District of New Hampshire
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Boston Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in New Hampshire Credit Card FraudRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith announced that today Laura A. Minot was sentenced to twenty-five months in federal prison after she had pleaded guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Access Device (Credit Card) Fraud and one count of Aggravated Identity Theft. Minot’s guilty pleas arose from her role in a fraudulent credit card scheme. Minot, age 52, resides in the Mattapan neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts.
During her prior plea hearing, Minot admitted that on April 16, 2014, she conspired with others to purchase gift cards and high value merchandise at retail box stores in New Hampshire and Massachusetts using retail credit card accounts and lines of credit that she and/or co-conspirators opened in the names of other actual persons without their authorization or knowledge. Minot further admitted that she and co-conspirators opened the credit card accounts and lines of credit using misappropriated personal identifying information and false identification cards. Minot also admitted to wearing a disguise to facilitate some of the illegal transactions.
United States District Judge Paul J. Barbadoro sentenced Minot to twenty-four months incarceration on the Aggravated Identity Theft count and one consecutive month on the Conspiracy to Commit Access Device (Credit Card) Fraud. In addition to the terms of imprisonment, Judge Barbadoro sentenced Minot to a term of supervised release of three years and ordered her to pay restitution to the victims of her fraud. While on supervised release, Minot will have to abide by rules established by the court, including paying restitution. If she fails to do so, she could be required to serve more time in prison.
The investigation of Minot’s offenses was conducted and coordinated by the Boston office of the U.S. Secret Service and the Medway (Mass.) and Cambridge (Mass.) Police Departments. The Massachusetts State Police and local police departments in Acton, Ayer, Bedford, Boston, Brookline, Cohasset, Dover, Groton, Lincoln, Littleton, Medfield, Medford, Norton, Plymouth, Reading, Sudbury, Sutton, Tewksbury, Tyngsboro, Watertown, Wayland, Wellesley, Weston and Westwood, Massachusetts, and Hollis, New Hampshire, also assisted in the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Morse.
Peterborough Man Pleads Guilty to Failure to Register as A Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE - William Townley, 56, of Peterborough, New Hampshire, appeared in United States District Court today and entered a guilty plea to one count of failure to register as a sex offender in violation of federal law, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.
Townley was convicted of felonious sexual assault on a victim under thirteen in 1996 and is required to register for life under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. 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. Townley faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison and criminal fines of up to $250,000. Sentencing is presently scheduled for December 22, 2015.
This case was investigated by the Peterborough Police Department and the United States Marshals Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Georgiana Konesky.
New Hampshire Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Gordon Potter, 35, formerly of Hampstead, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to being a felon and unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of firearms and ammunition, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.
On February 26, 2015, Salem Police Detective Robert Genest conducted a traffic stop on a 2008 grey Nissan Sentra. While standing at the driver’s side door of the vehicle, Detective Genest observed a large hunting knife tucked into the side of the seat next to Potter’s left leg. Detective Genest subsequently determined that Potter was a convicted felon who was prohibited from possessing the knife. Detective Genest asked Potter to exit the vehicle and he noticed Potter trying to conceal a hypodermic needle in the palm of his left hand.
Detective Genest conducted a search of the defendant, incident to his arrest, and found a small bottle containing a baggy of a brown, powdery substance and five white pills in the defendant’s front pocket. A subsequent lab analysis determined the brown, powdery substance contained the controlled substances heroin, fentanyl and methamphetamine. The pills tested positive for 1 mg of lorazepam.
A search warrant was executed on the vehicle and the detectives found a 12 gauge Mossberg shotgun; a modified Kel-Tec pistol with silencer; ammunition for the two firearms; a red backpack containing male clothing, a fully loaded magazine to a Springfield .45 caliber pistol and several .45 caliber rounds at the bottom of the backpack; four cell phones, and three laptop computers. The firearms were later determined to be stolen.
On December 20, 2004, Potter was convicted of Burglary in Belknap County Superior Court Docket Number 04-S-324, a crime punishable by more than one (1) year imprisonment. Potter was also convicted of Forgery on June 20, 2006 in Belknap County Superior Court Docket Number 01-S-462, a crime punishable by more than one (1) year imprisonment.
Potter faces a maximum sentence of ten years imprisonment. Potter is scheduled to be sentenced on December 10, 2015. Potter was detained pending sentencing.
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. Attorney Debra M. Walsh.
Sinaloa Cartel Member Sentenced to 16 Years in Federal Prison for Cocaine Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith announced today that Jesus Manuel Gutierrez Guzman, 54, of Culiacan, Mexico was sentenced today to 16 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine. Gutierrez Guzman pleaded guilty to the charge on October 2, 2014.
A grand jury for the District of New Hampshire originally charged Gutierrez Guzman and seven co-conspirators 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 Gutierrez Guzman’s arrest in Spain on August 7, 2012 after he and conspirators Samuel Zazueta Valenzuela, Jesus Gonzalo Palazuelo Soto, and Rafael Humberto Celaya Valenzuela 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. Gutierrez Guzman was Chapo’s representative in the negotiations that began in 2009 in Mexico and culminated in the delivery of 346 kilograms of cocaine to the FBI in 2012. 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. Gutierrez Guzman served as a representative of one of the world’s wealthiest and deadliest drug organizations. I commend the FBI for its dedication to this long term investigation and its determination to bring these individuals to justice.”
Gutierrez Guzman was also fined $10,000. He will be deported to Mexico upon his release.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Ghanan Man Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United States After Previous DeportationRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith announced that Kwaku Nsiah, of Ghana, was sentenced to twelve months and a day in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported. Nsiah will be deported after he serves his sentence.
Nsiah was stopped by the New Hampshire State Police for a driving infraction on March 12, 2015. Nsiah was unable to produce a driver’s license but produced an identification card, issued by the government of Ghana, in the name of Nana Fosu. Nsiah told the trooper that he had entered the United States through JFK International Airport on a visitor visa in November 2014.
Nsiah was arrested for operating without a license and taken to the New Hampshire State Police barracks in Bedford. While being held at the barracks, Nsiah was approached by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents concerning his status in the United States. Nsiah repeated that his name was Nana Fosu and he entered the United States through New York in 2014. After being advised by the agents that the immigration databases contained no record of any such entry, Nsiah stated he entered the United States illegally through Mexico in 2010.
Subsequent investigation through the use of fingerprint comparisons established Nsiah’s true name, that he had been convicted for distribution of heroin, and that he was previously deported in 1996.
Nsiah pled guilty to the charge on May 21, 2015.
The charge was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega.
Manchester Man Convicted of Operating Continuing Criminal EnterpriseRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith today announced that Alkis Nakos (“Nakos”), age 36, was convicted by a federal jury of operating a Continuing Criminal Enterprise, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 848, and of engaging in a conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, MDMA (a/k/a Ecstasy) and in excess of 1000 kilograms of marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846.
Testimony and other evidence during the week-long trial established that between 2008 and 2014 Nakos was part of a Drug Trafficking Organization (“DTO”) centered in Canada and led by Mihail Leventis, a Canadian citizen. The DTO was responsible for the transportation of large quantities of marijuana into the United States by various methods, including 1000-pound loads delivered by tractor trailers. The marijuana destined for New Hampshire was packaged in Home Depot boxes or black hockey bags and typically labeled “NH,” a reference Nakos, the intended recipient of the marijuana.
The investigation revealed that Nakos obtained and distributed significant quantities of marijuana and MDMA (a/k/a Ecstasy). Nakos directed one of his coconspirators, Kosmas Koustas, to obtain marijuana for distribution from DTO members located in Worcester and Millbury, Massachusetts. After Koustas obtained the marijuana he transported it to New Hampshire and then distributed it to numerous coconspirators for further distribution.
On March 30, 2014, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence of Kosmas Koustas. During the search, law enforcement seized a shoebox containing approximately two pounds of MDMA, firearms, and one pound, vacuum-sealed package containing marijuana. The packaging of the one pound of marijuana contained the letters “NH” and “Grand Master” written across the top.
Alkis Nakos is scheduled to be sentenced on December 18, 2015. Each of the counts contained in the Indictment carry a 20 year minimum mandatory term of incarceration. The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the US Customs and Border Patrol, the New Hampshire State Police, the Massachusetts State Police, the Manchester, New Hampshire, Police Department, the New Hampshire Liquor Commission, the Oklahoma State Police, and the Pittsburg, New Hampshire, Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Terry L. Ollila.
Rollinsford Man Sentenced for Serial Bank FraudRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney Donald A. Feith announced that United States Senior District Judge Joseph A. DiClerico today sentenced Christopher J. Bailey to a term of 33 months in federal prison based upon his previous pleas of guilty to one count each of Bank Fraud, False Statement on a Loan or Credit Application, and False Representation of Military Decorations and Medals (Stolen Valor). Bailey, age 28, lived in Rollinsford, New Hampshire, at the time of the offenses for which he was sentenced.
According to statements and documents relating to Bailey’s and sentencing, the Bank Fraud and loan-related offenses arose from Bailey’s execution of a scheme to serially defraud the federal government and at least ten private financial institutions of more than $1.6 million dollars. The gist of Bailey’s scheme was to apply for loans based on the false pretense that the defendant had a successful agricultural business and the false representation that the defendant intended to use the funds to purchase farming equipment or other agricultural assets for use in that business. Bailey executed the scheme over a nearly five year period beginning in late 2009. The Stolen Valor charge arises from claims of military heroism that Bailey made to facilitate his fraud. Bailey attempted to substantiate his false claims of service and heroism by counterfeiting military documents and presenting them to lenders. In fact, Bailey never served in the military.
“Schemes to defraud government programs and financial institutions cause significant harm to those programs and to the system lenders rely upon when making decisions on lending,” stated Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith. “Our financial system relies on borrowers providing truthful and accurate information when seeking loans. Fraudsters such as Mr. Bailey damage the entire system of lending by imposing greater costs on truthful borrowers. Our office will continue to work with law enforcement to identify financial fraudsters and bring them to justice.”
In addition to the prison term, Judge DiClerico sentenced Bailey to a period of five years of supervised release, which Bailey must serve after completing his prison term. While on supervised release, Bailey will be required to abide by rules established by the court. If he fails to abide by those rules, he can be forced to serve additional time in prison. Finally, Judge DiClerico ordered Bailey to pay more than $670,000 in restitution to the lenders he defrauded.
This case was investigated by criminal investigators in the Manchester (N.H.) office of the U.S. Secret Service and the Salem (N.H.) office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, and the Boston office of the Department of Defense’s Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Morse.
Whitefield Man Indicted for Illegal Transportation of Hazardous MaterialsRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – A federal grand jury in the District of New Hampshire has indicted Lewis Scott Niles, 54, of Whitefield, New Hampshire, on four counts of illegal transportation of hazardous materials, reports Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.
The indictment alleges that from about September 2013 through about April 2014, Niles sold diesel fuel or fuel oil and a flammable liquid to be used in heating furnaces in his customers’ homes and businesses. Niles is charged with transporting hundreds of gallons of those combustible and flammable liquids without the required placards identifying them as hazardous materials.
Niles appeared today in the United States District Court in Concord, New Hampshire, for an initial appearance and arraignment hearing. A trial date was scheduled for October 20, 2015. Niles was released on personal recognizance pending his trial.
If convicted, Niles is facing a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
This case was investigated by the Office of the Inspector General for the United States Department of Transportation. It 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.
New Hampshire Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Shawn Goodine, 38, of Nashua, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to possession of an unregistered NFA firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.
On June 14, 2014, Nashua Police officers were patrolling in an unmarked vehicle in the area of Elm Street Middle School. While the officers were conducting patrol, they observed a white car traveling north towards the intersection a high rate of speed. The vehicle failed to stop at the intersection. The police activated their emergency lights and attempted to stop the vehicle. The white vehicle accelerated to approximately 70 mph in an area which is densely populated. The vehicle made several motor vehicle violations but ultimately stopped for the police.
As the officer approached the vehicle, he glanced into the back seat of the vehicle and observed, in plain view, a shotgun lying across the seat facing the passenger’s side seat. The officer ordered the operator, subsequently identified as Shawn Goodine, to exit the vehicle. Goodine complied and exited the vehicle. The officer requested a second officer check the firearm to determine if it was loaded. Goodine replied that a shell was in the chamber.
Goodine stated that earlier he went into an apartment to assist a woman when he was assaulted by two men and had a gun pointed at his face. After the assault, Goodine went to his apartment to get his firearm. Goodine stated, “I am glad you guys got me, I was going to kill them.” Goodine claimed he was driving so fast because he was enraged after having a gun put in his face. Goodine stated that he did not stop because he did not notice the police. Goodine admitted that he should not have had the shotgun. The police recovered shotgun shells from Goodine’s pocket.
The shotgun was subsequently measured and the approximate barrel length was determined to be 12 inches with an overall length of 32 inches. A barrel less than 18 inches renders the firearm an NFA weapon which must be registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. A search of the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record determined that the defendant did not register the firearm.
Goodine faces a maximum sentence of ten years imprisonment. Goodine is scheduled to be sentenced on November 30, 2015. Goodine was detained pending sentencing.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Nashua Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra M. Walsh.
Jamaican Man Guilty of False Statements in Obtaining US PassportRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – Sheldon Robinson, of Jamaica, pled guilty today to a one-count indictment alleging false statements in applying for a U.S. passport announced Acting U.S. Attorney Donald Feith.
Robinson is a citizen of Jamaica who was deported in 1997 under the name Patrick Alveranga. Robinson applied for a tourist visa under the Alveranga name in 1999 but the application was denied. In 2000, he applied for a worker visa under the name Sheldon Robinson. The application was granted with an expiration date of December 15, 2000. Robinson overstayed his visa and applied for immigration status, which was denied. During the immigration status proceedings, it was discovered that Robinson was the same person deported under the Alveranga name in 1997. He was granted a voluntary departure and was ordered to depart on or before October 9, 2009. Robinson failed to depart and instead applied for a United States passport in June 4, 2011 under a false identity. He was indicted by a grand jury on March 11, 2015, after agents of the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service uncovered the passport fraud.
Robinson pled guilty to willfully and knowingly making false statements to the State Department in a passport application in order to fraudulently obtain a United States passport. Robinson’s sentencing hearing was set by U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty for November 23, 2015 at 10:00 A.M. He faces a statutory penalty of up to five years in prison, but his advisory guideline range under the United States Sentencing Guidelines will recommend a sentence of six to twelve months
Robinson will be deported after serving his sentence.
The case was investigated by the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega is prosecuting this case.
Dorchester Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Transport an Individual for ProstitutionRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE - Enoc Ayuso, 26, of Dorchester, Massachusetts, appeared in United States District Court on Thursday and pled guilty to conspiring to transport an individual in interstate commerce for prostitution, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Donald Feith.
In February of 2014, the Homeland Security Investigations, Manchester, New Hampshire and the Salem, New Hampshire Police Department, with the assistance of the Boston Police Department, rescued a minor 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, including Ayuso.
Ayuso is scheduled to be sentenced in November of 2015.
“Ever since the passage of the Mann Act in 1948, the federal government has been investigating and prosecuting those who would transport individuals for the purpose of sexual activity. The transportation of minors for purposes of commercial sex activity is particularly egregious and is a primary enforcement priority for federal law enforcement,” stated Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith. “This office will work with local, state and federal law enforcement to secure convictions of and punishment for those who prey on children and use them for their financial advantage.”
The case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations, Manchester, New Hampshire and the Salem, New Hampshire 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.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced on Misbranding ChargesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith announced that Mohamed Alam, 62, of North Andover, Massachusetts, was sentenced today to one year probation in U.S. District Court after pleading guilty to Causing Misbranded Drugs to be Introduced into Interstate Commerce. Alam was also ordered to pay a $1000 fine and a money forfeiture of $18,737.00.
On October 3, 2012, the North Andover, Massachusetts Police Department responded to a call for a female having seizures due to a possible drug overdose. The female was interviewed at the Lawrence General Hospital and stated that she had been using “Crazy Monkey” which she purchased at the Richdale convenience store located at 4 Main St., North Andover, Massachusetts. “Crazy Monkey” is a synthetic cannabinoid.
The North Andover Police Department and DEA conducted an investigation using a confidential informant (CI) who purchased a variety of the “Monkey” products, all synthetic cannabinoids, from the convenience store between October 9, 2012 through June 20, 2013. On June 26, 2013, a federal search warrant was executed at the Richdale convenience store. The agents seized several packages of the “Monkey” product.
The synthetic cannabinoids were 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.
“Our office will continue to work with local, state and federal law enforcement to combat the sale of synthetic controlled substances,” said Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith. “The sale of these substances has been banned in New Hampshire, and we will continue to fight against the illegal distribution of these substances.”
“The North Andover Police Department appreciates the United States Attorney’s Office and DEA working with local law enforcement to combat our current problems with synthetic drugs and opiates. Our School Resource officers are educating students of these illicit drugs and their unknown ingredients that can cause traumatic overdose and other medical issues. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement and community partners to stem the flow of these substances that harm our citizens,” stated Paul J. Gallagher, Chief of Police, North Andover Police Department.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the North Andover Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra M. Walsh.
New Hampshire Woman Sentenced on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Sandra Egbert, 26, of Goshen, New Hampshire, was sentenced today in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to 18 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to make a false statement during the acquisition of a firearm and making a false statement during the acquisition of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith. Upon her release, Egbert will be placed on three years of supervised release which is monitored by the United States Probation and Pretrial Services Office.
Beginning in March 2014, agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), New Hampshire State Police, New Hampshire Attorney General’s Drug Task Force, Keene Police Department and Boston Police Department were involved in an investigation of the illegal purchase and sale of firearms involving Ronald Scott, Mitchell Riddell and Sandra Egbert. During the investigation, law enforcement learned that Scott, a Massachusetts resident, solicited Riddell, a New Hampshire resident, to purchase firearms. Riddell then solicited Egbert, whom he met in a homeless shelter, to purchase the firearms.
Between March 10, 2014 and April 3, 2015, Egbert purchased nine firearms on four separate occasions. During each transaction, Egbert made a material misrepresentation to the federally licensed firearms dealer by claiming that she was the actual purchaser of the firearm when she was in fact purchasing the firearms for Riddell. One of the firearms purchased by Egbert was recovered in Boston, Massachusetts during a drug arrest. The other eight firearms have not been recovered.
Riddell was convicted of conspiracy to make a false statement during the acquisition of a firearm and sentenced to 37 months imprisonment. Scott was convicted of conspiracy to make a false statement during the acquisition of a firearm, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (crack) and was sentenced to 33 months imprisonment.
“Straw purchasing is designed to avoid the regulatory controls implemented to ensure that firearms are possessed only by those individuals who may legally own them, said Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith. “Our office will work with laws enforcement to investigate those individuals who seek to end run the regulatory scheme and prosecute those who put firearms in the hands of those persons not legally entitled to possess them.”
“ATF will continue to combat firearms trafficking, especially the use of straw purchasers to facilitate this illegal trade,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge Daniel Kumor. “We will aggressively pursue straw purchasers of firearms because they are responsible for placing guns into the hands of criminals and for placing public safety in jeopardy.”
The case was investigated by ATF, New Hampshire State Police, New Hampshire Attorney General’s Drug Task Force, Keene Police Department and Boston Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra M. Walsh.
Fci Berlin Inmate Sentenced on Federal Weapon Possession ChargeRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Dwayne Palmer, 37, 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 six months’ imprisonment, to be served consecutive to Palmer’s current prison sentence.
During a routine search in August 2014, correctional officers discovered on Palmer’s person a six-inch piece of wood sharpened into a stabbing weapon.
This prosecution arose from an investigation by the Federal Correctional Institution in Berlin, New Hampshire, in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nick Abramson and Georgiana L. Konesky.
Two Plead Guilty to Drug Conspiracy in LaconiaRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith announced today that Roger Perkins, 31, of Methuen, Massachusetts and Windyann Plunkett, 32, of Laconia, New Hampshire pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base (“crack”) and quantities of cocaine. Perkins was additionally charged with being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Perkins and Plunkett appeared before United States District Court Judge Landya B. McCafferty to enter their guilty pleas.
According to documents that were filed in United States District Court, beginning on or around January 1, 2014, Perkins conspired with Plunkett and others to distribute narcotics from a residence he maintained with Plunkett located at 23 Gale Avenue, Laconia, New Hampshire. During the conspiracy, Plunkett would distribute the narcotics from the residence when Perkins was unavailable. On March 25, 2014, Perkins was arrested by the Laconia Police Department after he was located outside of 23 Gale Avenue and found to be in possession of crack cocaine and cocaine. A subsequent search of the residence resulted in the seizure of additional quantities of crack cocaine, cocaine, currency, and four firearms, all but one which were loaded, from in and around a safe stored in a bedroom closet. As a result of a prior 2005 felony drug conviction, Perkins is prohibited for life under federal firearm laws from possessing firearms.
Perkins’ sentencing hearing has been scheduled for November 2, 2015. Perkins’ plea agreement calls for a joint recommendation of 147 months of imprisonment. Plunkett’s sentencing hearing has been scheduled for March 6, 2015. Both face up to 40 years imprisonment. Plunkett’s sentence will be determined by the advisory sentencing guidelines which will likely generate a sentencing range far below the maximum penalty.
The case was investigated by the Laconia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Davis.
Former Waterville Valley Property Manager Will Serve Time for Defrauding Condominium Associations, Interfering with IRSRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney Donald A. Feith announced that United States District Judge Landya B. McCafferty sentenced Courtney Stone to a term of 18 months in federal prison based upon her previous pleas of guilty to five counts of Wire Fraud and one count of Corruptly Impeding the Due Administration of the Tax Laws. Stone, age 38, presently resides in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, but lived in Waterville Valley, New Hampshire, and worked for her family’s Waterville Valley property management company, at the time of the offenses for which she was sentenced.
The Wire Fraud offenses for which Stone was sentenced arose from Stone’s theft of funds from the bank accounts of twenty-eight Waterville Valley condominium associations for which her family’s company served as property manager. The tax-related charge related to Stone’s counterfeiting Internal Revenue Service documents in an effort to convince third parties to release to her funds that the third parties were holding on behalf of the property management company. The IRS lawfully had levied the funds to satisfy the company’s federal payroll tax debt.
In addition to the prison term, Judge McCafferty sentenced Stone to a period of three years of supervised release, which Stone must serve after completing her prison term. While on supervised release, Stone will be required to abide by rules established by the court. If she fails to abide by those rules, she can be forced to serve additional time in prison. Finally, Judge McCafferty ordered Stone to pay $956,717.55 in restitution to the victim condominium associations and others who suffered losses.
This case was investigated by the Bedford Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the Waterville Valley (N.H.) Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Morse.
Concord Man Pleads Guilty to Failure to Register as A Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Daniel King, 53, of Concord, New Hampshire, appeared in United States District Court on July 29, 2015 and entered a guilty plea to one count of failure to register as a sex offender in violation of federal law, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.
King was convicted of felonious sexual assault and aggravated felonious sexual assault and is required to register for life under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. In September, 2014, King left New Hampshire and traveled to Arkansas and other states. He remained in Arkansas from October 25, 2014 until his arrest on December 10, 2014. During that time, Mr. King knowingly failed to register as a sex offender in Arkansas or any other state and knowingly failed to update his registration in New Hampshire. King faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison and criminal fines of up to $250,000. Sentencing is presently scheduled for November 2, 2015.
This case was investigated by the Laconia Police Department, the Concord Police Department, and the United States Marshals Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Georgiana Konesky.
Campton Man Convicted by Jury of Manufacturing MarijuanaRead the Press Release
Concord, N.H. - Donald Feith, Acting United States Attorney for the District of New Hampshire, today announced that a federal jury in Concord has found PETER APICELLI, 31, of Campton, N.H., guilty of federal marijuana manufacturing charges.
According to the evidence at trial, in September 2013, APICELLI was renting a property in Campton, N.H. Following a tip, law enforcement investigated and found an outdoor marijuana grow on the property about 200 yards from the residence. A law enforcement temporary surveillance camera then captured video of a male individual wearing a red back-pack and tan shorts tending to the plants on September 14. After obtaining a search warrant for the house, police located an indoor marijuana grow in the basement, drying marijuana, packaged marijuana, scales and other packaging materials, as well as evidence indicating that APICELLI lived there, including a red back-pack and tan shorts. All told, over 120 marijuana plants were seized from the house and grounds.
APICELLI was found guilty today of one count of manufacturing marijuana, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 5 years. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Joseph DiClerico on November 12, 2015, at 10:00 a.m.
This matter was jointly investigated by the Campton Police Department, the Grafton County Sheriff’s Office, and the New Hampshire State Drug Task Force, with assistance from the New Hampshire State Police Forensic Laboratory. The case is being prosecuted by Acting U.S. Attorney Donald Feith and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau.
Dominican Man Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United States After Previous Deportation and Misrepresentation of Social Security NumberRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith announced today that Jose Rodriguez, of the Dominican Republic, was sentenced to forty two months in federal prison after pleading guilty to illegally reentered the United States after having been previously deported and to misrepresentation of a social security number.
Rodriguez was located at the New Hampshire State Prison in December 2012 under the name Pedro Luis Martinez-Ortiz. He was interviewed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at the prison and he insisted that his name was Pedro Luis Martinez-Ortiz and that he was born in Puerto Rico. The defendant provided a social security number under the Martinez-Ortiz name. When examining the defendant’s hands, the agents notice that an attempt had been made to mutilate the finger tips. Nevertheless, the agents took fingerprint impressions from Rodriguez and submitted scanned images of the prints to the Department of Homeland Security’s fingerprint database and to the database used by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The databases indicated that the defendant’s prints matched those of Jose Rodriguez, an individual from the Dominican Republic who had been deported from New York in 2002 and Miami in 2006. Interviews of the Martinez-Ortiz family in Puerto Rico revealed that Mr. Martinez-Ortiz had died in Puerto Rico in 2011.
Rodriguez pled guilty to the charges on April 9, 2015.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega.
Massachusetts Man Indicted for Illegal Possession of Firearm in New HampshireRead the Press Release
Concord, New Hampshire - Donald Feith, Acting United States Attorney for the District of New Hampshire, today announced that a federal grand jury in Concord returned a one-count indictment charging JEREMY ROBINSON, 26, of Hyannis, Massachusetts, with illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). The indictment was returned on July 1, 2015, and ROBINSON was arraigned yesterday in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrea Johnstone, where he entered a plea of not guilty.
According to the indictment and other statements made in court, ROBINSON travelled to New Hampshire in November 2014 and possessed an H&K 9mm pistol and ammunition manufactured by Fiocchi. At the time, ROBINSON was prohibited from possessing a firearm as a result of a prior felony conviction.
Trial has been scheduled to take place between September 1-15, 2015, in front of Chief U.S. District Judge Joseph Laplante. If convicted, ROBINSON faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a fine of up to $250,000.
Acting U.S. Attorney Feith stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Barnstable Police Department, and the Barnstable Sheriff's Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau.
Somersworth Man Pleads Guilty to Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Todd Elliott, 22, of Somersworth, New Hampshire, appeared in United States District Court today and entered a guilty plea to one count of bank robbery announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.
Elliott walked into a Citizens Bank in Somersworth, New Hampshire, on November 10, 2014 and gave the teller a note demanding money. The teller gave Elliott a quantity of United States currency as well as a dye pack resembling a stack of bills. As Elliott ran from the bank, the dye pack exploded which led to his apprehension shortly thereafter. Elliott – who faces a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison and criminal fines of up to $250,000 – will be detained pending sentencing, which is presently scheduled for November 13, 2015.
“The successful resolution of this bank robbery is due to the great investigative work of the Somersworth Police and the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” stated Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith. “Bank robbery, even an unarmed bank robbery, is an inherently dangerous crime that causes great turmoil to its victims. We will continue to work with our state and local partners to vigorously prosecute these dangerous crimes.”
This case was investigated by the Somersworth Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Georgiana Konesky.
New Hampshire Man Pleads Guilty to Being A Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Nicholas Rogers, 25, of Hooksett, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to being a felon in possession of firearms, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.
On November 14, 2014, Rogers pleaded guilty to in the United States District Court to one count of unlicensed firearms dealing and one count of making a false statement during the acquisition of a firearm. The court’s acceptance of Rogers’ guilty plea rendered Rogers a felon who was prohibited from possessing a firearm. He was scheduled to be sentenced in May 2015. However, prior to his sentencing and despite his felony status, in April 2015 Rogers used an online classified website to trade and purchase firearms. During one of these exchanges, Rogers attempted to sell a firearm to an undercover ATF agent.
A subsequent investigation revealed that from March 19, 2015 through April 11, 2015, Rogers traded or purchased five firearms from four different individuals through the online website. In addition, on April 17, 2015, ATF executed a search warrant at Roger’s residence and recovered a Norinco, SKS Model, 7.62 caliber rifle.
“The United States Attorney’s Office will work with law enforcement to identify, investigate and prosecute those who would violate the nation’s gun laws,” said Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith. “This case serves as an example of how the private trading of firearms can thwart the systems put in place to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals. We will continue to aggressively prosecute those who illegally possess firearms.”
"ATF is committed to combating illegal firearms trafficking whether it’s online or on the street. Illegal firearms trafficking puts public safety at risk and our goal is to keep guns out of the hands of criminals," stated ATF Boston Field Division Special Agent in Charge, Daniel J. Kumor.
Rogers faces a maximum sentence of ten years imprisonment. Rogers is scheduled to be sentenced on September 11, 2015. Rogers was detained pending sentencing.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra M. Walsh.
New Hampshire Man Charged with Computer Hacking and Cyberstalking in “Sextortion” Scheme Targeting MinorsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A New Hampshire man was charged with remotely hacking into the social media, email and online shopping accounts of almost a dozen minor females and threatening that he would delete, deface, and make purchases from the accounts unless the victims sent him sexually explicit photographs of themselves.
Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald Feith of the District of New Hampshire and Special Agent in Charge Lisa A. Quinn of the U.S. Secret Service’s Boston Field Office made the announcement.
“Predators troll the Internet in search of vulnerable children to extort for their own sexual gratification,” said Assistant Attorney General Caldwell. “The Criminal Division and our law enforcement partners are committed to protecting our youth from sextortion and to finding and prosecuting wrongdoers lurking in the shadows of the Internet.”
“Individuals who would take advantage of today’s modern technologies to entice and then threaten minors deserve special investigative and prosecutorial attention,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Feith. “We will continue to work with law enforcement, technology specialists and education professionals to teach minors about the dangers of placing personal information in social media and the need to report threats of this nature so that we may bring these predators to justice.”
“Child sexual exploitation is an alarming problem in our society,” said Special Agent in Charge Quinn. “The Secret Service is committed to work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute these predators.”
Ryan J. Vallee, 21, of Franklin, New Hampshire, was charged by indictment with 10 counts of making interstate threats, two counts of computer hacking to steal information, seven counts of computer hacking to extort and seven counts of aggravated identity theft. Vallee is scheduled to make his initial appearance at 4:30 p.m. EDT in the District of New Hampshire.
According to the indictment, from 2012 through November 2013, Vallee, using various aliases that included “Seth Williams” and “James McRow,” engaged in a computer hacking and “sextortion” campaign designed to coerce numerous minor females to provide him with sexually explicit photographs of themselves. He allegedly hacked into and took control of the girls’ online accounts – including their e-mail, Facebook and Instagram accounts – and threatened to delete the accounts, and defaced the contents of some of the accounts. Vallee also allegedly hacked into the girls’ Amazon.com accounts and, using their stored payment card information and shipping addresses, ordered items of a sexual nature and had them shipped to the girls’ homes. Vallee also allegedly obtained sexually explicit photographs of the girls and their friends and distributed them to others.
The indictment alleges that, in conjunction with his harassment campaign, Vallee sent communications to his victims, usually using a text message spoofing or anonymizing service, threatening to continue his attacks unless the victims provided sexually explicit photographs of themselves. The indictment alleges that, when victims refused to comply with Vallee’s demands and begged him to leave them alone, Vallee responded with threats to inflict additional harm.
The charges and allegations contained in an indictment are merely accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, with substantial assistance from the Belmont, New Hampshire, Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Mona Sedky and Trial Attorney Sumon Dantiki of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Arnold H. Huftalen of the District of New Hampshire.
Man Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion for Not Reporting Income from Wire Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – William M. Richmond, 59, formerly of Atkinson, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty to three counts of tax evasion for failing to report substantial illicit income he received from a wire fraud scheme from 2006 through 2008, reports Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.
From on or about May 18, 2005, through in and around April 2009, Richmond held a durable power of attorney to act for the benefit of Richard Piller. It gave him plenary power to manage Piller’s personal and business financial interests and obligations while Piller and his then wife, Joan Ettelson Piller (Ettelson), were out of the country for extended periods. Richmond used the Power of Attorney to perpetrate a wire fraud scheme through which he used Piller’s and Ettelson’s funds to pay his personal and business expenses. Richmond failed to disclose that criminally derived income on his tax returns for 2006, 2007, and 2008, and he failed to list the substantial additional taxes he owed for each year based on that income. Instead, Richmond falsely claimed that his only income was taxable interest and that he owed no taxes for each of the three years.
Richmond is facing a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. Under the terms of a plea agreement, Richmond will also be ordered to pay restitution of an amount to be determined by the court to Richard Piller and Joan Ettelson. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for November 3, 2015.
This case was investigated by special agents of the FBI and the IRS – Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark S. Zuckerman.
Derry Man Indicted on Charges Related to Sales of Synthetic CannabinoidsRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith announced today that a federal Grand Jury has returned a five-count indictment against Tony Aoude, 44, of Derry, New Hampshire that charges him with various offenses related to the sales of synthetic cannabinoid products.
The indictment charges Aoude with Distributing a Controlled Substance (AB-FUBINACA), Conspiracy to Violate the Travel Act, and Conspiracy to Receive Misbranded Products, as well as separate violations the federal Travel Act and the federal misbranding statute.
According to the indictment, in 2013 and 2014 Aoude sold synthetic cannabinoid products at stores in Londonderry and Hooksett, New Hampshire. The indictment alleges that the products contained XLR11 and AB-FUBINACA, which are illegal controlled substances. The indictment alleges that these products were sold in packages with false and misleading labels that stated that the products were “not for human consumption” or were “legal in 50 states.” Additionally, the indictment alleges that Aoude was advised by a co-conspirator that the products were unlawful in Florida. According to the indictment, Aoude and a co-conspirator arranged to sell quantities of synthetic cannabinoids to individuals who planned to sell the products in Florida.
Synthetic cannabinoids are green leafy materials that have been sprayed with chemicals. These products (commonly referred to as “spice” or “K2”) are often marketed as incense or potpourri. As in this case, the packaging materials often contain attractive logos that are designed to appeal to young people. Although the products are often identified as “not for human consumption,” the products are smoked in order to obtain a high. The chemicals that are sprayed on the products to produce the high are often illegal controlled substances or analogues of illegal controlled substances. The ingestion of these types of illegal products has caused some users to experience a variety of medical side effects and has led to numerous hospitalizations.
An arraignment date has not yet been scheduled.
The charge of distributing controlled substances is subject to a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. The misbranding charge is subject to a maximum penalty of three years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The remaining three charges each carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
The charges and allegations contained in an indictment are merely accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tactical Diversion Squad led the investigation in collaboration with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations. The investigators also received the invaluable assistance of DEA-NH/HIDTA and DEA’s Air Wing, the New Hampshire and Massachusetts State Police, the U.S. Marshals Service, Portsmouth Police Department, Somersworth Police Department, Kingston Police Department, the Dover Police Department, the Londonderry Police Department, and the York and Kittery, Maine Police Departments. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John J. Farley.
Vietnamese National Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison for Operating A Massive International Hacking and Identity Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Vietnamese national was sentenced to 13 years in prison for hacking into U.S. businesses’ computers, stealing personally identifiably information (PII), and selling to other cybercriminals his fraudulently-obtained access to PII belonging to approximately 200 million U.S. citizens.
Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald Feith of the District of New Hampshire and Director Joseph P. Clancy of the U.S. Secret Service made the announcement.
Hieu Minh Ngo, 25, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Paul J. Barbadoro of the District of New Hampshire. Ngo previously pleaded guilty to federal charges brought in the District of New Hampshire and the District of New Jersey, including wire fraud, identity fraud, access device fraud and four counts of computer fraud and abuse.
“From his home in Vietnam, Ngo used Internet marketplaces to offer for sale millions of stolen identities of U.S. citizens to more than a thousand cyber criminals scattered throughout the world,” said Assistant Attorney General Caldwell. “Criminals buy and sell stolen identity information because they see it as a low-risk, high-reward proposition. Identifying and prosecuting cybercriminals like Ngo is one of the ways we're working to change that cost-benefit analysis.”
“This case demonstrates that identity theft is a worldwide threat that has the potential to touch every one of us,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Feith. “I want to acknowledge the excellent work of the United States Secret Service in identifying and capturing Mr. Ngo. This case proves that the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire will work with law enforcement to investigate and prosecute identity thieves, even if they are halfway around the world.”
“The sentencing of this transnational cybercriminal illustrates another example of Secret Service success in the disruption and dismantling of global criminal networks,” said Director Clancy. “This investigation and the resulting prosecution and sentencing should serve as a warning to criminals that we will relentlessly investigate, detect, and defend the Nation’s financial infrastructure. This sentencing joins a long list of successes in combating financial crimes over our 150 year history.”
According to admissions made in connection with his guilty plea, from 2007 to 2013, Ngo operated online marketplaces from his home in Vietnam, including “superget.info” and “findget.me,” to sell packages of stolen PII. These packages, known as “fullz,” typically included a person’s name, date of birth, social security number, bank account number and bank routing number. Ngo also admitted to acquiring and offering for sale stolen payment card data, which typically included the victim’s payment card number, expiration date, CVV number, name, address and phone number. Ngo admitted that he obtained some of the stolen PII by hacking into a New Jersey-based business and stealing customer information.
In addition to selling the “fullz,” Ngo admitted to offering buyers the ability to query online databases for the stolen PII of specific individuals. Specifically, Ngo admitted that he offered access to PII for 200 million U.S. citizens, and that more than 1,300 customers from around the world conducted more than three million “queries” through the third-party databases maintained on his websites.
Ngo made nearly $2 million from his scheme. The Internal Revenue Service has confirmed that 13,673 U.S. citizens, whose stolen PII was sold on Ngo’s websites, have been victimized through the filing of $65 million in fraudulent individual income tax returns.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service’s Manchester Resident Office. The case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Mona Sedky of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Arnold H. Huftalen of the District of New Hampshire.
The case out of the District of New Jersey was investigated by the FBI, and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the District of New Jersey.
Guilty Plea in Fraudulent Employment Visa SchemeRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Jae Won Lee, 38, of Rockville, Maryland, pleaded guilty to two counts of causing others to make false statements on visa applications filed with the National Visa Center in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, reports Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.
Lee worked with an emigration company in Seoul, South Korea, that helped South Koreans obtain employment-based visas to immigrate to the United States. From in and around March 2008, through in and around December 2014, Lee recruited various U.S. employers, including Wallace Enterprises, Inc. d/b/a The Cleaning Authority, a company in Falls Church, Virginia, to file various documents falsely representing to the United States government that they would hire certain visa applicants if the applicants received employment-based visas, when, in actuality, no positions were available for the applicants. Lee told some employers they were not required to hire the applicants and he paid or offered to pay some employers for filing false documents.
Lee also falsely informed visa applicants that Wallace or other employers would hire them if they were granted visas. That caused the applicants to unwittingly file Applications for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration with the National Visa Center that contained materially false information identifying Wallace and other companies as the U.S. employers who would hire them if they were issued visas. Lee’s actions resulted in applicants receiving employment-based visas when there was no job waiting for them in the United States.
Lee is facing a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for November 3, 2015.
This case was investigated by the offices of the Inspectors General for the Department of State and the Department of Labor. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark S. Zuckerman.
North Hampton Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography PossessionRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Jeffrey Leblanc, 28, of North Hampton, New Hampshire, pled guilty on Friday in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to possessing child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.
On August 26, 2014, a search warrant was executed at Leblanc’s residence in North Hampton, New Hampshire. A computer was seized, which was later found to contain approximately 30 videos of child pornography. During an on-scene interview, Leblanc admitted that he had downloaded child pornography to his personal computer.
Leblanc is scheduled for sentencing in October 2015, and faces a maximum prison term of 20 years, to be followed by no less than 5 years of supervised release, lifetime sex offender registration, and a fine of up to $250,000.
The case was investigated by the North Hampton Police Department, in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security (Homeland Security Investigations), the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (NH ICAC), and the Salem 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 combines 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.
Fitchburg Man Sentenced for Attempting to Take Delivery of over 500 Pounds of MarijuanaRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith announced today that Todd Burke, 52, of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, was sentenced today to 28 months in prison by the United States District Court. The court’s sentence was less than the otherwise applicable guideline of 46 months based on the court’s findings that Burke did not profit from his criminal activity, that he was unlikely to recidivate, and that he lacked a criminal history.
Burke pleaded guilty on March 28, 2015, to attempted possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.
According to documents filed in federal court, federal agents located a pallet of boxes that contained approximately 263 kilograms (approximately 579 pounds) of marijuana in Vermont in September of 2014. Agents learned that the marijuana was scheduled to be delivered to a business in Peterborough, New Hampshire. Burke was arrested on September 24, 2014, after he traveled to Peterborough and attempted to take possession of the marijuana. Agents later recovered additional quantities of marijuana and hashish at Burke’s residence in Fitchburg.
In addition to the 28 months of incarceration, Burke was sentenced to serve three years of supervised release after completion of his prison sentence. During the period of supervised release, Burke’s behavior will be monitored by the United States Probation and Pretrial Services Office. Burke also agreed to forfeit his interest in a piece of real estate in Fitchburg to the United States.
This case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration, the Fitchburg Police Department and the Peterborough Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John J. Farley.
New Hampshire Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Nickolas Oliva, 27, of Dover, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to being an unlawful user in possession of a firearm and possession of stolen firearms, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.
On December 20, 2013, the Dover Police Department learned that several of Oliva’s grandfather’s firearms were missing. A subsequent investigation revealed that the defendant had taken several firearms, without the permission of his grandfather and sold the firearms to third parties. Upon speaking with law enforcement, the defendant subsequently admitted that he took the guns from his grandfather's safe, without his permission, and sold them. The defendant further admitted that he had an addiction to narcotics and that he sold the guns to get money for drugs. Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) were able to recover many of the firearms.
"The federal firearms laws are designed to ensure that firearms do not fall into the hands of those prohibited from having them," stated Acting United States Attorney Don Feith. "We will continue to investigate and prosecute those individuals who violate the firearms laws by delivering weapons to prohibited persons. I want to congratulate the ATF for its excellent work in this case.”
Oliva faces a maximum sentence of ten years imprisonment. Oliva is scheduled to be sentenced on November 2, 2015. Oliva was released pending sentencing.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Dover Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra M. Walsh.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Jason Martinez, 20, of Methuen, Massachusetts, was sentenced today in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to 48 months imprisonment after pleading guilty to conspiracy to make a false statement during the acquisition of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith. Upon his release, Martinez will be placed on three years of supervised release which is monitored by the United States Probation and Pretrial Services Office.
Beginning in August 2014, agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Boston were involved in an investigation of the illegal purchase and sale of firearms. During the investigation, ATF agents utilized an informant (CI-1) to purchase firearms from Martinez.
Martinez and others solicited a co-conspirator to purchase firearms because the co-conspirator possessed a New Hampshire identification and could provide that identification to the federal firearms licensee making the sale. Using money provided by Martinez, the co-conspirator purchased, on four separate occasions between October 31, 2014 through November 8, 2014, nine firearms for Martinez and others. On November 26, 2014, the co-conspirator attempted to purchase, with money provided by Martinez, three additional firearms but was denied because ATF was alerted to the purchase. During each of the firearm purchases, the co-conspirator falsely claimed that he was the actual purchaser of the firearms when in reality he was purchasing the firearms for Martinez and others.
“This case is a classic example of the results that can be obtained when good investigative work is coupled with aggressive prosecution,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Donald Feith. “By refusing to be satisfied with investigating only the purchaser of these firearms, the ATFE was able to identify and arrest the defendant, who was the money man selling on the street the guns he illegally obtained. Our office is committed to pursuing these “lie and buy” cases to identify and prosecute those who would trade in the illegal transfer of firearms.”
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra M. Walsh.
New Jersey Man Sentenced for Passport FraudRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith announced that Robert Codjoe, 54, of Piscataway, New Jersey, was sentenced today to one year of probation, six months of home confinement, and a $2,000 fine for committing passport fraud.
In November 1998, Codjoe applied for and was issued a U.S. passport in the name “Robert Codjoe.” In November 2000, he applied for and was issued a U.S. passport in the name “Robert Codjoe Nii.” Consequently, for many years, Codjoe maintained two United States passports each bearing his photograph, but issued under different names, different social security numbers, and different dates of birth. In July 2009, Codjoe renewed the passport issued in the name “Robert Codjoe” by filing a passport renewal application with the National Passport Center located in Portsmouth, N.H. In June 2011, he attempted to renew the passport issued in the name “Robert Codjoe Nii” by filing a passport renewal application with the National Passport Center. That application contained several false statements, including Codjoe’s name and date of birth.
The National Passport Center referred Codjoe’s renewal application for investigation. The investigation uncovered Condjoe’s fraud and resulted in a federal grand jury indicting him for passport fraud in March 2014. Codjoe pleaded guilty on February 25, 2015.
This case was investigated by Diplomatic Security Service of the U.S. State Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark S. Zuckerman.
New Hampshire Man Pleads Guilty to Three Counts of Robbery from November 2014 Crime SpreeRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Donald Feith, Acting United States Attorney for the District of New Hampshire, announced that James Whinnem, 34, formerly of Manchester, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Landya B. McCafferty in Concord to a three count information charging him with one count of robbery affecting interstate commerce in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951, and two counts of bank robbery in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(a).
According to court documents and statements made in court, Whinnem robbed a gas station convenience store at knife point in Manchester, New Hampshire on November 16, 2014. Two days later, while apparently unarmed, Whinnem robbed a bank in Manchester by passing a demand note to the teller. Two days after that, he robbed another bank, this time in Dover, also while unarmed and by passing a demand note to the teller. Following the wide-spread publication of bank video surveillance footage on local New Hampshire news, authorities identified Whinnem from multiple sources. New Hampshire State Police located and arrested Whinnem on November 30, 2014 in the area of Claremont, NH. He has remained in custody on a New Hampshire state parole violation since that date.
Whinnem is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge McCafferty on October 6, 2015 at 2:00 p.m., at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty years on each count of conviction, up to three years’ supervised release, and an order of restitution.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Manchester Police Department, and the Dover Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charles L. Rombeau.
Manchester Man Pleads Guilty to Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Matthew Ireland, 36, of Manchester, New Hampshire, appeared in United States District Court today and entered a guilty plea to one count of bank robbery announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.
Ireland walked into a TD Bank in Manchester, New Hampshire, on January 31, 2015 wearing a black ski mask, a hood, sunglasses, and dark clothing. He demanded money from two tellers and made off with a quantity of stolen funds.
The defendant was apprehended the same day near the Manchester/Bedford town line. When Manchester and Bedford Police attempted to initiate a traffic stop of Ireland’s vehicle, he led them on a brief chase. After crashing his car into a median, he fled on foot but surrendered shortly thereafter, dropping to his knees, reaching into his pockets, and throwing a large sum of cash into the road. Manchester Police recovered most of the stolen money and found clothing consistent with that worn during the robbery in Ireland’s vehicle. Ireland – who faces a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison and criminal fines of up to $250,000 – will be detained pending sentencing, which is presently scheduled for October 7, 2015.
“The successful resolution of this bank robbery is due to the great investigative work of the Manchester Police and the Bedford Police and the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” stated Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith. “Bank robbery, even an unarmed bank robbery, is an inherently dangerous crime that causes great turmoil to its victims. We will continue to work with our state and local partners to vigorously prosecute these dangerous crimes.”
This case was investigated by the Manchester Police Department, the Bedford Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Georgiana Konesky.
New Hampshire Man Pleads Guilty to Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. –Walter Morton, 49, of Laconia, pleaded guilty today in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to three counts of Social Security Fraud, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.
In June 2009, Morton began receiving Social Security disability benefits. He also began receiving Child’s Insurance Benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA) on behalf of two minor children, his biological daughter and his former stepson, serving as their representative payee. In this role, Morton was responsible for using the benefits he received on behalf of the children for their current needs, such as food, clothing, housing, and medical care.
On three separate occasions between August 2010 and December 2012, Morton advised SSA that the children resided with him and that he used the benefit payments he received as their representative payee for the children’s care and support. An investigation conducted by SSA’s Office of the Inspector General, however, revealed that the children had not lived with Morton since 2003 and he had not used their benefits for their current needs. Morton’s concealment of the true residency of the children and his failure to use the benefits for their care and support caused him to fraudulently receive $58,459.70 in Child’s Insurance Benefits payments.
“My office will continue to work closely with the Office of the Inspector General for the Social Security Administration to identify and prosecute those individuals who steal from the Social Security Fund by making false claims for benefits,” stated Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith. “Benefit programs exist so that those in need may receive the financial assistance necessary to survive. Those who engage in fraud to obtain benefits threaten the financial security of those citizens legitimately entitled to benefits. I thank the OIG for its excellent investigative work in this case.”
Morton is scheduled to be sentenced on October 2, 2015. He is facing a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment on each of the three counts. He was released on conditions pending sentencing.
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General and prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Karen Burzycki.
New Hampshire Man Pleads Guilty to Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE - Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith announced that James Oberfeldt, 31, of Claremont, New Hampshire, appeared in United States District Court today and pled guilty to robbing three banks in October and November of 2013 in violation of federal law.
Oberfeldt pled guilty to robbing the One Credit Union in Claremont, New Hampshire on October 11, 2013, The Lake Sunapee Bank in Lebanon, New Hampshire on November 20, 2013 and the Claremont Savings Bank in Claremont, New Hampshire on November 26, 2013. In each of the bank robberies, Oberfeldt wore a dark face mask and carried an air pistol which appeared to be an automatic handgun.
The defendant was identified after being arrested in Massachusetts on December 7, 2013 on other charges after a traffic stop. At the time of his arrest, Massachusetts State Police recovered an air pistol, dark ski mask and several items of clothing in the car driven by Oberfeldt. The clothes and gun were consistent with those of the bank robber, as seen on a surveillance video from the Claremont Savings Bank. Finger prints taken from the door of that bank were tested by the FBI’s Forensic Laboratory and found to match Oberfeldt’s.
The defendant faces a maximum prison term of twenty years on each count and will be sentenced on October 5, 2015.
This case was investigated by the Claremont Police Department, the Lebanon Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police and the Holyoke, Massachusetts Police. The Federal Bureau of Investigation aided in the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Helen White Fitzgibbon.
Project Safe Childhood Newmarket Man Sentenced for Child Pornography PossessionRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Brian Sorrentino, 36, of Newmarket, was sentenced on Thursday, June 25, 2015 in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire on one count of possessing child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith. The Court imposed a term of 30 month’s imprisonment and five years of supervised release.
The investigation into Sorrentino began in 2008, when the Portsmouth Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security traced internet activity involving child pornography back to Sorrentino’s residence. When Portsmouth detectives approached Sorrentino at his home, he admitted to possessing images of child pornography, hundreds of which were subsequently found during a forensic analysis of Sorrentino’s computer.
The case was investigated by the Portsmouth, New Hampshire Police Department in conjunction with the the New Hampshire Crimes Against Children Task Force (NH ICAC), and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nick Abramson.
In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Former National Guardsman Sentenced to Two Years Probation for Stealing FirearmRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – A former private in the New Hampshire National Guard and a current resident of Plaistow, New Hampshire, Eric L. Evers, was sentenced to two years’ probation for stealing a firearm from the New Hampshire National Guard Armory in Manchester, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.
According to documents filed in United States District Court, Evers, 34, joined the National Guard in December 2009. While participating in a quarterly inspection and maintenance of firearms at the National Guard Armory in Manchester on March 9, 2014, Evers concealed a 9mm Berretta pistol in his pants pocket, left the armory, and hid the pistol in his truck. When Evers returned to the armory, a thorough search for the pistol was being conducted by other guardsmen. This caused Evers to leave the armory, remove the pistol from his truck and bury it in a snowbank near an entrance to the armory’s parking lot, where it was found by another guardsman three days later.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Army, Criminal Investigation Division, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and the Manchester Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bob Kinsella.
Lawrence Man Sentenced on Federal Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Leonardo Almonte-Ramirez, 31, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, was sentenced in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to 33 months in prison for distributing cocaine, and possessing cocaine, crack cocaine, and heroin with the intent to distribute it, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.
In May 2013, detectives from the Nashua Police Department conducted a controlled purchase of cocaine from the defendant. During a subsequent search of the vehicle from which that transaction occurred, officers located a sophisticated electronic hidden compartment concealing quantities of cocaine, crack cocaine, and heroin; $2,008 in cash; and the social security card and permanent resident card of Leonardo Almonte-Ramirez.
This prosecution arose from an investigation by the police departments of Nashua and Hudson, New Hampshire, in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Agency and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nick Abramson.
Former New Hampshire Construction Company Owner Pleads Gulty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Hill, New Hampshire, man pleaded guilty today to three counts of tax evasion in the U.S. District Court in the District of New Hampshire, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Donald Feith of the District of New Hampshire.
Ronald Martin formerly owned and operated Martin Construction in Northfield, New Hampshire, and employed between three to eight individuals at various times. In 2008, 2009 and 2010, Martin’s business earned a total of approximately $1.2 million in gross revenue, but Martin did not file any federal corporate or individual income tax returns for Martin Construction or for himself and did not pay any federal income tax in any of those years. Martin took steps to conceal the business revenue by directing that payments and invoices for selling scrap metal be made in the name of his nephew. He also only deposited a small fraction of the income earned from Martin Construction into the business’ bank account. Instead, he diverted a significant portion of the business income for personal expenditures. In addition to failing to file tax returns and to pay individual and business income taxes, Martin also failed to file any federal employment tax returns or pay over to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) any federal employment taxes for any of his employees.
A federal grand jury in the District of New Hampshire indicted Martin on three counts of tax evasion in July 2014. Martin faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 on each tax evasion count. Martin’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 20. Martin currently is detained on unrelated pending state criminal charges.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Ciraolo and Acting U.S. Attorney Feith commended the special agents of IRS–Criminal Investigation, who investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark S. Zuckerman of the District of New Hampshire and Senior Litigation Counsel Corey J. Smith of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.
Mexican Man Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United States After Three Previous DeportationsRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – Luis Ruiz-Aguillon, of Mexico, was sentenced in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to eight months in prison for illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.
Court documents establish that the Londonderry Police stopped a vehicle containing four occupants for speeding at 2:45 a.m. on December 7, 2014. The driver of the vehicle presented the police with a driver’s license issued in Mexico. Two of the passengers provided Mexican voter identification cards and the fourth passenger did not have any identification. The Londonderry Police called the Department of Homeland Security for assistance in identifying the occupants of the vehicle. Agents of the Department’s Enforcement and Removal section of the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement responded to the scene and obtained admissions from the occupants that each was illegally present in the United States.
Fingerprint comparisons identified Ruiz-Aguillon as having been previously deported from Texas in 2003, 2006 and 2009. On December 19, 2014, Ruiz-Aguillon was charged with illegal reentry after having been previously deported. Ruiz-Aguillon pled guilty to the charges on March 12, 2015.
“Our office will continue to investigate and prosecute those individuals who repeatedly violate our immigration laws by reentering the United States after having been deported,” said Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith. “The path to citizenship does not include an avenue for those who flout the legal procedures for entering the country after having been deported.”
The case was investigated by the Londonderry Police and agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega.
DEA Seizes Approximately 325 Grams of OpiatesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Tiffany Ramos, 26, of Manchester, was arrested on a complaint charging her with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. The complaint affidavit alleges that Ms. Ramos met with a confidential source on three separate occasions and sold the confidential source a total of 50 grams of a substance which field tested positive for heroin. On the day Ms. Ramos was arrested, she had concealed in her bra approximately 125 grams of a controlled substance which field tested positive for opiates. Ms. Ramos faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment. Ms. Ramos was detained pending a show cause hearing scheduled for July 13, 2015.
Hector Bienvenido Mateo-Beltre was also arrested on a complaint charging him with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. At the time of his arrest, Mr. Beltre was in possession of approximately 200 grams of a controlled substance which field tested positive for opiates. Mr. Beltre faces a maximum sentence of 40 years imprisonment. He was detained pending a preliminary hearing.
Acting United States Attorney Feith reminds the public that a complaint merely alleges that a crime has been committed and that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra M. Walsh.
Florida Man to Serve 46 Months in Prison for Insurance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Jerry Marino, 71 of Odessa, Florida was sentenced in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to 46 months in prison for a fraud scheme that involved the submission of fraudulent information to insurance companies, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.
The death benefit from a high value life insurance policy is usually between $5 million and $10 million. To purchase a policy, a person must be at least 70 years old and have a personal financial net worth that is at least equal to the policy’s death benefit. The premiums for a policy cost several hundred thousand dollars per year. For each high value policy he sold, an insurance agent in Manchester, Colin Lindsey, received a commission that was approximately equal to the policy’s annual premium.
While managing a real estate trust in Florida in 2006, Marino agreed to refer applicants for high value policies to Lindsey. In exchange, Lindsey agreed to pay Marino for each policy he sold to a person who was referred to him by Marino.
In 2006 and 2007, Marino provided documents to Lindsey that fraudulently stated that residential and commercial properties in the real estate trust had a collective value of more than $500 million, and that 41 different people owned approximately 4 percent of the trust. Marino knew the properties were worth substantially less than $500 million. He also knew that all 41 owners of the trust were people of modest financial means who were not financially eligible to buy high value policies.
As a result, fourteen high value policies were issued, Lindsey received commissions totaling more than $6.5 million, and Marino received referral fees totaling approximately $2.4 million. The fees were paid by checks that were mailed to Florida and through the electronic transfers of funds from a bank account in New Hampshire to bank accounts in Florida.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bob Kinsella.
Manchester Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin and Conspiracy to Unlawfully Possess Cocaine with the Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
CONCORD –Roberto Gracia, 41, of Manchester, pled guilty in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to conspiracy to distribute heroin and conspiracy to unlawfully possess cocaine with the intent to distribute, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.
Between May 5, 2014 and June 11, 2014, the FBI’s Safe Streets Gang Task Force, utilizing a cooperating source, made a series of six heroin purchases from the defendant or a co-conspirator at Gracia’s former residence located at 173 Belmont Street, Manchester. The total amount of heroin sold was in excess of 100 grams.
Gracia also pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine. During the investigation, Gracia conspired with another individual to purchase approximately ten kilograms of cocaine for $37,000 per kilogram from undercover FBI agents who posed as large scale cocaine traffickers from Miami, Florida. Gracia was arrested in Manchester on July 2, 2014 after he and his co-conspirator met with the undercover agents in a hotel parking lot in Manchester to take possession of the cocaine from the rear of an undercover FBI vehicle. Subsequently, approximately $115,000 in cash was located in a vehicle utilized by Gracia and his co-conspirator during the transaction.
A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for September 29, 2015. Gracia faces a mandatory minimum term of five years in prison on the heroin conspiracy and a maximum sentence of life in prison on the cocaine conspiracy.
The FBI’s New Hampshire Safe Streets Gangs Task Force is comprised of members of the FBI, Manchester Police Department, Hudson Police Department, Nashua Police Department, New Hampshire State Police, and the New Hampshire Department of Corrections Probation and Parole. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Cole Davis is prosecuting this case.
New Hampshire Man Pleads Guilty to Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. –Craig Luksza, 34, of Chichester, pleaded guilty today in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to Social Security Fraud, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.
In July 2010, Luksza began receiving Social Security disability benefits. Shortly after he applied for benefits in December 2009, however, Luksza returned to work full-time for a construction company. Luksza’s income from this job would have rendered him ineligible to receive disability benefits. Luksza did not report this work activity to the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, in fact, in December 2013, he falsely told SSA that he had not worked since December 2008. In July 2014, Luksza admitted to investigators that he concealed his work activity and income from SSA. As a result of his concealment, Luksza received disability benefits that he would not have received if Social Security had been aware of his actual work activity and income. The government alleges that Luksza fraudulently received $71,180.50 in disability benefits.
“Program benefits fraud is a high enforcement priority for this office and one we are uniquely positioned to prosecute,” Acting U.S. Attorney Feith said. “Many citizens rely on the assistance provided by benefit programs such as Social Security disability benefits to meet their daily needs. Those who cheat the system jeopardize the financial security of their fellow citizens who are legitimately receiving such benefits, and threaten the fiscal stability of the entire program. We will work hard to identify the cheaters, prosecute them, and make sure that they are ordered to repay the benefits they received through fraud.”
Luksza is facing a maximum sentence of five years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 29, 2015. He was released on conditions pending sentencing.
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General and prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Karen Burzycki.
Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Jose M. Camara, Jr., 29, of Haverhill, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to conspiracy to make a false statement during the acquisition of a firearm and making false statements during the acquisition of firearms, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.
Beginning in August 2014, agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Boston were involved in an investigation of the illegal purchase and sale of firearms. During the investigation, ATF agents utilized an informant (CI-1) to purchase firearms from Jason Martinez. Martinez has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to make a false statement during the acquisition of a firearm and is awaiting sentencing.
Martinez and others solicited Camara to purchase firearms because Camara possessed a New Hampshire identification and could provide that identification to the federal firearms licensee making the sale. Camara agreed to purchase the firearms for Martinez and others. From October 31, 2014 through November 8, 2014, on three separate occasions, Camara purchased eight firearms in New Hampshire. On November 26, 2014, Camara attempted to purchase three additional firearms but was denied because ATF was alerted to the purchase. During each of the firearm purchases, Camara falsely claimed that he was the actual purchaser of the firearms when in reality he was purchasing the firearms for Martinez and others.
“The illegal purchase of firearms thwarts the regulatory system that was put in place to ensure that firearms do not end up in the hands of those individuals prohibited from possessing firearms” stated Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith. “This case demonstrates this office’s commitment to work with law enforcement to investigate and to prosecute those who facilitate the illegal possession of firearms. If you lie and buy, you will be prosecuted.”
Camara faces a maximum sentence of ten years imprisonment. Camara is scheduled to be sentenced on September 22, 2015. Camara was detained pending sentencing.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra M. Walsh.
New Hampshire Woman Pleads Guilty to Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Misty Maciejewski, 35, of Northfield, has pleaded guilty in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to health care fraud, that involved the theft of more than $29,000 from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Health Administration, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.
The Veterans Health Administration pays for more than 8.7 million honorably discharged to receive medical treatment and other benefits for their service related injuries and illnesses at VA and non-VA medical facilities. To obtain these benefits, a veteran submits an application to the VHA. In this document, the veteran is required to state the dates of her military service and combat duty, and a description of her service related illness or injury.
In an application for health benefits Maciejewski submitted to the VHA on October 3, 2012, she falsely claimed to be a veteran of the U.S. Army and that she was honorably discharged after serving in combat. The application was mistakenly approved by the VHA due to an administrative error.
While living in Massachusetts after the application was approved, Maciejewski fraudulently received VHA benefits totaling $8,154.58 which were paid to a half-way house in Boston and applied to medical services she received from the VA hospital in Boston.
After Maciejewski moved to Northfield in July 2013, she fraudulently received VHA benefits totaling $21,287.55 which were paid to non-VA medical services providers and applied to medical services she received from the VA hospital in Manchester.
“Veteran benefits programs exist to provide services needed by those who have put on the uniform in defense of our country,” Acting U.S. Attorney Donald Feith stated.“Our office will continue to work with the Department of Veterans Affairs to identify, investigate, and prosecute those who seek to defraud these programs and thus deprive true veterans of the funds they need.”
Maciejewski is schedule to be sentenced on September 28, 2015. She is facing up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
The case was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Criminal Investigation Division and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert Kinsella.
Maine Woman Sentenced for Bank and Credit Card FraudRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – Vicki Trudell, of Lebanon, Maine, was sentenced in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to twelve months in prison and two years of supervised release for bank and credit card fraud. Trudell was also ordered to pay restitution of $183,963.75, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.
Based on documents on file with the court, Trudell admitted that between December 2010 and December 2011 she served as a bookkeeper for a small New Hampshire business of six to eight employees. During that period, Trudell issued unauthorized checks to herself and engaged in unauthorized use of the business’ debit card to convert company funds to her personal use. Trudell’s thefts were discovered when the business hired a financial controller to oversee the business finances, at which time Trudell’s thefts were discovered and the matter was referred to state authorities and ultimately to federal authorities. Trudell pled guilty to the charges on February 20, 2015.
The case was investigated by the Hampton Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service and the United States Secret Service. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega.
Honduran Man Guilty of Illegally Reentering the United States After Three Previous DeportationsRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith announced that Carlos Peres-Ovando, of Honduras, pled guilty today in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported. Peres-Ovando was sentenced to time served and will once again face deportation.
Documents filed with the United States District Court established that Peres-Ovando was working at the El Tapatia restaurant in Merrimack, New Hampshire. Agents with the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement located Peres-Ovando at the restaurant on March 25, 2015. Peres-Ovando initially denied that he was Carlos Peres-Ovando, but subsequently admitted his true identity and citizenship to the agents. A fingerprint comparison identified Peres-Ovando as having previously been deported in 2006 from Texas, in 2013 from Louisiana, and in 2014 from Texas.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega prosecuted the case.
Dominican Man Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United States After Previous Deportation, False Representation of A Social Security Number, and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – Raul Fernando Lora, of the Dominican Republic, was sentenced to fifty-four months in prison and three years of supervised for illegally reentered the United States after having been previously deported, false representation of a social security number, and aggravated identity theft, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith. Lora pled guilty to the charges on January 29, 2015.
Documents filed with the United States District Court established that Lora was deported from the United States on July 2, 2013. On May 9, 2014, Lora was stopped by a New Hampshire State Trooper for motor vehicle violations. Lora produced a Massachusetts driver’s license in the name of Junior Currasco. A records check revealed that the driver’s license was suspended and Lora was placed under arrest. A fingerprint comparison revealed that the fingerprints matched the 2012 deportation records for Lora. A criminal records check revealed that Lora had been convicted in previously convicted in federal court in Massachusetts for stealing the Currasco identity.
The case was investigated by the New Hampshire State Police and agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega.