAND was present at the residence at the time the warrant was executed. The fentanyl was recovered from a toilet. The rifle was found in the closet of an empty bedroom. The stolen handguns were found in a vehicle behind the residence.
United States District Chief Judge Thomas D. Schroeder sentenced BRAND to a 120-month term of imprisonment and a 3-year term of federal supervised release.
The case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Cabarrus County Sheriff's Office, and the Department of Homeland Security. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Craig M. Principe and Special Assistant United States Attorney Mary Ann Courtney.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Asheboro Man Pleads Guilty to Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. - An Asheboro man on probation pleaded guilty on February 16, 2023, to a felony firearm offense.
Montrese Antwan Snuggs, age 35, pleaded guilty to felon in possession of a firearm, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(a)(g)(A) and 924(a)(2).
According to court-filed documents, Snuggs was on supervised probation after pleading guilty in 2021 to state charges for attempted trafficking heroin, possession with intent to sell or deliver a schedule II controlled substance, felony possession with intent to sell or deliver cocaine, and felony possession with intent to sell or deliver heroin.
Sentencing is scheduled to take place on May 30, 2023, at 9:30 am in Greensboro Courtroom Number Three before the Honorable Catherine C. Eagles. At sentencing, Snuggs faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a period of supervised release of up to three years, and monetary penalties.
Sandra J. Hairston, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina, made the announcement. Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, North Carolina Department of Public Safety, Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, and Asheboro Police Department investigated the case. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Ann Courtney.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Greensboro Man Sentenced to 15 ½ Years in Federal Prison for Armed Robbery of Greensboro BusinessesRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. - On Friday, January 13, 2022, a judge in federal district court sentenced a Greensboro resident, JAMES DENNARD SQUIRE, to seven concurrent 186-month prison terms, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina.
SQUIRE, age 36, pleaded guilty on July 12, 2022, to all seven Hobbs robberies charged in the Indictment.
Evidence showed that SQUIRE robbed the following Greensboro businesses between October 18, 2020, and November 13, 2020: Circle K, 3700 Groometown Road; Walgreens, 300 E. Cornwallis Drive; CVS, 309 E. Cornwallis Drive; Crossroads Exxon, 5800 W. Market Street; Handy Kwik Shop, 2103 E. Cone Boulevard; Walgreens, 3001 E. Market Street; and Great Stops, 5412 W. Market Street. Amounts taken from store clerks during the robberies ranged from $3,177 to $138. In six of the seven robberies a firearm was brandished.
At sentencing, United States District Judge Catherine C. Eagles imposed a 186-month term of imprisonment for each of the seven robberies, the sentences being ordered to run concurrently. SQUIRE was also ordered to pay $10,674.44 in restitution and to serve concurrent 3-year terms of federal supervised release.
The case was investigated by the Greensboro Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Clifton T. Barrett and former Assistant United States Attorney Veronica L. Edmisten.
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Greensboro Man Sentenced to 260 Months in Federal Prison on Drug and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. - A Greensboro resident was sentenced on December 21, 2022, in federal court in Greensboro for drug conspiracy, knowingly possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances, maintaining drug-involved premises, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina.
MITCHELL DANYELL BANKS, age 43, was convicted at trial on June 16, 2022, of all fourteen counts of the indictment against him. The offenses occurred in Greensboro, North Carolina.
United States District Judge William L. Osteen, Jr., sentenced BANKS a total of 260 months in federal prison. In addition to the prison time, BANKS was ordered to serve concurrent six-, five-and three-year terms of supervised release and to pay a special assessment of $1,400.00.
The case was investigated by the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Mary Ann Courtney and Assistant United States Attorney Clifton T. Barrett.
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Greensboro Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison on Drug and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. - A Greensboro resident was sentenced on December 12, 2022, in federal court in Greensboro for knowingly possessing with intent to distribute cocaine base, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking g offense, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina.
ELLIOTT MAURICE BROWNING, age 32, was convicted of the three above-described charges on August 24, 2022, following a 3-day trial. The offenses occurred in Greensboro, North Carolina.
United States District Judge William L. Osteen, Jr., sentenced BROWNING to a total of 360 months in federal prison. In addition to the prison time, BROWNING was ordered to serve concurrent five-year terms of supervised release and to pay a special assessment of $300.00.
The case was investigated by the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Greensboro Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Veronica L. Edmisten.
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Former Hotel Employee Sentenced to 61 Total Months of Imprisonment for Attempted Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – A former hotel employee was sentenced in federal court in Winston-Salem today for attempted wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina.
AUTUMN TIARA TATIYANA NICOL WILLIAMS, age 24, of Greensboro, North Carolina, was sentenced to a total of 61 months of imprisonment by the Honorable Loretta Copeland Biggs, United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. In addition to prison time, WILLIAMS was ordered to serve three years of supervised release and to pay $276,570.40 in restitution and special assessments totaling $200.00. She pleaded guilty on February 9, 2022, to attempted wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, and aggravated identity theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A(a)(1).
According to court records, WILLIAMS, also known as “Autumn Tiara Frierson,” worked as a front-desk employee at various hotels in Winston-Salem, and Greensboro, North Carolina. In that capacity, WILLIAMS had access to the credit card information from guests of the hotels. WILLIAMS organized a scheme to defraud in which she fraudulently booked rooms using the credit card information of former guests without authorization. She frequently did so by sending the hotel a credit card authorization form, purportedly signed by the card holder. Those forms allowed the local hotel to type credit card information manually without swiping the card itself. WILLIAMS would then sell the fraudulently booked rooms for cash at a steep discount, telling buyers that she was a travel agent or hotel employee able to secure rooms cheaply. She found prospective buyers through word-of-mouth and Facebook.
The court sentenced WILLIAMS to 37 months for attempted wire fraud and 24 months for aggravated identity theft. Under federal law, a defendant convicted of aggravated identity theft must be sentenced to a 24-month term of imprisonment consecutive to any other term of incarceration.
The investigation was undertaken by the United States Secret Service with assistance from the Winston-Salem Police Department and the Greensboro Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tanner Kroeger.
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Man with Illegal Machine Gun, Apprehended After High-Speed Chase, Sentenced to 48 Months of ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – A Jacksonville, Florida man was sentenced today in federal court in Greensboro for possessing an illegal machine gun, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina.
Caleb Kenyetta SHEFFIELD, age 20, was sentenced to a 48-month term of imprisonment by United States District Judge William L. Osteen, Jr. In addition to prison time, SHEFFIELD was ordered to serve three years of supervised release. On August 11, 2022, following a four-day trial, the jury found SHEFFIELD guilty of two counts relating to his possession of an unregistered machinegun, that is, a Glock Model 17 9mm caliber pistol, equipped with a switch that turns it into a fully automatic weapon, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 5861(d), and Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(o).
According to court documents and evidence at trial and sentencing, the case began on July 3, 2021, when a North Carolina State Highway Patrol officer initiated a traffic stop on a Hyundai traveling 91-mph in a 65-mph zone on US Hwy 64 near Pittsboro. In response to the lights and sirens, the Hyundai stopped in the left lane of traffic and did not pull off the roadway. The Trooper got out of his marked car and started to walk to the driver’s side when the Hyundai suddenly pulled off. The Trooper got back into his car and pursued the Hyundai, which led police on a chase reaching speeds of over 130 mph. The chase ended when the Hyundai spun out and all four men in the vehicle jumped and ran. Multiple agencies were involved in the manhunt and SHEFFIELD was arrested the following day.
In the abandoned car, law enforcement found four firearms including one machine gun, over 120 rounds of ammunition, black ski masks, and a ballistic vest. SHEFFIELD posted a rap video to YouTube 13 days before the incident in which he rapped about putting a switch on a Glock. SHEFFIELD was associated with the Ace’s Top Killers (“ATK”) gang from Jacksonville, Florida. ATK is named after rapper Yungeen Ace. ATK. ATK was in a public feud with the Kill Them All (“KTA”) gang also from Jacksonville, Florida. Another rapper, Julio Foolio, was associated with the KTA gang. Both Julio Foolio and Yungeen Ace were set to perform in North Carolina over the Fourth of July weekend.
Another occupant of the car, Adrian Lowery, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced November 16, 2022, to a term of 71 months in prison.
Law enforcement agencies participating in the investigation included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, North Carolina State Highway Patrol, Chatham County Sheriff's Office, North Carolina Department of Public Safety, Special Operations and Intelligence Unit, Fayetteville Police Department, and Cary Police Department. The criminal case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole DuPré and Ashley Waid.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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North Carolina Man Sentenced to 6 ½ Years for Gunpoint Robbery of Puppies from Lancaster County BreederRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Christopher Lamont Stimpson, Jr., 24, of Greensboro, North Carolina, was sentenced to six years and six months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $1,660 in restitution by United States District Court Judge Edward G. Smith for robbing a Lancaster County puppy breeder and his family at gunpoint in order to steal five French Bulldog puppies in October 2020.
In April 2022, the defendant was convicted of robbery which interferes with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery), and interstate transportation of stolen goods in connection with the robbery. Evidence presented at trial proved that in order to gain access to the puppies, dogs with a total value of more than $23,000, Stimpson posed as a customer seeking to purchase five French Bulldog puppies, only to pull out a gun, point it at the victims, and steal the animals. One of the victims recorded the registration of the defendant’s getaway vehicle, which was traced back to a rental company in Greensboro, North Carolina. A customer of the breeder who had also been interested in purchasing one of the puppies later discovered an Instagram posting which featured a video and a photograph of the puppies, as well as photographs of Stimpson. In December 2020, the defendant was arrested in North Carolina.
“The defendant threatened a family at gunpoint inside their own home in order to greedily and callously steal vulnerable, living creatures,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “ Our Office is committed to prosecuting dangerous, armed criminals, no matter where they may run and hide. We are thankful to our law enforcement partners here in Pennsylvania and in North Carolina for their assistance in bringing Stimpson to justice.”
“This was a frightening armed robbery that saw the victims menaced at gunpoint,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “The fact that puppies were the property taken renders this crime more unusual, but no less serious. Christopher Stimpson made the very bad decision to come to Pennsylvania and take these pups by force, and this sentence holds him accountable for his actions.”
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Ephrata Police Department, and the Greensboro (NC) Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark S. Miller.
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Multiple Defendants Sentenced in Major Organized Crime Operation Spanning Multiple StatesRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – Three defendants were sentenced this week in federal court for conspiracy to commit drug trafficking offenses after a major, multi-state organized crime operation, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina.
MICHAEL DALE BLACKMON, age 40 of Benson, North Carolina, and JEFFERY SCOTT JONES, age 59, of Wilkesboro, North Carolina, were sentenced to a 114-month term of imprisonment and a 192-month term of imprisonment, respectively, by the Honorable William L. Osteen, Jr., United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina on November 21, 2022. In addition to prison time, JONES was ordered to serve five years of supervised release and to pay a $4,000 fine, and BLACKMON was ordered to serve three years of supervised release and pay a $3,000 fine. They were charged under indictment along with five co-defendants in case number 1:22CR177 for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. TAMMY LYNN WAGONER, age 48, of Wilkesboro, North Carolina, was sentenced today to a 120-month term of imprisonment for the same offense. In addition to prison time, WAGONER was ordered to serve five years of supervised release. BLACKMON, JONES, WAGONER, and their 4 other codefendants were indicted separately from an additional 14 individuals for the same offenses, with the others being indicted in case number 1:22CR25. Those defendants were also charged under federal indictment on February 22, 2022, with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin, a violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846 and 841(b)(1)(A), 841(b)(1)(B), and 841(b)(1)(C). Defendants in this case have received sentences of 41 to 300 months’ imprisonment, with additional sentencings scheduled for February, 2023.
According to court records, beginning in 2020, several local and federal law enforcement agencies began an investigation into a multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking organization that was coordinating shipments of methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin into the Middle District of North Carolina. The poly-drug trafficking organization, based in Mexico, was operating in several jurisdictions within the United States, including North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and California. Members of this organization had previously been convicted in the Middle District of North Carolina for drug trafficking through multiple jurisdictions across various states.
“I am thankful for the work of our law enforcement partners in taking down a drug trafficking organization that has impacted so many communities in North Carolina and our neighboring states,” said U. S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston. “The impact of illegal drug trafficking reaches all corners of our community, and the pursuit of these organizations remains a top priority in the Department of Justice.”
The investigation was jointly undertaken by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, and sheriffs’ offices and police departments across North Carolina. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jake Pryor.
This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s drug supply reduction strategy. OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.
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Mount Airy Man Sentenced to 180 Months of ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – A Mount Airy, North Carolina, resident was sentenced today in federal court in Greensboro for drug and firearms offenses, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina.
James Robert Brintle, age 26, was sentenced to a 180-month term of imprisonment by United States District Judge Catherine C. Eagles. In addition to prison time, Brintle was ordered to serve three years of supervised release. The defendant also forfeited a Ruger .380 pistol, a Japanese military rifle, and a MAS bolt action rifle. He pleaded guilty on July 11, 2022, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, a violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841, and felon in possession of a firearm, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1).
According to court records, Brintle was stopped by Surry County Sheriff’s deputies on October 10, 2020 while driving without a license and after nearly striking a Surry County detective on Piper Gap Road. During the stop, a K-9 conducted a sniff of Brintle’s truck and made a positive indication for the presence of narcotics. Detectives conducted a search of the truck and uncovered three guns, 29 grams of methamphetamine, and two grams of fentanyl. Brintle admitted to selling approximately one pound of methamphetamine on a daily basis.
Brintle was previously convicted of North Carolina felonies punishable by more than twelve months imprisonment. Brintle was aware that these convictions made it unlawful for him to possess firearms, having received an 8-19 month suspended sentence for obtaining property by false pretenses in the Superior Court of Surry County in 2014 and a 6-17 month suspended sentence for possession of heroin in the Superior Court of Surry Count in 2018.
The investigation was jointly undertaken by the Department of Homeland Security- Homeland Security Investigations and the Surry County Sheriff’s Office. The criminal case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank J. Chut Jr.
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Suspects in Randleman Road Robbery Plead GuiltyRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, NC – Two Asheboro men, Deante Tre’Devaughn Cheek (“Cheek”) and Amir Joseph Marshall (“Marshall”), pleaded guilty to robbery and firearms charges, announced U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina.
Cheek, age, 26, entered a guilty plea on November 8, 2022, and Marshall, age 21, pleaded guilty today. Both defendants pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on December 28, 2020, Cheek and Marshall robbed the owner of a business located on Randleman Road in Greensboro at gunpoint. During the incident, the store owner and Marshall were shot. Cheek and Marshall left the scene and got into a blue Honda Accord. Approximately 25 minutes later, Marshall arrived at Randolph Hospital in a blue Honda Accord. Hospital surveillance video shows Marshall being helped into the hospital by an individual whose clothing matched that of one of the assailants at the Randleman Road robbery.
On the date of the robbery, Cheek was on supervised probation with the North Carolina Department of Public Safety and had been equipped with a GPS ankle monitor. A review of the GPS data showed that CHEEK’s ankle monitor was in the vicinity of the robbery location during the time of the robbery. CHEEK’s ankle monitor then traveled to Randolph Health hospital in Asheboro at a rate of around 120 miles per hour.
Cheeks’ sentencing is scheduled to take place on April 25, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, before United States District Judge Loretta C. Biggs. Marshall’s sentencing is set for June 2, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. At sentencing, each defendant faces a maximum term of imprisonment of not more than twenty years for the robbery charge, and up to ten years imprisonment on the firearms charge, plus a period of supervised release and monetary penalties.
Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Greensboro Police Department investigated the case. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Ann Courtney.
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American Contractor Pleads Guilty in Death of U.S. Military DoctorRead the Press Release
A former American military contractor pleaded guilty today to involuntary manslaughter for fatally striking an active duty U.S. Air Force medical doctor with a forklift as she was walking on Al Dhafra Airbase in the United Arab Emirates.
According to court documents, on Nov. 27, 2020, Ari Taylor, 32, of Roxboro, North Carolina, was operating a forklift to deliver pallets of water on Al Dhafra Airbase in his role as a civilian employed by a U.S. military contractor. He drove the forklift through a space shared by vehicles and pedestrians, between a medical clinic and living quarters. Taylor acknowledged that pedestrians were frequently present in this area.
At the time of the fatal collision, Taylor was distracted while using his cell phone and never saw Captain Kelliann Leli. A crash reconstruction expert concluded that Taylor had almost nine seconds to prevent the crash, but Taylor admitted that he did not see Capt. Leli and failed to take any steps to avoid striking her with the forklift.
Taylor pleaded guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 25, 2023. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina, and Brigadier General Terry L. Bullard of the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations made the announcement.
The U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance from the FBI.
Senior Trial Attorney Frank G. Rangoussis and Trial Attorney Elizabeth Nielsen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Terry Meinecke for the Middle District of North Carolina are prosecuting the case.
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American Contractor Pleads Guilty in Death of U.S. Military DoctorRead the Press Release
A former American military contractor pleaded guilty today to involuntary manslaughter for fatally striking an active duty U.S. Air Force medical doctor with a forklift as she was walking on Al Dhafra Airbase in the United Arab Emirates.
According to court documents, on Nov. 27, 2020, Ari Taylor, 32, of Roxboro, North Carolina, was operating a forklift to deliver pallets of water on Al Dhafra Airbase in his role as a civilian employed by a U.S. military contractor. He drove the forklift through a space shared by vehicles and pedestrians, between a medical clinic and living quarters. Taylor acknowledged that pedestrians were frequently present in this area.
At the time of the fatal collision, Taylor was distracted while using his cell phone and never saw Captain Kelliann Leli. A crash reconstruction expert concluded that Taylor had almost nine seconds to prevent the crash, but Taylor admitted that he did not see Capt. Leli and failed to take any steps to avoid striking her with the forklift.
Taylor pleaded guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 25, 2023. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina, and Brigadier General Terry L. Bullard of the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations made the announcement.
The U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance from the FBI.
Senior Trial Attorney Frank G. Rangoussis and Trial Attorney Elizabeth Nielsen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Terry Meinecke for the Middle District of North Carolina are prosecuting the case
Former Chief Financial Officer Sentenced to 41 Months of Imprisonment for $2 Million FraudRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – The former chief financial officer of a company in High Point, North Carolina, was sentenced today in federal court in Greensboro for wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina.
SAMUEL ALLEN MOUZON, age 62, of Lexington, North Carolina, was sentenced to a 41-month term of imprisonment by the Honorable Catherine C. Eagles, United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. In addition to prison time, MOUZON was ordered to serve three years of supervised release and to pay a $5,000 fine and a special assessment of $100.00. A $500,000.00 forfeiture money judgment was also entered against the defendant. He pleaded guilty on June 29, 2022, to wire fraud, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343.
According to court records, MOUZON worked as the chief financial officer of a company in High Point for approximately twenty years. Between approximately December 2018 and February 2021, MOUZON embezzled approximately $2,038,285 for his own personal benefit and to fund purchases for himself and his family without the company’s knowledge or approval. During this time, the company received approximately $750,000 in federal pandemic relief funding. The Court ordered MOUZON to pay $2,038,285.66 in restitution to the victim company and an insurance company from which the victim company recovered a portion of the total loss.
In related civil and administrative proceedings, the United States forfeited numerous items of real and personal property that MOUZON paid for with proceeds of the offense, including several bank and investment accounts, a lake-front residence in Lexington, a second residence and two building lots in the same Lexington development, a condominium in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, two 2020 Jeep Wranglers, a 2020 GMC Yukon Denali, two boats, two 2017 jet skis, a 2021 Polaris four-wheeler, and two golf carts.
“Corporate executives who steal from their employers will be prosecuted in the Middle District of North Carolina, where our prosecutors will seek active prison sentences,” said U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston. “With the unprecedented flow of federal dollars used to support businesses during the pandemic, the need for these prosecutions has never been greater.”
“Stealing from your employer and taking advantage of the Nation’s lifeline to small businesses impacted by the pandemic for personal gain is reprehensible,” said SBA OIG’s Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite. “Our office will aggressively pursue evidence of wrongdoing and bring those responsible to justice. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and commitment to seeing justice served.”
The investigation was jointly undertaken by the United States Secret Service and the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Small Business Administration. The civil case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lynne Klauer. The criminal case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tanner Kroeger and Ashley Waid.
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Guidance Relating to the November 2022 General ElectionRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, NC – United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) JoAnna McFadden will lead the efforts of her Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 8, 2022, general election. AUSA McFadden has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Middle District of North Carolina, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
“Free and fair elections require that every eligible citizen can vote without interference or discrimination, and that election officials and staff can serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence,” said United States Attorney Hairston. “The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process. We must ensure that those who are entitled to vote can do so if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt the voting franchise are brought to justice”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO McFadden will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. She can be reached by the public at 336-333-5351 or 336-332-6362.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 704-672-610.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/.
United States Attorney Hairston said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
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U.S. Attorney Hairston Announces $177,090 in Justice Department Grants to Support Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, NC – United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston announced today that the Department of Justice has awarded $177,090 to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program in the Middle District of North Carolina. Funding will support comprehensive efforts to address the epidemic of gun crime and serious violence in the district. The grant, to be administered by the NC Department of Public Safety Governor’s Crime Commission for the benefit of the district’s 12 PSN sites, is one of a number of awards being made to state and local agencies across the country. Funds are administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, part of the Department’s Office of Justice Programs.
Launched two decades ago as an evidence-based and community-oriented response to serious gun crime, Project Safe Neighborhoods, known as PSN, is a key component of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime, outlined by Deputy Attorney General Monaco in May 2021. The PSN approach is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities; supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place; setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities; and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime in a comprehensive manner, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.
“Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a cornerstone of the crime prevention effort in the Middle District of North Carolina, and we are thrilled to receive this grant in support of such an important strategy,” said U. S. Attorney Sandra Hairston. “The grant will support 12 PSN sites around the district as they continue to grow and assist law enforcement and community groups in their efforts to reduce crime and protect not only the citizens of the Middle District, but those in neighboring districts as well.”
“Reducing violence and sustaining those reductions will require strong partnerships between criminal justice agencies and community stakeholders and a shared commitment to the safety and well-being of every community member,” said OJP Deputy Assistant Attorney General Maureen Henneberg. “The investments we are making through Project Safe Neighborhoods will enable every stakeholder to play a part in building safer and healthier communities.”
PSN partnerships are convened by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in collaboration with local public safety agencies and community organizations. PSN places emphasis on community engagement, prevention and intervention measures, focused and strategic enforcement, and measurement and accountability. The PSN model has helped achieve overall reductions in violent crime, including gun homicides, in neighborhoods where PSN strategies have been implemented.
“Over its two-decade history, Project Safe Neighborhoods has evolved to meet the complex challenges of community violence by enlisting the insights and expertise of local partners and by relying on the latest evidence,” said BJA Director Karhlton F. Moore. “We are proud to support our U.S. Attorneys and their allies in their critical work to curb violent crime and build the mutual trust necessary to ensure lasting success.”
The awards announced above are being made as part of the regular end-of-fiscal year cycle. More information about awards under PSN and other OJP grants can be found on the OJP Grant Awards Page.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
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North Carolina Tax Return Preparer Pleads Guilty to Aiding in the Preparation of a False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, NC – A Durham woman pleaded guilty on October 12, 2022, to the charge of aiding and assisting in the filing of a false tax return, announced U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina and Special Agent in Charge Donald “Trey” Eakins of IRS-Criminal Investigation, Charlotte Field Office.
According to court documents, Amanda Caldwell willfully aided and assisted in the preparation of false tax returns filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Caldwell worked at Tax Time Solutions, LLC, located in Durham, North Carolina as a tax return preparer along with Whitney Danielle Sales and Janelle Marie Corley. Tax Time Solutions, LLC was owned by Sales.
Sentencing is scheduled to take place on February 22, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, before United States District Court Judge Thomas D. Schroeder. At sentencing, Caldwell faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison, a period of supervised release of up to one year, and monetary penalties.
Sales and Corley previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States in connection with a scheme to file false tax returns that resulted in an intended tax loss of over $1.5 million. On July 29, 2022, Senior United States District Court Judge N. Carlton Tilley, Jr. sentenced Sales to 30 months of imprisonment. On August 5, 2022, Judge Tilley sentenced Corley to 24 months of imprisonment. In addition to the terms of imprisonment, Sales and Corley were also sentenced to a period of supervised release and restitution.
Agents with the Criminal Investigation division of the Internal Revenue Service investigated the case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Waid.
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Two Durham Gang Members Sentenced to Life in Prison for the Murder of Nine-Year-Old Z’yon PersonRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – Two Durham men were sentenced today in Greensboro to imprisonment for life for multiple offenses related to the murder of nine-year-old Z’yon Person in Durham, North Carolina on August 18, 2019.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Antonio Nathaniel Davenport, Jr., 27, also known as “Lil Tony,” and Derrick Lamont Dixon, Jr., 30, also known as “Smacc,” were members of the Eight Trey Gangster Crips criminal street gang. Members of the gang committed shootings targeting rival gang members. They also trafficked drugs, committed bank fraud, and intimidated witnesses. Davenport was also a member of the Durham-based rap music group “83 Babies,” so named for the “Eight Trey” Gangster Crips. The rap group promoted the gang, rapping about gang life, gun violence, and drug distribution.
On August 14, 2019, rival gang members assaulted Davenport at the Streets at Southpoint mall in Durham. They posted a video of the assault on Instagram and taunted him and the Eight Trey Gangster Crips. Davenport and Dixon then conspired with fellow gang members, including Dival Nygee Magwood, 24, also known as “Paco,” to retaliate. On the evening of August 14, 2019, Dixon, Magwood, and others committed a drive-by shooting in south Durham.
In the days following, Davenport exchanged threatening messages with a rival gang member on Instagram and messages with fellow gang members plotting revenge. On Sunday August 18, 2019, Davenport, Dixon, and Magwood drove to an area in north Durham they knew to be frequented by rival gang members. Davenport was armed with a 9mm handgun, Dixon with a .40 caliber handgun, and Magwood with an assault-style 7.62mm pistol. At approximately the same time, 8:30 pm, nine-year-old Z’yon Person was riding in his aunt’s car with four other children on their way to get sno-cones. Davenport, Dixon, and Magwood misidentified the car as a rival gang member’s, specifically the car used by the individual with whom Davenport had exchanged the threatening Instagram messages the day before.
Davenport followed the car down Leon Street to the intersection at North Duke Street and slowed as he passed. He and Dixon opened fire on the car, discharging at least five 9mm rounds and seventeen .40 caliber rounds, hitting the car multiple times. Two bullets pierced the window that Z’yon Person was seated next to where he was struck in the head and killed. His eight-year-old cousin, seated next to him, was struck in the arm.
At the time, Davenport was wearing a court-ordered ankle monitor because of pending domestic violence charges. The location data placed him at the murder scene, as well as at Dixon’s and Magwood’s homes prior to the shooting and following it, and at other locations relevant to the planning and cover-up. A surveillance camera at a middle school captured Davenport’s Honda as it followed the victims’ car immediately prior to the shooting. Shortly after the murder, Davenport paid to have his car painted black. Investigators recovered a 9mm handgun from Davenport’s girlfriend’s car, and forensic firearms examination linked the handgun to the murder.
“Words are woefully insufficient to describe the heinous violence that resulted in the loss of Z’yon’s life,” said U. S. Attorney Sandra Hairston. I am grateful to the Durham Police Department, the FBI, and the Durham County Sheriff’s Office for their hard work in the pursuit of justice for Z’yon and his family.”
Dixon pled guilty on May 11, 2021 in federal court to one count of conspiracy to commit acts of racketeering and one count of violent crime, that is, murder, in aid of racketeering. Davenport was convicted, on July 7, 2022, after a jury trial, of one count of violent crime, that is, murder, in aid of racketeering, one count of discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence causing death.
Davenport was previously convicted of Second-Degree Burglary, Felony Larceny, and Flee/Elude Arrest in 2016 in Durham County. Dixon was convicted of multiple felonies in 2012 in Durham County, including Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon and Breaking and Entering.
"We hope these life sentences bring some sense of justice to all of those who loved Z’yon. It is unfathomable a 9-year-old boy lost his life due to gang violence. We are grateful to our law enforcement partners for their tireless work,” said Michael C. Scherck, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina.
“The death of Z’yon Person was a tragedy that impacted many in our community. I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina for their hard work to hold those responsible accountable,” said Durham County District Attorney Satana Deberry. “From the beginning, this case has involved tremendous interagency cooperation – between Durham police, federal law enforcement, federal prosecutors and Assistant District Attorney Kendra Montgomery- Blinn in the Durham DA’s Office – exemplifying the strong collaboration between our agencies and our shared commitment in responding to violence. Today, my thoughts are with Z’yon’s family. I hope this outcome provides some closure to those who knew and loved him.”
“Many Durham County residents have cried out for justice in this case since the senseless and tragic murder of Z’yon Person happened in 2019,” said Durham County Sheriff Clarence Birkhead. “Here we are, three years later, and justice has been served – with the intervention of federal authorities to charge, successfully prosecute, and sentence both Antonio Davenport and Derrick Dixon. It sends a clear signal to those who continue committing the gun violence terrorizing our communities – we will identify you, and you will be held accountable. My office will continue partnering with local, state, and federal law enforcement to make Durham County safe. I am pleased to see in this specific case, our partnership is working. It is moments like these that remind us we must keep working together to combat crime, specifically gun violence, as we strive to protect and serve all residents of Durham County.”
“We are thankful for the work of our Durham Police Department employees and federal partners,” said Durham Police Chief Patrice V. Andrews. “Without their efforts, this successful prosecution would not have been possible.”
U.S. Attorney Sandra Hairston made the announcement, and the case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys JoAnna G. McFadden and Eric L. Iverson. The prosecution was coordinated with the Durham County District Attorney’s Office. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Raleigh-Durham Safe Streets Task Force and the Durham Police Department with assistance from the Durham County Sheriff’s Office.
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Registered Sex Offenders Sentenced for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – A North Carolina man was sentenced today to 240 months in prison followed by a twenty-year term of supervised release, for possession of child pornography after a tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children led to his arrest.
According to court documents, Kevin Richard Heidel, 38, who was a registered sex offender, was identified by investigators from the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) after a NCMEC tip revealed that an Instagram user in Davidson County was suspected of uploading images of suspected child pornography to the platform in 2019. In December 2019, DCSO investigators executed a search warrant at Heidel’s residence where they located a cell phone that contained child pornography. Further investigation revealed child pornography on another phone belonging to Heidel that was located in the front yard of one of Heidel’s neighbors.
Heidel is the third registered sex offender to be sentenced this month. On September 22, 2022, Christopher Lea Kahele, 40, of Moore County, was sentenced to 240 months imprisonment followed by 25 years of supervised release, for possession of child pornography. That same day, a Randolph County man, Luis Armando Diaz-Otero, 33, was sentenced to 150 months imprisonment followed by 20 years of supervised release after a tip from NCMEC regarding a Google account led to his arrest and conviction for possession of child pornography.
The Davidson County Sheriff’s Office, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI), the North Carolina Department of Public Safety Probation and Parole (NCDPS), and Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) assisted with the Heidel investigation. The Moore County Sheriff’s Office, the NCDPS, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation assisted with the Kahele investigation. The Randolph County Sheriff', the NCSBI, and HSI assisted in the Diaz-Otero investigation. All three cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kennedy Gates.
The cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and focuses on coordinating federal, state, and local resources to better identify and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Mecklenburg County Man Sentenced in Middle District for Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – A Mecklenburg County man was sentenced today in Greensboro to 228 months for drug trafficking and firearm offenses that occurred in Cabarrus County, within the Middle District of North Carolina.
According to court documents, Montwon Lashawn Moss, 45, and his co-defendant Brittany Autumn Sandefur were arrested on March 12, 2021, after a cooperator ordered an ounce-and-a-half of methamphetamine from Sandefur and her supplier Moss. They agreed to meet at a location in Concord to conduct the sale. Moss drove Sandefur to the deal and when they arrived, they were arrested by officers with the Concord Police Department.
Upon searching Moss’s vehicle, officers located a loaded .40 caliber Smith & Wesson pistol on the floorboard and bags containing suspected methamphetamine weighing more than 110 grams. The firearm was later determined to have been reported stolen. Additional bags containing smaller amounts of suspected cocaine hydrochloride, MDMA, cocaine base, marihuana, alprazolam, and trazadone were also located in the vehicle. Later forensic testing of the suspected methamphetamine confirmed that Moss possessed at least 50 grams of methamphetamine.
Following his arrest, Moss admitted he knew he was a felon. As a felon, he was prohibited from possessing a firearm. Moss was previously convicted in March 2008 of the federal felony offenses possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. He was also previously convicted in August 1994 of the state felony second degree murder, in the Superior Court of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.
Moss pled guilty on June 8, 2022 in federal court to one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of felon in possession of a firearm based on his March 12, 2021 conduct. Accordingly, Moss was sentenced today to 228 months of imprisonment, ten years of supervised release, and $200 in special assessments. Sandefur is set for sentencing in October, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Sandra Hairston made the announcement, and the case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Craig Principe. The Concord Police Department, N.C. State Bureau of Investigation, and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives assisted with the investigation.
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Two Stanly County Men Sentenced for Possession and Transportation of Stolen VehiclesRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – Two North Carolina men were sentenced on June 23, 2022, and August 30, 2022, related to the theft of construction vehicles from a community center in Pageland, South Carolina, after an investigation into the missing equipment led investigators to a residence in Stanly County, where the vehicles were ultimately recovered.
According to court documents, Danny Joe Almond, 45, and Douglas Wayne Mauldin, 52, were charged with the transportation of the stolen vehicles across state lines and the possession of those stolen vehicles, which included a stolen dump truck, a low-boy trailer, a skid steer, a paver, and a roller. A paving company left the vehicles in the parking lot of the Pageland Community Center overnight, and the community center’s surveillance cameras captured footage of a person entering the dump truck and driving it away, while towing the trailer loaded with additional construction vehicles. A dark sedan was also observed on the footage following the dump truck out of the parking lot. The skid steer had a GPS tracking device, which allowed investigators to track it to the residence of Douglas Wayne Mauldin in Norwood, North Carolina, where all the vehicles were recovered.
Investigators later used cell phone data, the vehicle tracker, surveillance footage, and eyewitness reports to create a timeline of the events leading up to and following the theft of the construction vehicles. As a result, Almond and Mauldin were charged with one count of unlawfully transporting stolen motor vehicles, one count of unlawfully transporting stolen goods in excess of $5,000, one count of knowingly possessing stolen motor vehicles, and one count of knowingly possessing, concealing, and storing stolen goods.
Danny Joe Almond was sentenced on July 14, 2022, to 24 months imprisonment and three years of supervised release. Douglas Wayne Mauldin was sentenced on August 30, 2022, to 14 months imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release.
“We are extremely grateful for our partners at the Federal Bureau of Investigation and those in the Norwood and Pageland Police Departments, as well as the NC DMV, for their extensive work in tracking these thefts across state lines,” said United States Attorney Sandra Hairston. “This case shows that interstate theft is not to be taken lightly, and that the partnerships between local, state, and federal law enforcement are thriving.”
U.S. Attorney Hairston made the announcement, and the case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Craig Principe. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Norwood Police Department, Pageland (South Carolina) Police Department, and the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles License and Theft Bureau assisted with the investigation.
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Bank Robber Dubbed “Chameleon Beard Bandit” SentencedRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – Ronnie Hiram Wessinger, Jr., age 49, of Gaffney, South Carolina, was sentenced today by United States District Judge William L. Osteen, Jr., to 180 months in prison followed by a three-year term of supervised release for two counts of bank robbery.
According to court records, on September 29, 2017, Wessinger walked into a Bank of America branch located at 2 Park Drive in Durham. Wessinger, dressed in a gray long-sleeved shirt, blue jeans, a safari hat with a palm tree logo, and black gloves, was carrying a motorcycle-style helmet. He also appeared to have a beard. He handed a note to a teller. The note said “This is a robbery. All money in bag. No dye packs. I have a gun. Don’t be stupid.” When the teller tried to show her manager the note, Wessinger told her to “hurry up” while placing his hand on his front pants pocket, indicating he possessed a firearm. He then told her to “Give me the note back! I want all of it!” She described him as seeming agitated as she handed him mostly small denominations. He then demanded larger denominations, asking, “Where are the hundreds?” She explained that she was giving him everything available to her. When he looked away from her, she was able to quietly tell another employee to call 911 because she was being robbed. After taking the money, Wessinger began to leave the bank, saying “Don’t follow me or send anyone after me or I will shoot.” He then ran away from the bank. Employees locked the main entrance and waited for law enforcement. An audit revealed that Wessinger robbed the bank of $10,747.74.
Court records also reflect that on November 17, 2017, Wessinger, who appeared to have a dark beard, entered the Bank of America branch located at 107 Muirs Chapel Road in Greensboro while wearing a purple buttondown shirt and black hat, and carrying a motorcycle helmet. He approached the first teller window and handed a note to the victim teller. He then lifted his shirt and showed her a gun that was tucked in his waistband and demanded money. She told him that because it was the end of the day, she did not have any money. Wessinger then raised his voice and told her to “Give me some large bills.” She then showed him her empty register, to which he responded, “I’ll kill yo ass.” Another teller who was worried for the victim-teller’s safety gave Wessinger $2,500 from her register. Wessinger told them it was not enough, so another teller gave the initial victim-teller $2,244, which she then gave to Wessinger. He put the cash into a backpack he was carrying, asked for his note back, and left the bank.
Wessinger pled guilty to both robberies on April 7, 2022. According to some news reports, he was nicknamed the “Chameleon Beard Bandit” because he often changed the color of his beard.
Sandra J. Hairston, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Greensboro Police Department, and Durham County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica L. Edmisten.
Durham Dentist Pleads Guilty to Tax FraudRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – A North Carolina woman from Durham pleaded guilty on July 29, 2022, to tax fraud announced Sandra J. Hairston, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina.
Santa Maria McKibbins pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return, a violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206(1), after an investigation revealed that she had withheld information from a tax preparer regarding income and personal use of funds related to her business. According to court-filed documents, McKibbins was a licensed dentist and ran a dental practice known as McKibbins Family Dentistry in Durham. A review of McKibbins’ expenditures revealed that her income far exceeded the income reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and bank records confirmed annualized personal income that exceeded the income claimed on her IRS forms. From 2013 to 2018, McKibbins withheld information regarding insurance and copayment checks made to her business, which she then diverted to her personal checking account which she used to make payments on multiple cars and her home.
“To attempt to evade taxes by hiding income and filing false returns, is a theft from the American public. It is a felony offense that carries severe consequences,” said Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Charlotte Field Office. “The overarching principle of IRS’s enforcement strategy is simply this: We protect the integrity of the tax system by ensuring everyone pays their fair share of tax.”
Sentencing is scheduled to take place on October 19, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. in Greensboro, North Carolina, courtroom number three, before the Honorable Catherine C. Eagles. At sentencing, McKibbins faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison, a period of supervised release of up to one year, and monetary penalties.
Agents with the Criminal Investigation division of the Internal Revenue Service investigated the case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner Kroeger.
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Operation False Haven: Convicted Child Molester Sentenced for Naturalization Fraud and Judicially DenaturalizedRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – Vyacheslav Fyodorovich Rizhkov, age 44, born in Azerbaijan and residing in Union County, was sentenced on July 22, 2022, by Senior United States District Judge N. Carlton Tilley, Jr., to four months in prison followed by a one-year term of supervised release for one count of unlawful procurement of naturalization. Moreover, Rizhkov was judicially denaturalized as a United States citizen.
According to court records, on September 17, 2019, Rizhkov fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship by making materially false statements under oath regarding his naturalization application. In response to the question “Have you ever committed, assisted in committing, or attempted to commit, a crime or offense for which you were not arrested?” he answered “No.” However, on March 6, 2020, in the Superior Court of North Carolina in Cabarrus County, Rizhkov was convicted of sexual battery of a physically helpless person and two counts of indecent liberties with a child. Rizhkov was sentenced for those offenses to a suspended term of imprisonment of between 16 and 29 months and ordered to register as a sex offender. According to court records, all three victims were minors who he molested over a period of years, beginning at least as early as July 2017. Rizhkov was not arrested until after he naturalized, thus immigration officials were unaware of his crimes.
Sandra J. Hairston, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina, made the announcement. ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations division investigated the case as part of Operation False Haven, an ongoing ERO initiative purpose-built to aggressively target child molesters and other egregious felons who fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank J. Chut.
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Durham County Man Sentenced to 360 Months in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – A North Carolina man was sentenced on July 22, 2022, to 360 months in prison, followed by a 15-year term of supervised release, for knowingly receiving child pornography after multiple tips to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) led to his arrest.
According to court documents, Timothy James Bryant, 27, was identified by agents from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NSCBI), after a NCMEC tip revealed that a Twitter user in Durham was suspected of uploading images of suspected child pornography to the platform in 2019 and 2020. In October 2020, the NCSBI executed a search warrant at Bryant’s residence where they located several items that contained child pornography. Bryant was arrested later that day on state charges without incident.
Subsequent interviews and search warrants revealed Bryant to be in possession of multiple devices containing over twenty-five thousand images and videos of child pornography. During the pendency of the state case, NCMEC received a new tip from Snapchat regarding suspected inappropriate conduct by a user that the NCSBI connected to Bryant in March 2021. A federal search warrant for Bryant’s phone revealed that his device contained additional videos of child pornography. At the time of his arrest, Bryant had been previously convicted of two counts of Third Degree Sexual Exploitation of a Minor in Durham County Superior Court in 2014.
He was charged by Indictment in the Middle District of North Carolina in April 2021 with one count of knowingly receiving and attempting to receive child pornography and one count of knowingly possessing child pornography. In September 2021, Bryant pled guilty to one count of receiving child pornography. In addition to his imprisonment and supervised release, Bryant was ordered to pay $133,500 in restitution to 27 victims.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Durham County Sheriff’s Office, and the Durham Police Department assisted with the investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kennedy Gates. It was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and focuses on coordinating federal, state, and local resources to better identify and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. www.projectsafechildhood.gov
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Cabarrus County Man Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison for Possessing Firearms as a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – A Kannapolis, North Carolina resident was sentenced on July 19, 2022, to 120 months in prison, followed by a 3-year term of supervised release for the offense of felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, Gerrell Laquan McRae, 39, pled guilty on April 7, 2022, to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. On April 19, 2021, McRae was walking down a street in Kannapolis, when a Kannapolis Police Department officer recognized him and knew McRae had an outstanding warrant for arrest. The officer attempted to arrest McRae, but he ran. The officer caught him and searched him incident to the arrest, finding a loaded .32 caliber pistol in McRae’s right pants pocket, as well as quantities of methamphetamine and heroin.
This offense repeated similar conduct from a few months earlier. On January 6, 2021, McRae was walking down the street in Kannapolis, when two Kannapolis Police Department officers recognized him and knew he had an outstanding warrant for arrest. One officer activated blue lights and siren to get McRae to stop walking, but McRae ignored it and began to run. The two officers pursued McRae behind several residences and eventually caught him. McRae was carrying a fanny pack during the chase, which was slung around his torso underneath a jacket. McRae told the officers there was a gun and heroin in the fanny pack. A search of the fanny pack revealed a loaded 9mm caliber handgun, additional rounds of 9mm ammunition, and quantities of Suboxone strips, heroin, and several items of drug paraphernalia.
At the time of his arrests in January and April 2021, McRae was a convicted felon and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm. McRae had prior convictions for multiple felonies including several convictions for distribution of cocaine and one conviction for Common Law Robbery in the Superior Court of Cabarrus County, North Carolina, as well as a conviction for Assault with a Deadly Weapon Inflicting Serious Injury and Larceny from the Person in the Superior Court of Rowan County, North Carolina.
The Kannapolis Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) handled the investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Craig M. Principe.
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Court Orders North Carolina Pharmacy and Pharmacists to Pay $300,000 Penalty in Case Alleging Unlawful Opioid DistributionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A federal court entered a consent decree enjoining an Asheboro, North Carolina pharmacy and its two pharmacists from dispensing controlled substances, including opioids, without taking specific steps to help ensure the drugs will not be abused or diverted and ordering them to pay $300,000 in civil penalties, the Justice Department and U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina announced today.
The consent decree resolves a complaint filed by the United States on July 7, alleging that Asheboro Drug Company, and its pharmacists Isaac F. Brady III and Isaac F. Brady IV, a father and son, filled prescriptions in violation of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). The complaint alleges that the defendants dispensed prescription opioids while disregarding numerous “red flags” – that is, obvious indications of drug abuse, drug diversion and drug-seeking behavior. For example, according to the complaint, the defendants filled prescriptions for dangerous combinations of drugs known to be sought by drug abusers and which significantly increase the risk of overdose; filled high-dose opioid prescriptions on a long-term basis; and filled prescriptions for patients who appeared to have “shopped” for doctors willing to prescribe controlled substances. The complaint alleged that the defendants also dispensed, at times, the same or similar prescriptions for multiple members of the same family, refilled prescriptions early without justification, and turned a blind eye to prescriptions from doctors who repeatedly wrote suspect prescriptions.
“The Department of Justice will not hesitate to act when a pharmacy disregards its responsibilities and puts patients at risk,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Pharmacists have a duty to ensure that opioids and other controlled substances are distributed lawfully.”
“Opioid addiction and abuse continue to devastate North Carolina communities,” said U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina. “Pharmacists play a key role in preventing diversion of controlled substances, and they have a legal responsibility to ensure that the prescriptions they fill are legitimate. Our office will continue to pursue dispensers and prescribers who fail to live up to their obligations under the Controlled Substances Act.”
“The law requires pharmacists to ensure that the prescriptions they dispense are for a legitimate medical purposes and are issued by prescribers acting in the usual course of their professional practice,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert J. Murphy of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Pharmacists are not simply pill-counters. The penalty and injunction in this case serves notice that DEA will not turn a blind eye when pharmacists shirk their duty by ignoring red flags of abuse and diversion.”
Asheboro Drug and its pharmacists cooperated with the government’s investigation and agreed to pay the $300,000 civil monetary penalty and be bound by the consent decree of injunction. The injunction entered by U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Eagles of the Middle District of North Carolina prohibits the defendants from filling certain “red flag” prescriptions and requires the defendants to fill other orders only after receiving documentation justifying the prescriptions.
The government was represented by Senior Litigation Counsel Donald R. Lorenzen of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie Crawford for the Middle District of North Carolina, with substantial assistance from Diversion Investigator Heidi Crater of the DEA Greensboro Resident Office’s Diversion Group.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
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Court Orders North Carolina Pharmacy and Pharmacists to Pay $300,000 Penalty in Case Alleging Unlawful Opioid DistributionRead the Press Release
A federal court entered a consent decree enjoining an Asheboro, North Carolina, pharmacy and its two pharmacists from dispensing controlled substances, including opioids, without taking specific steps to help ensure the drugs will not be abused or diverted and ordering them to pay $300,000 in civil penalties, the Justice Department and U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina announced today.
The consent decree resolves a complaint filed by the United States on July 7, alleging that Asheboro Drug Company, and its pharmacists Isaac F. Brady III and Isaac F. Brady IV, a father and son, filled prescriptions in violation of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). The complaint alleges that the defendants dispensed prescription opioids while disregarding numerous “red flags” – that is, obvious indications of drug abuse, drug diversion and drug-seeking behavior. For example, according to the complaint, the defendants filled prescriptions for dangerous combinations of drugs known to be sought by drug abusers and which significantly increase the risk of overdose; filled high-dose opioid prescriptions on a long-term basis; and filled prescriptions for patients who appeared to have “shopped” for doctors willing to prescribe controlled substances. The complaint alleged that the defendants also dispensed, at times, the same or similar prescriptions for multiple members of the same family, refilled prescriptions early without justification, and turned a blind eye to prescriptions from doctors who repeatedly wrote suspect prescriptions.
“The Department of Justice will not hesitate to act when a pharmacy disregards its responsibilities and puts patients at risk,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Pharmacists have a duty to ensure that opioids and other controlled substances are distributed lawfully.”
“Opioid addiction and abuse continue to devastate North Carolina communities,” said U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston for the Middle District of North Carolina. “Pharmacists play a key role in preventing diversion of controlled substances, and they have a legal responsibility to ensure that the prescriptions they fill are legitimate. Our office will continue to pursue dispensers and prescribers who fail to live up to their obligations under the Controlled Substances Act.”
“The law requires pharmacists to ensure that the prescriptions they dispense are for a legitimate medical purposes and are issued by prescribers acting in the usual course of their professional practice,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert J. Murphy of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Pharmacists are not simply pill-counters. The penalty and injunction in this case serves notice that DEA will not turn a blind eye when pharmacists shirk their duty by ignoring red flags of abuse and diversion.”
Asheboro Drug and its pharmacists cooperated with the government’s investigation and agreed to pay the $300,000 civil monetary penalty and be bound by the consent decree of injunction. The injunction entered by U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Eagles of the Middle District of North Carolina prohibits the defendants from filling certain “red flag” prescriptions and requires the defendants to fill other orders only after receiving documentation justifying the prescriptions.
The government was represented by Senior Litigation Counsel Donald R. Lorenzen of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie Crawford for the Middle District of North Carolina, with substantial assistance from Diversion Investigator Heidi Crater of the DEA Greensboro Resident Office’s Diversion Group.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric L. Iverson and Anand P. Ramaswamy Receive Attorney General’s David Margolis Award for Exceptional Service for Work in Disrupting International Cyber Malware OperationRead the Press Release
Today, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced the recipients for the 69th Annual Attorney General’s Awards, recognizing Department of Justice employees and partners for extraordinary contributions to the enforcement of our nation’s laws. This year, two Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Middle District of North Carolina were awarded the Attorney General’s David Margolis Award, along with multiple law enforcement partners, for the exemplary work targeting the Emotet malware operation. The Attorney General’s David Margolis Award is the department’s highest award for employee performance.
“This year’s awardees have served selflessly to further the Department’s important work upholding the rule of law, keeping our country safe, and protecting civil rights,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, speaking of all the award recipients. “I am proud to recognize these individuals for their professionalism, skill, and leadership, and I am grateful for their service to our Department and our nation.”
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Iverson and Ramaswamy were recognized today for their role as part of a multinational operation involving actions in the United States, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom disrupting Emotet malware and botnet. According to court documents, Emotet was a family of malware that targets critical industries worldwide, including banking, e-commerce, healthcare, academia, government, and technology. Emotet malware primarily infected victim computers through spam email messages containing malicious attachments or hyperlinks. Emails were designed to appear to come from a legitimate source or someone in the recipient’s contact list. Once it infected a victim computer, Emotet could deliver additional malware to the infected computer, such as ransomware or malware that steals financial credentials.
Emotet operators targeted over 1.6 million computers worldwide between April 1, 2020, and January 17, 2021, including approximately 45,000 located in the United States. Attacks from this software cost millions in losses, including $1.4 million in losses in the Middle District of North Carolina, where the software targeted North Carolina school districts in 2017. Since then, multiple other victims in North Carolina have been the target of this software, causing more damage and financial loss to the citizens of the Middle District. In addition to financial loss, these cyber-attacks disrupted business operations, interfered with government services, and harmed critical infrastructure in multiple countries.
“AUSAs Iverson and Ramaswamy committed countless hours to this case and to protecting the digital security of businesses and private citizens in the Middle District of North Carolina, and beyond. In coordination with our law enforcement partners, they have gone above and beyond to protect the information and privacy of individuals all over the world,” said U.S. Attorney Sandra Hairston. “They are extremely well deserving of this award and of the recognition for their service by the Attorney General.”
“The Emotet malware investigation began with a small North Carolina school system and quickly elevated to one of the top cyber threats in the world. Our special agents, computer scientists, and analysts worked tirelessly with local, federal and international partners on this case, and we are honored they are being recognized nationally for their extraordinary work," said Special Agent in Charge Robert R. Wells of the FBI Charlotte Field Office.
Attorney General Garland recognized Supervisory Special Agent Jessica A. Nye, Special Agents Peter Ahearn, Jr, Blair H. Newman, and John A. Maser, Computer Scientists Lindsey Chiesa and Naomi R. Patrick, Charlotte Field Office; Supervisory Special Agent Thomas S. Breeden, Baltimore Field Office; Supervisory Special Agent Carrie A. Crot, Cyber Division; Intelligence Analyst Sean A. McDermott, Richmond Division, FBI and; Senior Counsel Ryan Kao Jeung Dickey, Criminal Division along with AUSAs Iverson and Ramaswamy.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina, the FBI Charlotte Division, and the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) conducted the operation in close cooperation with Europol and Eurojust who were an integral part of coordination and messaging, and investigators and prosecutors from several jurisdictions, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, France’s National Police and Judicial Court of Paris, Germany’s Federal Criminal Police and General Public Prosecutor’s Office Frankfurt/Main, Lithuanian Criminal Police Bureau, Netherlands National Police and National Public Prosecution Office, Swedish Police Authority, National Police of Ukraine and Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, and the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency and Crown Prosecution Service. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the U.S. Department of the Treasury Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) also provided significant assistance. CCIPS Senior Counsel Ryan K.J. Dickey and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric Iverson and Anand Ramaswamy of the Middle District of North Carolina led the U.S. efforts.
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