District of New Hampshire
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Mexican Man Sentenced for Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE –United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced today that Juan Martinez, of Mexico, pleaded guilty today to illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported. Under the U.S. Attorney’s accelerated sentencing program for reentry cases, the defendant was sentenced to time served since his arrest on April 15, 2016. The defendant will now be deported.
On March 24, 2016 Manchester, NH ICE ERO Officers were in Nashua, New Hampshire conducting surveillance of a vehicle that the defendant was known to operate. At approximately 9:30 p.m., the defendant exited a house in the area of Palm Street and entered the driver’s side of a black BMW. The defendant was then approached by an ICE Deportation Officer, who conducted a brief interview in Spanish during which he confirmed the defendant’s name was Juan Martinez, that he was a citizen of Mexico and that he had illegally entered the United States. At this time the Deportation Officer placed the defendant into ICE custody for immigration violations.
At the Manchester ICE office, a full set of digital fingerprint impressions were obtained from the defendant for comparison to known fingerprints maintained in HIS and FBI databases. The comparison revealed that the defendant’s fingerprints were an exact match to fingerprints obtained from the defendant at the time of his deportation from the Brownsville, Texas to Mexico on February 18, 2011.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega.
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Newmarket Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution Causing DeathRead the Press Release
CONCORD – United States Attorney, Emily Gray Rice announced today that Benjamin Rogers, 31, appeared before United States District Court Chief Judge Joseph Laplante and pleaded guilty to distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death.
According to documents that were filed in United States District Court and statements in the plea proceeding, Rogers worked at a restaurant in Portsmouth, New Hampshire with the victim, Cassie Clermont, 30. On October 17, 2014, Rogers arranged to provide a quantity of drugs to Ms. Clermont. Text messages and witness statements showed that Rogers left the restaurant and later returned to the restaurant parking lot, where he met with Ms. Clermont and provided her with a quantity of drugs. Ms. Clermont later left the restaurant and went to her apartment in Portsmouth. She was found dead the next day, with fentanyl and drug paraphernalia near her body.
The New Hampshire Medical Examiner later found that Ms. Clermont died of acute fentanyl intoxication. 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.
United States Attorney Rice said, “I want to thank the Portsmouth Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Newmarket Police Department, the New Hampshire Medical Examiner’s Office and the Rockingham County Attorney’s Office for their work on this case. Fighting the opioid epidemic is a multi-pronged, team effort. One facet of our attack is to prosecute those who are criminally responsible for causing drug overdoses. We will continue to work with law enforcement agencies to identify and prosecute the individuals who distribute drugs that cause overdose deaths. Any drug distribution has the potential to be deadly, regardless of the quantity of drugs involved. When a drug distribution causes an overdose death, my office will seek to hold the distributor accountable.”
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 will work together to prosecute individuals who cause opiate overdoses in New Hampshire. This prosecution, initiated before the creation of the joint team, is an example of the type of case that will be generated by the team.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John J. Farley.
A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for September 19, 2016.
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Manchester Woman Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for March 2015 Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Concord, N.H.—Emily Gray Rice, United States Attorney for the District of New Hampshire, announced that Marjorie Hendrie, 42, previously of Manchester, New Hampshire, was sentenced for the robbery of a TD Bank branch location in March 2015. United States District Judge Paul Barbadoro imposed a sentence of 37 months’ imprisonment, three years supervised release, restitution to the Bank, and a mandatory $100 special assessment.
According to the indictment, statements made in court, and other public records in the case, on March 16, 2015, Hendrie robbed a TD Bank branch location at 1255 South Willow Street, Manchester, New Hampshire. Although not actually armed, Hendrie approached the teller with a demand note stating, “I have a gun – give me the money and no one will be shot.” The teller complied, providing Hendrie approximately $6,048 in bank funds. Hendrie briefly fled on foot before retrieving her parked vehicle from an adjacent hotel parking lot. Bank personnel observed her getting into the vehicle and provided a description to Manchester Police. Responding officers located the vehicle almost immediately and stopped Hendrie in a nearby parking lot, recovering all of the stolen funds.
A federal indictment charging Hendrie with bank robbery in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(a), was returned on July 1, 2015, and Hendrie pleaded guilty on February 29, 2016.
The case was investigated by the Manchester Police Department with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau.
###Project Safe Childhood - Concord Man Sentenced to 24 Months for Failure to RegisterRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Robert Grant, 60, of Concord, New Hampshire, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison by the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire after pleading guilty to one count of failing to register as a sex offender, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
In July 2013, Grant was interviewed by the Concord Police Department. Grant advised that he was homeless and understood that he was required to register as a sex offender. After several more contacts with the Concord Police, Grant registered as a sex offender in December 2013.
Grant left New Hampshire shortly thereafter. In December 2015, a grand jury for the District of New Hampshire charged Grant with violating the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. Grant was found in Colorado and was arrested there in January 2016. He was returned to New Hampshire and pleaded guilty to the charge on February 26, 2016.
Grant was also sentenced to five years of supervised release that will begin after he is released from prison. During the period of supervised release, the United States Probation and Pretrial Services Office will monitor Grant’s behavior.
The case was investigated by the United States Marshal and the Concord Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Helen Fitzgibbon.
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Mexican Man Sentenced for Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced that Jose Villavazo-Gutierrez, 25, of Mexico, pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported. Villavazo-Gutierrez, was arrested on February 17, 2016. He was sentenced to time served and is subject to deportation.
On February 17, 2016, ICE-ERO Deportation Officers encountered the defendant when they were at a residence in Nashua, New Hampshire, during an attempt to locate another individual at the residence. The defendant was an occupant at the residence. The defendant did not have any identification, told the agents that he was from Mexico, and admitted that he did not have any immigration documents which would allow him to be legally in the United States.
The Deportation Officers submitted the defendant’s fingerprints for comparison to databases of known fingerprints. The fingerprint impressions submitted were a match to those taken from the defendant on the occasion of his previous deportations from the United States to Mexico in 2014.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega.
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Project Safe Childhood Salem Man Sentenced for Child Pornography PossessionRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Matthew Castricone, 27, of Salem, New Hampshire, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison by the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire after pleading guilty to one count of possessing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
A federal investigation revealed that an individual had accessed a website devoted to child pornography from the defendant’s Salem residence. When a search warrant was subsequently obtained and executed at the defendant’s residence in October 2015, agents discovered dozens of videos of child pornography on the defendant’s personal computer.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Boston and New Hampshire offices), and the Salem New Hampshire Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nick Abramson.
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 Attorneys 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Fraudster Pleads Guilty to Offense That Targeted Former Victims of Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Ronald Mason, age 47, has pleaded guilty to a mail fraud scheme that involved the theft of more than $625,000 from five New Hampshire residents, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
In October 2004, Mason was sentenced by a United States District Court in Texas to 33 months in prison and three years of supervised release. While Mason was serving that sentence, Scott Farrar, and Farrar’s business associate, Donald Dodge, who operated under the name Financial Resources Management (FRM), pled guilty in U.S. District Court in New Hampshire to a Ponzi scheme that involved the theft of more than $30 million from FRM’s customers. Farrar and Dodge falsely promised some of FRM’s investors that their money would be used to finance the construction of a condominium complex in Concord, New Hampshire.
After being released from prison, Mason absconded from supervision and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Mason used a false last name, Budalucci, and moved to Concord, New Hampshire.
Mason caused letters to be delivered by the United States Postal Service to more than 100 people whom Farrar and Dodge defrauded by falsely promising to invest their money in the same condominium project in Concord. The letter invited these victims to participate in a plan by which additional condominiums would be constructed and sold. Three former victims responded to the letter and met with Mason. Unaware that Mason was a fugitive from justice, the victims provided more than $475,000 to Mason over a 30-month period because he falsely promised that their money would be used to build and sell condominiums and for other income-producing real estate projects in New Hampshire.
During the same period, Mason borrowed more than $150,000 from two other residents of New Hampshire by concealing his status as a fugitive and falsely promising that he would repay the loans with money he would receive from incoming-producing real estate projects in New Hampshire.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 13, 2016.
The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case was prosecuted by AUSA Robert Kinsella.
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Nelson Man Sentenced to 87 Months in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute in Excess of One Kilogram of HeroinRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced today that Jason Daigle, age 39, of Nelson, New Hampshire has been sentenced by United States District Judge Joseph A. DiClerico to 87 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846 and 841(b)(1)(A)(i). The Grand Jury for the District of New Hampshire indicted Daigle for the crime September 23, 2015. Daigle pleaded guilty to the charge on January 11, 2016.
After a lengthy investigation, law enforcement determined that Daigle was employed as a runner for a drug trafficking organization headed, authorities allege, by Ross Gould, age 28, of Richmond, New Hampshire. Daigle distributed heroin for Gould to individuals in and around Keene. As part of the conspiracy, Daigle also met with Gould’s Lawrence, Massachusetts-based sources of heroin at the Rockingham Mall, Salem, New Hampshire to take delivery of up to two kilograms of heroin, which Daigle then transported back to Gould for distribution.
On March 10, 2015, a search by law enforcement of a locked safe Gould maintained at Daigle’s residence resulted in the seizure of over a kilogram of heroin and large quantities of cocaine and prescription pills. The same day, a search executed at Gould’s Richmond, New Hampshire residence resulted in the seizure of additional narcotics, currency and 14 firearms.
On March 16, 2015, Gould was charged federally with possession with the intent to distribute heroin.
“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 heroin in New Hampshire, by continuing to target drug trafficking organizations which are responsible for the importation of large quantities of heroin into New Hampshire,” stated United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
The investigation was conducted by the: (1) Immigration and Customs Enforcement, 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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Mexican Man Sentenced for Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE –United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced that Juvenal Aguilar-Gonzalez, 33, of Mexico, pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported. Aguilar-Gonzalez, who was arrested on March 18, 2016, was immediately sentenced to time served.
Juvenal Aguilar-Gonzalez, using the name Javier Mandujano-Aguilar, was arrested by the Nashua Police Department on March 8, 2016 for operating a vehicle without a valid license. A set of fingerprints taken by the Nashua Police while booking Aguilar-Gonzalez were submitted to Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO) and were found to match fingerprints associated with a record of the defendant’s previous deportation in 2011. A Deportation Officer checked ICE indices and reviewed excerpts from the defendant’s alien file and learned that the defendant had been previously deported from the United States to Mexico. A comparison of the Nashua Police booking photograph to photographs found in the defendant’s alien file was also a match.
On March 18, 2016, ICE ERO Officers were conducting surveillance on the last known address of the defendant. At approximately 5:35 a.m., Deportation Officers identified Aguilar-Gonzalez as he exited the residence and entered the passenger side of a white Ford Pick-up truck the defendant has been known to operate in the past.
The defendant was approached by a Deportation Officer who asked the defendant his name to which he replied “Javier.” The Deportation Officer then asked the defendant in Spanish if he had any documents to be in the U.S. legally to which the defendant replied “no.” Aguilar-Gonzalez was then taken into ICE custody for being illegally present in the U.S. and transported to the Manchester ICE office for administrative processing. The defendant will now be deported.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega.
Goffstown Woman Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison for $1 Million Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Suzan Harbinson, a 52-year-old resident of Goffstown, New Hampshire, and an owner of ATA Martial Arts of Southern New Hampshire, LLC, in Bedford, has been sentenced to 27 months in prison for stealing more than $1 million, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
Harbinson worked as a part-time bookkeeper for Henry’s Collision Center in Manchester from January 2010 to January 2015. Part of her duties included preparing checks drawn on the company’s operating account for the company’s owner to sign. From December 2010 to January 2015, Harbinson forged the owner’s signature on 145 checks that totaled $1,005,754.83. In effort to conceal her embezzlement scheme, Harbinson falsely reported in the company’s check register that the forged checks were “voided” due to mistakes she made while preparing them. Harbinson also stole $2,245 from the company by forging the company owner’s signature on three checks that were issued to “Cash,” negotiating the checks, and using the money for her personal benefit.
The forged checks were deposited by Harbinson to the martial art school’s bank account. As the deposits were made, Harbinson caused checks drawn on the school’s account to be mailed to the school’s creditors and used the remainder of the stolen money for her personal benefit.
In addition to the period of imprisonment, Chief United States District Court Judge Joseph Laplante ordered Harbinson to make restitution payments totaling $1,007,999.83 to the victim.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by AUSA Robert M. Kinsella.
Honduran Man Sentenced for Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE –United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced today that Alex Velasquez-Avila, of Honduras, pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported and was sentenced to time served. Velasquez-Avila was arrested on March 3, 2016.
In October of 2015, a Deportation Officer developed information which indicated that the defendant, Honduran national Alex Velasquez-Avila, was present in the United States after having been deported on one previous occasion. On February 2, 2016 the Deportation Officer recognized Velasquez-Avila as he exited the Two Guys Food Market on Union Street in Manchester, New Hampshire.
The Deportation Officer approached Velasquez-Avila and identified himself as a U.S. Immigration Officer. A brief verbal conversation was conducted in Spanish with the defendant who confirmed that his name was Alex Velasquez-Avila and that he was illegally present in the U.S. without any immigration documents. The defendant was then taken into ICE custody for being illegally present in the U.S. and transported to the ICE-ERO office in Manchester, New Hampshire for administrative processing. Subsequent fingerprint analysis identified the defendant as having been previously deported.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega.
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Guatamalan Man Sentenced for Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE –United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced today that Hilmar Chavez-Sanchez, of Guatemala, pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported and was sentenced to time served. Chavez-Sanchez was arrested on March 3, 2016.
On February 15, 2016, an ICE-ERO Deportation Officer received a duty call from a New Hampshire State Police Trooper who stated that that he had stopped a vehicle for speeding on I-93. The vehicle was occupied by five individuals, three of whom refused to provide identification or answer the Trooper’s questions.
Two ICE-ERO officers traveled to the scene to provide assistance. Upon arriving, they observed the New Hampshire State Trooper in a foot pursuit of the defendant. The Trooper pursued the defendant for approximately 150 to 200 yards before apprehending him to discover that the defendant was not in possession of a valid driver license. The defendant was then transported to the Rockingham County Department of Corrections.
A search incident to arrest led to the discovery of a Guatemalan drivers’ license in the name of Hilmar Chavez-Sanchez. The ICE-ERO officers were able to determine that Chavez-Sanchez had been previously deported in 2009 and again in 2011.
Chavez-Sanchez will again be deported.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega.
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Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
CONCORD – United States Attorney, Emily Gray Rice announced today that United States District Court Judge Steven J. McAuliffe sentenced Hector Bienvenido Mateo-Beltre to serve 51 months in federal prison. Mateo-Beltre previously had pleaded guilty to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute.
According to documents that were filed in United States District Court and statements in the plea proceeding, Mateo-Beltre was arrested on July 12, 2015, after he attempted to deliver over 200 grams of fentanyl to a customer in Manchester, New Hampshire. After his arrest, Mateo-Beltre falsely claimed to be “Kevin Morales” of Dorchester, Massachusetts. Law enforcement officers later determined his true name.
According to statistics maintained by the State of New Hampshire, over half of the drug overdose deaths in New Hampshire in 2015 were related to fentanyl. Because a single gram of heroin or fentanyl can be used to create multiple individual dosage units that can be sold “on the street,” the quantity of fentanyl involved in this case could have generated hundreds of individual doses of fentanyl, each of which had the potential to cause a fatal overdose.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from other law enforcement agencies, including the New Hampshire State Police and the Manchester Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Debra Walsh and John J. Farley.
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Haverhill Resident Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy ChargeRead the Press Release
CONCORD – United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced today that Mara Morillo, 40, of Haverhill, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, oxycodone and cocaine. Morillo appeared before United States District Court Judge Steven J. McAuliffe to enter her guilty plea.
According to documents that were filed in United States District Court and statements in the plea proceeding, Morillo admitted that she sold oxycodone to a cooperating individual in Haverhill, Massachusetts and admitted that she participated in the distribution of cocaine and oxycodone with others individuals in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Over $18,000 in cash was seized from her residence during the execution of a search warrant in August 2015.
A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for August 30, 2016.
Morillo is one of six individuals indicted by a federal grand jury on September 23, 2015, and charged with conspiracy to distribute, and possession controlled substances with the intent to distribute. The other defendants are: Franklyn Morillo, 41, of Haverhill, Massachusetts; Juan Rojas, 31, of Haverhill, Massachusetts; Justin Bartimus, 35, formerly of Methuen, Massachusetts; Jorge Medina, 25, of Haverhill, Massachusetts; and Michael Lally, 28, of Salem, New Hampshire.
Lally pleaded guilty on March 22, 2016 and his sentencing is scheduled for June 29, 2016. Bartimus pleaded guilty on May 4, 2016 and his sentencing is scheduled for August 30, 2016. The remaining defendants in the drug conspiracy case are scheduled for trial on September 20, 2016.
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 Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tactical Diversion Squad led the investigation with assistance from the Haverhill, Massachusetts Police Department, the Methuen, Massachusetts Police Department, and the Massachusetts State Police. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John J. Farley.
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Concord Man Pleads Guilty to May 2015 Robbery of Bank of New HampshireRead the Press Release
Concord, N.H.—Emily Gray Rice, United States Attorney for the District of New Hampshire, today announced that Scott Lojko, 40, of Concord, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty to a federal indictment charging him with bank robbery in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(a).
According to the indictment, statements made in court, and other public records in the case, Lojko robbed a Bank of New Hampshire branch location at 167 N. Main Street, Concord, New Hampshire on May 18, 2015. Lojko approached the teller with a demand note directing her to “relax and act normal” and to hand over “all the money.” The teller complied, providing Lojko approximately $6,090 in bank funds. Lojko fled the bank by foot before retrieving his parked vehicle on nearby Court Street. Concord Police detectives were able to identify Lojko from bank and other surveillance with the assistance of several civilian resources. A few days later, a search warrant executed at Lojko’s Concord residence led to the recovery of the clothes Lojko wore during the robbery as well as $4,510 in U.S. currency that constituted the remaining proceeds of the robbery. A federal indictment charging Lojko with bank robbery was returned by a grand jury sitting in Concord on August 21, 2015.
Lojko’s plea agreement includes a binding stipulated sentence of 48 months’ incarceration. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for August 23, 2016, in front of U.S. District Judge Landya McCafferty. At that time, the Court will decide whether to accept the plea agreement and impose the agreed-upon period of incarceration, as well as any other conditions of Lojko’s sentence. Lojko also faces a mandatory restitution order to the Bank of New Hampshire.
The case was investigated by the Concord Police Department with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau.
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Project Safe Childhood - Kingston Man Sentenced for Child Pornography PossessionRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Gene Mondalto, 37, of Kingston, New Hampshire, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison by the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire after pleading guilty to one count of possessing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
Information provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) led federal and state investigators to Mondalto’s Kingston, New Hampshire residence, where they discovered hundreds of videos and still images of child pornography on Mondalto’s personal computer.
The case was investigated by the New Hampshire Crimes Against Children Task Force in conjunction Homeland Security Investigations Manchester, and the police departments of Kingston, Hampton, Allenstown, Litchfield, Manchester, Portsmouth, Rye, and Salem, New Hampshire.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nick Abramson.
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 Attorneys 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Honduran Man Sentenced for Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE –United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced that Milson Reyes-Alvarez, of Honduras, was sentenced to time already served since his arrest on February 10, 2016, following his guilty plea to illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported. Reyes-Alvarez’s plea and sentencing were held the same day under a program used by the United States Attorney’s Office to quickly sentence and deport defendants found in New Hampshire after having been previously deported.
In December of 2015, a Deportation Officer developed information which indicated that Milson Reyes-Alvarez was present in the United States after having been deported on one previous occasion. In order to confirm this information, the Deportation Officer interviewed Reyes-Alvarez on February 10, 2016. The defendant confirmed his true name and that he was illegally present in the United States without any immigration documents. Reyes-Alvarez was then taken into ICE custody. A subsequent fingerprint comparison definitively identified Reyes-Alvarez as having been previously deported.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega.
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Former Methuen Resident Pleads Guilty to Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONCORD – United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced that Justin Bartimus, 35, formerly of Methuen, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty on May 4, 2016 to: (1) conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, oxycodone and cocaine and (2) distribution of oxycodone. Bartimus appeared before United States District Court Judge Steven J. McAuliffe to enter his guilty plea.
According to documents that were filed in United States District Court and statements in the plea proceeding, Bartimus admitted that he sold oxycodone to a cooperating individual in Haverhill and Methuen, Massachusetts and in Salem, New Hampshire. He also admitted that he participated in the distribution of cocaine and oxycodone with others individuals.
A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for August 30, 2016.
Bartimus is one of six individuals indicted by a federal grand jury on September 23, 2015, and charged with conspiracy to distribute, and possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute. The other defendants are: Mara Morillo, 40, of Haverhill, Massachusetts, Franklyn Morillo, 41, of Haverhill, Massachusetts, Juan Rojas, 31, of Haverhill, Massachusetts, Jorge Medina, 25, of Haverhill, Massachusetts, and Michael Lally, 28, of Salem, New Hampshire.
In addition to the above charges, Rojas also was charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Rojas is further charged with conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence in a separate indictment. Lally pleaded guilty on March 22, 2016. His sentencing is scheduled for June 29, 2016. The remaining defendants in the drug conspiracy case are scheduled for trial on September 20, 2016.
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 Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tactical Diversion Squad led the investigation with assistance from the Haverhill, Massachusetts Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John J. Farley.
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El Salvadoran Man Sentenced for Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE –United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced today that Jose Ever Portillo-Batres, 27, of El Salvador, was sentenced to time already served since his arrest on February 15, 2016, following his guilty plea to illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported. Portillo-Batres’ plea and sentencing were held the same day under a program used by the United States Attorney’s Office to quickly sentence and deport defendants found in New Hampshire who were previously deported.
On February 15, 2016, an ICE-ERO Deportation Officer received a duty call from a New Hampshire State Police Trooper who stated that that he had stopped a vehicle for speeding on I-93. The vehicle was occupied by five individuals, three of whom refused to provide identification or answer the Trooper’s questions. Two ICE-ERO officers provided assistance and were able to identify the defendant through fingerprint comparisons as having been previously deported on two occasions in March and May 2011. Portillo-Batres was taken into custody by the ICE-ERO officers and, in a search incident to arrest, was found to be in possession of a valid El Salvadoran identification card bearing his true name, date of birth and photograph.
Portillo-Batres will be deported to El Salvador.
The case was investigated by the New Hampshire State Police and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega.
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Project Safe Childhood - Salem Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Brian Powell, 33, of Salem, New Hampshire, pled guilty on Monday in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to producing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
In 2015, an Electronic Service Provider (ESP) alerted the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that an individual had uploaded a child pornography file to the ESP’s website. That file was ultimately traced back to the defendant’s residence in Salem, New Hampshire. The Salem Police Department obtained a search warrant for the residence and seized the defendant’s personal computer. A subsequent analysis of that computer by a detective with the Rochester, New Hampshire Police Department – also a member of the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force – revealed a collection of child pornography. That collection included several videos which the defendant had manufactured himself by initiating contact with minor females through an internet chat service, and persuading them to engage in sexually explicit conduct – which the defendant then captured on video using computer recording software.
Powell is scheduled to be sentenced in August 2016. He faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison, at least 5 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
The investigation in this case was led by the Salem, New Hampshire Police Department with the assistance of the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Police Departments of Rochester and Derry, New Hampshire, and Homeland Security Investigations Manchester (HSI Manchester).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nick Abramson.
In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led, in each district, by the United States Attorney’s Office, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc
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Milford Man Sentenced to 51 Months on Bank Robbery ChargeRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Seamus Murphy, 34, of Milford, New Hampshire, was sentenced in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire for bank robbery, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice. The Court imposed a term of 51 months imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and full restitution to the victim bank.
Murphy walked into a Citizens Bank in Stratham, New Hampshire, on February 24, 2015 and gave the teller a note demanding money. The teller gave Murphy a quantity of United States currency. Surveillance cameras captured images of the robbery which were broadcast on local news outlets. Numerous individuals identified Murphy from the photographs and he was apprehended in Massachusetts the next day.
“The Stratham Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation did a great job of tracking this suspect to a neighboring state, successfully apprehending him, and bringing this case to justice,” stated United States Attorney Emily Rice. “Bank robbery, even an unarmed bank robbery, is an inherently dangerous crime that causes great turmoil to its victims. We will continue to work with our state and local partners to vigorously prosecute these serious offenses.”
This case was investigated by the Stratham Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Georgiana L. Konesky.
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Dominican Man Pleads Guilty to Misrepresenting A Social Security NumberRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE –United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced that Sergio Yeremi Martinez-Mejia, of the Dominican Republic, pleaded guilty to falsely claiming that he was assigned a social security number that was in fact assigned to another person.
On March 24, 2015, Immigration and Customs Enforcement was notified that the defendant was suspected of being a foreign national illegally in the United States. On March 23, 2015, the defendant told the Portsmouth Police Department that he was a Puerto Rican U.S. citizen and provided the police a certain social security number that he claimed was his.
On March 24, 2015, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement Deportation Officer interviewed Martinez-Mejia. The defendant claimed that he was born in Puerto Rico and provided the officer with a social security number not in fact assigned to Martinez-Mejia.
The Deportation Officer submitted the defendant’s fingerprints to the Department of Homeland Security and to the FBI. Each agency returned a match for the defendant, Sergio Yeremi Martinez-Mejia, who had, on July 11, 2011, been ordered deported from the United States to the Dominican Republic. Records of the U.S. Social Security Administration revealed that neither of the numbers the defendant claimed were assigned to him actually had been assigned to him.
Martinez-Mejia will be sentenced at 11:30 AM on August 9, 2016, and will be deported after serving his sentence.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Portsmouth Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega is prosecuting this case.
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Manchester Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
Concord, N.H.— United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced that Anthony Pillsbury, 36, of Manchester, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty to a federal indictment charging him with the illegal possession of a firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1).
According to the indictment, statements made in court, and other public records in the case, on the morning of July 10, 2015, a Manchester Police officer observed Pillsbury walking on Lowell Street in Manchester. Mistaking Pillsbury for another individual for whom there was an active warrant, the officer initiated a stop a few moments later to investigate further. Before the officer could confirm Pillsbury’s true identity, he found in Pillsbury’s back-pocket a Jennings J-22, .22 caliber firearm, with one round in the chamber and one round in the magazine. Further research revealed that Pillsbury is prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law as a result of a prior felony conviction. A federal indictment charging Pillsbury with illegal possession of the firearm was returned by a grand jury sitting in Concord on October 21, 2015.
A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for August 9, 2016, in front of U.S. District Judge Paul Barbadoro. At that time, Pillsbury’s sentence will be determined by the court following completion of a presentence investigation report by the United States Probation and Pretrial Services Office. The statutory maximum sentence for the offense is ten years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000.
The case was investigated by the Manchester Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau.
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DEA's National Prescription Drug Take-Back DayRead the Press Release
SATURDAY APRIL 30th
Twice-annual event takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Boston, MA – During the last and 10th National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day the New England Field Division over the course of four hours collected 67,107 pounds of expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs at 596 collection sites throughout New England. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is continuing its efforts to take back unused, unwanted and expired prescription medications. The DEA invites the public to bring their potentially dangerous, unwanted medicines to one of the hundreds of collection sites all over New England. Many local Police Departments across Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont have drop off receptacles or kiosk that is secured in the lobby of their Police Departments so that the public can drop off unused, unneeded, and expired prescription medications 7 days a week throughout the year with no questions asked in an anonymous manner. There will also be numerous collection sites all over New England on April 30, 2016 in some Town Halls, Senior Centers, Community Centers and pharmacies. The public can find a nearby collection site by visiting www.dea.gov clicking on the “Got Drugs” icon, and entering the zip code into the search window, or they can call 800-882-9539.
All across America and especially here in New England we are experiencing an epidemic of addiction, overdose and death due to abuse of prescription drugs, particularly opioid painkillers. 6.5 million Americans abuse prescription drugs, according to the most recent National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which is more than abuse cocaine, heroin, and hallucinogens combined.
"Many Americans are not aware that medicines which languish in home cabinets are highly vulnerable to diversion, misuse, and abuse," said DEA Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Ferguson. "Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are at alarming levels, as are the number of accidental poisoning and overdoses due to the illegal use of these drugs. Please take the time to clean out your medicine cabinet and make your home safe from drug theft and abuse."
“While medications are necessary to treat illness, we need to be careful that they do not fall into the wrong hands,” said United States Attorney, District of New Hampshire Emily Gray Rice. “The DEA's Drug Take-back Day is a great opportunity to keep the public safe by properly disposing of unused prescription medication, and I encourage everyone to participate.”
Drug overdoses are now the leading cause of injury-related death in the United States, eclipsing deaths from motor vehicle crashes or firearms. The removal from homes of unwanted prescription pills that can be abused, stolen or resold is an easy way to help fight the epidemic of substance abuse and addiction.
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New Hampshire Woman Pleads Guilty to Social Security, Food Stamp, and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced that Bonita Kitson, 44, of Boscawen, pleaded guilty in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to Social Security Fraud, Making False Statements, and Wire Fraud.
Kitson received Social Security disability benefits, Food Stamps, and Aid to the Permanently and Totally Disabled for over two years prior to her marriage in October 2010. Her husband also received Social Security disability benefits and Food Stamps before they married. Applicants for each of these benefits programs must have limited income and resources in order to qualify for assistance. The income of all members of a household is considered when determining an individual’s eligibility for Food Stamps and Aid to the Permanently Disabled.
Although they each continued to receive disability benefits and Food Stamps after they wed, neither Kitson nor her husband reported their marriage or their shared residence to Social Security or to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. To the contrary, Kitson advised both agencies that she and her husband were merely friends. The marriage was not disclosed until October 2014, when Kitson advised Social Security that her husband passed away one month earlier as part of her application for a lump-sum death benefit. As a result of this concealment, Kitson and her husband fraudulently received an additional $27,654 in disability benefits and Food Stamps, and Kitson received $1,134 in Aid to the Permanently and Totally Disabled to which she was not entitled.
Kitson is scheduled to be sentenced on July 29, 2016. The statutory maximum sentence for the charges is 20 years’ imprisonment. The court will impose a sentence after it has had an opportunity to review a presentence report prepared by the United States Probation and Pretrial Services Office and consider the advisory sentencing guidelines. Kitson was released on conditions pending sentencing.
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General in conjunction with the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services’ Special Investigations Unit, and prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Karen Burzycki.
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New Hampshire Woman Pleads Guilty to Social Security, Food Stamp, and Medicare FraudRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Kim Wheeler, 46, of Allenstown, pleaded guilty in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to two counts of Social Security Fraud and two counts of Theft of Public Money, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
In February 2005, Wheeler began receiving Social Security disability benefits as the representative payee for her minor child. She also received Food Stamps and Qualified Medicare Beneficiary benefits beginning in May 2010. In assessing a minor child’s eligibility for Social Security disability benefits, the income of the natural or adoptive parent with whom the child lives is considered. Similarly, the income of all members of a household is considered when determining eligibility for Food Stamps and Qualified Medicare Beneficiary benefits.
Wheeler failed to disclose that her husband and children’s father, who was employed full-time, lived with her and their children. His income would have rendered their minor child ineligible to receive any Supplemental Security Income benefits, and it would have rendered Wheeler ineligible for Food Stamps and Qualified Medicare Beneficiary benefits. Wheeler concealed her husband’s true residence from the Social Security Administration and from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, but rather, falsely reported that he did not live with her and their children. When her husband later moved out of the home and began paying child support and alimony to Wheeler, Wheeler failed to disclose this income to Social Security and to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. As a result of her concealment, Wheeler received $49,636.44 in disability benefits as her child’s representative payee, $12,372 in Food Stamps, and $5,041 in Qualified Medicare Beneficiary benefits that she would not have received if her husband’s residence and her subsequent receipt of support payments had been properly disclosed.
Wheeler is scheduled to be sentenced on August 1, 2016. The statutory maximum sentence for the charges is 10 years’ imprisonment. The court will sentence Wheeler after it has had an opportunity to review a presentence report prepared by the United States Probation and Pretrial Services Office and considers the advisory sentencing guidelines. She was released on conditions pending sentencing.
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General in conjunction with the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services’ Special Investigations Unit, and prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Karen Burzycki.
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Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – John Wachaga, 22, of Lowell, Massachusetts, has entered a guilty plea in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to one count of aiding and abetting the making of a material false statement in connection with the acquisition of a firearm, and one count of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
On May 4, 2014, officers from the Lowell, Massachusetts Police Department stopped a vehicle being driven by Wachaga. During the stop, officers seized a handgun from underneath Wachaga’s seat. Upon further investigation, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) learned that Wachaga had used another individual to purchase the firearm for him in New Hampshire, because a prior felony conviction precluded him from doing so on his own.
The statutory maximum penalty for the charges to which Wachaga pleaded guilty is ten years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. Wachaga is scheduled for sentencing in August 2016. The court will sentence Wachaga after it has had the opportunity to review a presentence investigation report prepared by the United States Probation and Pretrial Services Office and considers the federal advisory sentencing guideline for the charges.
This prosecution arose from an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (Boston and New Hampshire), in conjunction with the Lowell, Massachusetts Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nick Abramson.
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Sanbornton Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin and Fentanyl Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Michael Smith, 35, of Sanbornton, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to a federal indictment charging him with eight counts of distribution and one count of conspiracy to distribute the Schedule I controlled substance heroin and the Schedule II controlled substance fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
During a law enforcement investigation, a cooperating individual purchased heroin and/or fentanyl from the defendant on eight occasions. Lab results have confirmed that over 20 grams of the substance purchase contained fentanyl, over 57 grams contained heroin and over 19 grams contained a mixture of heroin and fentanyl. Smith obtained controlled substances from multiple sources and distributed to multiple customers, participating in the conspiracy since at least June, 2015.
Smith’s plea agreement includes a binding stipulated sentence of 96 months’ incarceration. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for July 27, 2016 in front of United States District Judge Paul J. Barbadoro. At that time, the Court will decide whether to accept the plea agreement and impose the agreed-upon period of incarceration, as well as any other conditions of Smith’s sentence.
The case was investigated by the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The Drug Task Force for this case included law enforcement representatives from the Merrimack County Sheriff’s Office, the Franklin Police Department, the Concord Police Department and the New Hampshire Liquor Commission. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Georgiana L. Konesky.
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Project Safe Childhood - Claremont Man Sentenced for Child Pornography PossessionRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE: James Bednarcyk, 28, of Claremont, New Hampshire, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison by the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire after pleading guilty to one count of possessing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
In April 2014, an undercover investigation determined that child pornography images were being shared on the Internet from the Claremont, New Hampshire residence of James Bednarcyk. A search warrant for the residence was executed in September 2014, during which Bednarcyk’s personal computer was seized. That computer was later determined to contain approximately 20 videos and 70 still images of child pornography.
The case was investigated by the Vermont Attorney General’s Office and the Hampton, New Hampshire Police Department, in conjunction with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Manchester, the New Hampshire Crimes Against Children Task Force (NH ICAC), and the police departments of Claremont, Portsmouth, Nashua, and Rochester, New Hampshire. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nick Abramson.
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 Attorneys 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl ChargeRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Genfry Martinez, 20, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to a federal indictment charging him with one count of possession with intent to distribute the Schedule II controlled substance fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
On February 11, 2016, after a traffic stop by the New Hampshire State Police, Martinez was found in possession of what lab results confirmed to be 68.67 grams of the Schedule II controlled drug fentanyl. The defendant possessed the drugs with the intention of distributing them.
“The narcotic drug fentanyl is an incredibly dangerous substance responsible for a large number of overdose deaths in New Hampshire,” stated United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice. “I will continue to prioritize the prosecution of individuals who attempt to profit from the sale of this deadly drug.”
Martinez will be detained pending sentencing, which is presently scheduled for August 9, 2016 in front of United States District Judge Paul J. Barbadoro. The statutory maximum sentence is twenty years in prison and criminal fines of up to $1,000,000. Martinez’s actual sentence will be determined by the court at sentencing after a presentence investigation report is completed.
The case was investigated by the New Hampshire State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Georgiana L. Konesky.
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United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice and New Hampshire Attorney General Joseph Foster Form Joint Team to Prosecute Drug Overdose CasesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE - Today, United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice and New Hampshire Attorney General Joseph Foster announced the formation of an inter-office team of experienced, career prosecutors targeting the prosecution of opiate overdose deaths in New Hampshire.
New Hampshire has the third-highest rate of per capita drug overdose deaths nationwide. Four hundred and thirty-three individuals died from drug overdoses in New Hampshire in 2015. Two hundred and eighty-three of these deaths resulted from overdoses of fentanyl, either alone or in combination with other drugs.
The purpose of the team is to increase and coordinate the prosecutorial resources focused on overdose deaths. Attorney General Foster explained: “This effort builds on the initiative started by my office at the end of 2015 to treat drug overdose deaths as crime scenes, and to bring to justice those who have sold drugs to overdose victims.” United States Attorney Rice emphasized: “Our joint team effort to prosecute those who are criminally responsible for overdose deaths is a critical element of the multi-faceted law enforcement approach needed to combat the drug epidemic in our state.”
Both United States Attorney Rice and Attorney General Foster praised the tremendous work done by law enforcement to fight the current epidemic: “We are deeply grateful for the incredible work being done by local, state and federal law enforcement and by the County Attorneys, and their tireless commitment to fighting drug crimes on every front. Our prosecutors are committed to collaborating with our law enforcement partners and the County Attorneys’ offices to hold accountable those who are engaging in or profiting from the distribution of illegal drugs in our state.”
The inter-office team includes all of the drug prosecutors in both the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office and the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of New Hampshire.
Somersworth Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of Four FirearmsRead the Press Release
Concord, N.H.— United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced that Joseph Ruhland, 42, of Somersworth, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty to a federal indictment charging him with the illegal possession of four firearms in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1).
According to the indictment, statements made in court, and other public records in the case, the government received information in June 2015 that Ruhland was in possession of multiple firearms at his home in Somersworth, New Hampshire. Ruhland is prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law as a result of a prior felony conviction. Following the issuance of a court-ordered search warrant for Ruhland’s residence, law enforcement recovered: (1) a Sig Sauer, Model P250, 9 millimeter pistol, loaded with 10 rounds of 9 millimeter ammunition; (2) a High Standard, Model Double-Nine, .22 caliber revolver, loaded with 9 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition; (3) a Cobra Enterprises, Model C22LR, .22 caliber Derringer pistol; (4) a Haskell (Hi-Point), Model JHP, .45 caliber Pistol; and approximately 45 rounds of assorted additional ammunition. A federal indictment charging Ruhland with illegal possession of the firearms was returned by a grand jury sitting in Concord on October 7, 2015.
Ruhland’s plea agreement includes a binding stipulated sentence of 30 months’ incarceration. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for August 1, 2016, in front of U.S. District Judge Landya McCafferty. At that time, the Court will decide whether to accept the plea agreement and impose the agreed-upon period of incarceration, as well as any other conditions of Ruhland’s sentence.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives with assistance from the Somersworth Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau.
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Somersworth Man Sentenced for Possessing Stolen Government Property with Intent to ConvertRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE –United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced that Kevin Joseph Fields, formerly of Somersworth, was sentenced to thirty months in prison, three years supervised release and restitution of $22,381.29 to be paid to the U.S. Postal Service after previously pleading guilty to Possessing Stolen Government Property With Intent To Convert.
From May 18, 2014, to on and about June 17, 2014, Fields engaged in a scheme in to obtain United States postage stamps using insufficient funds checks. Fields initiated the scheme by opening a bank account in which he deposited funds from counterfeit checks. Fields then used checks drawn against the bank account to acquire postage stamps at various post offices in New Hampshire and Maine. Fields sold the stamps to pawn shops for less than face value or in exchange for other items such as a laptop computer and a tablet computer. Fields used the cash proceeds to purchase a television, a Blu-ray player, for hotel rooms, and to pay other expenses. Fields’ scheme allowed him to obtain approximately $22,381.29 worth of stamps from U.S. Post Offices.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service offices in Manchester, New Hampshire and Portland, Maine. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega.
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Mexican Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Re-Entering the United States After Previous DeportationsRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – Ricardo Silva-Hernandez, of Mexico, has pleaded guilty to illegally re-entering the United States after having been previously deported announced U.S. Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
Silva-Hernandez was encountered by the Hooksett Police Department on February 24, 2016, after the police responded to a burglar alarm at Silva-Hernandez’s place of employment. When an officer asked Silva-Hernandez for identification, he produced a Mexican identification card. Further questioning by the police led to Silva-Hernandez’s admission that he was illegally in the United States and had re-entered the United States after being deported.
The Hooksett Police sought the assistance of officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal (ICE-ERO) in positively identifying Silva-Hernandez. Fingerprints taken from Silva-Hernandez were compared to fingerprints on file with the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. That comparison definitively proved that Silva-Hernandez had been previously deported in 1997 and again in 2009.
Silva-Hernandez will be sentenced at 11:00 AM on August 9, 2016, and will be deported after serving his sentence.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Hooksett Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega is prosecuting this case.
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Vermont Man Sentenced to Ten Years on Federal Heroin and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Robert Orth, 30, of South Ryegate, Vermont, was sentenced in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire on federal charges of possessing with intent to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin, possessing a firearm in furtherance of his heroin trafficking, and possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. The Court imposed a term of ten years’ imprisonment.
On May 29, 2014, at approximately 9:45 P.M., a Nashua police officer witnessed a Gold Nissan Maxima, bearing New Hampshire plates, drive through a stop sign, travel over a double yellow line, and come to an abrupt halt in the middle of the road with its left turn-signal on. The officer initiated a vehicle stop, and upon making contact, noted that there were three male occupants in the vehicle. Occupying the front passenger seat was Robert Orth. During the traffic stop Orth became argumentative and yelled to one of the other occupants to, “…take the [stuff and]… run and hide it.” That occupant grabbed a jacket that was inside the vehicle and ran from the scene. During a foot pursuit, the occupant dropped the jacket and was subsequently captured by the police. A search of the jacket revealed more than 200 grams of heroin and a loaded handgun. During a subsequent interview, Orth admitted that both the heroin and the handgun belonged to him.
The Nashua, New Hampshire Police Department was the lead investigative agency and received assistance from by agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in New Hampshire. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nick Abramson and Seth Aframe.
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Two Massachusetts Men Plead Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Israel Garcia, 56, of Lawrence, Massachusetts and Maximo Brito-Tejeda, 36, a citizen of the Dominican Republic most recently residing in Lawrence, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to five counts of distribution of the Schedule II controlled substance fentanyl and one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
During a law enforcement investigation, officers received information from a cooperating source indicating that Garcia and an individual later identified as Brito-Tejeda were actively involved in the distribution of drugs in and around the Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire areas. As part of the investigation, law enforcement officers used the cooperating individual and an undercover officer to make controlled purchases of the Schedule II narcotic controlled drug fentanyl from Garcia and Brito-Tejeda on five occasions in August and September, 2015. On each occasion, Garcia and Brito-Tejeda met the cooperating individual and/or the undercover officer in New Hampshire and sold them approximately ten grams of fentanyl.
On September 25, 2015, officers approached Garcia and Brito-Tejeda in an attempt to arrest them. Garcia fled but was apprehended within seconds and Brito-Tejeda locked himself in his car, emptied bags containing fentanyl onto the floor mat and poured his drink over the drugs. He also attempted to swallow plastic bags containing additional quantities of fentanyl. That same day, the Drug Enforcement Administration executed a search warrant at the residence occupied by Brito-Tejeda where Garcia and Brito-Tejeda stored and packaged drugs. A scale, packaging materials, and an additional quantity of fentanyl were recovered at this residence.
Garcia and Brito-Tejeda will be detained pending sentencing hearings which are both presently scheduled for July 14, 2016. The statutory maximum sentence for the conspiracy charge is forty years in prison and criminal fines of up to $5,000,000. Each distribution charge carries a statutory maximum sentence of twenty years in prison and criminal fines of up to $1,000,000. The actual sentences will be determined by the court at sentencing after a presentence investigation report is completed.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Georgiana L. Konesky and Seth Aframe.
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Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Euris Daniel Paulino Guerrero, 24, a citizen of the Dominican Republic residing in Lawrence, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to two counts of distribution of the Schedule II controlled substance fentanyl and one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
During the spring and summer of 2015, law enforcement officers investigated a drug trafficking organization operating in Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. As part of the investigation, cooperating individuals and an undercover law enforcement officer purchased heroin, fentanyl, and oxycodone from the defendant and his co-conspirators. Four sales occurred in Massachusetts and two, on July 29, 2015 and August 12, 2015, took place in Salem, New Hampshire. Lab results have confirmed that over 140 grams of the substance sold contained fentanyl and additional quantities remain to be tested. On September 17, 2015, the Drug Enforcement Administration executed search warrants at three residences in Lawrence, Massachusetts associated with the organization. In one residence, officers located over 400 grams of fentanyl, an instrument used to compress drugs into ten-gram quantities for sale, blenders, and other packaging materials.
Guerrero will be detained pending sentencing, which is presently scheduled for July 14, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. The statutory maximum sentence for the conspiracy charge is forty years in prison and criminal fines of up to $5,000,000. Each distribution charge carries a statutory maximum sentence of twenty years in prison and criminal fines of up to $1,000,000. Guerrero’s actual sentence will be determined by the court at sentencing after a presentence investigation report is completed.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Georgiana L. Konesky and John J. Farley.
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Dominican National Sentenced to Time Served for Making A False Claim to U.S. CitizenshipRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Pedro Julio Alcantar-Bernabel a/k/a Francis Villar de la Santos, a citizen of the Dominican Republic who pleaded guilty to one count of Social Security Number Misuse and one count of Making a False Claim to United States Citizenship on January 7, 2016, was sentenced to time served, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice. Alcantar-Bernabel has been in custody since his arrest on July 1, 2015.
Alcantar-Bernabel applied for a driver’s license at the Department of Motor Vehicles in Manchester, New Hampshire on July 1, 2015, using another person’s name, date of birth, and Social Security number. He also indicated on the application that he was a United States citizen. When Alcantar-Bernabel produced an altered Social Security card as a means of identification, the New Hampshire State Police were called to investigate. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that Alcantar-Bernabel was encountered by the United States Coast Guard in August 2000 off the coast of Puerto Rico. At that time, he admitted that he was a citizen of the Dominican Republic and was given a voluntary return to that country. Fingerprint analysis confirmed that the individual claiming United States citizenship on the New Hampshire driver’s license application was the same individual who was returned to the Dominican Republic in 2000.
Alcantar-Bernabel was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Paul J. Barbadoro. He will face deportation upon his release from custody.
The case was investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Karen Burzycki.
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Dominican Man Sentenced After Pleading Guilty to Illegally Reentering the United States After A Previous Deportation, and Other ChargesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE –United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced today that Hector Luis Arias-Ramirez, of the Dominican Republic, was sentenced to a time-served sentence after pleading guilty to a three-count indictment charging him with illegally re-entering the United States after having been previously deported, misrepresenting a social security number, and falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen.
On October 20, 2015, Arias-Ramirez appeared at the Nashua office of the Department of Motor Vehicles and attempted to obtain a New Hampshire driver’s license. Arias-Ramirez had completed the forms necessary for issuance of a license using a name other than his true name and using a false social security number when he was approached by the New Hampshire State Police. Arias-Ramirez told the Trooper that Arias-Ramirez was born in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico.
A New Hampshire State Trooper contacted Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO) for assistance in identifying the defendant. ICE-ERO Deportation Officers arrived at the DMV and, using a mobile fingerprinting kit, submitted the defendant’s fingerprints for comparison to databases of known fingerprints. The fingerprint impressions were a match to those previously taken from the defendant.
Arias-Ramirez will be deported after serving his sentence. Arias-Ramirez was previously deported to the Dominican Republic in 2012.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the New Hampshire State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega is prosecuting this case.
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Dominican Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Reentering the United States After A Previous Deportation, and Other ChargesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE –United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced that Gerpis Pena, of the Dominican Republic, pleaded guilty to a three-count indictment charging him with illegally re-entering the United States after having been previously deported, misrepresenting a social security number, and falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen.
On November 5, 2015, Gerpis Pena appeared at the Manchester office of the Department of Motor Vehicles and attempted to obtain a New Hampshire driver’s license. Gerpis had in his possession a birth certificate purportedly issued in Puerto Rico, a social security card, and a previously-issued New Hampshire driver’s license. He had completed the forms necessary for issuance of a license in the name of the individual named in the identifying documents, including the social security number listed on the card he possessed, when he was approached by the New Hampshire State Police.
A New Hampshire State Trooper questioned Pena as to his identity. Pena initially claimed to be a United States Citizen, born in Puerto Rico, and had filled out and signed a renewal application on which he had checked “yes” to the question “Are you a United States citizen?” The Trooper contacted Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO) for assistance in identifying the defendant.
ICE-ERO Deportation Officers arrived at the DMV and, using a mobile fingerprinting kit, submitted the defendant’s fingerprints for comparison to databases of known fingerprints. The fingerprint impressions were a match to those previously taken from the defendant.
Pena will be sentenced at 10:00 AM on August 1, 2016, and will be deported after serving his sentence.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the New Hampshire State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega is prosecuting this case.
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United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice to Speak at Events Honoring Crime Victims and Victim AdvocatesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE: United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice will address crime victims and crime victim advocates at two events being held during the week of April 10 to April 16, 2016 which has been designated as National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. The theme of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week this year is “Serving Victims, Building Trust, and Restoring Hope.”
The New Hampshire Crime Victims’ Rights Celebration will be held April 11 at 9:30 a.m. at St. Paul’s Church in Concord, New Hampshire. The event will feature United States Attorney Rice and New Hampshire Attorney General Joseph Foster. This event is a co-sponsored by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire, the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office, the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, AmeriCorps Victims Assistance Program and Victims, Inc. The event is open to the public.
United States Attorney Rice will also speak at the Tri-State Advanced Victim Assistance Academy, an annual training event jointly sponsored by the United States Attorney’s Offices in Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire. The Academy is hosted this year by the United States Attorney for the District of New Hampshire and will be held on April 12 and 13, 2016 in Concord. The two day conference will build on the knowledge and skills advocates receive in basic and foundational trainings. The goal is to educate and support victim advocates and individuals who work closely with victims of crime. Additional information for victim support can be found at https://www.justice.gov/usao-nh/programs/victim-witness-assistance-program or by contacting Victim Witness Specialist Jennifer Hunt at the United States Attorney’s Office.
United States Attorney Rice stated: “Crime victims deserve to be treated with empathy and respect. During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week we honor the goals of providing assistance and support to crime victims and the advocates who spend countless hours helping victims every day. As the United States Attorney for the District of New Hampshire and an advocate for the protection and support of all victims, I look forward to working closely with federal, state and local law enforcement and victim advocates to make sure victims’ voices are heard, their concerns addressed, and their role as victims of crime are recognized. Together we can ensure justice for victims and support their healing.”
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Rindge Man Sentenced for Tax Evasion in Connection with Fraudulent Investment OperationRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Aaron E. Olson, 41, of Rindge, New Hampshire, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for tax evasion in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
From 2007 through 2010, Olson was the sole proprietor of an investment business known as AEO Associates (AEO). In December of 2010, Olson formed KMO Associates LLC (KMO), an investment business that was registered in Massachusetts. Olson ran both operations from an office in Jaffrey, New Hampshire. Olson used AEO and later KMO to obtain approximately $27.8 million from individuals and organizations ostensibly to invest on their behalf. Olson was not licensed as an investment broker in New Hampshire or in any other jurisdiction and he did not register AEO and KMO with the State of New Hampshire as investment businesses.
Olson used approximately $2.6 million of the investors’ money for his personal benefit and used some of the investors’ money to make fraudulent “earnings” payments to other investors. To conceal this conduct, Olson sent investors fictitious earnings statements that falsely showed significant earnings in their accounts.
Olson also filed false and fraudulent joint individual tax returns with the IRS in which he attempted to evade or defeat taxes he owed based on his income from the fraudulent investment operation. Among other things, Olson failed to report the gross receipts and expenses associated with the operation of AEO and KMO and he failed to issue Forms 1099 with the Internal Revenue Service summarizing investors’ annual gains and losses. In total, Olson fraudulently understated the income taxes he owed for the four years by more than $664,000.
Olson pleaded guilty to four counts of attempted tax evasion on March 9, 2015. As part of a Plea Agreement, he agreed to pay restitution to the defrauded investors in lieu of paying the taxes he owes to the United States. A restitution hearing is scheduled on May 26, 2016.
This case is being investigated by the office of Criminal Investigations for the Internal Revenue Service in conjunction with the New Hampshire Bureau of Securities Regulation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark S. Zuckerman.
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Project Safe Childhood - Plainfield Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography PossessionRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE: John Martin Favor, 49, of Plainfield, New Hampshire, pled guilty in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to possessing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
An investigation conducted by the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children (NH ICAC), the Hinsdale, New Hampshire Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations Manchester revealed that an individual was uploading images of child pornography to an online bulletin board from the defendant’s Plainfield, New Hampshire residence. A federal search warrant was issued and executed in September 2015. Law enforcement ultimately discovered hundreds of videos and images of child pornography on Favor’s personal computer.
Favor is scheduled for sentencing in July 2016. The charges to which he pleaded guilty carry a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The court will determine Favor’s actual sentence after it has had an opportunity to review a presentence investigation report prepared by the United States Probation and Pretrial Services Office.
The investigation in this case was a collaborative effort between federal, state, and local authorities, which included Homeland Security Investigations Manchester, the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Police Departments of Hinsdale, Hampton, Plainfield, Rochester, and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, as well as the New Hampshire State Police.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nick Abramson.
In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led, in each district, by the United States Attorney’s Office, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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National Crime Victims' Rights WeekRead the Press Release
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Dominican Man Sentenced to 24 Months for Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE –United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced that Onix Abreu, of the Dominican Republic, was sentenced to twenty four months in federal prison, after pleading guilty to illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported.
On June 15, 2015, the New Hampshire State Police were contacted concerning an individual attempting to obtain a New Hampshire driver’s license at the Salem, New Hampshire office of the New Hampshire Department of Motor Vehicles. The State Police found that the defendant was presenting a birth certificate purportedly issued in Puerto Rico, a social security card, and a driver’s license issued in Pennsylvania to support his application. The State Police sought the assistance of ICE-ERO Deportation Officers. Upon arrival, the ICE-ERO officers questioned the defendant who admitted he was Onix Abreu and that he had been previously deported. Abreu was taken into ICE custody and transported to the Manchester ICE office where a full set of fingerprint impressions were taken. Abreu’s fingerprints matched those contained in the Department of Homeland Security’s Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT) and to the FBI’s Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) for fingerprints taken from the defendant on the occasion of his previous deportation. Abreu was deported from Alexandria, Louisiana to the Dominican Republic in 2005.
Abreu pled guilty to the charge on September 22, 2015.
The case was investigated by the New Hampshire State Police and the Department of Homeland Security and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega.
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Man Pleads Guilty in Prescription Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CONCORD – United States Attorney, Emily Gray Rice announced today that Geoffrey McIntosh, 36, pleaded guilty today in the United States District Court Judge to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, oxycodone.
According to documents that were filed in United States District Court and statements in the plea proceeding, McIntosh and others passed dozens of false prescriptions for OxyContin pills at pharmacies in the Manchester and Nashua areas. McIntosh arranged for runners to pass these fraudulent prescriptions at pharmacies. The runners would then provide the pills to McIntosh in exchange for pills or cash. McIntosh would then sell the pills or have others sell them on his behalf. During the investigation, law enforcement officers identified over 100 fraudulent prescriptions for OxyContin, which were filled in 2009 and 2010.
A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for July 1, 2016. The statutory maximum prison term for the crime charged is 20 years. The court will sentence McIntosh after it has had an opportunity to review a presentence report prepared by the United States Probation & Pretrial Services Office.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from other law enforcement agencies, including the Nashua Police Department, Manchester Police Department, Merrimack Police Department, and the New Hampshire State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John J. Farley.
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Dominican Man Sentenced for Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE –United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced today that Edwin Orlando Tejeda Aria, of the Dominican Republic, was sentenced to twenty-four months in federal prison, after pleading guilty to illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported.
On June 16, 2015 two United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers assigned to Enforcement and Removal Operations responded to the New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles in Salem, New Hampshire after receiving a call from New Hampshire State Police asking for assistance identifying a male individual, subsequently identified as the defendant, who was presenting fraudulent identification to obtain a New Hampshire Driver's License. The fraudulent document included a Puerto Rican Birth certificate, a Social Security card, a Pennsylvania Driver's License, and a Comcast bill. Both ICE officers identified themselves to the defendant, and then one of them fingerprinted him and submitted the prints to the FBI’s Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) and the ICE Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT). Both systems produced a match for Edwin Orlando Tejeda-Aria, an alien who had been deported in 2011 from Louisiana to the Dominican Republic.
Tejeda Aria was taken into ICE custody and transported to the Manchester ICE office where a full set of fingerprint impressions were taken from him and submitted to the Department of Homeland Security's IDENT system and to the FBI’s IAFIS system for comparison to databases of known fingerprints. Both systems confirmed the match to the submitted fingerprints of the defendant.
Tejeda Aria pled guilty to the charge on December 9, 2015.
The case was investigated by the New Hampshire State Police and the Department of Homeland Security and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega.
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Project Safe Childhood - Massachusetts Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Transporting A Minor for Illegal Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Lawrence Marks, 35, of Tewksbury, Massachusetts, appeared in United States District Court today and was sentenced to 12 ½ years in prison after pleading guilty to transportation of a minor in interstate commerce for illegal sexual activity, announced U.S. Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
In November of 2014, the New Hampshire State Police were conducting an investigation into the possible sexual abuse of several children in Franklin, New Hampshire. The investigation led to Lawrence Marks of Tewksbury, Massachusetts whom several witnesses identified as a man seen frequently with one of the minor children. Marks subsequently confessed to taking the child from New Hampshire to Massachusetts on several occasions where he engaged in sexual activity with her.
Marks will be supervised by U.S. Probation for 5 years after his release from prison. He will be required to register as a sex offender in any state in which he lives or works.
The case was investigated by the New Hampshire State Police and the Franklin Police Department in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Billerica, Massachusetts, Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Helen 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 Attorneys 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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Mexican Man Sentenced for Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE –United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced today that Angel Rayas-Villasenor, of Mexico, was sentenced to time served after pleading guilty today to illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported. Rayas-Villasenor will be deported to Mexico.
The Nashua Police Department arrested Rayas-Villasenor on November 26, 2015 for driving without a license. Fingerprints taken by the Nashua Police in connection with the arrest matched fingerprints on file relating to the defendant’s prior deportation. ICE ERO Deportation Officers arrested Rayas-Villasenor on December 8, 2015, after observing the Rayas-Villasenor exit his residence. Following his arrest, Rayas-Villasenor was transported to the Manchester ICE Office where he was booked and processed, which included obtaining a full set of his fingerprints. Those fingerprints were submitted to the Department of Homeland Security’s Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT) for comparison to a database of known fingerprints. IDENT matched the fingerprints to those in the database taken from the defendant on the occasion of his previous deportations to Mexico from Nogales, Arizona on August 6, 2014, and again on August 12, 2014.
The case was investigated by the Nashua Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega.
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Guatemalan Man Guilty of Illegally Reentering the United States After Previous DeportationRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced today that Victor Lopez, of Guatemala, pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported.
On February 15, 2016, a New Hampshire State Police Trooper stopped a vehicle for speeding on I-93 in Windham. There were five individuals in the vehicle. Two of the individuals provided the Trooper with foreign ID cards, and the defendant and two others refused to provide identification and refused to answer any questions. The Trooper requested that the ICE ERO Deportation Officer respond to assist with the identification of those three individuals in the vehicle. Using a mobile identification unit, one of the Deportation Officers submitted the defendant’s fingerprints to the Department of Homeland Security’s Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT) for comparison to databases of known fingerprints. IDENT indicated that the fingerprint impressions submitted were a match to those taken from the defendant, Victor Lopez, on the occasion of his previous deportation from the United States to Guatemala.
Following the receipt of this information, the Deportation Officer asked the defendant if he had any immigration documents that allowed him to be present in the U.S. to which he replied, “No.” A full set of digital fingerprint impressions were obtained from the defendant and again submitted to the Department of Homeland Security’s Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT) which confirmed that the fingerprints were an exact match to prints taken from the defendant on the occasion of his previous deportation to Guatemala in 2012.
Mr. Lopez’s sentencing has been set for July 7, 2016, and he will again be deported after serving his sentence.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security and the New Hampshire State Police and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega.
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