District of New Hampshire
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Project Safe Childhood - Newport Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography PossessionRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Allen Langlois, 49, of Newport, New Hampshire, pled guilty on Monday in 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation revealed that an individual was accessing a known child pornography website from the defendant’s Newport, New Hampshire residence, for which a federal search warrant was issued. When that warrant was executed in September 2015, hundreds of still images of child pornography were discovered on Langlois’s personal computer.
Langlois is scheduled for sentencing in July 2016. Pursuant to the terms of his plea agreement, he has stipulated to a sentence of 42 months’ imprisonment, followed by an extended period of supervised release. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000.
FBI was assisted in this case by the Police Departments of Newport, Manchester, and Nashua, 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 Attorneys Offices, 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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Project Safe Childhood - Massachusetts Men Sentenced for Human TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE: U.S. Attorney Emily Gray Rice, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Matt Etre and Salem Police Department Chief Paul Donovan today announced that Hansel German, 25, of Boston, Massachusetts, and Andy Pena, 21 of Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, were sentenced to eight years in federal prison for their involvement in the trafficking of a minor for prostitution. Enoc Ayuso of Dorchester, Massachusetts was also sentenced to five years in federal prison for his role in the trafficking conspiracy. A fourth individual, Rafael Reyes, will be sentenced next week in the United States District Court.
United States Attorney Rice stated: “One of the highest priorities of the Department of Justice is protecting our children from predators. Today, we are announcing the results arising out of our prosecution of four individuals who were engaged in a particularly heinous form of child exploitation – human trafficking. It is only through the collaborative work of law enforcement at the federal, state and local levels and the bravery of a minor child to come forward and tell her story that this case was successfully prosecuted.”
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Matt Etre said: “The announcement of the sentencing of the four individuals today brings a positive end to the USA’s prosecution and to HSI’s and its partners investigation, but the healing of a child victim is still a work in progress. HSI’s primary goal in pursuing these types of cases is to end this form of modern-day slavery and bring the victims out of the shadows in collaboration with our law enforcement agencies and non-government organizations. So let this case be a warning to those who feel that they can sexually exploit children and other vulnerable members of our community in New Hampshire that HSI and its partners will use all of their tools to identify you, bring you to justice and help rescue those victims that are living in the shadows.”
In February of 2014, Homeland Security Investigations, Manchester, New Hampshire, and the Salem, New Hampshire Police Department, with the assistance of the Boston Police Department, rescued a fifteen-year-old female who was engaging in prostitution from a Salem hotel room. Upon further investigation, authorities identified multiple individuals who were involved in the scheme to transport the female from Boston, Massachusetts to Salem, New Hampshire for prostitution. Today’s announcement is the result of the successful prosecution of those cases.
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Project Safe Childhood - Massachusetts Man Sentenced for Aiding and Abetting the Transportation of an Individual for ProstitutionRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Hansel German, 25, of Boston, Massachusetts, was sentenced in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire on Monday, March 21, 2016 on one count of aiding and abetting the transportation of an individual in interstate commerce for prostitution, and one count of possessing heroin with the intent to distribute it, announced U.S. Attorney Emily Gray Rice. The Court imposed a sentence of 8 years’ imprisonment, to be followed by an extended period of supervised release.
In February of 2014, Homeland Security Investigations, Manchester, New Hampshire, and the Salem, New Hampshire Police Department, with the assistance of the Boston Police Department, rescued a fifteen-year-old female who was engaging in prostitution from a Salem hotel room. Upon further investigation, authorities identified multiple individuals – including German – who were involved in the scheme to transport the female from Boston, Massachusetts to Salem, New Hampshire for prostitution.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (Manchester, NH) and the Salem Police Department, in conjunction with the police departments of Boston, Massachusetts and Manchester, New Hampshire, as well as the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (NH ICAC). This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nick Abramson and 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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Project Safe Childhood - Goffstown Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography PossessionRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Richard Sullivan, 23, of Goffstown, New Hampshire, pled guilty on Tuesday in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to possessing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
A joint investigation by the police departments of Goffstown, Bedford, and Hampton, New Hampshire, in conjunction with Homeland Security Investigations Manchester (HSI) and the New Hampshire Crimes Against Children Task Force (NH ICAC), led to the seizure of electronic devices from Sullivan’s Goffstown residence, several of which were found to contain images of child pornography.
Sullivan is scheduled for sentencing in June 2016. The statutory maximum prison term for the crime charged is 10 years, a term of at least 5 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The court will sentence Sullivan after it has had an opportunity to review a presentence report prepared by the United States Probation & Pretrial Services Office.
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 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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Marlborough Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Robert Ervin, 20, of Marlborough, New Hampshire, pled guilty in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to distributing heroin, possessing heroin with the intent to distribute it, and possessing a firearm as a regular user of heroin, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
On October 8, 2015, law enforcement officers from the Keene, New Hampshire Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the New Hampshire State Police, and the Attorney General’s Drug Task Force observed Ervin engaging in what appeared to be a suspicious hand-to-hand transaction in Keene, New Hampshire. When approached by the officers, Ervin admitted that he had just sold a quantity of heroin. A search of his person and vehicle revealed the presence of additional heroin and a loaded firearm.
Ervin is scheduled to be sentenced in June 2016. The statutory maximum prison term for the crimes charged is 20 years, a term of supervised release of at least 3 years, and a fine of up to $500,000. The court will sentence Ervin 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 law enforcement from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Keene, New Hampshire Police Department, the New Hampshire State Police, the Attorney General’s Drug Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nick Abramson.
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Winchester Man Sentenced to 135 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 Jamie Hilow, age 28, of Winchester, New Hampshire was sentenced by United States District Judge Landya B. McCafferty to 135 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. The Grand Jury for the District of New Hampshire indicted Hilow for the crime September 23, 2015. Hilow pleaded guilty to the charge on October 27, 2015.
After a lengthy investigation, law enforcement determined that Hilow was employed as a runner for a drug trafficking organization headed, authorities allege, by Ross Gould, age 28, of Richmond, New Hampshire. Hilow distributed heroin for Gould to numerous individuals in and around Keene. On March 16, 2015, Gould was charged federally with possession with the intent to distribute heroin after search warrants executed at his Richmond, New Hampshire residence and another residence utilized by Gould to store narcotics on March 10, 2015 resulted in the seizure of over a kilogram of heroin, a large quantity of cocaine, prescription pills, currency, and 14 firearms.
“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 who are responsible for the importation of large quantities of heroin into New Hampshire from source cities such as Lawrence, Massachusetts” stated United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
Upon release from the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Hilow will be on supervised release under the supervision of the United States Probation Office for five years and as much as life. Should Hilow violate the terms of his supervised release, he could be sentenced to an additional prison term.
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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Richmond, New Hampshire Man Pleads Guilty to Causing Misbranded Drugs to Be Introduced into Interstate CommerceRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. –United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced that Panos Eliopoulos, age 37, of Richmond, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty before United States Magistrate Judge Andrea K. Johnstone to causing misbranded drugs to be introduced into interstate commerce.
Eliopoulos and his wife, Katie Eliopoulos, have operated the retail establishment, “Phat Stuff”, located at 84 Main Street, Keene, New Hampshire since 2011. In July, 2013, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) received information that drug paraphernalia and smokeable synthetic cannabinoid products, commonly known as “spice”, were being sold from Phat Stuff. In August 2013 a DEA agent visited the store and observed a glass display case which contained numerous foil packages marked with various names which the DEA SA believed, based his training and experience, contained synthetic cannabinoids.
As a result of the DEA SA’s observations, on August 9, 2013 a DEA cooperating source (CS), acting at the direction of DEA, entered Phat Stuff and purchased four packets of a substance labeled “Griffon” from an employee of the defendant. Agents examined a packet of “Griffon” and concluded that it was misbranded in that: (1) the product was sold as potpourri when in fact the product was intended for use as a drug for human consumption; (2) its label, in package form, failed to include the name and address of the manufacturer, packer, or distributor; (3) its labeling did not bear adequate directions for use; and (4) its labeling did not bear such adequate warnings against use in those pathological conditions and by children, where its use may be dangerous to health, and against unsafe dosages and methods and duration of administration and application, in such manner or form, as are necessary for the protection of users. The DEA laboratory subsequently identified the substances as PB- 22, which at the time was an analogue of JWH-018, a Schedule I controlled substance.
As part of the plea agreement, Eliopoulos agreed to civilly forfeit to the United States the amount of $10,729.59 as well as a quantity of drug paraphernalia that was seized as part of the search. Eliopoulos is scheduled to be sentenced on June 14, 2016. The plea agreement contains a binding stipulation that the United States will recommend a sentence of one year probation. Eliopoulos was released pending sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by the: United States Drug Enforcement Administration and the Keene, New Hampshire Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Cole Davis is prosecuting the case.
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Man Indicted on Weapons ChargesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Daniel E. Musso, Sr., 54, of East Kingston, New Hampshire, was indicted in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire for receiving and possessing grenades, reports United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
The indictment charges Musso with four counts of receiving and possessing an unregistered firearm, specifically, grenades.
The charges resulted from an undercover investigation by the FBI. In January, Musso allegedly met with and told an undercover FBI agent posing as an arms dealer that he wanted to acquire grenades. He and the undercover agent allegedly agreed on a price for the grenades and agreed to another meeting to complete the transaction. On January 27, the undercover agent delivered four grenades to Musso at a location in Seabrook, New Hampshire. Musso was arrested by other FBI agents as he approached his vehicle carrying a bag containing the grenades.
Musso has been in custody since he was arrested. Today, after he was arraigned on the indictment, the court ordered that Musso be detained pending trial.
A trial has been scheduled for May 3, 2016. The statutory maximum for each of the charges in the indictment is 10 years in prison. If convicted, Musso’s sentence will be determined by the court after a presentence investigation report is prepared.
This case was investigated by the FBI New Hampshire Joint Terrorism Task Force. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark S. Zuckerman.
An indictment is merely an allegation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Former Manchester Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Okello Odongo, 36, of Snellville, Georgia, pleaded guilty in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to 19 counts of filing false tax returns and fraudulently obtaining tax refunds reports United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
Odongo is a former resident of Manchester, New Hampshire, where he operated a tax return preparation business called Tax Smart Solutions Co. As a tax preparer, Odongo was authorized by the IRS to file tax returns electronically for his customers. One of the forms he filed electronically was an Allocation of Refund Form that instructed the IRS to directly deposit refunds into specified bank accounts. The form allowed a refund to be allocated to two or more bank accounts.
In 2011 and 2012 Odongo filed false tax returns on behalf of some of his customers that fraudulently overstated the amounts of the tax refunds they were entitled to claim. Odongo also filed Allocation of Refund Forms that directed the IRS to electronically deposit the fraudulent portions of the refunds to bank accounts Odongo held or had access to. None of Odongo’s customers knew that he used their doctored tax returns as a vehicle to defraud the IRS.
The statutory maximum for each of the 19 charges Odongo pleaded guilty to is five years in prison. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for June 22, 2016. The court will sentence Odongo after it has reviewed and considered a presentence investigation report prepared by the United States Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark S. Zuckerman.
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Manchester Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute CrackRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Juan A. Pichardo Mendez, 35, of Manchester, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to attempted possession of crack cocaine with the intent to distribute, reports United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
On August 1, 2014, Pichardo Mendez attempted to take possession of a package shipped from the Dominican Republic that had crack cocaine concealed in the flaps of the box. The box had been intercepted by Customs and Border Protection Agents in Puerto Rico when it passed through a Federal Express terminal at an airport. It was addressed to a fictitious person at a residential address in Manchester.
The Customs and Border Protection Agents sent the box on to Homeland Security Investigation agents in Manchester. On August 1, 2014, a Homeland Security Special Agent posing as a Federal Express employee delivered the box to the Manchester address, where it was accepted by a third party who lived at the premises. At that point, other Homeland Security agents interviewed the person who accepted the box. He admitted accepting the box for Pichardo Mendez, who was waiting to hear when the box arrived. In the agents’ presence, he sent a message to Pichardo Mendez that the box had arrived. Pichardo Mendez arrived at the premises shortly after he received the message, but before he retrieved the package he learned investigators were there and he left the area. Further investigation revealed evidence indicating that Pichardo Mendez had tracked the package from the time it was shipped from the Dominican Republic.
The statutory maximum sentence for the charges in this case is 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1,000,000. The court will sentence Pichardo Mendez after it has had the opportunity to review a presentence investigation report prepared by the United States Probation & Pretrial Services Office. The court ordered that Pichardo Mendez be detained pending a sentencing hearing on June 29, 2016.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Debra M. Walsh and Mark S. Zuckerman.
Farmington Woman Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Mail Fraud and Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – A 55-year-old resident of Farmington, New Hampshire, Susan Durrance, has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for a mail fraud offense that involved the theft of more than $396,000 from her former employer and three counts of filing false tax returns for failing to report the embezzled funds on her federal tax returns, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
Durrance stole $396,212.93 while employed as a bookkeeper for a privately owned appliance store in Wolfeboro and (later) Ossipee, New Hampshire from 2005 to June 2011. Durrance stole the money by issuing checks from the store’s operating account to make payments on her personal credit accounts. For example, in May 2010, Durrance paid for a tractor she purchased for her personal use by causing a $2,999 check drawn on the operating account to be mailed to the tractor’s manufacturer. Durrance also issued checks from the operating account to “Cash” or to herself in amounts that were inconsistent with her salary, which were cashed or deposited to her personal bank account.
In addition, Durrance failed to report the proceeds of her embezzlement scheme on her federal income tax returns for tax years 2005 through 2010. Through this conduct, she evaded paying additional taxes totaling $94,270 to the Internal Revenue Service.
Durrance was ordered to pay restitution to the victim of her crime.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and Carroll County New Hampshire Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Robert M. Kinsella.
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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 today that Alberto Martinez, of the Dominican Republic, has pleaded guilty to a two-count indictment alleging that he misrepresented a social security number and falsely claimed to be a U.S. citizen while attempting to get a New Hampshire driver’s license.
On November 5, 2015, a New Hampshire State Trooper requested assistance from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO) in identifying an individual who was attempting to renew a New Hampshire driver’s license.
The individual initially claimed to be a United States Citizen born in Puerto Rico. He had filled out and signed a renewal application on which he had entered a social security number which had not been assigned to him and had answered “yes” to the question “Are you a United States citizen?”
ICE-ERO agents informed the defendant that they intended to submit his fingerprints to the Department of Homeland Security’s Integrated Automated Biometric Identification System (IAFIS) and the Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT) for comparison to FBI and ICE databases. Before being fingerprinted, the defendant admitted that his true name was Alberto Martinez, that he was born in the Dominican Republic and is a citizen of the country, and that he illegally entered the United States about six years earlier by walking across the United States border with Mexico.
Martinez will be sentenced at 10:00 AM on June 20, 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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New Hampshire Woman Pleads Guilty to Heroin ChargesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Crystal Watson, 35, of Barrington, New Hampshire, plead guilty in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and to five charges relating to distribution of heroin, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
In the winter of 2014-2015, law enforcement officers received information that Watson was distributing heroin in the Rochester and Barrington, New Hampshire areas. In March, 2015, three controlled purchases of heroin were made from Watson at her residence in Barrington, New Hampshire. On April 7, 2015, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Watson’s residence and seized $244,028.00 in cash, over 500 grams of heroin, and three firearms. Watson admitted upon her arrest that she sold heroin in New Hampshire since at least March, 2014. She stated that she purchased approximately two kilograms of heroin at a time in Massachusetts and sold it in New Hampshire for a profit of approximately $20,000.00 per kilogram.
Watson has agreed to forfeit the cash recovered during the search warrant, her interest in land located at the Baxter Lake Recreation Area, two log cabin style park trailers, and one Chevrolet Silverado 1500 truck, proceeds of her drug trafficking activities. Watson also forfeited the three firearms recovered in her residence.
The statutory maximum sentence for the heroin distribution charges is twenty years. The firearms charge requires a mandatory minimum sentence of five years to be served on and after any other sentence imposed. The actual sentence to be imposed will be determined by the court at sentencing after a presentence investigation report is completed. Watson is scheduled to be sentenced on June 1, 2016.
The case was investigated by the Strafford County Drug Trask Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Georgiana L. Konesky.
Mexican Man Sentenced for Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced today that Samuel Olmas-Arredando, of Mexico, was sentenced to thirty months in federal prison, after pleading guilty to illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported.
On September 19, 2015, officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations received information from the Bedford, New Hampshire H Police Department that the defendant, known to be a Mexican citizen illegally in the United States, was living at a motel in Bedford, and working at a construction site. The officers went to the motel, where they encountered the defendant speaking to the desk clerk as they arrived. One of the officers identified himself as a U.S. Immigration Officer and asked the defendant what his name was. The defendant responded that his name was Samuel Olmas-Arredando. The officer then asked the defendant if he was from Mexico, and the defendant replied “Si”. The defendant was then asked if he had any immigration documents that allowed him to be in the U.S. legally, to which he replied “No”. The defendant was taken into ICE custody and transported to the Manchester, New Hampshire ICE Office. Mr. Olmas-Arredando’s identity was confirmed through fingerprint comparisons and records that established he had been deported to Mexico from Oklahoma in 2009.
Olmas-Arredando pled guilty to the charge on November 23, 2015.
The case was investigated by the Bedford Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega.
Massachusetts Woman Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Bicky Zapata-Nivar, 29, a citizen of the Dominican Republic residing in Lawrence, Massachusetts, plead guilty in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to conspiring to distribute the Schedule II controlled substance 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 approximately 290 grams of fentanyl from members of the organization. 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 the defendant and her minor child in a bedroom. When the defendant heard law enforcement enter, she attempted to hide a suitcase containing drugs and packaging materials under a bed. The suitcase contained approximately 246 grams of a mixture containing the controlled substance fentanyl, an instrument used to compress drugs into ten-gram quantities for sale, blenders, and other packaging materials. Earlier that day, in the same bedroom, the defendant had packaged loose fentanyl for her co-conspirators to sell. The defendant admitted that she packaged drugs for members of this drug trafficking organization on prior occasions and was paid for doing so. A search warrant was also executed at the defendant’s residence where an additional quantity of suspected fentanyl was found, though lab results have not yet confirmed the nature of that substance.
Zapata-Nivar will be detained pending sentencing, which is presently scheduled for June 8, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. The statutory maximum sentence for this offense is forty years in prison and criminal fines of up to $5,000,000. Zapata-Nivar’s actual sentence will be determined by the court at sentencing after a presentence investigation report is completed.
“Prosecuting those individuals who illegally introduce controlled substances into our communities is a priority of my office,” stated United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice. “Fentanyl, in particular, is an incredibly dangerous substance responsible for many overdose deaths in New Hampshire. We will continue to work tirelessly to prosecute those who seek to profit from the sale of this dangerous drug.”
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Georgiana L. Konesky.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Transport an Individual for ProstitutionRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE - Andy Pena, 21, of Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, was sentenced in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire on one count of transporting an individual in interstate commerce for prostitution, announced U.S. Attorney Emily Gray Rice. The Court imposed a sentence of 8 years’ imprisonment, to be followed by a period of supervised release.
In February of 2014, Homeland Security Investigations, Manchester, New Hampshire, and the Salem, New Hampshire Police Department, with the assistance of the Boston Police Department, rescued a fifteen-year-old female who was engaging in prostitution from a Salem hotel room. Upon further investigation, authorities identified multiple individuals – including Pena – who were involved in the scheme to transport the female from Boston, Massachusetts to Salem, New Hampshire for prostitution.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (Manchester, NH) and the Salem Police Department, in conjunction with the police departments of Boston, Massachusetts and Manchester, New Hampshire, as well as the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (NH ICAC). This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nick Abramson and 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Dover Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography PossessionRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE - Shawn Gagne, 30, of Dover, New Hampshire, pled guilty on Monday in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to possessing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
A joint investigation by the Dover, New Hampshire Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations Manchester, and the New Hampshire Crimes Against Children Task Force resulted in the seizure of Gagne’s personal computer from his residence in Dover, New Hampshire. A subsequent analysis of that computer revealed several dozen videos of child pornography.
Gagne is scheduled for sentencing in June 2016. He faces a maximum prison term of 10 years, to be followed by a term of at least 5 years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
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 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.
Rochester Man Sentenced to 39 Months on Bank Robbery ChargeRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Thomas Hegarty, 21, of Rochester, 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 39 months imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and full restitution to the victim bank.
Hegarty walked into a Bank of America in Rochester, New Hampshire, on January 20, 2015, held an object under his sweatshirt to simulate a weapon, and handed the teller a note demanding money. He then made off with $400 in stolen funds. Surveillance cameras captured images of the robbery and law enforcement quickly identified Hegarty. He was apprehended later that day.
This case was investigated by the Rochester Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Georgiana Konesky.
Honduran Man Guilty of Illegally Reentering the United States After Two Previous DeportationsRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – Douglas Mejia-Romero, of Honduras, pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported to Honduras, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
On June 11, 2015, Douglas Mejia-Romero appeared at a Manchester office of the New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and attempted to obtain a New Hampshire driver’s license. Mejia-Romero applied for the license using a false identity and possessed documents that purported to be a birth certificate establishing his birth in Puerto Rico, a certified driving record from the Department of Transportation in Puerto Rico, a driver’s license issued in Puerto Rico and a social security card issued in the name of the false identity. A New Hampshire State Trooper began questioning Mejia-Romero about the documents and sought the assistance of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations officers.
Two ICE-ERO officers responded to the DMV office and identified themselves to Mejia-Romero. The officers advised Mejia-Romero that they would be taking his fingerprints and would soon find out his true identity. At that time, the defendant admitted to the officers that his true name was Douglas Mejia, that he had been previously deported and that he had no documents allowing him to legally be in the United States. Subsequent fingerprint tests and investigation confirmed that the defendant was, in fact, Douglas Mejia-Romero from Honduras, and that he had been previously deported from Texas and from Florida to Honduras.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 1, 2016. Mejia-Romero 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.
Salem Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography PossessionRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Matthew Castricone, 27, of Salem, New Hampshire, pled guilty on Monday in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to possessing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
An investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Salem, New Hampshire Police Department resulted in the issuance of a search warrant for Castricone’s Salem residence. When that warrant was executed in October 2015, officers discovered dozens of videos of child pornography located on Castricone’s personal computer.
Scheduled for sentencing in May 2016, Castricone faces a maximum prison term of 10 years, to be followed by a term of at least 5 years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Boston and New Hampshire offices), and the Salem, New Hampshire Police Department. 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 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.
Concord Man Sentenced on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Nicholas Ethier, 36, of Concord, New Hampshire, was sentenced in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in violation of federal law, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice. The Court imposed a term of 37 months’ imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.
During the early morning hours of January 28, 2015, Ethier got into an argument with his neighbor and fired a weapon out the front door of his residence in Concord, New Hampshire. The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms classified the weapon Ethier fired as a .32 caliber machinegun. No one was harmed in the incident. The Concord Police Department obtained a search warrant for Ethier’s apartment and found ammunition in the residence. Ethier was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition because he was previously convicted of reckless conduct, a felony punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.
“The extremely dangerous conduct of the defendant, the discharge of a machinegun in a downtown Concord neighborhood, underscores the importance of ensuring that prohibited persons do not possess firearms,” stated United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice. “Our office will continue to combat the threat posed when convicted felons possess firearms.”
This case was investigated by the Concord Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Georgiana L. Konesky.
New York Man Sentenced for Passport FraudRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced today that Jeffrey Slamow, of Lynbrook, NY, was sentenced to three years’ probation after pleading guilty to a one-count Indictment alleging that he filed a false affidavit in connection with the fraudulent passport application of another individual.
On June 22, 2011 Slamow intentionally filed a false Sworn Affidavit of Identifying Witness (U.S. State Department form DS-71) supporting the fraudulent passport application of a friend. Slamow’s friend was not a citizen or national of the United States and could not obtain a passport in his own identity. The friend submitted a passport application using the identity information of another person known to Slamow. The Sworn Affidavit of Identifying Witness that was executed by Slamow was false because Slamow knew the applicant was not a citizen of the United States and knew the applicant’s true name was not that listed on the application.
Slamow pled guilty to the charge on November 4, 2015.
The case was investigated by the U.S. State Department Diplomatic Security Service. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega.
Manchester Man Sentenced on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE - Nathan Tremblay, 23, of Manchester, New Hampshire, was sentenced today in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person in violation of federal law, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice. The Court imposed a term of five months’ imprisonment, followed by five months of community confinement and two years of supervised release.
On August 10, 2014, Tremblay was a passenger in a vehicle that was subject to a traffic stop by the Concord Police Department. The defendant was carrying a Taurus handgun and 34 rounds of Hornady 9 mm ammunition. Concord Police also seized a backpack belonging to the defendant. After searching it with the defendant’s consent, the police found three small plastic baggies containing the controlled substance marijuana. The defendant was a regular user of the controlled substance marijuana at the time he possessed the firearm, and had purchased and re-sold a quarter of a pound of marijuana earlier that day.
“The combination of firearms and illegal drug use presents a particularly dangerous potential harm to the public,” stated United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice. “Our office will continue to combat the threat posed when unlawful users of controlled substances possess firearms.”
This case was investigated by the Concord Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Queen City Drywaller Jailed for Under-The-Table Payroll SchemeRead the Press Release
CONCORD – United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced that a New Hampshire drywall contractor was sentenced today to federal prison for an under-the-table payroll scheme that cost the U.S. Treasury more than $750,000. Senior United States District Judge Steven A. McAuliffe sentenced Cruz E. Galvan, age 39, of Manchester, New Hampshire, to eighteen months in federal prison and ordered him to pay restitution to the U.S. Treasury.
Galvan previously pleaded guilty to one count of Federal Employment Tax Evasion based upon his admitted scheme to dodge federal employment taxes on wages he paid to employees of his Manchester, New Hampshire dry wall business, Four Star Drywall, LLC. During his plea hearing, Galvan admitted that from April 2010 until December 2012, he paid the employees of Four Star Drywall with vouchers instead of with checks. He further admitted that he instructed those employees to present the vouchers to a local check cashing business to which he had previously provided funds and instructions to pay the vouchers upon presentment in cash. Galvan acknowledged that he did not report to the Internal Revenue Service the wages he paid in that fashion, thereby evading federal income tax withholding and Social Security, Medicare and federal unemployment taxes.
In addition to the eighteen-month prison term, Judge McAuliffe ordered Galvan to pay $786,553 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service, $100,000 of which Galvan had paid in anticipation of the restitution order several weeks before today’s sentencing hearing. Immigration proceedings have been commenced to remove Galvan, an undocumented alien, from the United States after he serves his sentence.
The investigation of Galvan was led by the Manchester, New Hampshire offices of the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Morse.
Primary Day Hotlines to Be Operated by the United States Attorney’s Office and the New Hampshire Attorney General’s OfficeRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice and New Hampshire Attorney General Joseph Foster announced today that both the United States Attorney's Office and the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office will staff voting inquiry and complaint lines at their respective offices throughout the day and evening on Primary Day, February 9, 2016.
The New Hampshire Attorney General’s toll free election line phone number is:
1-866-868-3703
(1-866-VOTER03)This phone line will be staffed from 7 am to 8 pm on Primary Day. Inquiries and complaints may also be submitted via e-mail at [email protected]. Information regarding voting rights may be obtained by visiting the New Hampshire Attorney General's Office website at http://doj.nh.gov/site-map/voters.htm.
The United States Attorney’s election line phone number is:
(603) 230-2503
This phone line will also be staffed from 7 am to 8 pm on Primary Day. Inquiries and complaints may also be submitted through the United States Attorney’s Web site at www.usdoj.gov/usao/nh by clicking on the “e-mail us” link. A Federal Election Fraud Fact Sheet that explains what triggers federal criminal jurisdiction in connection with elections and voting rights can also be found on the United States Attorney’s Web site.
The state and federal election lines are available to all individuals who may have questions regarding their voting rights or who want to file complaints with the New Hampshire Attorney General or the United States Attorney regarding their right to vote or any other election law violation.
For further information, please contact Assistant Attorney General Stephen LaBonte at the New Hampshire Attorney General’s office at (603) 271-3650, or Assistant United States Attorney Mark S. Zuckerman at (603) 230-2579.
Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
CONCORD – United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced today that Hector Bienvenido Mateo-Beltre, pleaded guilty today to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. Mateo-Beltre 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 made 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.
A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for May 11, 2016.
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.
Rochester Man Convicted of Heroin TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced that on February 5, 2016, a jury found Lorenzo Ramirez, age 58, of Rochester, New Hampshire, guilty of three counts of unlawful distribution of heroin and one count of unlawful possession of with the intent to distribute heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1), after a four-day trial in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire.
The trial began on Tuesday, February 2, 2016 and ended with the jury’s verdict today. The guilty verdict means that the jury found that Ramirez made three sales of approximately 42 grams of heroin in Rochester, New Hampshire in February and March 2015 to an undercover officer working with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration. On March 4, 2015, after conducting a third sale to the undercover officer, Ramirez was arrested and found to be in possession of an additional ten grams of heroin, which was packaged for redistribution, and $750 in cash.
Ramirez’s sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Joseph N. LaPlante is scheduled for May 19, 2016. Ramirez, a citizen of Mexico will likely face deportation after he is sentenced.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Cole Davis and Seth Aframe.
Resident of Manchester Pleads Guilty to Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Ronald Alan Cook, a 44-year-old resident of Manchester, has pleaded guilty to robbing the Bank of New Hampshire at 705 Hooksett Road in Manchester on November 10, 2015, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
Cook entered the federally-insured bank and handed a note to a bank teller that stated, “I have a gun!! Give me all the 100, 50, 20 and 10 now and fast.” Cook also told the bank teller, “This is serious give me all your money 50, 100, 20s.” The teller took money from her teller drawer and gave it to Cook, who then ran from the bank.
A landscaper working in the vicinity of the bank saw Cook leave the bank. The landscaper provided the police with a description of what Cook was wearing. That description was broadcast to Manchester police officers, including one police officer who saw Cook riding a bicycle near the bank and detained him because he matched the description of the bank robber. While being questioned by this police officer, Cook admitted that he robbed the bank and that the stolen money was in his pants pocket. The police were able to identify the currency in Cook’s pocket as having been stolen from the bank.
Cook is facing a maximum statutory prison sentence of 20 years and a maximum fine of $250,000. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for May 11, 2016 before United States District Court Judge Steven McAuliffe.
The case was investigated by the Manchester Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by AUSA Robert Kinsella.
Federal Election Fraud Fact SheetRead the Press Release
Most issues concerning the administration and conduct of elections are governed and regulated by state law and are best addressed by state and local election officials. Federal law enforcement and prosecutorial authorities have jurisdiction to investigate and, when appropriate, prosecute election fraud in the following circumstances:
I. Federal Criminal Jurisdiction
Federal criminal jurisdiction over the activities described below can generally be obtained when those activities take place:
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In elections where a federal candidate’s name is on the ballot.
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In any election (federal or nonfederal), when the fraud involves the necessary participation of an election official acting “under color of law.”
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In connection with voter registration. The fact that voter registration is “unitary” in all 50 States (a citizen registers once to become eligible to vote for both federal and nonfederal candidates) confers federal jurisdiction regardless of the type of election.
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In connection with the misuse, or unauthorized trespass, involving a computer system used in connection with an election, to the extent that the misuse or trespass is conducted “under color of law.”
II. Conduct Actionable as Federal Election Fraud, Intimidation, or Suppression
The following activities provide a basis for federal prosecution under the statutes referenced in each category:
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Paying voters to register to vote, or to vote in elections where a federal candidate’s name is on the ballot (52 U.S.C. § 10307, 18 U.S.C. § 597), or through the use of the mails in those States where vote buying is a “bribery” offense (18 U.S.C. § 1952), or in federal elections in those States where purchased votes or registrations are voidable under state law (52 U.S.C. § 20511).
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Multiple voting in a federal election, voting for individuals in a federal election who do not personally participate in the voting act attributed to them, or impersonating voters (52 U.S.C. §§ 10307, 20511).
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Intimidating voters through physical duress in any election (18 U.S.C. § 245(b)(1)(A)); or through physical or economic intimidation in connection with registration to vote or voting in a federal election (52 U.S.C. § 20511, 18 U.S.C. § 594).If the victim is a federal employee, intimidation in connection with all elections is prohibited (18 U.S.C. § 610).
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Malfeasance by election officials, acting “under color of law,” such as diluting valid ballots with invalid ones (so-called “ballot box stuffing”), rendering false vote tabulations, or preventing valid voter registrations or votes from being given effect in any election (18 U.S.C. §§ 241, 242), as well as in elections where federal candidates are on the ballot (52 U.S.C. §§ 10307, 20511).
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Qualifying fictitious individuals to vote in federal elections by placing fictitious names on voter registration rolls (52 U.S.C. §§ 10307, 20511); or through “color of law” in any election (18 U.S.C. §§ 241, 242).
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Preventing or impeding qualified voters from participating in an election where a federal candidate’s name is on the ballot through such tactics as disseminating false information as to the date, timing, or location of federal voting activity (18 U.S.C. §§ 241, 242).
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Registering to vote, or voting in a federal election, by persons who are not entitled to vote under applicable state law, most notably persons who have committed serious crimes, and persons who are not United States citizens (18 U.S.C. §§ 1015(f), 611, and 52 U.S.C. § 20511).
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Falsely claiming United States citizenship in connection with registering to vote or voting in any election (18 U.S.C. §§ 911, 1015(f)).
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Voting in a federal election by anyone who is not a United States citizen in those States where citizenship is a requisite for the franchise (currently all 50 States) (18 U.S.C. § 611).
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Providing false information concerning a voter’s name, address, or period of residence in order to register to vote, or to vote in a federal election (52 U.S.C. §§ 10307, 20511).
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Causing the submission of voter registrations in any election, or of ballots in federal elections, that are materially defective under applicable state law (52 U.S.C. § 20511).
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Ordering, keeping, or having under one’s control any troops or armed men at any polling place in a general or special election, if one is a civil or military officer or employee of the United States government (18 U.S.C. § 592).
To report federal election fraud, intimidation, or suppression contact the United States Attorney’s Office Election Day Hotline at (603) 230-2503. Inquiries and complaints may also be submitted through the United States Attorney’s website at www.usdoj.gov/usao/nh by clicking on the “email us” link.
Complaints about ballot access problems or discrimination can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington, D.C. at 1-800-253-3931 or by TTY at 1-877-267-8971.
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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 today that Maynor Wenden Aleman-Troches, of Honduras, was sentenced to ten months in federal prison, after pleading guilty to illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported.
In August 2015, agents from the Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations observed the defendant as he was walking down a Manchester street. The agents recognized the defendant from a prior deportation proceeding and initiated an investigation, which resulted in the defendant’s arrest in Manchester on September 13, 2015. A comparison of the defendant’s fingerprints taken when he was arrested confirmed that he had been previously deported in 2006, 2007 and 2009.
On October 27, 2015Aleman-Troches pleaded guilty to illegally re-entering the United States after deportation.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega.
District Election Officer and Primary Day Hotline Established by United States Attorney’s OfficeRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced the establishment of a Primary Day hotline that will be monitored throughout Primary Day on February 9, 2016. The hotline number, which will be active on Primary Day, is 603-230-2503.
Assistant United States Attorney Mark S. Zuckerman of the United States Attorney’s Office will oversee complaints of election fraud and abuse of voting rights in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington, D.C. In order to respond to these complaints and address any abuse of voting rights, AUSA Zuckerman will be on duty while the polls are open.
United States Attorney Rice said, “The right to vote without interference or discrimination, and to have that vote counted, is the bedrock on which our democracy is built. Information about discrimination or election fraud should be reported immediately to my office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division. The Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will act promptly and aggressively to ensure that those who seek to undermine the integrity of the election process are brought to justice.”
Complaints about ballot access problems or discrimination may be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington, D.C. at 1-800-253-3931.
A Federal Election Fraud Fact Sheet that explains federal criminal jurisdiction in connection with elections and voting rights is posted on the United States Attorney’s website: www.usdoj.gov/usao/nh.
Manchester Woman Pleads Guilty to Robbing Credit UnionRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H.– Emily Gray Rice, United States Attorney for the District of New Hampshire, announced that MELISSA BOUCHER, 27, previously of Manchester, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge Landya B. McCafferty to an information charging her with one count of bank robbery in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(a).
According to court documents and statements made in court, BOUCHER was pressured to rob a bank by an individual with whom she was engaged in a romantic relationship. After drafting a demand note and providing BOUCHER instructions, that individual led BOUCHER to the Member’s First Credit Union at 44 Bridge Street in Manchester on the morning of March 3, 2015. BOUCHER, who was unarmed at the time, did as she had been instructed, passing the note to the teller, and fleeing the premises with approximately $6,250. The proceeds were then divided between her and the other individual. BOUCHER then utilized a portion of the proceeds to purchase heroin, on which she overdosed. When paramedics were able to resuscitate her, large amounts of cash fell out of her clothing. She was arrested and has remained in custody on a New Hampshire state parole violation since her arrest.
BOUCHER is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge McCafferty on June 6, 2016 at 2:00 p.m., at which time she faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty years, up to three years’ supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. She also faces a mandatory restitution order to Member’s First Credit Union.
This matter is being investigated by the Manchester Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charles L. Rombeau.
Former Madbury, New Hampshire Resident Sentenced to 33 Months in Jail for Mail FraudRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Nicholas Selby, age 31, of Snellville, Georgia and a former resident of Madbury, New Hampshire, was sentenced today to 33 months in prison after pleading guilty to a mail fraud scheme that involved the theft of $1,065,100 from his former employer, Planet Fitness Holdings, LLC, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
Selby was employed as a systems manager for the company. As a systems manager, Selby did not have authority to make purchases on behalf of the company. Nevertheless, from November 2013 to March 2015, Selby purchased 2,190 iPads from four technology vendors with whom Planet Fitness maintained credit accounts. He also caused Planet Fitness to pay for the iPads by submitting fraudulent invoices to the company’s accounts payable department. As the iPads were delivered to the company’s corporate office in Newington, New Hampshire, Selby removed the iPads from the building and sold them for his personal benefit.
Selby’s scheme was uncovered when another Planet Fitness employee contacted a vendor about an iPad the employee had ordered. During a conversation with the vendor, the employee was made aware of significant iPad orders placed by Selby. A company investigation resulted in a call to the Newington Police Department and the FBI.
The case was investigated by the Newington Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by AUSA Robert Kinsella.
Court of Appeals Affirms Conviction and Sentence in Mortgage Rescue SchemeRead the Press Release
CONCORD, New Hampshire - United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced that the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in Boston, Massachusetts affirmed Michael Prieto's New Hampshire conviction and 72 month sentence for committing mail fraud by organizing and managing a fraudulent mortgage rescue scheme. Prieto's crime grew out of the mortgage crisis in the mid and late 2000s and involved defrauding distressed homeowners out of their properties and then obtaining money by lying on subsequent mortgage applications to strip equity from these properties.
On appeal, the First Circuit rejected Prieto's argument that the government improperly charged him with a single, overarching fraud count. The Court concluded that the government's single charge against Prieto was appropriate because the charge reflected the "multi-faceted [and] complex scheme" that Prieto devised. The Court also denied Prieto's claim that the government had not presented sufficient evidence of Prieto's intent to commit fraud. In this regard, the Court concluded that "there was ample support to find that Prieto was both the conductor and a musician in an orchestrated fraud that worked for a while only because it was fraud." Finally, the Court determined that there was sufficient evidence that the lies Prieto placed in mortgage applications were important to the bank's decision to issue loans. As the Court noted, lies about a mortgage applicant's stated income and the planned use for the property (i.e., primary residence vs. investment property) are important pieces of information to a bank because they have a natural tendency to influence a bank's loan decision.
United States Attorney Rice remarked: "This was an important victory for the government. Individuals engaged in fraudulent mortgage rescue schemes took advantage of honest homeowners at their most vulnerable time. People like the defendant, who seek to leverage people's economic distress into personal gain, must be held accountable. Prieto's long sentence, which was affirmed by the Court of Appeals, will hopefully send a strong deterrent message that this kind of conduct will not be tolerated."
Prieto's appeal was defended by Assistant United States Attorney Seth R. Aframe. The underlying investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Postal Inspection Service. The case was prosecuted in the trial court by AUSA Michael Gunnison and AUSA Mark Zuckerman.
Seabrook Woman Sentenced to Home Confinement for Social Security, Food Stamp, and Medicaid FraudRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Beverly Eaton, 57, of Seabrook, who pleaded guilty to one count of Social Security Fraud and four counts of Making False Statements on September 28, 2015, was sentenced today to three years of probation, including six months of home confinement, and was ordered to pay $51,189.70 in restitution to the Social Security Administration and $11,235.36 to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
Eaton started receiving Food Stamps and Medicaid in 2008, and Social Security disability benefits in February 2009. Eligibility for each of these benefits programs is based, in part, on the applicant having limited income and resources. At the time she applied for benefits and at subsequent reviews to assess continuing eligibility, Eaton failed to disclose that she owned two pieces of real estate, each with an assessed value of over $30,000, and instead, falsely reported that she did not own any real estate. Her ownership of these properties would have rendered her ineligible to receive any Supplemental Security Income benefits, Food Stamps, or Medicaid. Eaton concealed her ownership of these properties from the Social Security Administration and from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services from the time of her applications in 2008 until her fraud was uncovered by an investigation in October 2014. As a result of her concealment and false statements, Eaton received $62,425.06 in disability benefits, Food Stamps, and Medicaid benefits that she would not have received if she had truthfully reported her real estate assets.
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’ Office of Improvement and Integrity, and prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Karen Burzycki.
Kingston Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography PossessionRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE - Gene Mondalto, 37, of Kingston, New Hampshire, pled guilty on January 21, 2016 in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to possessing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
A joint investigation by the New Hampshire Crimes Against Children Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations Manchester, and the Kingston, New Hampshire Police Department resulted in the issuance of a search warrant for Mondalto’s residence in Kingston. When that warrant was executed in August 2015, officers discovered several hundred images of child pornography located on Mondalto’s laptop computer.
Scheduled for sentencing in May 2016, Mondalto faces a maximum prison term of 10 years, to be followed by a term of at least 5 years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
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 and Hampton, New Hampshire. 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 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.
Manchester Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography PossessionRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE - Warren Robinson, 57, of Manchester, 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.
In February 2014, the New Hampshire Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Concord Police Department developed information that images of child pornography were being shared from Robinson’s residence in Manchester, New Hampshire. A search warrant was obtained and executed at that residence in June 2014, resulting in the seizure of a computer belonging to Robinson which contained dozens of videos depicting young children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Robinson is scheduled for sentencing in May 2016, and faces a maximum prison term of 10 years, to be followed by a term of at least 5 years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
The case was investigated by the New Hampshire Crimes Against Children Task Force in conjunction Homeland Security Investigations Manchester, and the police departments of Concord, Manchester, Raymond, and Bedford, New Hampshire. 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 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.
Dominican Man Sentenced for Misrepresentation of Social Security NumberRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced today that Richard Arias-Aquasvivas, of the Dominican Republic, was sentenced to time served since his arrest on July 15, 2015, after pleading guilty to misrepresentation of a social security number.
Arias-Aquasvivas was apprehended at the New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in Nashua, New Hampshire, where he was attempting to obtain a New Hampshire driver’s license using false identity information, including a social security number not assigned to him. Officers of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO) responded to a request by the New Hampshire State Police to assist in determining the defendant’s true identity. When confronted by the agents, Arias-Aquasvivas insisted his last name was Medina Torres and that he was born in Puerto Rico. An attempt to identify Arias-Aquasvivas through mobile fingerprint identification failed because Arias-Aquasvivas’ fingertips had been mutilated.
ICE-ERO agents interview the person who had driven Arias-Aquasvivas to the DMV office and that person identified the defendant as Richard Aquasvivas. ICE-ERO agents ran a records check on that name and obtained a photograph of Richard Aquasvivas that matched the photograph of the defendant. ICE-ERO records identified the defendant’s as a national of the Dominican Republic who was illegally in the United States. When the defendant was confronted with this information, he admitted his true identity.
Arias-Aquasvivas pled guilty to the charge on September 29, 2015.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations, and by the New Hampshire State Police. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega.
Resident of Barrington, New Hamsphire Sentenced for Stealing Labor Union FundsRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – After pleading guilty to a federal offense that involved the theft of money from a labor union, Gregory Paradis, a 37-year-old resident of Barrington, New Hampshire, was sentenced to two years of probation, announced United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice.
Paradis was elected president and senior steward of the Seabrook Nuclear Security Officers Association in May 2011. As president and senior steward, Paradis had control of the union’s checking account. In January 2013, the union’s vice president notified the Seabrook, New Hampshire Police Department that he suspected that Paradis was stealing money from the account.
An investigation of the allegations by the police department and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Management Standards, revealed that between May 2011 and December 2012, Paradis stole $13, 493.90 from the union. Paradis accomplished the thefts by using a debit card assigned to the account to make cash withdrawals at ATM machines and to purchase items for his personal benefit.
Paradis resigned from the union and voluntary terminated his employment as a security guard at the nuclear power plant in December 2012. When confronted by the union’s vice-president about the discrepancy in the union’s account, Paradis initially denied committing the thefts and blamed the account deficiency on an error by the bank maintaining the account. After an extensive investigation by law enforcement, Paradis eventually admitted he stole the funds and helped the law enforcement agencies determine the amount of money he stole.
Paradis was also ordered to repay $13,493.90 to the union.
The sentence was imposed by United States District Court Judge Landya B. McCafferty.
The case was investigated by the Seabrook Police Department and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Management Standards. It was prosecuted by AUSA Robert Kinsella.
Emily Gray Rice Sworn in as United States AttorneyRead the Press Release
CONCORD – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire announced that the Honorable Emily Gray Rice was sworn in today as the United States Attorney for the District of New Hampshire. U.S. Attorney Rice is the 56th United States Attorney for the district and is the first woman to hold the position after having been nominated by the President and confirmed by the United States Senate.
U. S. Attorney Rice has been a trial lawyer for thirty years. She began her legal career at the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office, representing the State of New Hampshire before the state and federal courts and administrative bodies. During her final three years there, she served as a senior assistant attorney general and chief of the bureau of civil law. After leaving the Attorney General’s Office, U. S. Attorney Rice spent more than two decades in private litigation practice, handling both trials and appeals. Immediately prior to becoming United States Attorney, she was a shareholder with Bernstein, Shur, Sawyer & Nelson, working in its Manchester, New Hampshire office.
U. S. Attorney Rice has been recognized by the New Hampshire Bar Association with the E. Donald Dufresne Award for Outstanding Professionalism; by the New Hampshire Women’s Bar Association with the Marilla Ricker Achievement Award; and by the New Hampshire Bar Association as an Honorary Fellow. Before becoming United States Attorney, she was the co-chair as of the New Hampshire Governor’s Judicial Selection Commission; the chair of the Leadership Council of the New Hampshire Campaign for Legal Services; and a member of the adjunct faculty at the UNH School of Law. U. S. Attorney Rice is a product of the Philadelphia public schools and earned her B.A. and M.A. degrees from Boston University. She is a proud graduate of the Northeastern University School of Law.
North Hampton Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography PossessionRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE - James Bednarcyk, 28, of Claremont, New Hampshire, pled guilty on Thursday in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to possessing child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.
In April 2014, an undercover investigation led by the Vermont Attorney General’s Office resulted in the identification of Bednarcyk’s residence in Claremont, New Hampshire as a potential location from which images of child pornography were being shared through the internet. A search warrant was obtained and executed for Bednarcyk’s Claremont residence in September 2014, and a computer was seized which contained a substantial number of images and videos of child pornography.
Bednarcyk is scheduled for sentencing in April 2016, and faces a maximum prison term of 10 years, to be followed by term of at least 5 years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
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 and Portsmouth, New Hampshire. 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 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.
Dominican National Guilty of 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, pleaded guilty today in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to one count of Social Security Number Misuse and one count of Making a False Claim to United States Citizenship, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.
On July 1, 2015, Alcantar-Bernabel applied for a driver’s license at the Department of Motor Vehicles in Manchester, New Hampshire 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. The Social Security card Alcantar-Bernabel produced as a means of identification appeared to have been altered, and 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 which 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 is scheduled to be sentenced on April 13, 2016. He is facing a maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment.
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.
Peterborough Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as A Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE - William Townley, 56, of Peterborough, New Hampshire, was sentenced in United States District Court yesterday for failure to register as a sex offender in violation of federal law, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith. Townley was arrested and detained on June 30, 2015. The court sentenced Townley to time served and five years of supervised release.
Townley is required to register for life under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). In January, 2014, Townley left New Hampshire and traveled to New Jersey and Indiana. He remained in Indiana from March, 2014 through September, 2014 and knowingly failed to register as a sex offender in Indiana or any other state and knowingly failed to update his registration in New Hampshire.
This case was investigated by the Peterborough Police Department and the United States Marshals Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Georgiana Konesky.
New Hampshire Man Sentenced to 63 Months on Firearm and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Robert Pierre, 35, of Rochester, New Hampshire, was sentenced yesterday in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith. The Court imposed a term of 63 months imprisonment and three years of supervised release.
On February 1, 2014, NHSP Trooper Haden Wilber conducted a vehicle stop of a gray, 2002 Volvo S60 with a NH registration in Durham, New Hampshire. The operator was Robert Pierre. While standing at the vehicle’s door, Trooper Wilber smelled the distinct odor of fresh marijuana.
A search warrant was obtained for the vehicle and law enforcement found several baggies of illegal drugs in a jacket on the front passenger seat and within the trunk. Law enforcement also found three digital scales and a Taurus .22 caliber handgun. The drugs were individually wrapped and the scales had a powder-like residue and a residue consistent with marijuana. The drugs were analyzed and tested positive for marijuana, methylone, crack cocaine, cocaine, heroin and benzylpiperazine (BZP).
On July 22, 2002, the defendant was convicted of Breaking & Entering in the Night-time with intent to Commit a Felony in Cambridge, Massachusetts District Court, Docket Number 0152CR003296, a felony punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year. Based on this conviction, Pierre was a prohibited person who could not legally possess a firearm.
The case was investigated by the New Hampshire State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra M. Walsh.
New York Man Sentenced to 20 years for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith announced today that Phillip Binder, 43, of Woodside, New York, was sentenced to twenty years in federal prison after pleading guilty to producing and transporting child pornography. Upon his release from prison he will be supervised by United States Probation for a period of ten years.
Binder was arrested in Seabrook, New Hampshire, after traveling to meet an individual he had met in an online chatroom dedicated to the exchange of sexually explicit images of children. Binder came to New Hampshire for the purpose of trading images of child pornography. The individual Binder met was actually an undercover agent with the Department of Homeland Security (HSI) who had been conducting an investigation into individuals utilizing the website. At the time of his arrest, police seized a video from Binder depicting his sexual abuse of a young child.
“Mr. Binder traveled from New York to New Hampshire for the purpose of promoting the exploitation of children by trading child pornography,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Donald Feith. “When he was arrested, it was discovered that he not only wanted to trade child pornography, but that he was a predator who actively engaged in the sexual abuse of a child. This office will continue to work with law enforcement to identify, investigate, and prosecute those who pose such a threat to our kids. The sentence imposed in this case guarantees that a generation of children will be safe from this predator.”
“Those who sexually abuse children and use the Dark Web to promote their deplorable activity should be warned,” stated Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Matthew Etre. “We will use all the tools at our disposal to bring you to justice. I am proud of the HSI Special Agents, and of our law enforcement partners who devote themselves to stopping these criminals and keeping our children safe.”
The case was investigated by HSI in conjunction with the Portsmouth, Seabrook and Hinsdale Police Departments and the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Helen White Fitzgibbon.
FCI Berlin Inmate Sentenced on Federal Weapon Possession ChargeRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Randy Bragg, 45, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution in Berlin, New Hampshire, was sentenced in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire on federal weapon possession charges, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith. The Court imposed a term of nine months’ imprisonment, to be served consecutive to Bragg’s current prison sentence.
During a routine search in October 2014, correctional officers discovered on Bragg’s person a tooth-brush sharpened into a stabbing weapon. Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith stated, “We will continue to work with the Bureau of Prisons and the FBI to ensure the safety of BOP staff and the safety of inmates who we have been entrusted to its custody. Prosecutions such as this one should send a clear message that inmates found in possession of weapons can expect to be prosecuted and to serve additional time in prison.”
This prosecution arose from an investigation by the Federal Correctional Institution in Berlin, New Hampshire, in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to 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 pled guilty to transportation of a minor in interstate commerce for illegal sexual activity, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Donald Feith.
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.
“Protecting our children from predators such as Mr. Marks is one of the top priorities of this office,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Donald Feith. “This case demonstrates the results that can be achieved when local, state and federal law enforcement combine their resources to identify these perpetrators and bring them to justice.”
Marks is scheduled to be sentenced on March 30, 2016. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years.
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 is being 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.
Former Resident of Dracut, Massachusetts Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison for Fraud OffensesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Kurt Sanborn, a 48-year-old former resident of Dracut, Massachusetts, has been sentenced to 27 months in prison, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.
In May 2003, Sanborn used a private $500,000 loan to buy a home in Manchester, New Hampshire. In exchange, the private lenders received a first mortgage on the Manchester property which was recorded at the Hillsborough County Registry of Deeds.
In October 2003, Sanborn asked a mortgage company for a $685,000 loan to buy a second home in Gilford, New Hampshire. The mortgage company agreed to finance the transaction if it received first mortgages on the Manchester and Gilford properties. To deceive the mortgage company, Sanborn caused a mortgage discharge that contained the private lenders’ forged signatures to be filed with the Hillsborough County Registry of Deeds. Sanborn’s conduct involving interstate wire communication and documents that were delivered by the U.S. Postal Service as part of the fraud served as the basis for wire and mail fraud charges.
Sanborn was also charged with bank fraud based on his conduct in February 2004 in acquiring a $150,000 loan from a federally insured bank in exchange for a second mortgage on the Manchester property. Sanborn concealed from the bank the private lenders’ mortgage on the Manchester property.
In October 2004, Sanborn sold the Manchester property without disclosing the private lenders’ mortgage on the property to the new owners. He then used the proceeds of the sale to make a $185,000 payment to the mortgage company and to fully repay the $150,000 loan from the federally insured bank.
Sanborn pleaded guilty to the charges in May 2014.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service. It was prosecuted by AUSA Robert Kinsella.
New Hampshire Man Sentenced on Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting U.S. Attorney Donald Feith announced today that Gordon Potter, 35, formerly of Hampstead, New Hampshire, was sentenced to a term of 92 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3 year term of supervised release.
In August 2015, Potter pleaded guilty to a four count indictment charging him with three counts of possession of ammunition and firearms, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), and one count of being an unlawful user in possession of a firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(3). As a result of multiple prior felony convictions in New Hampshire state court, Potter was prohibited under federal law from possessing any firearms or ammunition.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 26, 2015, Salem Police conducted a routine traffic stop on a vehicle in which Potter was a passenger. After suspected controlled substances were observed in the vehicle, a search warrant was later obtained and law enforcement recovered a 12 gauge Mossberg shotgun; a modified Kel-Tec pistol; high capacity magazines, ammunition; four cell phones, and three laptop computers. The firearms were later determined to be stolen. Potter has remained in custody on a New Hampshire state parole violation since that date.
The case was investigated by the Salem Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Debra M. Walsh and Charles L. Rombeau.
Sinaloa Cartel Member Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Cocaine Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith announced today that Rafael Humberto Celaya Valenzuela, 40 of Hermosillo, Mexico was sentenced today to 17 years in federal prison after being convicted by a jury of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine.
A grand jury for the District of New Hampshire originally charged Celaya Valenzuela and seven coconspirators including Joaquin Guzman-Loera, a/k/a “Chapo” with the drug conspiracy in June 2011. A grand jury returned a superseding indictment in July 2012; shortly before Celaya Valenzuela’s arrest in Spain on August 7, 2012 conspirators Samuel Zazueta Valenzuela, Jesus Gonzalo Palazuelo Soto, and Jesus Manuel Gutierrez Guzman arrived there to monitor the delivery of 346 kilograms of cocaine to Algeciras, Spain. The cocaine was delivered to a European port for eventual redistribution in Europe and the United States. The delivery resulted from negotiations between members of the Sinaloa Cartel led by Chapo and undercover agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation posing as members of an organized crime syndicate.
During the period of the negotiations there were numerous meetings with members of the conspiracy in the United States, including an April 2011 meeting in New Castle, New Hampshire, and a March 2011 meeting in Madrid, Spain to finalize the terms of the first delivery. During this time, three “test” deliveries of fruit were made to provide assurance to the conspirators that they were not dealing with law enforcement. The success of the test deliveries led to the ultimate delivery of the cocaine.
“This case illustrates that drug cartels based in foreign countries will go anywhere to distribute their deadly products,” stated Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith. “Mr. Celaya Valenzuela served as a representative of one of the world’s wealthiest and deadliest drug organizations. Without the work of dedicated agents from the FBI, the Boston Police Department, and the Spanish National Police, this long term investigation would not have been successful. I commend these agencies for their determination to bring these individuals to justice.”
Celaya Valenzuela will be deported to Mexico upon his release.