District of New Hampshire
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Weare Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that Kenneth Bailey, 52, of Weare, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty in federal court today to six counts of distributing controlled substances.
Court filings and statements made in court showed that on five occasions in 2013, and once in 2014, a cooperating individual purchased methamphetamine or a combination of cocaine and methamphetamine from Bailey at his residence.
A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for February 1, 2018.
“Even as our state faces the serious challenge of the opioid crisis, methamphetamine also continues to pose a threat to our community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “Using this dangerous drug can cause significant harm or death. We will continue to work closely with all of our law enforcement partners to stop the distribution illegal drugs in the Granite State.”
“The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Safe Streets Gang Task Force will continue to do everything it can to target individuals like Mr. Bailey who distribute dangerous narcotics and contribute to the opioid epidemic,” said Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division.
The case was investigated by the FBI New Hampshire Safe Streets Gang Task Force, which is comprised of the FBI, the New Hampshire State Police, New Hampshire Probation and Parole, and the Police Departments of Hudson, Manchester, and Nashua. This case was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shane B. Kelbley.
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Lawrence Woman Pleads Guilty Participating in a Conspiracy to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that Carmen Jose, 40, of Lawrence Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in federal court on Tuesday to one count of conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, during the summer of 2015, Jose and a co-conspirator sold fentanyl to an undercover police officer on multiple occasions. The defendant was arrested on September 8, 2016, when she and her co-conspirator arrived at the Rockingham Mall in Salem, New Hampshire in order to sell approximately 500 grams of fentanyl. After her arrest, law enforcement officers recovered approximately 512 grams of fentanyl from the vehicle Jose had been operating.
A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for January 30, 2018. Her alleged co-conspirator, Robert R. Arias, is scheduled to go to trial on January 23, 2018.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office continues to work with our law enforcement partners to stop the flow of fentanyl and other deadly drugs into the Granite State,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “While those who suffer from addiction should be able to gain access to treatment, those who seek to profit from selling drugs will be prosecuted. We continue to work each day with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who are distributing these deadly substances.”
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Georgiana L. Konesky.
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Laconia Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. - Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Robert J. Golden, Jr., 37, of Laconia, pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made during today’s plea hearing, on November 3, 2016, U.S. Postal Inspectors intercepted a mail parcel intended for delivery to Golden. A state police canine unit altered to the package. When investigators later opened the package pursuant to a federal search warrant, they found approximately 56 grams of methamphetamine. Investigators removed most of the drugs, re-wrapped the parcel and notified Golden that the package was available for him to pick up at the post office. Postal Inspectors arrested Golden at the post office immediately after he took possession of the parcel. Following his arrest, Golden admitted that he knew that the package contained a quantity of methamphetamine that had been sent from California and that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine in New Hampshire. Golden further acknowledged that he previously had received four to six similar packages from California.
Golden will be sentenced on January 31, 2018.
“Even as our state faces the serious challenge of the opioid crisis, methamphetamine also continues to pose a threat to our community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “Using this dangerous drug can cause significant harm or death. I commend the law enforcement officers in this case for their quick actions that prevented this substantial quantity of methamphetamine from being distributed in New Hampshire.”
This matter was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, with help from the New Hampshire State Police and the Laconia (N.H.) Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Morse.
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Columbia Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. - David Morris, 57, of Columbia, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty today in federal court to possessing child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley.
According to court documents and statements in court, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at two residences associated with the defendant on July 20, 2016. A review of various electronic devices found in the residences showed that they contained hundreds of images and videos of child pornography.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 1, 2018.
The case was investigated by the New Hampshire Crimes Against Children Task Force in conjunction Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Manchester, as well as the Lincoln, Littleton, and Columbia police departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Seth Aframe and Georgiana Konesky.
In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Acting United States Attorney Farley Encourages Participation in Dea’s National Presription Drug Take Back Day on October 28, 2017Read the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley encourages the public to participate in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 28, 2017. This biannual event will be held form 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at thousands of collection sites around the country, including over 100 here in New Hampshire. This event is an important effort to rid homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.
“I encourage everyone in our state to join in our efforts to combat the opioid crisis by participating in National Prescription Take Back Day,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “As our state and our nation combat the opioid crisis, we have heard far too many stories of individuals whose paths to addiction began with the misuse of prescription drugs. One way that all citizens in the Granite State can help to fight this drug epidemic is to remove any unneeded prescription drugs from their homes. Properly disposing of these drugs can prevent them from falling into the wrong hands. The simple act of disposing of unneeded drugs may help to prevent someone you love from misusing these drugs or dying from an overdose.”
"The abuse of opioid prescription drugs can lead to the path of addiction and overdose death," said DEA Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Ferguson. "We are proud to partner with the New Hampshire U.S. Attorney's Office and the residents of the Granite State to provide a method to dispose of unwanted, unused and expired pain killers and addictive medicines. The abuse of opioids is our nation’s biggest drug problem."
Prior Drug Take Back Day events have been very successful. Last April, Americans turned in 450 tons (900,000 pounds) or prescription drugs at almost 5,500 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,200 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 13 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 8.1 million pounds—more than 4,050 tons—of pills. The disposal service is free and anonymous, no questions asked. Please note that the DEA cannot accept liquids, needles, or sharps, only pills or patches.
Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that most abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 91 Americans die each day from an opioid overdose. Some painkiller abusers move on to heroin. In fact, four out of five new heroin users started their drug use with painkillers.
Flushing medications down the toilet or throwing them in the trash pose potential safety and health hazards. This initiative addresses the public safety and public health issues that surround medications languishing in home cabinets, becoming highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse.
For more information or to locate a collection site near you, go the DEA Prescription Drug Take Back Day web site at https://takebackday.dea.gov/#collection-locator where you can search by zip code, city, or state.
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Former Goffstown Youth Coach Pleads Guilty to Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. - Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that Matthew Riehl, 25, of Goffstown, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty today to producing child pornography.
According to court documents and statements in court, Riehl coached youth sports teams in Goffstown. While posing as a teenage girl, he contacted his victims using social media accounts and persuaded his victims to take photographs of themselves and send the photographs to him. When some of the victims sent pictures that were not sexually explicit, Riehl worked to convince them to take photographs showing more sexually explicit conduct. In some instances, Riehl was able to coerce the victims to send explicit photographs by threatening to post on social media photographs that the victims previously had sent to him.
On August 31, 2016, a search warrant was executed at the defendant’s residence in Goffstown and Riehl’s cell phone was seized. A forensic examination of the phone by the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force revealed approximately 500 photographs of minor boys, in various states of dress, including examples of child pornography. Numerous photographs depicted individuals who were members of teams that Riehl had coached.
Riehl will be sentenced on January 31, 2018. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years in prison.
“This case presents an important reminder that young people need to be cautious in their use of social media,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “Unfortunately, some individuals adopt false identities on the Internet in order to manipulate and exploit their young victims. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will work aggressively to investigate and prosecute those who seek to exploit young people. We also encourage parents to speak to their children about the dangers that lurk on the Internet.”
“This should serve as yet another warning to child predators who think they can hide behind the anonymity of the Internet,” said Special Agent in Charge Matthew Etre of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Boston. “Our message is clear, ‘We can see what you do; and we have the capability to find you, regardless of where you choose to hide.’ HSI, and our local and state partners, remain dedicated to unmasking Internet child predators and bringing them to justice.”
“This investigation is another fine example of the collaborative efforts of state, local and federal law enforcement agencies working to bring to justice those who prey on society's most innocent victims,” said Detective Sergeant, Thomas A. Grella, Commander, New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
The Goffstown Police Department would like to thank everyone involved in this case for coming forward and providing crucial information that has been instrumental in seeing this case come to a successful conclusion.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Goffstown Police Department, the Hillsborough County Attorney’s Office, and the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which includes members of several other police departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Arnold Huftalen and Georgiana Konesky.
In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Lawrence, Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Ernesto L. Reyes, 26, of Lawrence, Massachusetts was sentenced today to 46 months in prison for possessing heroin and fentanyl with intent to distribute, announced Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Reyes committed a series of traffic violations while driving a motor vehicle on the evening of November 11, 2016, in Plaistow, New Hampshire. Reyes was stopped by a New Hampshire State Trooper. When Reyes exited the vehicle, the Trooper observed a package wrapped in green plastic wrap containing a powder that appeared to be heroin. The package was located on the floor along the left side of the driver’s seat. Subsequent testing confirmed that the package contained nearly 100 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl.
Reyes previously pleaded guilty on July 5, 2017.
“The United States Attorney’s Office works each day with our law enforcement partners to prevent fentanyl and heroin from being distributed in the Granite State,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “I thank our partners at the State Police for their work on this matter. Their actions prevented these deadly drugs from being sold in New Hampshire.”
The case was investigated by the New Hampshire State Police and was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Karen Burzycki.
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Brookfield Man Sentenced to 21 Years for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Andrew McKenzie, 28, of Brookfield, New Hampshire was sentenced to 21 years in federal prison for producing child pornography.
On July 5, 2017, McKenzie pleaded guilty to one count of child pornography production. According to court documents and statements made in court, in October of 2016, McKenzie began an instant messenger conversation through Kik with an undercover agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The defendant agreed to send the undercover agent sexually explicit photographs of a minor child. The investigation determined that the images sent by the defendant were of a minor child known to the defendant.
“Preventing the production of child pornography is a high priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute these troubling cases. By aggressively pursuing those who produce child pornography, we hope to deter others from engaging in similar egregious conduct in the future. This horrific conduct is harmful to young children and their families and does serious damage to our entire community.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Rochester Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Helen White Fitzgibbon and Donald Feith.
In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty to Bank FraudRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Robert Senices, 26, of Fair Lawn, New Jersey pleaded guilty to two counts of bank fraud, announced Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 14, 2016, Senices cashed a fraudulent $7,270 check at a Citizens Bank in Concord, New Hampshire. The check was purportedly drawn on a Citizens Bank account owned by a Massachusetts business. Approximately one hour later, Senices cashed a fraudulent $7,325 check that was purportedly drawn on the same account at a Citizens Bank in Pittsfield, New Hampshire. On both occasions, Senices presented a New Jersey driver’s license and was photographed by bank surveillance cameras.
Senices will be sentenced on January 22, 2018.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Robert Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
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Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 91 Months in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NH – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that a man who has used multiple names and previously resided in Andover, Massachusetts was sentenced to serve 91 months in federal prison for participating in a conspiracy to distribute in excess of 40 grams of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements in court, from approximately October 2015 through July 2016, the defendant conspired to distribute fentanyl on multiple occasions in and around Lawrence, Massachusetts. In addition to delivering the drugs himself several times while under police surveillance, the defendant also sent a runner on other occasions to make the deliveries after New Hampshire-based customers called the defendant's telephone. The defendant was known by some of his customers as "Sample Dude" because he frequently provided customers with free samples of fentanyl to entice them to purchase larger quantities. After the defendant's arrest, law enforcement searched the defendant's apartment in Andover, Massachusetts and found an additional quantity of fentanyl.
Although the defendant has used the names Rolando Sierra-Oyola and William Santiago, his true identity is not clear.
“The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to address the significant presence of fentanyl in New Hampshire,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “This defendant distributed substantial quantities of a very deadly substance. I commend the law enforcement officers who worked together to put this drug dealer out of business. We will continue to work each day to target drug trafficking organizations that are responsible for distributing fentanyl and other opioids in our community.”
The investigation was conducted by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, Tactical Diversion Unit, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; the New Hampshire State Police, the Portsmouth, New Hampshire Police Department, the Exeter, New Hampshire Police Department, the Andover, Massachusetts Police Department, the Wilmington, Massachusetts Police Department, and the Lawrence, Massachusetts Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Seth Aframe prosecuted the case.
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Pennsylvania Resident Sentenced for Making False StatementsRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Ana Delarosa, 57, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania was sentenced to serve three years of probation, including six months of home confinement, for submitting forged affidavits to the National Visa Center, announced Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley.
According to court documents and statements made in court, a limited number of family visas are issued by the U.S. Department of State to citizens of foreign countries. To obtain a family visa, a citizen or legal permanent resident of the United States (a “sponsor”) is required to submit an application for a family visa to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (“USCIS”). Citizens of foreign countries are not eligible for a family visa if they are likely to become public charges after they enter the United States. Therefore, under federal law, a sponsor is also required demonstrate his or her ability to provide financial support to the applicant by submitting a financial affidavit, copies of recent federal tax returns, and other personal financial records to the USCIS. All applications for family visas are processed at the National Visa Center (“NVC”) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
On June 26, 2017, Delarosa pled guilty to making false statements to a federal agency. In particular, she admitted that from August 2010 to April 2013, she knowingly caused ten financial affidavits containing forged signatures of alleged sponsors to be submitted to the NVC in support of applications for family visas for citizens of the Dominican Republic.
Delarosa was sentenced to three years of probation. As a special condition of her probation, she must serve six months in home confinement. She also was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine.
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The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert Kinsella.
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Winchester Man Pleads Guilty to Participating in Conspiracy to Distribute Multiple Kilograms of HeroinRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. - Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Ross Gould, 30, formerly of Winchester, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute over a kilogram of heroin.
Court documents and statements in court showed that beginning in 2011 and continuing through mid-March 2015, Gould distributed quantities of heroin throughout the Keene, New Hampshire, area. Investigators determined that Gould initially sold gram quantities of heroin, but later started selling larger quantities of heroin to individuals in Keene and the surrounding towns. From mid-2014 through Gould’s arrest in March of 2015, Gould’s drug trafficking increased substantially. He obtained approximately two kilograms of heroin every four or five weeks from a heroin source in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Gould used a drug courier to obtain the heroin from the source and transport the drugs back to the Keene area where the drugs were distributed by Gould and other drug couriers.
After the lengthy investigation, Gould was arrested in March, 2015. A search of Gould’s Winchester residence resulted in the seizure of approximately five grams of heroin, $11,000 cash and 14 firearms. A subsequent search of a safe that Gould kept at another residence resulted in the seizure of 1.7 kilograms of heroin, 392 grams of cocaine and a small quantity of miscellaneous pills.
Three of Gould’s drug couriers have been sentenced to federal prison as a result of their participation in this drug trafficking organization. Jamie Hilow, 29, formerly of Winchester, is serving an 11-year prison sentence. Hilow’s wife, Jaclyn Hilow, 31, also formerly of Winchester, is serving a 10-year prison sentence. Jason Daigle, 40, formerly of Nelson, is serving an eight-year prison sentence.
Two of Gould’s sources from Lawrence also have been convicted on drug trafficking charges. Jonathan Cruz-Marte, 34, was sentenced to 55 months in prison and Felix Portes, 56, was sentenced to 57 months in prison.
“The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to target individuals who are distributing illegal drugs in New Hampshire,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “While those who suffer from addiction need access to treatment, those who seek to profit from the distribution of heroin and other deadly drugs will be prosecuted aggressively. I commend the work of the law enforcement officers who worked together during this long-term investigation to disrupt and dismantle a major drug trafficking organization that was responsible for the distribution of large quantities of heroin in the Keene area.”
“HSI is committed to working with its law enforcement partners to pursue and dismantle drug trafficking organizations that distribute narcotics on the streets and spread violence in our communities,” said Matthew Etre of HSI Boston. “I commend the outstanding collaborative effort by all of the agencies involved in this investigation.”
Gould’s sentencing is scheduled for January 30, 2018.
This investigation was the product of an investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The investigation was conducted by the: (1) Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; (2) New Hampshire Attorney General’s Drug Task Force; (3) Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; (4) New Hampshire State Police; (5) Keene, New Hampshire Police Department; (6) Richmond, New Hampshire Police Department; and (7) Salem, New Hampshire Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Cole Davis is prosecuting the case.
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Two Plead Guilty to Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
Concord, N.H.—Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that Jose Serrano Ayuso, 31, and Lilian Zapata, a/k/a Marta Arus, 52, both previously of Manchester, New Hampshire, have pleaded guilty to their respective roles in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl in 2016.
According to court records and statements in court, on several occasions between August and October of 2016, investigators used a cooperating individual to make purchases of heroin from Ayuso. On two occasions when Ayuso was unavailable, Zapata delivered the requested drugs. Laboratory analyses later showed that the defendants actually were distributing fentanyl.
During the execution of a search warrant at the defendants’ shared residence in Manchester in October 2016, investigators found more than 230 grams of fentanyl, a handgun, drug ledgers, over $5,000 of U.S. currency, and identifying documents in Ayuso’s bedroom. In the apartment kitchen, investigators found an iced tea container containing over 640 grams of fentanyl. Investigators also located a scale and a press for forming “fingers” of fentanyl for distribution in other areas of the apartment. In total, this investigation led to the seizure of more than one kilogram of fentanyl.
Ayuso’s plea agreement includes a binding stipulated sentence of 144 months’ incarceration, and Zapata’s plea agreement includes a binding stipulated sentence of 54 months’ incarceration. Zapata will be sentenced on January 5, 2018, and Ayuso will be sentenced on January 18, 2018.
“We work tirelessly each day with our law enforcement partners to combat the threats posed by fentanyl and other opioids,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “Fentanyl has been the cause of the vast majority of the overdose deaths in our state. I commend the work of the law enforcement officers in this case who successfully prevented this large quantity of fentanyl from being distributed.”
“Fentanyl remains the top cause of drug related deaths in New Hampshire and we will continue to pursue, seize, and disrupt illicit activities associated with the distribution and trafficking of opioids,” said Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “The FBI New Hampshire Safe Streets Gang Task Force is aggressively working to track down distributors like Ayuso and Zapata, who are recklessly poisoning our communities with these illegal drugs, bringing nothing but danger—and in far too many cases death—to the streets of our neighborhoods.”
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Gang Task Force, which consists of FBI Special Agents and members of the Manchester Police Department, the Hudson Police Department, the New Hampshire State Police, the Nashua Police Department, and the New Hampshire Department of Corrections Probation and Parole. Investigators also received assistance of the New Hampshire HIDTA. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau.
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Manchester Man Sentenced for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
Concord, N.H.— Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that Michael J. Soto-Hernandez, 26, a/k/a “Quajo,” previously of Manchester, New Hampshire, was sentenced on Tuesday to 40 months in federal prison for distributing fentanyl in Manchester in 2016.
According to the indictment, statements made in court, and other public records in the case, on several occasions throughout 2016, investigators used a cooperating individual to make purchases of heroin from Soto-Hernandez. Subsequent lab results showed that the substance that Soto-Hernandez sold was actually fentanyl.
Soto-Hernandez pleaded previously pleaded guilty to two drug distribution charges in June of 2017.
This matter was the product of an investigation of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Gang Task Force. The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. Other state and local authorities involved in the investigation include the Manchester Police Department, the Hudson Police Department, the New Hampshire State Police, the Nashua Police Department, and the New Hampshire Department of Corrections Probation and Parole. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau.
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New Hampshire Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking of A MinorRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NH– Steven Tucker, 31, of New Hampshire, pleaded guilty in the District of New Hampshire today to one count of sex trafficking of a minor.
According to the plea agreement, from 2013 to 2014, the defendant recruited a minor victim to engage in commercial sex acts, provided a location for the commercial sex acts, arranged her transportation to perform commercial sex acts, paid for internet advertisements for the commercial sex acts, and collected a portion of the cash proceeds from the minor’s commercial sex acts.
“Sex trafficking is a heinous crime that often times preys on the youngest and most vulnerable members of our society,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore. “Combatting sex trafficking is one of the highest priorities of the Department of Justice, and we will continue to hold traffickers accountable and to seek justice on behalf of sex trafficking victims.”
“The United States Attorney’s Office in New Hampshire is committed to working closely with our law enforcement partners to combat human trafficking,” said Acting U.S. Attorney John J. Farley. “I am proud of the work that the members of the New Hampshire Human Trafficking Collaborative Task Force do each day to combat the scourge of human trafficking using a multidisciplinary approach. This successful prosecution is an example of the Task Force’s ongoing efforts to seek justice for victims of sex trafficking crimes.”
Tucker was charged in a three-count indictment returned on January 25, 2016 with sex trafficking of a minor, operation of a prostitution enterprise, and maintaining a drug-involved premises. He faces a possible sentence of 10 years to life in prison. The sentencing is scheduled for January 5, 2018. As part of the plea agreement, Tucker will also be ordered to pay restitution to the minor victim, in an amount to be determined at the time of sentencing.
This prosecution is the result of the joint investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Manchester Police Department, the New Hampshire Human Trafficking Collaborative Task Force, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire and the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
The Task Force is funded by a grant from the United States Department of Justice. Its goals are to ensure that comprehensive and specialized services are made available to victims of human trafficking through a multidisciplinary and collaborative approach, and that perpetrators of sex trafficking and forced labor are investigated and prosecuted.
The core team members of the Task Force are the Manchester Police Department, Child and Family Services of New Hampshire, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Arnold Huftalen and District of New Hampshire and Trial Attorney Vasantha Rao of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
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Nashua Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that Neil Doiron, 37, of Nashua, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty in federal court today to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute.
Court filings and statements made in court established that a cooperating individual made four controlled buys of fentanyl from Doiron and a co-conspirator. On December 8, 2016, Doiron was arrested while in possession of a backpack containing approximately 79 grams of fentanyl. While searching his residence pursuant to a search warrant, officers found various controlled substances, drug packaging materials, five firearms, and over $25,000 in cash.
A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for January 4, 2018.
“The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who are distributing drugs in our community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “We will continue to do all that we can to prevent the distribution of deadly drugs like fentanyl in the Granite State.”
The case was investigated by the Nashua Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Georgiana L. Konesky.
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Laconia Man Sentenced to 96 Months in Federal Prison for Heroin TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Jordan Manning, 28, formerly of Laconia, New Hampshire, was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison for possession of heroin with the intent to distribute.
According to court documents and statements in court proceedings, on August 2, 2016, members of the United States Marshals Service and the Tilton, New Hampshire Police Department arrested Manning on an outstanding parole violation warrant while at a motel in Laconia. Once inside the motel room, law enforcement officers seized approximately 193 grams of heroin that Manning had tried to flush down the toilet.
Manning previously pleaded guilty on June 20, 2017. Manning also agreed to forfeit a BMW motor vehicle that he admitted had been purchased with cash generated by his drug dealing.
“As New Hampshire continues to face an unprecedented number of overdose deaths directly caused by opioid use, we will continue to work tirelessly to prosecute those who are responsible for distributing these dangerous drugs in our state.,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “I commend the quick-thinking law enforcement officers who seized this large quantity of heroin. Their actions prevented these drugs from being distributed and may have saved several lives.”
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service and the Tilton Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Cole Davis prosecuted the case.
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FCI-Berlin Inmate Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Another Inmate with A Box CutterRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Audie Cruz-De Los Santos, 40, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution in Berlin, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty today to assaulting another inmate with a box cutter.
According to statements made during the change of plea hearing and documents filed with the court, Cruz-De Los Santos assaulted another inmate from behind and slashed the neck of the inmate using a box cutter. The video surveillance system at FCI-Berlin captured Cruz-De Los Santos placing an object in a recycling container located within the unit where the assault took place. Prison staff retrieved a blood stained box cutter from the container immediately after the assault. The assaulted inmate was treated at Androscoggin Valley Hospital and then transferred to Dartmouth Hitchcock for surgery to treat the wound.
Sentencing has been scheduled for is January 18, 2018.
The case was investigated by the staff at the Federal Bureau of Prisons and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald Feith.
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FCI-Berlin Inmate Sentenced to Five Months in Prison for Attempting to Obtain Controlled DrugRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. - Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Dieuny Pasius, 26, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution, Berlin, New Hampshire, was sentenced to five months in prison for attempting to obtain a controlled substance.
Statements made during the court proceedings established that Pasius wrote a letter to an individual that contained a coded message concerning a scheme to sneak “Flakka” into the prison. Flakka is a slang term for Alpha-PVP, an illegal synthetic cathinone drug. Pasius’ letter instructed the intended recipient to obtain a quantity of Flakka, dilute the drug in a liquid, spread the liquid on sheets of paper, and let them dry. The recipient was then supposed to write a letter to Pasius using the treated sheets of paper. Pasius indicated that he could sell the drug soaked papers for $600 each in the prison. A staff member at FCI-Berlin intercepted the letter before it could be sent out and decoded it.
Pasius previously pleaded guilty on June 6, 2017. His sentence for this offense will be added on to the sentence that he is already serving.
The case was investigated by the staff of the Bureau of Prisons. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald Feith.
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Derry Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking CocaineRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that Edwin Ruiz, 30, of Derry, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty in federal court today to one count of possession with intent to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine.
Information based on court filings and statements made in court established that on December 1, 2016, Ruiz was driving a vehicle that was stopped by the Manchester Police Department. A search of the car resulted in the seizure of $8,264 and 799.8 grams of cocaine.
The defendant’s plea agreement includes a binding stipulated sentence of 90 months’ imprisonment. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for January 2, 2018.
“The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who are distributing drugs in our community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “I commend the work of the law enforcement officers in this case. Their efforts led to the seizure of this cocaine before it could be distributed.”
The case was investigated by the Manchester Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Georgiana L. Konesky.
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Seabrook Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
Concord, N.H.— Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that Pablo Acevedo, 31, of Seabrook, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty on Thursday to possessing a firearm while prohibited by federal law.
According to the indictment, statements made in court, and other public records in the case, law enforcement agents began an investigation after a firearm was recovered in June 2016 in connection with a shooting incident in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Investigators learned that Acevedo had purchased the firearm in a private sale arranged through the Internet in October 2014. At the time, Acevedo was a previously convicted felon, and could not legally purchase or possess any firearms.
Acevedo is scheduled to be sentenced on January 10, 2018.
This matter is being jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Seabrook Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police, and the Lawrence, Massachusetts Police Department. The case is part of ATF’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which is a federally-funded program intended to reduce gun violence through law enforcement training, public education, and aggressive law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute gun-related crimes. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau.
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Maine Woman Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. - Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Nicole Perry, 22, of Berwick, Maine, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 20, 2016, members of the Strafford County Drug Task Force conducted surveillance on a vehicle in which Perry was a passenger, as it travelled from Gonic, New Hampshire to Lawrence, Massachusetts. As the car returned to New Hampshire, law enforcement officers conducted a motor vehicle stop on Route 16, just beyond the Dover tolls. Perry admitted that she had purchased drugs, which were concealed in her clothing. A subsequent search revealed that Perry was in possession of approximately 116 grams of fentanyl.
Perry will be sentenced on January 3, 2018.
“The United States Attorney’s Office continues to partner with our state and local law enforcement colleagues to target those who are distributing fentanyl,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “I commend the law enforcement officers for their work in this case. Their efforts prevented a substantial amount of this deadly drug from being distributed.”
The investigation was conducted by the Strafford County Drug Task Force, including officers from the police departments of Dover and Rochester, NH, the Strafford County Sheriff’s Department, and the New Hampshire State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John Davis and Shane B. Kelbley.
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New York Women Sentenced for Using Counterfeit Credit CardsRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. - Latavia Hassan, 33, of Mastic, New York, was placed on probation for four years and Chantel Lightner, 27, of Wyandanch, New York, was placed on probation for two years following their convictions for conspiracy to use counterfeit credit cards, announced Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley.
While pleading guilty to the offense last May, Hassan and Lightner admitted that on twenty-four separate occasions they used counterfeit credit cards to fraudulently acquire gift cards and other merchandise totaling more than $18,000 from TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and Home Goods stores in Nashua, Bedford, Londonderry, Manchester, and Concord between 3:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on April 16, 2017.
Members of the Concord Police Department recovered the counterfeit credit cards and stolen gift cards and merchandise after Hassan and Lightner attempted to buy gift cards from the Burlington Coat Factory in Concord.
The case was investigated by the Concord Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert Kinsella.
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Concord Woman Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution ChargesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. - Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that Felicia Jordan, 27, of Concord, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute and conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to statements in court and court documents, in March 2016, law enforcement officers conducted several controlled drug purchases from Jordan at locations around Concord, including at her residence. In May 2016, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Jordan’s residence, seizing 98 grams of fentanyl.
The defendant’s plea agreement includes a binding stipulated sentence of 70 months’ imprisonment. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 19, 2017.
“The United States Attorney’s Office works each day with our law enforcement partners to stop the distribution of fentanyl,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “I commend the hard work of the Concord Police Department and its officers’ ongoing efforts to identify those who are responsible for distributing this deadly drug. Fentanyl is causing grave damage in our community, but cases such as this are making a difference by getting this drug off the streets and saving lives.”
The investigation was conducted by the Concord Police Department, and the case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Shane B. Kelbley and Georgiana L. Konesky.
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Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Matthew Adey, 47, of Malden, Massachusetts pleaded guilty in federal court today to one count of producing child pornography.
According to statements in court and court documents, on February 26, 2017, the defendant met a 14-year-old boy in an online local interest chat group. The defendant, aware of the child’s age, requested a photograph of the child engaging in sexually explicit conduct, which the child took and sent to the defendant. The defendant continued to communicate with the child over the Internet. On March 4, 2017, the defendant traveled from Massachusetts to the child’s residence in New Hampshire. On March 4 and March 5, 2017, the defendant engaged in sexual intercourse with the child multiple times. A subsequent forensic analysis of the defendant’s computers indicated that he possessed various images and videos containing additional child pornography.
The defendant’s plea agreement includes a binding stipulated sentence of 204 months’ imprisonment followed by ten years of supervised release. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for December 21, 2017.
The investigation in this case was led by the Londonderry, New Hampshire Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police Computer Crimes Unit, and Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of the Massachusetts Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Georgiana L. Konesky.
In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Two Sentenced for Cocaine DistributionRead the Press Release
Concord, N.H.— Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that Celestino Nieves Vasquez, 42, was sentenced to serve 57 months in prison and Jose Hernandez Corchado, 40, was sentenced to serve 16 months in prison for their roles in distributing cocaine in Manchester, New Hampshire.
According to statements made in court and court documents, on several occasions in June and July 2016, investigators used a confidential source to purchase cocaine from Nieves Vasquez at his Manchester residence. On at least one of these occasions, Corchado was present and assisted Nieves Vasquez in the collection of money owed to complete a drug transaction. Both defendants are former residents of Manchester.
Nieves Vasquez previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy and cocaine distribution charges and Corchado previously pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge.
“This case demonstrates the commitment of federal law enforcement officers to identifying and prosecuting those who are distributing drugs in Manchester,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “I commend that teamwork of the law enforcement officers who participated in this investigation. We will continue to work together to combat drug trafficking in Manchester and throughout our state.”
“Mr. Vasquez and Mr. Corchado profited from addictions that destroy lives and tear apart families,” said Special Agent in Charge Harold H. Shaw. “This case is another example of FBI’s ongoing commitment to rid neighborhoods in New Hampshire of drug trafficking enterprises.”
"DEA is committed to investigating and dismantling drug trafficking organizations who are responsible for distributing cocaine to the citizens of New Hampshire," said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Ferguson. “This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative local, state and federal law enforcement efforts in New Hampshire."
This matter was the product of an investigation of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Gang Task Force. The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. Other and state and local authorities involved in the investigation included the Manchester Police Department, the Hudson Police Department, the New Hampshire State Police, the Nashua Police Department, and the New Hampshire Department of Corrections Probation and Parole. Investigators also received assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau.
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Former Pelham Resident Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion SchemeRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. - Gary Peter Borak, 50, formerly of the Pelham, New Hampshire area, pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of tax evasion and two counts of making false statements on tax returns, announced Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Borak filed a legitimate federal income tax return for 2007 – prepared by his accountant -- that established that he had an outstanding tax debt of more than $50,000. In response to IRS efforts to collect that debt after Borak failed to pay it, Borak engaged in a series of ploys in an attempt to defeat the payment of the tax and the assessment of new income taxes for future tax years.
Among other things, in 2011, Borak filed an amended return for 2007 and an original, but delinquent, tax return for 2008 in which he made bogus claims that he had large amounts of Original Issue Discount (often abbreviated “OID”) income and large amounts of corresponding withholding from a so-called non-existent “straw man” financial account. He claimed that the withholding not only satisfied his outstanding tax debt from 2007, but also qualified him for large tax refunds. To support his false claims, Borak created fake IRS forms purportedly prepared and issued by a particular bank and sent the IRS volumes of correspondence and other documents containing highly unconventional and meritless claims about the tax laws. Borak persisted in pressing his bogus claims even after the IRS and his accountant told him that they were frivolous. He also attempted to satisfy his tax debt by submitting sham financial instruments to the IRS.
Borak’s conduct resulted in an actual tax loss to the U.S. Treasury of about $168,147. Including his false claims for refunds that were not paid, Borak intended a tax loss of approximately $1.3 million.
Borak’s sentencing is scheduled for December 15, 2017.
This matter was investigated by the Manchester office of Criminal Investigation of the Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. They were assisted by the Rockingham County and Hillsborough County Sheriff Departments and the Atkinson, Hudson, Salem, and Pelham police departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth Aframe and Bill Morse.
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Dover Man Sentenced to Two Years on Federal Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. - Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that Isaiah Johnson, 37, of Dover, New Hampshire, was sentenced to two years in federal prison for being a previously convicted felon in possession of ammunition.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 20, 2016, Dover Police pulled over a vehicle for a traffic violation. During the traffic stop, Police observed Johnson acting suspiciously in the passenger’s seat. Police ordered Johnson out of the vehicle and conducted a safety pat-down, which revealed a loaded ammunition clip in his pocket. As a previously-convicted felon, Johnson is prohibited from possessing ammunition or firearms.
Johnson pleaded guilty to an indictment in this case on May 17, 2017. Following his term of imprisonment, Johnson will be placed on supervised release for a period of three years.
This matter was jointly investigated by the Dover Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Agency. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shane B. Kelbley.
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New Hampshire Residents Plead Guilty to Conspiracy Involving Misbranded DrugsRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that two residents of New Ipswich, New Hampshire have pleaded guilty to charges that they conspired to distribute misbranded drugs that they obtained from India.
John Hayes, 53, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to introduce misbranded drugs into interstate commerce. His wife, Plabplueng Hayes, 50, pleaded guilty to the same charge on August 23, 2017.
According to court documents and statements in court, the defendants conspired with an unindicted co-conspirator in India, and with John Hayes’ brother (James Hayes) and sister-in-law Shannon Hayes) in North Carolina to receive shipments from India (often three to five shipments per week) that contained, in the aggregate, hundreds of thousands of pills. These pills were then sold to various customers. James Hayes and Shannon Hayes have each pleaded guilty to related charges in North Carolina.
During the course of the conspiracy, United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP), seized more than 60 shipments from India addressed to John Hayes for delivery at his residence and at multiple Post Office boxes in southern New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts. Those seized shipments were found to contain more than 100,000 pills. The pills were all packaged in blister packs with no packaging that a person would recognize as retail-type packaging, and with no directions under which a layman could use a drug safely and for the purposes for which it was intended. Testing showed that thousands of the pills were prescription drugs and controlled substances. In addition, CBP sent letters to John Hayes at the Hayes residence advising him that the seizures occurred because the drugs were imported contrary to federal regulations that prohibit the importation of controlled substances without the express authorization of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Postal Service and PayPal records also showed that an email account that was used by both defendants sent more than 5,000 packages to locations throughout the United States, including outside of New Hampshire, between February 2012 and September 2013. The email account also was used by both defendants to manage and confirm the receipt of drugs from India, to receive and track customer orders for drugs, and to coordinate payments.
A search warrant executed at the Hayes residence in New Ipswich resulted in the seizure of more than 100,000 pills, including prescription drugs and controlled substances, as well as shipping labels and empty shipping containers, and other documents. Among these documents were two letters from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) informing John Hayes that tramadol tablets shipped to him were being refused entry into the United States because the drugs appeared to be unapproved and misbranded.
Plabplueng Hayes will be sentenced on November 28, 2017 and John Hayes will be sentenced on December 12, 2017.
“The importation and sale of misbranded drugs presents a serious threat to the community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “Consumers who purchase such drugs cannot be confident that the products that they are using have been manufactured under appropriate and sanitary conditions. Ingesting such pills can lead to unexpected and dangerous consequences. I appreciate the hard work of the law enforcement agents in this case who identified and dismantled this dangerous operation.”
“Sending illegal prescription drugs into the U.S. marketplace puts consumers’ health at risk,” said Jeffrey J. Ebersole, Special Agent in Charge, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations’ New York Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who jeopardize the public’s health.”
This case was investigated by FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Arnold Huftalen and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Hawkins, who is Senior Counsel, Office of Chief Counsel, U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
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Former Federal Corrections Officer Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes from InmatesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – A former federal corrections officer, Latoya Sebree, 37, pleaded guilty today to accepting bribes and providing contraband to federal inmates, announced Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley.
According to statements made in court, Sebree, while employed as a corrections officer, provided cellular telephones, tobacco, marijuana and other contraband to inmates at the Federal Correctional Institution in Berlin, New Hampshire, in exchange for money. While investigating the case, law enforcement agents examined cell phones in the possession of inmates that contained numerous text messages that revealed evidence of bribes inmates paid to Sebree.
After viewing that evidence, the law enforcement agents monitored communications between Sebree and an inmate’s girlfriend, who was cooperating with the authorities. In the communications, Sebree agreed to deliver a cellular telephone and a quantity of tobacco to an inmate for $2000 in cash. The cash was mailed to a Post Office box that Sebree rented. After the transaction was completed, $2000 in cash, a quantity of tobacco in various stages of packaging, a heat sealer, three Samsung phones in heat sealed packaging, a Samsung Galaxy phone with a battery and charger, a package of Suboxone, and a VISA gift card were recovered during a search of Sebree’s home in Milan, New Hampshire.
Sebree is scheduled to be sentenced on December 12, 2017. She faces a prison sentence of up to 15 years and a fine of up to $250,000 on the bribery charge. She faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for providing contraband to inmates.
“The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to identifying and prosecuting corrupt public employees,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “Smuggling contraband into prisons creates hazards for both inmates and corrections officers. We will work closely with our law enforcement partners to prevent contraband from getting into prisons and to ensure that corrections officers do not engage in unlawful activities or seek to profit from their positions.”
The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Robert Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
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Citizen of Ecuador Pleads Guilty to Passport FraudRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Einstin Antonio Cantos, a 39-year-old citizen of Ecuador, has pleaded guilty to passport fraud, announced Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley.
According to court documents filed, in December 2005, Cantos completed an application for a U.S. passport using the name, date of birth, social security number, and other personal identifying information that belong to a United States citizen, “J.S.” The application was submitted to the National Passport Center in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, with passport-sized photographs of Cantos and a certified copy of J.S.’s birth certificate. Relying on the information in the application and the supporting documentation, the Passport Center issued a U.S. passport to Cantos in J.S.’s name.
On March 1, 2013, Cantos completed an application for a U.S. Passport Card, using J.S.’s name and personal identifying information. Relying on the information provided in this application, on March 7, 2013, the National Passport Center issued a U.S. Passport Card in J.S.’s name to Cantos. Law enforcement officers later located the true J.S. and learned that Cantos was the individual who was using the identity of J.S.
Cantos will be sentenced by United States District Court Judge Landya B. McCafferty on December 11, 2017.
The U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Robert Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
Raymond Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that David Liverman, 33, of Raymond, New Hampshire was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison to be followed by lifetime supervised release for producing child pornography.
On May 23, 2017, Liverman pleaded guilty to one count of child pornography production. According to statements in court and court documents, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began to investigate Liverman based on information that a Dallas, Texas email account was engaged in trading child pornography. One of the email accounts which the Dallas email account traded with belonged to Liverman. Evidence from Liverman’s email account, including items depicted in some of the child pornography images, coupled with interviews conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, demonstrated that Liverman had produced in his home some of the child pornography images that he was trading.
"Preventing the production of child pornography is a high priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute these troubling cases. By aggressively pursuing those who produce child pornography, we hope to deter others from engaging in similar egregious conduct in the future. This horrific conduct is harmful to young children and their families and does serious damage to our entire community.”
“The protection of children from sexual exploitation, as well as holding accountable those who produce and distribute child pornography, continues to be a high priority for Homeland Security Investigations,” said Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge, HSI Boston. “I’m proud of the work HSI and our New Hampshire law enforcement partners did to identify this predator and rescue the victim in this egregious case — as well as the ongoing work the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is doing to prevent future crimes against other children.”
The investigation in this case was led by Homeland Security Investigations, The Federal Bureau of Investigations, and the Raymond, New Hampshire Police Department with the assistance of the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth Aframe.
In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Concord Woman Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Jessica Lord, 36, of Concord, pleaded guilty to drug distribution and conspiracy charges, announced Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley.
According to court documents and statements made during Lord’s plea hearing, an undercover Concord police detective bought 30 milligram pills containing oxycodone from Lord on five separate occasions in June and July 2016. During the transactions, Lord stated that she got the pills from Patrick J. Brooks, III, of Boscawen. On July 20, Lord was on her way to a sixth transaction with the undercover detective, when Concord police officers stopped her car. At the time of the stop, Lord possessed more 30 mg oxycodone pills. In addition, the execution of a search warrant at Brooks’ home the same day yielded nearly two thousand 30 mg oxycodone pills and approximately $20,000 in cash. The cash recovered from Brooks’ home included currency that the Concord police detective had used to buy oxycodone in an undercover transactions with Lord a week earlier.
United States District Judge Paul J. Barbadoro accepted Lord’s guilty plea and scheduled her sentencing for November 30, 2017. Lord faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a fine of up to $1,000,000, or both. The court will impose her actual sentence based on the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Brooks previously pleaded guilty to drug and conspiracy charges and was sentenced by 51 months in prison.
This matter was investigated by the Concord Police Department with important support from the Boscawen Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bill Morse.
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18-Month Prison Sentence for Man who Illegally Bought and Smuggled Guns for Members of the Indonesian Secret ServiceRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Audi N. Sumilat, 37, of El Paso, Texas, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for participating in a scheme to illegally buy guns that were then smuggled to Indonesia by members of the security detail of the Indonesian President and the Vice President -- also known as the Presidential Guard of the Republic of Indonesia. Sumilat previously pleaded guilty to a charge that he conspired to make false statements in connection with the purchase of export controlled firearms and smuggling them out of the country.
According to court documents and statements made during court proceedings, Sumilat conspired to buy guns in Texas and New Hampshire for members of the Presidential Guard with the understanding that the guns then would be smuggled out of the U.S. Specifically, Sumilat – while on active duty with the U.S. Army – admitted that he and three members of the Presidential Guard came up with the plan in October 2014, when they were all stationed together for training in Fort Benning, Georgia. As part of the plan, in the summer of 2014 and in September and October 2015, Sumilat purchased guns in Georgia and Texas for members of the Indonesian Presidential Guard that they could not lawfully buy in the U.S. themselves. To facilitate those purchases, he falsely certified to the gun dealers that he was the actual buyer of the guns. Sumilat delivered some of the guns to co-conspirators in the New York City area and shipped others to a co-conspirator, Feky R. Sumual, in New Hampshire. Sumual, in turn, delivered the guns and other firearms he illegally purchased to members and representatives of members of the Presidential Guard, who were in the U.S. on official state visits in Washington, D.C., and with the U.N. General Assembly in New York, N.Y. Finally, Sumilat acknowledged that, he understood that the members of the Presidential Guard then would smuggle the illegally purchased guns from the U.S. to Indonesia on the Indonesian president’s official government airplane. The firearms were listed as defense articles on the U.S. Munitions List. To export them legally, an exporter’s license and a license covering the specific guns was required. No such licenses had been issued.
Diplomatic negotiations between the Department of State and the Republic of Indonesia resulted in the recovery and destruction of twenty-three of the illegally purchased and exported firearms.
Acting United States Attorney Farley noted, “Firearms exported illegally can easily end up in the wrong hands. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will vigorously prosecute international gun trafficking to protect innocents, both American and foreign, from the criminal use of U.S. weapons abroad.” Farley added, “The fact that the guns were bought for, and transferred to, members of another country’s security force presented some unique challenges in the investigation that led to this prosecution. The diligent work of our law enforcement partners allowed them to detect this scheme and develop the evidence needed to shut it down, in spite of those challenges.”
United States District Judge Paul J. Barbadoro, who sentenced Sumilat, also ordered Sumilat to serve two years of supervised release upon completing his prison term.
Sumilat’s co-conspirator, Feky R. Sumual, previously pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge and was also sentenced to 18 months in prison.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in both Manchester, N.H., and in El Paso, Texas, as well as Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, in Manchester, N.H., and the U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service. The Dover (N.H.) Police Department and the Indonesian National Police provided important support. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Morse
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Two Charged in Drug Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Concord, New Hampshire – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that Lindsey Parziale-McDonald, 28, and Larry Delgado, 29, both of Manchester, New Hampshire, were arrested on charges that they participated in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl in violation of federal law.
According to the criminal complaint, an undercover law enforcement officer purchased a controlled substance from Delgado and Parziale-McDonald on four separate occasions between July 26, 2017 and August 7, 2017. Each time, the undercover officer entered a vehicle driven by Delgado or McDonald and exchanged money for drugs while inside the car. Laboratory analysis confirmed that the drug involved in two of the transactions was fentanyl. Laboratory analysis is pending with respect to the other transactions. On two occasions, Parziale-McDonald’s two-year-old son was also present in the vehicle.
Chief Enoch “Nick” Willard is “extremely proud of the dedication and hard work by all involved, especially the undercover detective who worked this case.” Chief Willard also wanted to reiterate the fact that the “Manchester Police Department will continue its efforts to combat the drug epidemic plaguing New Hampshire by working with all state, local and federal law enforcement agencies.”
The charge carries a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty years and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Actual sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Farley stressed that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the Manchester Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Georgiana L. Konesky.
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Penacook Man Convicted of Drug Trafficking and Firearms Charges Sentenced to 120 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Bryan Franklin, 42, formerly of Penacook, New Hampshire, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine and unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court proceedings, on September 24, 2016, the Tilton, New Hampshire Police Department conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle operated by Franklin that was found to contain multiple needles, cut plastic baggies, and other items associated with drug use. A subsequent search of another vehicle owned by Franklin resulted in the seizure of a lock box that contained approximately $15,958 in cash, approximately 750 grams of fentanyl, assorted prescription pills, a quantity of methamphetamine, a thumb drive, and two digital scales. Additionally, a backpack in the vehicle contained a tin box that contained an additional quantity of fentanyl, a drug ledger, and a loaded semi-automatic handgun that had been reported to law enforcement as stolen. Franklin pleaded guilty to the charges that resulted from this investigation on May 12, 2017.
“The aggressive investigation and prosecution of individuals engaged in fentanyl trafficking in New Hampshire remains a top priority of the United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners at the local, state and federal level,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “As New Hampshire continues to face an unprecedented number of overdose deaths directly caused by opioid use, we will continue to work tirelessly to prosecute those who are responsible for distributing these dangerous drugs in our state. Most drug deaths in New Hampshire are associated with fentanyl use. The quick-thinking law enforcement officers who seized this large quantity of fentanyl and prevented it from being distributed may have saved several lives.”
“Those suffering from the disease of opioid addiction need access to treatment and recovery,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Ferguson. “But, those responsible for distributing lethal drugs like fentanyl to the citizens of New Hampshire need to be held accountable for their actions. DEA and its local, state and federal partners are committed to bringing to justice those that distribute this poison.”
Franklin was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment on the drug trafficking charge and a consecutive mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years on the firearms charge, for a total sentence of 120 months’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Tilton Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Cole Davis prosecuted the case.
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New Hampshire Human Trafficking Task Force Selects New Project DirectorRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. - The New Hampshire Human Trafficking Collaborative Task Force announced today that Rebecca Ayling has been selected as its new Project Director.
Ayling has worked as a social worker for nine years. She started her career as a social worker with the New Hampshire Division for Children, Youth, and Families. She then worked with children and families in need of social services and support in England. For the last two years she has focused on helping human trafficking victims and developing strategies to address human trafficking both globally and locally. Ayling previously worked for an international anti-trafficking organization in Bangkok, Thailand, where she worked to identify and assist victims of human trafficking. She currently serves as a Senior Intensive Case Manager at Child and Family Services, a private non-profit, where she has worked to develop plans to combat human trafficking in New Hampshire. Ayling holds a B.S. from North Central University and Master of Social Work degree from the University of New Hampshire.
Ayling was selected after an extensive interview process conducted by the Manchester Police Department, Child and Family Services, and several other representatives of the Task Force.
“Rebecca’s experience in combatting human trafficking both in New Hampshire and elsewhere will make her an excellent Project Director,” said Acting U.S. Attorney John J. Farley. “The other Task Force members and I look forward to working with her to combat the terrible problem of human trafficking. We are confident that she will provide the leadership that the Task Force needs to coordinate our community’s effort to combat this troubling issue.”
“Child and Family Services has the utmost confidence in Rebecca’s ability as the Project Director,” said Program Director Erin Kelly. “Rebecca has the passion and commitment it will take to succeed in this position and to lead the Task Force onto meeting its goals of combating all forms of human trafficking through services, prosecution, and prevention.”
The Task Force is funded by a $1.3 million grant from the United States Department of Justice. Its goals are to ensure that comprehensive and specialized services are made available to victims of human trafficking through a multidisciplinary and collaborative approach and that perpetrators of sex trafficking and forced labor are investigated and prosecuted.
The core team members of the New Hampshire Human Trafficking Task Force are the Manchester Police Department, Child and Family Services, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Attorney’s Office.
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Manchester Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Federal Firearm CrimeRead the Press Release
Concord, N.H.— Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Christian Cherry, 33, previously of Manchester, New Hampshire, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
According to court documents and statements made in court proceedings, on August 13, 2016, after receiving a 911 call, Manchester Police responded to a residence for a reported domestic dispute. Upon arrival, they encountered Cherry in his vehicle in the parking lot of the residence, and his then-girlfriend inside the apartment. Once in the apartment, officers observed visible signs of a struggle, and witnesses reported the presence of a firearm. Officers ultimately obtained a search warrant for the residence and recovered two Smith & Wesson handguns in a bedroom belonging to Cherry. One of the firearms had been reported stolen to Manchester Police in June 2016. Cherry was prohibited from possessing any firearm as a result of at least one prior felony conviction.
A federal grand jury indicted Cherry for being a felon in possession of a firearm on October 19, 2016. Cherry pleaded guilty on May 10, 2017. He has been in custody since his arrest on November 17, 2016.
In addition to a 30-month prison sentence, the Court ordered Cherry to serve three years of supervised release and to pay a $100 mandatory special assessment.
This case was jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Manchester Police Department. The case is part of ATF’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which is a federally-funded program intended to reduce gun violence through law enforcement training, public education, and aggressive law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute gun-related crimes. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau.
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Hudson Man Sentenced to 132 Months in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Dennis Higgins, 24, formerly of Hudson, New Hampshire, was sentenced to 132 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to unlawful distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements in court proceedings, on February 15, 2016, Higgins sold a quantity of fentanyl to a 22-year-old woman from Kittery, Maine. The following morning, emergency personnel received a 911 call and responded to the woman’s Kittery residence, where they found her dead from a suspected drug overdose. At the scene, law enforcement officers found needles and a plastic bag that contained a white powdery substance that was determined to be fentanyl. An autopsy determined that the woman died from acute fentanyl intoxication.
A subsequent investigation developed evidence that Higgins had distributed fentanyl to the woman. Higgins pled guilty to drug distribution on May 15, 2017.
Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley said, “Fentanyl continues to be the cause of far too many deaths in the Granite State and throughout New England. The aggressive investigation and prosecution of individuals engaged in fentanyl trafficking in New Hampshire remains a top priority of the United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners at the local, state. and federal level. While we support access to treatment for those who suffer from addiction, those who distribute these deadly drugs need to be held accountable for the substantial damage they are causing in our community.”
“The state of New Hampshire is faced with a fentanyl and heroin crisis unlike ever before,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Ferguson. “Those responsible for distributing these lethal drugs and contribute to the loss of life for those battling this insidious disease need to be held responsible for their actions. In response to the ongoing opioid epidemic DEA and its local, state and federal partners are committed to bringing to justice those that distribute this poison.”
This case was investigated by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Kittery, Maine and Merrimack, New Hampshire Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Cole Davis.
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Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Cory Danis, 28, of Rochester, New Hampshire, waived indictment by a grand jury and pleaded guilty to one count of possessing child pornography. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for December 4, 2017.
According to court documents and statements made during the change of plea hearing, in 2015 the FBI was contacted by a New York firm that was in the business of producing canvas prints from photographs. The firm had received a photograph of a minor in a sexually explicit pose as part of an order for a canvas print of the image. The firm provided the FBI with contact information for the customer. Further investigation by the FBI resulted in the identification of Danis as the customer who possessed the image that was sent to the New York business and who ordered the canvas print.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation of this case with assistance from the Rochester Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Helen White Fitzgibbon.
In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Massachusetts Woman Sentenced to Five Years for Drug Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Leslie Aberle, 33, of Salisbury, Massachusetts, was sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl.
According to court documents, on October 16, 2015, Aberle drove Mark Ross and Eve Tarmey to Lawrence, Massachusetts, in order to obtain a quantity of heroin. Ross obtained the drugs from a source in Lawrence while Aberle and Tarmey waited in Aberle’s car. After Ross acquired the drugs, the three returned to the Riviera Motel. Ross and Jazzmyn Rood also used a portion of the drugs and Ross provided a portion to Tarmey. The following morning, Tarmey was found dead in the motel room. The New Hampshire Medical Examiner later found that Ms. Tarmey died of acute fentanyl intoxication.
Aberle will be on supervised release for three years after she services her prison sentence.
New Hampshire has the third-highest rate of per capita drug overdose deaths in the United States. More than half of the drug overdose deaths in New Hampshire in 2015 were the result of fentanyl, either alone or in combination with other drugs.
In April 2016, the United States Attorney’s Office and the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office announced the formation of an inter-office team of prosecutors who work together to prosecute individuals who cause opiate overdose deaths in New Hampshire. This prosecution, initiated before the creation of the joint team, is an example of the type of case the team reviews and monitors.
The case was investigated by the Rochester Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration assisted in the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald Feith.
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Lawrence Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl and Heroin Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Rafael Delacruz, a/k/a “Simba,” 55, of Lawrence, Massachusetts pleaded guilty in federal court to three drug distribution charges.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Delacruz sold heroin and fentanyl in hand-to-hand exchanges with cooperating individuals inside a retail store in Plaistow, New Hampshire on July 8, October 20, and November 19, 2015. Delacruz also admitted to selling fentanyl to a cooperating individual on June 22, 2016, inside a retail store in Epping. Each of the transactions was surveilled and recorded by law enforcement officers and, in at least one instance, captured on a store’s security surveillance video. At the time of his arrest on June 22, 2016, Delacruz possessed some of the currency he had received during their transaction earlier in the day. A later search of Delacruz’ residence in Lawrence uncovered $1,000 in cash and a stolen handgun.
Delacruz’s sentencing is scheduled for December 1, 2017. If the plea agreement is accepted by the Court, the defendant will be sentenced to serve 12 years in prison.
“The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to combatting the opioid crisis by using all available tools,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “We will work tirelessly alongside our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who are responsible for bringing opioids into New Hampshire and attempting to profit from the sale of these deadly drugs. This case is yet another example of the cooperation between various law enforcement agencies who are working together to protect our community.”
“Opioid abuse is at epidemic levels across New England and those suffering from opioid addiction need access to treatment and recovery,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Ferguson. “But those responsible for distributing lethal drugs like heroin and fentanyl to the citizens of New Hampshire need to be held accountable for their actions. DEA is committed to aggressively pursue Drug Trafficking Organizations or individuals who are coming from out of state to distribute this poison in order to profit and destroy people’s lives. In response to the ongoing opioid epidemic DEA and its local, state and federal partners are committed to bringing to justice anyone who distributes these drugs.”
This matter was investigated by the Portsmouth (N.H.) Tactical Diversion Squad of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Berwick (Maine) Police Department with the help of the York (Maine) and Ogunquit (Maine) police departments and the New Hampshire State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Morse.
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Manchester Man Pleads Guilty to Participating in Fentanyl Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. - Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Almir Causevic, 32, of Manchester, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl.
Court documents and statements in court showed that on April 1, 2016, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop in Manchester of a vehicle operated by Almir Causevic. A search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of approximately 244 grams of fentanyl and $1,200 cash.
A passenger in the vehicle, Muharem Causevic, pleaded guilty to the drug conspiracy charge on August 11, 2017.
“The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to target individuals who are responsible for the distribution of large quantities of fentanyl in New Hampshire,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “While those who suffer from addiction need access to treatment, those who seek to profit from the distribution of this deadly drug will be prosecuted aggressively. I commend the work of the law enforcement officers who located and seized this significant amount of fentanyl.”
"The state of New Hampshire is faced with a fentanyl and heroin crisis unlike ever before," said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Ferguson. "Those suffering from fentanyl and heroin addiction need treatment and recovery, but those that distribute and profit from spreading this misery need to be held accountable. This investigation demonstrates the strength and continued commitment of our local, state and federal partners and our strong relationship with the U.S. Attorney's Office."
Almir Causevic’s sentencing is scheduled for November 28, 2017. As a result of his conviction, he may also face deportation proceedings at the conclusion of his federal prison sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, Bedford Resident Office, Bedford, New Hampshire and the Manchester, New Hampshire Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Cole Davis is prosecuting the case.
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Two Sentenced for Crack Distribution and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Concord, N.H.—John J. Farley, Acting United States Attorney for the District of New Hampshire, announced that Victor Alvarado, 29, was sentenced to 64 months in prison and Brandin Melendez, 33, was sentenced to 48 months in prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine base, or “crack,” in Manchester in 2016 and for firearms crimes.
According to court documents and statements made at the sentencing hearing, on several occasions in July and August 2016, Alvarado and Melendez sold crack cocaine to an individual working with investigators. On each occasion, Alvarado would arrange the deals and provide the narcotics while Melendez would take the payment. On August 30, 2016, Alvarado and Melendez also sold the same individual a sawed off shotgun.
In December 2016, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Alvarado and Melendez and investigators obtained search warrants to search their residences. At Alvarado’s residence, investigators recovered three firearms, including a stolen AR-15 model weapon with a high capacity, 30-round magazine.
In April 2017, Alvarado and Melendez each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Alvarado, who was a previously convicted felon, also pleaded guilty to the illegal possession of a firearm.
In addition to their prison sentences, Alvarado and Melendez were ordered to serve three years of supervised release when they are released from custody.
This case was investigated by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Gang Task Force. The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. Other and state and local authorities involved in the investigation included the Manchester Police Department, the Hudson Police Department, the New Hampshire State Police, the Nashua Police Department, and the New Hampshire Department of Corrections Probation and Parole. Investigators also received the invaluable assistance of DEA-NH/HIDTA. Assistance was also provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau.
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New Hampshire Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. - Acting U.S. Attorney John J. Farley announced that Michael Giles, 41, was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison after committing three bank robberies and attempting to rob a fourth bank.
According to documents filed with the court and statements made at today’s sentencing hearing, on November 23, 2016, Giles robbed a TD Bank branch located at 70 Bay Street in Manchester, and on November 27, 2016, he robbed a TD Bank branch at1255 South Willow Street in Manchester. Giles was arrested by the Manchester Police on November 27, 2016, near the bank shortly after the robbery when the motor scooter Giles was riding failed to start. The police recovered the robbery proceeds from Giles.
Giles’ arrest led police to link him to the November 23, 2016, robbery of the TD Bank; the January 22, 2016, robbery of the Citizens Bank located at 1283 Hooksett Road in Hooksett; and the January 22, 2016, attempted robbery of the Citizens Bank located at 1550 Elm Street in Manchester. Images captured by the bank’s surveillance system definitively identified Giles as the robber.
The Manchester Police Department and the Hooksett Police Department led the investigations into the robberies in Manchester and Hooksett. The FBI assisted in the identification and prosecution of Giles. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Don Feith.
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Manchester Man Pleads Guilty to Participating in Fentanyl Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. - Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Muharem Causevic, age 25, of Manchester, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl.
Court documents and statements in court showed that on April 1, 2016, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop in Manchester of a vehicle in which Muharem Causevic was a passenger. A search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of approximately 244 grams of fentanyl and $1,200 cash.
The operator of the vehicle, Almir Causevic, is scheduled to plead guilty to the drug conspiracy charge on August 15, 2017.
“The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to target individuals who are responsible for the distribution of large quantities of fentanyl in New Hampshire,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “While those who suffer from addiction need access to treatment, those who seek to profit from the distribution of this deadly drug will be prosecuted aggressively. I commend the work of the law enforcement officers who located and seized this significant amount of fentanyl.”
Muharem Causevic’s sentencing is scheduled for November 28, 2017. As a result of his conviction, he may also face deportation proceedings at the conclusion of his federal prison sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, Bedford Resident Office, Bedford, New Hampshire and the Manchester, New Hampshire Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Cole Davis is prosecuting the case.
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Former City of Nashua Volunteer Pleads Guilty to Fraudulent Use of a Social Security NumberRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Dana Michelle Lawrence, 43, of Nashua pleaded guilty to fraudulent use of social security number.
According to court documents, in 2006, Lawrence was sentenced in a Rhode Island state court to a one-year period of incarceration followed by nine years of probation for a theft offense. Shortly after Lawrence completed the prison sentence, she absconded from supervision and a warrant was ultimately issued for her arrest.
In November 2016, Lawrence, using the alias “Genevieve Kaplan,” began working as a volunteer for the City of Nashua, preparing grant applications. On May 7, 2017, the Nashua Police Department (NPD) and FBI were told that “Kaplan” tried to obtain routing numbers and account numbers for bank accounts that belonged to the City.
While investigating the matter, the NPD and FBI obtained a copy of a lease application that “Kaplan” had used to rent an apartment in Nashua. On the application, “Kaplan” used a different first name, “Genna,” and a social security number assigned to another person. While searching “Kaplan’s” Nashua apartment, the NPD and FBI found documents that contained different names, addresses, dates of births, and social security numbers.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 28, 2017.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, and the Nashua Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Anna Dronzek and Robert Kinsella are prosecuting the case.
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Manchester Man Fined $40,000 for Filing False VISA ApplicationsRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. - Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that Rohit Saksena, 42, of Manchester, New Hampshire, was sentenced yesterday to serve three years of probation and pay a $40,000 fine for filing false visa applications.
According to court documents, Saksena is the president and chief executive officer of Saks IT Group LLC, a company based in Manchester, New Hampshire. Saks IT Group contracts with other companies to provide information technology consulting services and places its employees with other companies to provide professional technology services. From approximately March 2014 through approximately December 2015, Saksena filed 45 fraudulent visa applications with United State Citizenship and Immigration Services falsely claiming that Saks IT Group was hiring foreign workers to provide professional services to a company in Cupertino, California. The California company had not entered into a contract with Saks IT Group and had no jobs available for the foreign workers. Saksena knew that the foreign workers would not be employed at the California company.
Saksena filed the false visa applications under the H-1B visa program. That program allows American businesses to temporarily employ foreign workers with specialized or technical expertise in a particular field like accounting, engineering, or computer science when qualified U.S. workers cannot be found to fill those positions. Under the H-1B visa program, a U.S. employer may employ a highly educated foreign worker subject to strict conditions, which include a demonstrated need for the foreign worker to fill a vacant position and assurance that the U.S. company will employ the foreign worker. Saksena filed visa applications that falsely claimed jobs awaited the foreign workers at the California company. He supported those applications with bogus Independent Contractor Agreements between the California company and Saks IT Group and with sham Work Orders that purported to show that the foreign worker would provide professional services for the California company. Some of the false visa applications resulted in foreign workers receiving H-1B visas. Many of the fraudulent applications were denied once Saksena’s deception came to light.
Saksena previously pleaded guilty on May 1, 2017, to making false statements to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
This case was investigated by the Diplomatic Security Service of the U.S. State Department; the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, Division of Labor Racketeering; and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark S. Zuckerman.
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Newmarket Man Sentenced to 138 Months in Prison for Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Benjamin Rogers, 32, formerly of Newmarket, New Hampshire, was sentenced to serve 138 months in prison after pleading guilty to distributing fentanyl to a woman who died from using the drug.
According to court documents and statements in the plea proceeding, Rogers worked at a restaurant in Portsmouth, New Hampshire with Cassie Clermont. On October 17, 2014, Rogers arranged to provide a quantity of drugs to Clermont. Text messages and witness statements showed that Rogers left the restaurant and later returned to the restaurant parking lot, where he met with Clermont and provided her with a quantity of drugs. Clermont later left the restaurant and went to her apartment in Portsmouth, where she was found dead the next day.
A quantity of fentanyl and drug paraphernalia were found near Clermont’s body. The New Hampshire Medical Examiner later found that Clermont, 30, died of acute fentanyl intoxication.
When originally questioned by the Portsmouth Police about the incident, Rogers falsely claimed that he had obtained heroin from Clermont, but then deleted incriminating text messages from his phone when an officer asked to see them. The incriminating text messages were recovered from Clermont’s phone.
“This case demonstrates some of the tragic consequences of the opioid epidemic in New Hampshire,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “A young, vibrant woman who was striving to fight her addiction lost her life when she relapsed and used fentanyl. This needless death was the result of the defendant’s decision to ‘help’ her get access to drugs. This should send a message to the community that those who distribute opioids will face substantial consequences. While those suffering from addiction need access to treatment, those who sell or distribute these deadly substances will be prosecuted for their actions. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work hand-in-hand with our law enforcement partners to address all facets of the opioid problem in our state.”
"The state of New Hampshire is faced with an opioid crisis unlike ever before," said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Ferguson. "Those responsible for distributing a lethal drug like fentanyl to citizens of the Granite State need to be held accountable for their actions. DEA is committed to aggressively pursue anyone who distributes this poison in order to profit and destroy people's lives. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative law enforcement efforts in New Hampshire and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney's Office."
The case was investigated by the Portsmouth Police Department with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Rockingham County Attorney’s Office, the Newmarket Police Department, and the New Hampshire Medical Examiner’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Acting U.S. Attorney Farley.
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Inmate at Fci-Berlin Sentenced for Possessing Marijuana While IncarceratedRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. - Acting U.S. Attorney John J. Farley announced that Jesus Silva-Cruz, 42, a citizen of Cuba and an inmate at the federal correctional institution located in Berlin, New Hampshire was sentenced today to eight months in federal prison for possessing marijuana and possessing a prohibited object while an inmate at a federal prison. The sentence will run consecutively to the current sentence being served by Silva-Cruz.
According to statements made in court, on January 17, 2017, correctional staff at FCI-Berlin were conducting routine searches of cells. Silva-Cruz was the sole inmate assigned to cell 103. The staff found three vacuum sealed packages of green leafy material. Laboratory testing of the material proved it was marijuana. The total weight of the material was approximately three ounces.
The Bureau of Prisons was the lead investigative agency in this case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald Feith.