District of Nevada

LAS VEGAS – An undocumented individual residing in Las Vegas was sentenced on Friday, September 16, by U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan to three years and five months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegally returning to the United States after deportation.

According to court documents, Salamon Ruiz-Lopez (48) had previously been deported five times between 2010 – 2011. In June 2017, Ruiz-Lopez was convicted of Attempted Murder in Clark County District Court, and he was sentenced to 48 – 120 months of custody. Following the completion of his state sentence, Ruiz-Lopez came into ICE custody and was indicted by a federal grand jury.

U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada made the announcement.

The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Grimmer prosecuted the case. 

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LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Gloria M. Navarro to three years and five months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his role in a conspiracy to commit mail fraud in connection to the illegal possession of unemployment benefit debit cards issued by the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR) and Arizona’s Department of Economic Security (DES).

Vincent Okoye (40) pleaded guilty in June 2022 to conspiracy to commit mail fraud.

According to court documents and admissions made in court, Okoye conspired with others, including co-defendant Jasmine-Royshell Kanisha Black, to obtain DETR and DES debit cards by submitting fraudulent unemployment insurance claims using other peoples’ personal identifying information, such as their names, dates of birth, and social security numbers, without their knowledge or consent. The agencies administer Nevada’s and Arizona’s unemployment insurance program. In total, DETR and DES approved more than $550,000 in benefits for the fraudulent claims.

On July 15, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Okoye’s residence and found:

• Over $100,000 in U.S. Currency and U.S. Money Orders;
• A forged Canadian passport;
• A postal mailbox master key;
• Over 100 pieces of mail, bearing names and addresses not belonging to Okoye;
• At least 24 pieces of mail from DETR, bearing various names and addresses; and
• At least 100 credit and debit cards not issued in Okoye’s name, including at least 11 debit cards issued by DETR and at least 12 debit cards issued by DES.

U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Karon Ransom for the U.S. Secret Service made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Fang prosecuted the case.

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RENO, Nev. – A Sparks resident was convicted by a jury on Friday, September 16, for distribution of fentanyl — a deadly synthetic opioid.

After a five-day trial, Jaime Collazo Munoz, aka “Chivo,” (36) was found guilty of two counts of distribution of a fentanyl. Chief U.S. District Judge Miranda M. Du presided over the jury trial and scheduled sentencing for December 16, 2022. Munoz faces a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison. Each count of conviction carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison.

According to evidence presented at trial and court documents, from July to November 2020, Munoz distributed at least 80 grams of fentanyl in exchange for over $10,000. Munoz distributed the fentanyl pills out of Stay Faded Barbershop in Sparks, Nevada.

U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kevin Adams for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the DEA, Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), United States Marshals Service (USMS), Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, and Regional Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andolyn Johnson and Andrew Keenan are prosecuting the case.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 80-100 times stronger than morphine: only a few milligrams of this chemical compound, equivalent to a few grains of table salt, are enough to cause a fatal overdose.

If you have information of a potential violation of controlled substances laws and regulations, including the growing, manufacture, distribution or trafficking of controlled substances, please contact the DEA at https://www.dea.gov/submit-tip.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States, using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

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LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas woman made her initial court appearance yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brenda Weksler for allegedly trafficking in more than 3,000 counterfeit designer handbags, clothes, and other merchandise which she offered for sale at her beauty supply store.

Amie Kamara (31) is charged with two counts of trafficking in counterfeit goods. A jury trial has been scheduled for November 14, 2022 before U.S. District Judge Cristina D. Silva.

According to allegations made in the indictment, Kamara owned and operated Aminic Beauty Supply in Las Vegas. At the store, she possessed and intended to sell items bearing counterfeit marks that were identical to the genuine trademarks from Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Gucci, and other designer brands.

If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is 20 years in prison, a term of supervised release, and a monetary fine.

U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Acting Special Agent in Charge Chris Watkins for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Las Vegas made the announcement.

The case was investigated by HSI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Fang is prosecuting the case.

The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

To report possible violations of intellectual property rights, including counterfeiting, IP Theft and piracy, contact the National IPR Coordination Center, at www.iprcenter.gov/referral/report-ip-theft-form.

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RENO – A Reno man was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge Miranda M. Du to 71 months in prison — with five months to run concurrent to his current state time and the remainder to run consecutive to his state time — followed by three years of supervised release for conducting a million-dollar retail theft operation by buying stolen items from drug abusers and reselling the items online.

Gennaro Canta (44) pleaded guilty in June 2022 to conspiracy, interstate transportation of stolen goods, and money laundering.

According to court documents, from October 2014 to August 2016, Canta paid drug abusers to steal merchandise from large retail stores in Nevada and California. Canta also hired people to help him to sell the stolen merchandise on eBay and Amazon. In the two-year span, Canta sold about 11,205 items on eBay for a total of $756,081.95, and nearly 2,500 items on Amazon for an approximate total of $327,500.

U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Albert Childress for the IRS-Criminal Investigation made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the IRS-CI and Reno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel R. Schiess and Richard Casper prosecuted the case.

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LAS VEGAS – Clarence Meekins (36) made his initial appearance today for allegedly possessing a machine gun and selling Privately Made Firearms (PMFs) — including machine gun conversion devices known as “Glock Switches” — without a Federal Firearms License. Meekins was previously convicted of two felonies in New York State.

Meekins is charged by indictment with one count of engaging in the business of dealing or manufacturing firearms without a license, two counts of illegal possession of a machine gun, and four counts of felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy J. Koppe scheduled a jury trial for October 17, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon.

The indictment alleges that, from March 22 to April 28, 2022, Meekins manufactured, possessed, and sold 3-D printed unserialized PMFs and Glock Switches, which are designed to convert semi-automatic pistols to fire as a fully automatic weapon. Meekins manufactured and sold the weapons without the required Federal Firearms License. Meekins was convicted for Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence in Nassau County, New York. These prior felony convictions prohibit Meekins from possessing any firearm.

If convicted, the statutory maximum penalties are five years in prison for engaging in the business of dealing or manufacturing firearms without a license; 10 years in prison for illegal possession of a machine gun; 10 years for felon in possession of a firearm; not more than three years of supervised release, and a fine.

U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Patrick Gorman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison Reese is prosecuting the case.

The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

If you have information about illegal firearms activity, you are urged to submit a tip to ATF by calling the hotline at 1-800-ATF-GUNS (1-800-283-4867) or through the ReportIt mobile app.

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LAS VEGAS – Alfonzo Lee Womack (29) pleaded guilty yesterday to felon in possession of a firearm and illegal possession of a machine gun. U.S. District Judge Ann R. Traum scheduled sentencing for November 21, 2022.

According to court documents, on October 5, 2020, in a desert area near Sloan, Nev., Womack possessed and fired four firearms, including: (a) a .40 caliber pistol, modified with a Glock Auto Switch, turning it into a machine gun; (b) a 9mm semi-automatic pistol; (c) a .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol with a mounted laser and light; and (d) a .223 caliber semi-automatic rifle. Additionally, Womack admitted that he possessed and fired two unserialized Privately Made Firearms, including a 5.56mm pistol and 5.56mm short-barreled rifle. While shooting the firearms, Womack used high-capacity magazines. Womack has prior felony convictions in Clark County, Nev. and Sacramento County, Calif. He is prohibited by law from possessing any firearm.

Womack faces a total statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a period of supervised release, and a fine.

U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Patrick Gorman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the ATF and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Cowhig is prosecuting the case.

If you have information about illegal firearms activity, you are urged to submit a tip to ATF by calling the hotline at 1-800-ATF-GUNS (1-800-283-4867) or through the ReportIt mobile app.

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RENO, Nev. – A Reno resident was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Miranda M. Du to five years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for unlawful receipt of over 14,000 images and videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

“The defendant’s criminal conduct against our most vulnerable members of society was despicable,” said U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will continue its joint efforts to investigate and prosecute those who sexually exploit children and bring predators to justice.”

“I am extremely proud of the collaborative effort put forth to ensure this defendant was brought to justice and will no longer be able to perpetuate the abuse of children,” said Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI. “His sentence should serve as a strong reminder that the FBI and our law enforcement partners are committed to identifying and holding accountable those who victimize innocent children.”

Brandon Eric Navarrete (29) pleaded guilty in May 2022 to receipt of child pornography. Navarrete is required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act after completion of his prison term.

According to court documents, Navarrete admitted that he downloaded CSAM images and videos to his thumb drive, cell phone, and laptop computer. A forensic examination of those devices revealed about 13,836 images and 284 videos. Some of the images and videos depicted infants and children under 12 years old while others portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence.

This case was a joint investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the FBI's Northern Nevada Child Exploitation & Human Trafficking Task Force, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, the Sparks Police Department, the Reno Police Department, and the Nevada Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Randolph St. Clair prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or online at www.cybertipline.org.

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LAS VEGAS – Jonathan Millard Robinson (44) pleaded guilty yesterday to unlawful possession of ammunition and fraudulently submitting a loan application to a lender under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. U.S. District Judge Richard F. Boulware II scheduled a sentencing for November 17, 2022.

According to court documents and admissions made in court, Robinson — who was already on supervised release — admitted that he was previously convicted in North Carolina of conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and distributing cocaine. Both convictions are felonies which prohibit him by law from possessing ammunition.

Robinson also fraudulently submitted a Paycheck Protection Program loan application to a lender to obtain approximately $20,833. In the application, Robinson falsely stated that he was the proprietor of a company, which did not in fact exist, reported a false revenue derived from the fake company, and falsely denied that he was serving parole or probation for a prior felony conviction.

At sentencing, Robinson faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for illegally possessing ammunition, and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the COVID relief scheme.

Robinson is also charged in another case because he committed new crimes in Nevada while on supervised release for felony drug convictions in North Carolina. The maximum penalty is two years in prison. U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon is presiding over the case.

U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada, Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI, and Special Agent in Charge Patrick Gorman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the FBI, the ATF, the Small Business Administration Office of the Inspector General; IRS-Criminal Investigation; Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward Veronda and Kimberly Frayn are prosecuting the case.

If you have information about illegal firearms activity, you are urged to submit a tip to ATF by calling the hotline at 1-800-ATF-GUNS (1-800-283-4867) or through the ReportIt mobile app.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

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LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man made his initial appearance in federal court yesterday for allegedly submitting a fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) application seeking more than $150,000 from the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Ribal Hajj-Hussein (28) is charged with one count of wire fraud and two counts of money laundering. U.S. Magistrate Judge Brenda Weksler scheduled a jury trial for October 17, 2022 before U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan.

According to allegations contained in the indictment, on April 14, 2020, Hajj-Hussein submitted a falsified EIDL loan application to the SBA on behalf of his company RHH Travel Consulting LLC — which was a non-operational business — in order to obtain COVID-19 relief funds that he was not entitled to receive. In his application, Hajj-Hussein falsely represented the number of employees and gross revenue. As part of the alleged scheme, Hajj-Hussein directed the SBA to deposit more than $150,000 in EIDL funds into a bank account. Later, Hajj-Hussein transferred those funds to other bank accounts and used them for personal expenses.

If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is 40 years in prison.

U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Karon Ransom for the U.S. Secret Service made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mina Chang is prosecuting the case.

An indictment contains merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

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LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan to 12 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for distributing images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

“Protecting our children is of utmost importance and today’s sentence demonstrates our office’s efforts to seek justice on behalf of victims,” said U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcements partners will continue to work closely to protect children and hold accountable predators.”

“The FBI is committed to stopping and holding accountable anyone who engages in the sexual exploitation of children,” said Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI. “Every time child sexual abuse material (CSAM) is viewed on the internet it re-victimizes a child. Knowing that the defendant will spend the next 12 years in federal prison, ensures there is one less predator victimizing the most innocent and vulnerable members of our community – our children.”

Jonathan Raymond Lish (38) pleaded guilty in April 2022 to one count of distribution of child pornography. Under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Lish must also register as a sex offender after completion of his prison term.

According to court documents, in May 2018, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received two reports from Skype regarding the upload of files containing CSAM. After a search warrant was obtained for Lish’s Skype account, investigators found a conversation with another user about raping and killing children. In that same conversation Lish also claimed he sexually assaulted young children. Lish and the other user agreed to trade CSAM with each other. During the execution of a search warrant for Lish’s residence, about 26 images of CSAM were located on an SD card.

This case was investigated by the FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bianca Pucci and Christopher Burton prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or online at www.cybertipline.org.

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LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kent J. Dawson to possession with the intent to distribute heroin, and possession of a firearm after a felony conviction.

Brent Matthew Wilson (35) pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and one count of felon in possession of a firearm. Sentencing is scheduled for November 15, 2022.

According to court documents and admissions made in court by Wilson, on January 22, 2021, he possessed with the intent to distribute heroin — a Schedule I controlled substance. Approximately 62.6 gross grams of heroin was recovered along with cash, small baggies for individual packaging, and a scale. In addition to the drugs, Wilson possessed a Glock 17 handgun. Wilson has a prior felony conviction in Clark County. He is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm.

The maximum statutory penalties are 20 years in prison for the possession with intent to distribute charges, 10 years in prison for the felon in possession of a firearm charge, a term of supervised release, and a fine.

U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Patrick Gorman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the ATF and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bianca Pucci is prosecuting the case.

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LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas woman pleaded guilty today to her role in a conspiracy to commit mail fraud in connection to the illegal possession of unemployment benefit debit cards issued by the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR) and Arizona’s Department of Economic Security (DES) — the agencies administer Nevada’s and Arizona’s unemployment insurance program, respectively.

Jasmine-Royshell Kanisha Black (34) pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. U.S. District Judge Gloria M. Navarro scheduled sentencing for November 2, 2022. At sentencing, Black faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a term of supervised release, and a fine.

According to court documents and admissions made in court, Black — who was employed as a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier — assisted co-conspirator Vincent Okoye to fraudulently obtain unemployment insurance benefits from DETR and DES using other people’s personal identifying information — such as their names, dates of birth, and social security numbers — without their consent. Black used her position to help Okoye find either vacant residences or rarely-checked mailboxes to which fraudulently obtained debit cards could be sent. She then intercepted and delivered those cards to Okoye in person. In total, DETR and DES approved of at least $462,000 in benefits for these fraudulent claims submitted by Black and Okoye.

U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada, Special Agent in Charge Karon Ransom for the U.S. Secret Service, and Special Agent in Charge Glenn SanJose for the U.S. Postal Service-Office of Inspector General made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Postal Service-Office of Inspector General, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Fang is prosecuting the case.

In May 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

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LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon to four years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possessing a stolen firearm and submitting fraudulent loan applications to the Small Business Administration under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

Darnele Javoris Nelson, also known as “Ricky Ellis” and “Gamarmaurice Newson,” (40), pleaded guilty in March 2022 to one count of felon in possession of a firearm and one count of wire fraud.

According to court documents, on June 23, 2019, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) officers stopped a car in which Nelson was a passenger. The officer saw an open can of beer and later discovered a stolen loaded Glock .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine.

Nelson has three prior felony convictions including robbery and vehicular manslaughter in California; felony assault with a deadly weapon in California; and possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices in New York. He is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm.

Between July 2020 and May 2021, Nelson — who was on both supervised release and pretrial release — submitted at least three Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program loan applications to the Small Business Administration in attempts to obtain approximately $30,000, and at least one Paycheck Protection Plan loan application to obtain $20,833. In all four applications, Nelson falsely stated that he was the proprietor of several companies which did not exist, reported false revenue amounts, a fake number of employees, and that he was not facing felony charges or serving parole or probation for a felony conviction.

In addition to the sentence imposed yesterday, Nelson is currently serving a sentence for violating the conditions of supervised release from his New York felony case as a result of being arrested in Las Vegas in 2019. U.S. District Court Judge Kent J. Dawson sentenced Nelson to one year and nine months in July 2022.

U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada, Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI, and Special Agent in Charge Patrick Gorman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the FBI, the ATF, the Small Business Administration Office of the Inspector General (SBA OIG); IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (FRB-OIG), and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Frayn and Mina Chang prosecuted the case.

If you have information about illegal firearms activity, you are urged to submit a tip to ATF by calling the hotline at 1-800-ATF-GUNS (1-800-283-4867) or through the ReportIt mobile app.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

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LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man pleaded guilty today to participating in a scheme to fraudulently obtain nearly $70,000 in unemployment benefits issued by the State of Massachusetts’s Employment Security Department (ESD).

Clyde Edward Austin, 64, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. U.S. District Judge Mahan scheduled sentencing for October 21, 2022.

From April 2020 to June 2020, Austin fraudulently submitted ESD applications for at least 11 people —without those persons’ consent. As part of the scheme, Austin and another person agreed to use Austin’s two bank accounts in Nevada to receive the fraudulent unemployment benefits. In total, the ESD transferred approximately $68,579 in benefits for the fraudulent claims.

At sentencing, Austin faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a term of supervised release, and a fine.

U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Karon Ransom for the U.S. Secret Service made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel R. Schiess is prosecuting the case.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

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RENO, Nev. – A Reno resident made her initial appearance on Wednesday, July 20, 2022, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carla L. Baldwin for allegedly conspiring to commit bank robbery and for bank robbery. 

Shanequa Charles (31) is charged in a superseding indictment with one count of Conspiracy to Commit Bank Robbery and Bank Robbery.  The superseding indictment alleges that on January 27, 2022, Charles and her co-defendant, Devon Jones (29) conspired to rob the Plumas Bank, 1101 North Carson Street, Carson City, Nevada. Jones is also charged with discharging a semi-automatic pistol during the bank robbery. Loss to the Plumas Bank was approximately $10,000.

The superseding indictment also charges Jones with interfering with commerce by robbery and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.   On January 24, 2020, Jones allegedly discharged a semi-automatic pistol during the robbery at USA Cash Services, 699 Moana Lane, Reno, Nevada.

If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty for bank robbery is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  The penalty for conspiracy is 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  The statutory maximum penalty for discharging a firearm during a crime of violence is life in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years that must run consecutive to any other related count of conviction and a fine of $250,000.  The statutory maximum penalty for interference with commerce by robbery is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  A jury trial has been set for August 29, 2022.

U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the Northern Nevada Safe Streets Task Force which is comprised of members from the FBI, Reno Police Department, Carson City Sheriff’s Office, Nevada Gaming Control Board, Nevada Parole and Probation, Nevada Department of Corrections, Nevada Highway Patrol, and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Rachow is prosecuting the case.

A superseding indictment contains merely allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

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LAS VEGAS – A Romanian citizen — who entered the U.S. illegally — was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon to 42 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for engaging in ATM skimming fraud scheme.

Marian Poenaru (21) pleaded guilty in April 2022 to one count of conspiracy to possess counterfeit and unauthorized access devices and one count of aggravated identity theft.

According to court documents, Poenaru and his co-conspirators installed and used skimmer devices and pinhole cameras at ATMs to capture users’ account information and PINs. The conspirators then re-encoded gift cards with the stolen bank information so they could make cash withdraws and purchases for their own personal benefit.

On April 25, 2021, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers arrested Poenaru. A search of his apartment uncovered more than 500 cards that were re-encoded. At least 300 of the counterfeit cards recovered were re-encoded with account information of debit cards issued by the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR), which were used to disburse unemployment insurance benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. During a search of his apartment, law enforcement found a lab used both to create ATM skimming equipment as well as to manufacture counterfeit cards. Additionally, Poenaru admitted that his fraudulent activities in Las Vegas were committed after he and his co-conspirators relocated their fraudulent scheme from another state to evade law enforcement; evidence shows that from 2017 to 2021, Poenaru engaged in ATM skimming fraud across the country, including in Maryland, Virginia, Indiana, Michigan, and Nevada. Poenaru is subject to deportation after the completion of his criminal sentence.

U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent In Charge Karon Ransom for the U.S. Secret Service made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Fang prosecuted the case.

In May 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

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LAS VEGAS – A California man was sentenced to one year and one day in prison and 36 months of supervised release for renovating two apartment complexes in violation of federal Clean Air Act regulations intended to prevent human exposure to toxic airborne asbestos fibers.   

Bobby Khalili, 46, of Los Angeles, was indicted by a grand jury sitting in the District of Nevada in September 2019, in connection with asbestos-related Clean Air Act violations at a Las Vegas apartment complex. The grand jury later returned a superseding indictment against Khalili in July 2021, in connection with new Clean Air Act asbestos violations at a second apartment complex, which Khalili committed while on pretrial release for the first set of charges. Khalili pled guilty on March 11, to failing to safely remove asbestos prior to renovation at each complex.

As part of his guilty plea, Khalili acknowledged that, on behalf of Las Vegas Apartments LLC, he oversaw renovation activities at both apartment complexes. He further admitted that he was aware of asbestos-containing materials at both buildings, and that he hired untrained individuals to tear out those materials without following asbestos work-practice standards prescribed by the Clean Air Act. Those work practice standards require that asbestos-containing materials be safely removed prior to general renovation activity taking place. Asbestos-containing materials must be kept wet at all times to prevent dust escaping, sealed in leak-proof bags, and disposed of at facilities authorized to accept asbestos waste. At both apartment buildings, untrained laborers removed asbestos-containing drywall and ceiling texture without wetting or containment, releasing asbestos fibers into the surrounding atmosphere.

Khalili also admitted to taking steps to evade law enforcement at each site. At the first apartment complex, Khalili attempted to have a dumpster filled with asbestos waste removed from the site when inspectors from the Clark County Department of Air Quality discovered asbestos-related violations. At the second complex, where he oversaw illegal renovations while on pretrial release, he instructed the contractor in charge of the renovation to lie to inspectors about who owned and oversaw the project, in an attempt to blame another person for the Clean Air Act violations he knowingly committed. According to the government’s sentencing memorandum filed with the court, Khalili also created a fake contract purportedly showing that other person’s responsibility for the renovation; in truth, that person was deceased at the time of the project.

Inhalation of airborne asbestos fibers has been determined to cause lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma, an invariably fatal disease. Congress and the EPA have determined that there is no safe level of exposure to asbestos.

“Today’s sentencing demonstrates that cutting corners on asbestos abatement will not result in a slap on the wrist,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “These are serious offenses with serious consequences, and we will continue to work with EPA and our partners in U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to prosecute violations of the Clean Air Act’s asbestos safety regulations.”

“The defendant placed the public in danger of inhaling asbestos fibers when he failed to follow Clean Air Act regulations,” said U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada. “This sentence sends a deterrent message that the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners will hold accountable individuals who violate federal environmental laws that are designed to protect workers and our communities.”

“The defendant failed to provide for the required safe removal of material containing asbestos,” said Special Agent in Charge Scot Adair of EPA’s Criminal Enforcement Program in Nevada. “In addition, the defendant created an elaborate scheme in an effort to deceive law enforcement and regulators. Today’s sentencing reflects our commitment to holding people like Khalili accountable for their criminal conduct.”

Special agents of the EPA and employees of the Clark County Department of Air Quality investigated the case. Senior Trial Attorney Cassandra Barnum of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jean Ripley and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Kent for the District of Nevada prosecuted the case.

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 A U.S. citizen who previously resided in Ukraine pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

According to court documents, Harold Sobel, 69, was a member of an international criminal enterprise that unlawfully debited money from the bank accounts of unknowing U.S. victims. Members of the criminal enterprise created shell companies for the purpose of receiving victim funds and created fake websites for the shell companies that claimed to offer products or services, such as cloud storage. Members of the criminal enterprise executed unauthorized debits against victims’ bank accounts, while falsely representing to banks that the debits were authorized by the victims as payment for the non-existent products and services.

“The department will prosecute members of international criminal enterprises who defraud Americans and deceive U.S. banks,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Regardless of where they are located, the department will pursue the perpetrators of these fraud schemes.”

“A sophisticated transnational criminal enterprise executed false debits against unsuspecting victims and deceived banks– victimizing American consumers and financial institutions in the process,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Criminal Investigations Group. “The guilty plea demonstrates the tenacity and resolve of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and its law enforcement partners to hold criminals accountable for their unscrupulous actions.”

Unauthorized debits against victim accounts, caused by conspirators, resulted in returned transactions and high return rates that often generated scrutiny from the banks. To both conceal and continue making these unauthorized debits, members of the criminal enterprise made misrepresentations to the financial institutions about the transactions, claiming that they were authorized. In some cases, members of the criminal enterprise caused the accounts used by the criminal enterprise to also make “micro debits” against other bank accounts controlled and funded by or for the criminal enterprise. The “micro debits” were used to artificially lower the return rates to levels that conspirators believed would reduce bank scrutiny and thereby lessen the likelihood of closure of the accounts used by the criminal enterprise. The criminal enterprise also operated a call center that fielded complaints from victims of the unauthorized debits. The call center sought to dissuade victims from making reports to the victims’ banks and to government agencies.

As part of the enterprise, Sobel opened bank accounts in the United States at the direction of a co-conspirator who organized and conducted the affairs of the enterprise from outside the United States. For example, on or about Oct. 16, 2019, Sobel opened four business deposit accounts at a bank branch in Las Vegas. Sobel opened the accounts for a shell company called “Silver Safe Box” and listed himself as the sole member and authorized signer in the account opening documentation. The criminal enterprise then funded “micro debits,” designed to lower return rates, through the Silver Safe Box accounts. Between approximately December 2019 and January 2021, the Silver Safe Box accounts funded over 800,000 “micro debits” in amounts ranging from $0.99 to $1.85. Sobel also recruited at least two associates in the United States to help the foreign co-conspirator, among other things, open additional bank accounts and register shell companies.

Sobel’s participation also involved providing support for the activities of the criminal enterprise’s call center in Ukraine. Sobel devised a script to be used in response to complaints from victims by the call center’s personnel to retain as much of the criminal enterprise’s proceeds as possible, and – only on those occasions where those efforts failed – to then issue full refunds, in order to dissuade victims from making reports to the victims’ banks and government agencies. Sobel also devised a metric by which he and the foreign co-conspirator could evaluate the effectiveness of the call center’s personnel. As part of his guilty plea, Sobel admitted that more than $1.5 million in victim debits were reasonably foreseeable to him.

Sobel pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 12 and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Meredith Healy and Wei Xiang of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mina Chang of the District of Nevada are prosecuting the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas provided substantial assistance.

LAS VEGAS – An Arizona man was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey to five years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his role in a fraud scheme to rent cars from various rental companies. Those rental cars were later sold to unsuspecting victims who believed that Kang had sold them a car.

Brandon Christopher Kang (30) pleaded guilty in February 2022 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.

According to court documents, from July 2016 to July 2017, Kang — a Las Vegas resident at the time — conspired with co-defendants Dominique Dashon McGuire, Joshua Rahi Hall, and others to fraudulently rent vehicles from rental companies and private brokers with the intent to steal the vehicles and then sell the vehicles. As part of the scheme, Kang and others used fake identification to rent the vehicles. Next, they created false car titles, bills of sales, and other documents to make the purchase appear legitimate. They would advertise the stolen vehicles online at a fraction of their market values, then transport the vehicles to multiple states, including Nevada, California, and Arizona. Victims were required to pay by cash or cashier’s check for the vehicles. In total, more than $250,000 was stolen from victims.

U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tony Lopez and Jim Fang prosecuted the case.

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RENO, Nev. – A Gardnerville, Nev., resident was sentenced on June 27 by Chief U.S. District Judge Miranda M. Du to 51 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for unlawful possession of a firearm.

Jay Loren Prater (41) pleaded guilty in March 2022 to one count of felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, Prater is a member of the Northern Riders, a California prison gang, and formerly a member of several disbanded motorcycle gangs in the region. On August 25, 2021, Douglas County deputies stopped Prater for a traffic violation. A law enforcement K9 alerted to the presence of narcotics in Prater’s car. Inside Prater’s car deputies found a fully loaded Glock 17, 9mm pistol in the center console, approximately 15 grams of methamphetamine, along with other drug paraphernalia indicative of distribution. Prater is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a prior felony conviction for voluntary manslaughter in San Joaquin County, California. He later admitted to carrying the firearm while selling methamphetamine.    

U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kevin Adams for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Sheriff Daniel J. Coverley of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.

This case was investigated by members of the Regional Gang Task Force, comprised of investigators from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, as well as ATF and DEA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andolyn Johnson prosecuted the case.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide program by the Department of Justice that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, the Department announced the reinvigoration of PSN. For more information about PSN, visit www.justice.gov/usao-nv.

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RENO, Nev. – A Reno resident made his initial court appearance yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carla L. Baldwin for allegedly robbing a bank.

Jerry Michael Fambro (66) is charged by a criminal complaint with one count of bank robbery. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for July 15, 2022.

According to allegations contained in the complaint, on June 29, 2022, Fambro approached a bank teller and said, “If you don’t give me all the hundreds in the drawer, I will start shooting up the branch.” He grabbed the cash and fled the bank. Law enforcement arrested Fambro approximately 5 ½ hours later outside of a casino in downtown Reno. He allegedly stole $2,769 from the bank.

If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the Northern Nevada Safe Streets Task Force which is comprised of members from the FBI, Nevada Gaming Control Board, Reno Police Department, Nevada Parole and Probation, Carson City Sheriff’s Office, Nevada Department of Corrections, Nevada Highway Patrol, and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Rachow is prosecuting the case.

A complaint contains merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

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RENO, Nev. – A Gardnerville, Nev., resident was sentenced Friday by Chief U.S. District Judge Miranda M. Du to five years of probation, six months of home confinement, and restitution in the amount of $49,079, for assault and interference with crew members during a flight from Seattle to Las Vegas.

Daniel A. Parkhurst (41) pleaded guilty on February 22, 2022 to one count of interference with flight crew members and attendants, and one count of simple assault in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States.

According to court documents, on October 31, 2019, Parkhurst touched a female passenger’s inner thigh without consent. Parkhurst started to punch the female passenger multiple times after she smacked his hand away. Flight attendants and other passengers intervened to stop Parkhurst from punching the female passenger. As a result of Parkhurst’s behavior, the flight was forced to land in Reno where Parkhurst was removed from the plane and arrested.

U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the FBI, the Reno-Tahoe International Airport Police Department, and the Office of the Nevada Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Randolph J. St. Clair and Penelope Brady prosecuted the case.

If you think you are a victim of sexual assault aboard an aircraft, report the incident to your flight crew and to the FBI at tips.fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI, or contact your local FBI office.

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LAS VEGAS – A California resident was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for committing multiple robberies, including several while he was on pretrial release.

Spar Bilicki (30) pleaded guilty in March 2022 to one count of conspiracy to commit bank robbery; six counts of bank robbery; one count of conspiracy to commit interference with commerce by robbery; two counts of interference with commerce by robbery; and one count of commission of an offense while on release.

According to court documents, from October 26, 2020, to December 2, 2020, Bilicki and another person committed  multiple robberies in Las Vegas and Henderson. In all of the robberies, Bilicki handed the victim bank teller or store employee a note that demanded money and also threatened to shoot people if the victim did not comply. In two of the robberies, he lifted his shirt to show a handgun in his waistband. After Bilicki made his initial appearance and once Bilicki was released from pretrial detention, he proceeded to commit three additional robberies on July 1, 2021 in Las Vegas.

U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison Reese prosecuted the case.

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LAS VEGAS – A California resident was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan to five years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for fraudulently obtaining over 700 credit card numbers to purchase more than $500,000 in tickets for various events in Las Vegas over a one-year period.

Carl Dewain Jefferson (36) pleaded guilty in September 2021 to use or trafficking of unauthorized access devices and aggravated identity theft.

According to court documents, between March 14, 2014, and March 13, 2015, Jefferson — who operated LV Show Tickets, LLC — fraudulently obtained credit card numbers to purchase tickets for various events in Las Vegas. Later, he resold the tickets on his own website, www.lvshowticket.net, and Craigslist. In total, Jefferson used more than 700 different credit card accounts to fraudulently purchase more than $500,000 worth of event tickets.

On September 4, 2014, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers executed a search warrant for two rooms reserved under Jefferson’s name. Officers seized a laptop, cell phones, a credit card embossing machine, forged debit cards, and business cards.

U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Fang prosecuted the case.

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LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man pleaded guilty today to his role in a conspiracy to commit mail fraud in connection to the illegal possession of unemployment benefit debit cards issued by the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR) and Arizona’s Department of Economic Security (DES) — the agencies administer Nevada’s and Arizona’s unemployment insurance program, respectively.

Vincent Okoye (40) pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. U.S. District Judge Gloria M. Navarro scheduled sentencing for September 20, 2022.

According to court documents and admissions Okoye made in court, he conspired with others, including co-defendant Jasmine-Royshell Kanisha Black, to obtain DETR and DES debit cards by submitting fraudulent unemployment insurance claims using other peoples’ personal identifying information, such as their names, dates of birth, and social security numbers, without their knowledge or consent. In total, DETR and DES approved more than $550,000 in benefits for the fraudulent claims.

On July 15, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Okoye’s residence and found:

• Over $100,000 in U.S. Currency and U.S. Money Orders;
• A forged Canadian passport;
• A postal mailbox master key;
• Over 100 pieces of mail, bearing names and addresses not belonging to Okoye;
• At least 24 pieces of mail from DETR, bearing various names and addresses; and
• At least 100 credit and debit cards not issued in Okoye’s name, including at least 11 debit cards issued by DETR and at least 12 debit cards issued by DES.

At sentencing, Okoye faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a term of supervised release, and a fine.

U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent In Charge Karon Ransom for the U.S. Secret Service made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Fang is prosecuting the case.

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LAS VEGAS – A man from San Bernardino, California, and two Las Vegas residents were sentenced to prison last week in three separate human trafficking related investigations.

Tyler Sampson (26), a San Bernadino, California resident, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Andrew P. Gordon to six and half years in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release. On March 15, 2022, Sampson pleaded guilty to felon in possession of a firearm and possession of child pornography.

According to court documents, on July 19, 2021, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers were patrolling a portion of Tropicana Avenue that was known for prostitution. Sampson’s car was illegally parked in the area. A woman spoke with the officers and told them Sampson was a “pimp.” Officers approached Sampson’s car to investigate and ultimately located a pistol sticking out from underneath the driver’s seat. Officers recovered a loaded .40 caliber Glock 22 pistol. Because Sampson has prior felony convictions in Los Angeles County, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm. Officers also searched Sampson’s cell phone and found videos of child pornography depicting a suspected human trafficking victim.

In a separate case, John Glen Burnett (59), a Las Vegas resident, was sentenced by Judge Gordon to nine years in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release after pleading guilty on January 11, 2022, to coercion and enticement.

According to court documents, on September 17, 2021, Burnett responded to an online prostitution advertisement and exchanged messages with someone he believed to be a 15-year-old prostitute. He agreed to pay $100 to the girl in exchange for her to engage in sex acts with him. A couple of hours later, Burnett drove to the agreed upon location where he was arrested by law enforcement.

In another case, Tamarion Williams (22), a Las Vegas resident, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge James C. Mahan to 30-months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty on March 11, 2022, to felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, in November 2020, Williams used social media to post photographs of himself holding a gun. William’s probation officer saw the posts and notified the police who obtained a search warrant. Officers recovered the same .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol shown in the posts and arrested Williams. In 2019, Williams was convicted of Pandering and Battery with Substantial Bodily Harm in Clark County. As a result of these felony convictions, Williams is not allowed to possess a firearm.

These cases were jointly investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bianca Pucci.

U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.

The cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood and for information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Report child sexual exploitation to NCMEC by calling the hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or online at www.cybertipline.org.

Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org.

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LAS VEGAS – A Nevada man pleaded guilty yesterday to aggravated identity theft, wire fraud and money laundering. On March 28, he pleaded guilty to a separate indictment charging him with filing false tax returns with the IRS on behalf of clients, aggravated identity theft, wire fraud and impersonating an FBI agent.

According to court documents, King Isaac Umoren, 41, of Las Vegas, owned and operated Universal Tax Services (UTS), a tax preparation business. From 2012 through 2016, Umoren prepared and filed with the IRS tax returns for clients that included false deductions and fictitious businesses, in an effort to generate larger refunds than the clients were entitled to receive. At times, Umoren used the names and IRS preparer tax identification numbers of other UTS employees without their knowledge or consent, making it seem as if they, not he, had prepared the false returns. On Feb. 7, 2016, Umoren posed as an FBI agent, wearing a fake badge and tactical gear, and drove to a client’s house with police lights attached to his vehicle to demand payment of a tax preparation fee. Umoren required his clients to use a refund anticipation check program, which he utilized at times to secretly take fees out of clients’ tax refunds without their knowledge.

In May 2016, Umoren attempted to sell UTS. To induce potential buyers to purchase the company at an inflated price, he provided fraudulent documents — including forged bank statements, fabricated return preparation fee reports, false personal tax returns and other tax forms that had never actually been filed with the IRS — as well as the stolen tax and personal identifying information of approximately 12,000 taxpayers who were not UTS clients. Eventually, Umoren succeeded in inducing a victim to purchase UTS and received more than $3.8 million in the sale. Umoren used the sale proceeds to purchase land in Henderson, Nevada, and an automobile.

Umoren is scheduled to be sentenced on all charges on Nov. 2. He faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison on each count of helping file a false tax return for others, three years in prison for impersonating a federal agent, 10 years in prison for each money laundering count, 20 years in prison on each of the wire fraud counts, and a mandatory minimum sentence of at least two years in prison based on the aggravated identity theft counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada made the announcement.

IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and the FBI are investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Sarah A. Kiewlicz and Patrick Burns of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.

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LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident was sentenced today to one year and nine months in prison for filing fraudulent loan applications that sought over $100,000 in loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

Keyawn Lloyd Cook Jr. (27) pleaded guilty on March 9, 2022 to one count of wire fraud. In addition to imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Gloria M. Navarro sentenced Cook to three years of supervised release.

According to court documents, Cook — while on pretrial release for an attempted robbery charge — submitted at least five fraudulent loan applications over a 15-month period for Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funding and for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding. As part of the scheme, Cook submitted loan applications in the names of multiple fake businesses claiming to operate in various industries. Cook falsely claimed to have between nine and 12 employees in applications for EIDL funding and, in his PPP application, he falsely claimed gross revenues of $50,000 by a non-existent barber shop. In total, Cook sought to fraudulently obtain over $100,000 in COVID relief funds for which he was not eligible.

In a separate case, Cook was sentenced in March 2022 to five years in prison for an attempted robbery during an armored car delivery to a bank in 2019.

U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada; Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI; Special Agent in Charge Weston King for the Small Business Administration Office of the Inspector General’s (SBA OIG) Western Region Office; Special Agent in Charge Albert Childress for the IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); and Acting Special Agent in Charge Cory Nootnagel for the Western Region, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (FRB-OIG) made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the FBI, SBA OIG, IRS-CI, FRB-OIG, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Oliva and Kimberly Frayn prosecuted the case.

In May 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

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RENO, Nev. – A Reno resident pleaded guilty yesterday to receiving thousands of images and videos of prepubescent minors — including children under 12 years old — engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Ryan Thomas Eley (25) pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Judge Anne R. Traum presided over the hearing and scheduled sentencing for September 6, 2022.

According to court documents and admissions Eley made in court, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) forwarded at least 12 CyberTips — pertaining to an IP address originating from Eley’s residence — to law enforcement. On August 4, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Eley’s residence and seized USB flash drives, an external hard drive, and a cell phone belonging to Eley. Forensic analysis of the seized devices revealed that some of the images and videos found on his devices depicted prepubescent children engaged in sexually explicit conduct and intercourse with adults. In total, over 2,700 child pornography images and over 400 child pornography videos were recovered from Eley’s electronic devices.

At sentencing, Eley faces a statutory mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Eley also will be required to register as a sex offender.

U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the FBI, Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, Sparks Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Nevada Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Randolph J. St. Clair is prosecuting the case.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood and for information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Report child sexual exploitation to NCMEC by calling the hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or online at www.cybertipline.org.

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RENO, Nev. – A Sparks resident was sentenced yesterday to 13 years in prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, a deadly synthetic opioid.

Jesse Arevalo, aka “Kay,” 31, pleaded guilty in February 2022 to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. In addition to imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Larry R. Hicks sentenced Arevalo to ten years of supervised release.

“Our office is committed to working alongside the DEA and our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners throughout Nevada to hold accountable those who are fueling the opioid epidemic,” said U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada.

“Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is the primary driver behind the exploding number of drug-related deaths nationwide,” said DEA Las Vegas Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kevin Adams. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to target individuals—from the wholesale distributor or the local street dealer—to bring justice to these victims and their grieving families.”

According to court documents, in January 2020, law enforcement began investigating the deaths of two students at a Reno high school. Several witnesses identified Arevalo as the source of the pills that caused the students’ deaths. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement discovered that Arevalo maintained two apartments for the purpose of storing and distributing large quantities of counterfeit M30 pills containing fentanyl and cocaine. In April 2021, the DEA seized approximately 6,631 counterfeit M30 pills and multiple bricks of cocaine — weighing 1,852 grams — from a storage unit that Arevalo leased.

This case was investigated by the DEA and Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Marshals Service; Lyon County Sheriff’s Office; Douglas County Sheriff’s Office; Nevada Highway Patrol, Regional Gang Unit, Regional Narcotics Unit; and Sparks Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andolyn Johnson prosecuted the case.

Fentanyl is approximately 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. This Schedule II controlled substance is a significant factor in the nationwide overdose epidemic. Two milligrams of fentanyl, equivalent to a few grains of table salt, are enough to cause a fatal overdose. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly 107,000 people died in the United States as the result of a drug overdose in the 12-month period ending November 2021. 66 percent of those overdose deaths involved synthetic opioids such as fentanyl.

For more information on the dangers of fentanyl, please visit www.DEA.gov/fentanylawareness.

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LAS VEGAS – A felon who admitted to shooting two firearms on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) property was sentenced today to eight years in prison.

Gustavo Arechiga, 46, of Henderson, Nevada, pleaded guilty in April 2021 to one count of felon in possession of a firearm. In addition to imprisonment, U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan sentenced Arechiga to two years of supervised release.

According to court documents, Arechiga and co-defendant Rafael Martinez went to a BLM property on April 22, 2019 to drink alcohol, smoke drugs, and shoot two firearms: (a) a .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun, and (b) a .223/.556 caliber rifle with a 7.5 inch barrel. Two hikers were nearby when the firearms were discharged. Arechiga and Martinez then left the area with the firearms in a vehicle driven by Arechiga. During a traffic stop, Arechiga lied to officers when asked whether he had any firearms in the vehicle. In addition to the two firearms that were discharged, law enforcement recovered 9mm, .40, and .556 ammunition in the vehicle, as well as firearm magazines.

Arechiga had been previously convicted of at least seven felonies, including convictions in Clark County for battery with use of a deadly weapon, robbery with use of a deadly weapon, and assault with a deadly weapon. Accordingly, federal law prohibits him from possessing firearms or ammunition.

Martinez pleaded guilty and was sentenced to time served in May 2020.

U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Patrick Gorman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Fang prosecuted the case.

If you have information about illegal firearms activity, you are urged to submit a tip to ATF by calling the hotline at 1-800-ATF-GUNS (1-800-283-4867) or through the ReportIt mobile app.

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LAS VEGAS — In honor of National Police Week, United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement. This year, National Police Week is observed from Wednesday, May 11 through Tuesday, May 17.

“This week, we gather to pay tribute to the law enforcement officers who sacrificed their lives in service to our country,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We remember the courage with which they worked and lived. And we recommit ourselves to the mission to which they dedicated their lives. On behalf of a grateful Justice Department and a grateful nation, I extend my sincerest thanks and gratitude to the entire law enforcement community.”

“During National Police Week, we recognize our federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners for their courage and dedication,” said U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada. “We also honor and pay tribute to the brave women and men who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty: they will never be forgotten. Our office is grateful for Nevada’s law enforcement community and the families of every officer and agent.”

In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), 472 law enforcement officers died nationwide in the line of duty in 2021. Of that number, 319 succumbed to COVID-19. Last year, seven officers have died in the line of duty in the District of Nevada.

Additionally, according to 2021 statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 73 law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty in 2021 were killed as a result of felonious acts, whereas 56 died in accidents. Deaths resulting from felonious acts increased in 2021, rising more than 58 percent from the previous year. In 2021, unprovoked attacks were the cause of 24 deaths significantly outpacing all other line of duty deaths resulting from felony acts and reaching the highest annual total in over 30 years of reporting. Additional LEOKA statistics can be found on FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website for the LEOKA program. 

The names of the 619 fallen officers added this year to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read on Friday, May 13, 2022, during a Candlelight Vigil in Washington, D.C., starting at 8:00 PM EDT. Those who wish to view the vigil live online, can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/TheNLEOMF. The schedule of National Police Week events is available on NLEOMF’s website.

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LAS VEGAS – Jason M. Frierson was sworn in today as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada. Chief U.S. District Judge Miranda M. Du administered the oath of office at the Lloyd D. George U.S. Courthouse, attended by judicial officers, agency partners, and Mr. Frierson’s family, friends, and colleagues.

Mr. Frierson is the first African American to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada. He was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden on November 15, 2021, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on April 27, 2022.

“I am humbled and honored for the opportunity to serve as our district’s U.S. Attorney,” said Mr. Frierson. “I’m also grateful for my family’s support throughout the nomination and confirmation process. Throughout my career, keeping our communities safe has been a top priority. I look forward to fulfilling the Department of Justice’s mission alongside our dedicated, talented Assistant U.S. Attorneys, staff professionals, and law enforcement and community partners. We share a steadfast commitment to upholding the rule of law, preventing violent crime in our neighborhoods, protecting the civil rights of citizens, and seeking justice for victims.”

As the District of Nevada’s chief federal law enforcement officer, Mr. Frierson will lead a team of over 100 prosecutors and staff professionals with offices located in Las Vegas and Reno.

Prior to his appointment as U.S. Attorney, Mr. Frierson most recently served as both the Speaker of the Nevada State Assembly and an Assistant Public Defender in the Clark County Public Defender’s Office. From 2012 to 2014 and from 2017 to 2019, he served as a Chief Deputy District Attorney in the Clark County District Attorney’s Office. Mr. Frierson was a partner at Surratt Law Practice in Las Vegas from 2014 to 2017.

Mr. Frierson earned his J.D. from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, William S. Boyd School of Law in 2001, and his B.S. from the University of Nevada, Reno in 1996. After graduating from law school, Mr. Frierson served as a law clerk for Justice Myron E. Leavitt on the Supreme Court of Nevada from 2001 to 2002.

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LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas woman was sentenced today to 45 months in prison for using at least 40 stolen identities to fraudulently collect approximately $175,622 in unemployment insurance benefits from the California Employment Development Department (EDD).

Danielle Lacharis Buck, aka Danielle Lacharis Lakey, pleaded guilty in October 2021 to one count of mail fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. In addition to imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Kent J. Dawson sentenced Buck to three years of supervised release.

According to court documents, from September 2010 to April 2019, Buck devised and executed a scheme to defraud the California EDD — the administrator of the federally funded unemployment insurance benefit program for California residents — into paying her approximately $175,622 in unemployment insurance benefits.

Buck had been employed in medical billings and collections. As part of the fraud scheme, Buck used her position to wrongfully obtain hospital patients’ names, social security numbers, and employment information. She then used these victims’ stolen identities to apply for and receive unemployment insurance benefits. Buck withdrew cash using unemployment insurance benefits debit cards at ATMs in the Las Vegas and Los Angeles metropolitan areas. In total, Buck submitted more than 50 false unemployment insurance claims using at least 40 different stolen identities.

Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Quentin Heiden of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), Los Angeles Region made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the DOL-OIG. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Schmale prosecuted the case.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

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LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for perpetrating a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration by fraudulently applying for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) of more than $100,000 using the name of his defunct business.

Kash King Fuller, aka Kenneth Calhoun Jr., 28, pleaded guilty in February 2022 to one count of wire fraud, two counts of bank fraud, and one count of money laundering. In addition to imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey sentenced Fuller to three years of supervised release.

According to court documents, in March 2018, Fuller formed Generic Labor, LLC, a purported construction contracting company, which he later closed in 2019. In June 2020, Fuller fraudulently obtained $102,400 after submitting a falsified application for an EIDL in the name of his defunct company. Despite having legally changed his name to “Kash King Fuller,” he used his former name, “Kenneth Calhoun,” when identifying the owner of the company. After receiving the EIDL, Fuller attempted to conceal the scheme by depositing the funds into his personal bank account in a series of structured cash deposits intended to avoid bank reporting requirements. Fuller used the fraudulently obtained funds to pay for personal expenses, including financial trades and gambling.

Additionally, from January 2018 to November 2020, Fuller obtained credit cards, unsecured loans, and other lines of credit from banks. Upon obtaining the credit, Fuller made cash withdrawals and incurred other charges which he did not intend to pay. In total, he intended a loss of at least $56,560 in fraudulent credit charges.

Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mina Chang prosecuted the case.

In May 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

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RENO – A convicted felon was sentenced yesterday to 11 years and three months in prison for selling methamphetamine.

Richard Nelson, 33, of Reno, pleaded guilty on January 25, 2022 to one count of distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. In addition to imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Larry R. Hicks sentenced Nelson to five years of supervised release.

According to court documents, from January 3 to March 12, 2020, Nelson sold methamphetamine and heroin on five occasions. The total weight of the drugs seized from Nelson over the course of the investigation was equivalent to approximately 1,144 grams of methamphetamine.

During the execution of a search warrant at Nelson’s residence, law enforcement seized a 12-gauge shotgun and a .357 caliber handgun. Nelson has a prior felony conviction in Reno for Possession of a Controlled Substance, and is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm.

Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, Reno Police Department, Carson City Sheriff’s Office, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Nevada Department of Corrections, Nevada Highway Patrol, and the Nevada Gaming Commission. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andolyn Johnson prosecuted the case.

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LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man made his initial appearance in federal court yesterday for allegedly assaulting two federal task force officers.

Isaiah Tisby, 26, is charged with two counts of assault on a federal officer with use of a deadly and dangerous weapon or infliction of bodily injury, and two counts of assault on a federal officer and employee. U.S. Magistrate Judge Brenda Weksler scheduled a jury trial to begin on July 12, 2022.

According to allegations in the indictment, on March 18, 2022, Tisby used a can of bear attack deterrent to assault two federal task force officers who were carrying out their official duties.

If convicted, Tisby faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the assault on a federal officer with use of a deadly and dangerous weapon or infliction of bodily injury counts; and a statutory maximum penalty of eight years in prison for the assault on a federal officer and employee counts.

Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison Reese is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man made his initial appearance in federal court yesterday for allegedly possessing a machine gun, and for allegedly engaging in the manufacturing and selling of privately made firearms, including machine gun conversion devices commonly referred to as “Glock Switches” — which are designed to convert semi-automatic pistols to fire automatically — without a Federal Firearms License (FFL).

Clarence Meekins (36) is charged with one count of illegal possession of a machine gun and one count of engaging in the business of dealing and manufacturing firearms without a license. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for May 17, 2022, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Albregts.

According to allegations in the complaint, between March 23 and April 11, 2022, Meekins sold privately made 3-D printed firearms and Glock Switches. On April 28, 2022, law enforcement executed search warrants on Meekins’ vehicle and residence. During the searches, law enforcement seized a rifle, a shotgun, a .38 revolver, 3-D printers, machine gun conversion devices, 3-D pistol frames, and various magazines and ammunition. Meekins does not have an FFL, which is required to engage in the business of dealing or manufacturing firearms.

Meekins has prior felony convictions in Nassau County, New York, including possession of a controlled substance, Hobbs Act robbery, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Accordingly, federal law prohibits him from possessing firearms or ammunition.

The statutory maximum penalties are 10 years in prison for illegal possession of a machine gun, and five years in prison for engaging in the business of dealing or manufacturing firearms without a license.

Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Patrick Gorman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison Reese is prosecuting the case.

A complaint is merely an allegation, and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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LAS VEGAS – A convicted felon detained at the Nevada Southern Detention Center (NSDC) was sentenced today to three years and five months in prison for assaulting two officers before a riot at the facility.

Mekivil Julius Franklin, 51, of California, pleaded guilty on December 21, 2021 to two counts of assault of a federal officer. In addition to imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon sentenced Franklin to three years of supervised release.

According to court documents, on May 31, 2020, detention officers at the NSDC responded to a physical altercation between two detainees in a cell block. After officers broke up the fight, a group of detainees surrounded them. Franklin first sucker punched an officer in the face and knocked him unconscious, and then he punched another officer in the face and body.

After the assaults committed by Franklin, detention officers vacated the cell block. Detainees proceeded to initiate a prison riot. Franklin was an active participant in the riot, and he was ultimately among the last group of detainees to surrender. At the time, Franklin was housed at NSDC temporarily while in transit to his final Federal Bureau of Prisons facility, having been convicted and sentenced to 41 months imprisonment for Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition in the Northern District of California.

Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Fang prosecuted the case.

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A federal grand jury in Las Vegas returned an indictment Wednesday charging a Nevada man with using fraudulent checks to steal money from victims’ bank accounts. Michael Zeto, 76, of Las Vegas, is charged in a 20-count indictment with wire fraud, bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. He made his initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cam Ferenbach of the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada.

According to court documents, Zeto partnered with foreign telemarketers who provided Zeto with the names, bank account numbers and other personal information for American consumers who supposedly had purchased products. These consumers often had not, in fact, agreed to purchase the products and had not authorized anyone to debit their bank accounts. 

Zeto allegedly knew that at least one of his telemarketing partners was engaged in fraud, that many of the supposed sales sent by his telemarketing partners were not real sales and that consumers had not authorized debits from their bank accounts. Despite knowing that sales were fraudulent, the indictment alleges that Zeto (using the information provided by his telemarketing partners) created fraudulent checks payable to companies he controlled and arranged to open accounts with banks and payment processors in the United States to deposit the fraudulent checks — thereby taking and attempting to take millions of dollars from victims’ accounts. The indictment also alleges that Zeto knew that many of the victims were older Americans and that he took steps to reduce the likelihood that financial institutions would scrutinize, and possibly close, the bank accounts into which he was depositing the fraudulent checks.

“The defendant is charged with acting as a vital link in a scheme with foreign telemarketing partners to defraud American victims,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice is committed to protecting older Americans from fraud, including people who knowingly help fraudsters.”

“This indictment reflects our office’s commitment to bring to justice criminals who prey on the elderly,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada. “Working closely with the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and our law enforcement partners, we will continue to prosecute fraudsters who target seniors and other vulnerable Nevada residents. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the Department of Justice’s National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).”

“Crimes against the elderly target some of the most vulnerable people in society,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Criminal Investigations Group. "The Inspection Service has been at the forefront of protecting customers from fraud schemes for many years and we will continue to investigate and stop those who exploit older Americans for their own illegal gains.”

“This indictment charges the defendant for his alleged role in a fraudulent check scheme that took and attempted to take millions of dollars from the bank accounts of American consumers,” said Special Agent in Charge Kathy A. Enstrom of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG).  “The FDIC OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to pursue those who seek to defraud banking customers and threaten the integrity of the banking system.”

If convicted, Zeto faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years for wire fraud and 30 years for bank fraud and a mandatory two-year term of imprisonment for aggravated identity theft. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General are investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Daniel Zytnick and Timothy Finley of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Anthony Lopez of the District of Nevada are prosecuting the case.

If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud, and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Eastern time. English, Spanish and other languages are available.

Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

LAS VEGAS – A federal grand jury in Las Vegas returned an indictment Wednesday charging a Nevada man with using fraudulent checks to steal money from victims’ bank accounts. Michael Zeto, 76, of Las Vegas, is charged in a 20-count indictment with wire fraud, bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. He made his initial court appearance yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cam Ferenbach of the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada.

According to court documents, Zeto partnered with foreign telemarketers who provided Zeto with the names, bank account numbers and other personal information for American consumers who supposedly had purchased products. These consumers often had not, in fact, agreed to purchase the products and had not authorized anyone to debit their bank accounts.

Zeto allegedly knew that at least one of his telemarketing partners was engaged in fraud, that many of the supposed sales sent by his telemarketing partners were not real sales and that consumers had not authorized debits from their bank accounts. Despite knowing that sales were fraudulent, the indictment alleges that Zeto (using the information provided by his telemarketing partners) created fraudulent checks payable to companies he controlled and arranged to open accounts with banks and payment processors in the United States to deposit the fraudulent checks — thereby taking and attempting to take millions of dollars from victims’ accounts. The indictment also alleges that Zeto knew that many of the victims were older Americans and that he took steps to reduce the likelihood that financial institutions would scrutinize, and possibly close, the bank accounts into which he was depositing the fraudulent checks.

“The defendant is charged with acting as a vital link in a scheme with foreign telemarketing partners to defraud American victims,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice is committed to protecting older Americans from fraud, including people who knowingly help fraudsters.”

“This indictment reflects our office’s commitment to bring to justice criminals who prey on the elderly,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada. “Working closely with the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and our law enforcement partners, we will continue to prosecute fraudsters who target seniors and other vulnerable Nevada residents. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the Department of Justice’s National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).”

“Crimes against the elderly target some of the most vulnerable people in society,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Criminal Investigations Group. "The Inspection Service has been at the forefront of protecting customers from fraud schemes for many years and we will continue to investigate and stop those who exploit older Americans for their own illegal gains.”

“This indictment charges the defendant for his alleged role in a fraudulent check scheme that took and attempted to take millions of dollars from the bank accounts of American consumers,” said Special Agent in Charge Kathy A. Enstrom of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG). “The FDIC OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to pursue those who seek to defraud banking customers and threaten the integrity of the banking system.”

If convicted, Zeto faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years for wire fraud and 30 years for bank fraud and a mandatory two-year term of imprisonment for aggravated identity theft. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the FDIC OIG are investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Daniel Zytnick and Timothy Finley of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Lopez of the District of Nevada are prosecuting the case.

If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud, and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Eastern time. English, Spanish and other languages are available.

Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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LAS VEGAS – The owners of two behavioral health companies in Las Vegas were sentenced yesterday to three years’ probation for their roles in defrauding the Medicaid health care benefit program of thousands of dollars.

Erica Goodley (37) and Billy Kirby (38), both of Georgia, each pleaded guilty in January 2022 to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of health care fraud. In addition to the three-year term of probation, U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon ordered the forfeiture of $499,440.70 from the defendants.

According to court documents, Goodley and Kirby were the owners of Endeavor Behavioral Health and International Behavioral Health. From June 2016 to February 2018, Goodley and Kirby conspired to provide false representations and omissions on applications to enroll the companies as medical providers with Medicaid. On the applications, they omitted Kirby’s 2005 gross misdemeanor conviction.

It was further part of the conspiracy that the companies fraudulently billed Nevada Medicaid for 24 hours of counseling services by a single counselor in one day and for counselors who did not exist or did not work at the companies at the time of the services. As a result of the false billing, Goodley and Kirby caused a loss of thousands of dollars from Medicaid.

Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada, Special Agent in Charge Albert Childress for the IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford made the announcement.

This case was investigated by IRS-CI and the Nevada Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Burton and Steven Myhre prosecuted the case.

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LAS VEGAS – Two Nevada men were sentenced to prison today for conspiring to defraud the IRS.

Saud Alessa was sentenced to 13 months in prison and Jeffrey Bowen was sentenced to 60 days in prison. After a federal jury trial in November 2021, Alessa and Bowen were both convicted on the conspiracy charge, and Alessa also was convicted on tax evasion and false tax return charges.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from 2010 through approximately March 2014, Alessa, Bowen and another co-conspirator, Jackie Hayes, sought to thwart efforts by the IRS to collect more than $500,000 in tax liabilities owed by Alessa for tax years 1998 to 2007. As part of the scheme, Hayes entered into a payment arrangement with Bowen, the owner of a vacuum cleaner distributor, J&L Distributing, Inc. (J&L), where commissions actually earned by Alessa for his work at J&L were falsely recorded in the company’s books as commissions earned by Hayes. Hayes and Bowen then submitted tax forms and filings to the IRS falsely reporting that Hayes had earned the income. This scheme allowed Alessa to evade IRS collection efforts and the payment of his outstanding federal tax debt. To further conceal his income and assets, Alessa filed false 2012 and 2013 individual tax returns, and in February 2013, he filed a bankruptcy petition falsely reporting no income.

In addition to imprisonment, Chief U.S. District Judge Miranda M. Du ordered Alessa and Bowen to each serve three years of supervised release and to pay over $500,000 in restitution to the United States.

Hayes previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced in February 2022 to two months in prison for her role in the conspiracy.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada, and Special Agent in Charge Albert Childress of IRS-Criminal Investigation made the announcement. They commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, which conducted the investigation, and members of the U.S. Trustee Program, which uncovered the charged conduct during the supervision of the administration of a Chapter 7 bankruptcy case filed by Alessa.

Trial Attorneys Michael Landman and Eric Taffet of the Justice Department’s Tax Division prosecuted the case.

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LAS VEGAS – Yesterday, a federal jury convicted an Arizona man of orchestrating an adult adoption business scheme to fraudulently obtain more than one million dollars from his clients — who consisted mostly of Chinese and Spanish speaking individuals — by promising them U.S. citizenship through adult adoption.

“U.S. citizenship cannot be bought,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada. “Together with our law enforcement partners, our office will hold accountable those who manipulate and defraud immigrants for their own personal financial gain, such as by deceiving victims on the false promise of U.S. citizenship.”

"It is an honor and a privilege to become an American citizen, and this individual egregiously exploited trusting victims for his own financial gain," said Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI. "The sentence should serve as a warning to others that the FBI and our law enforcement partners will remain steadfast in our efforts to dismantle criminal enterprises that strive to circumvent our laws by deceptive and deceitful means.”

Following a six-day trial, Douglas Lee Thayer (68, of Mohave Valley, Arizona) was found guilty of two counts of mail fraud. U.S. District Judge Gloria M. Navarro presided over the trial and scheduled a sentencing hearing for July 26, 2022. For each count of mail fraud, Thayer faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a term of supervised release, and a fine.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in 2015 and 2016, Thayer operated U.S. Adult Adoption Services Inc. (USAAS), a business that promised its clients U.S. citizenship in exchange for money. Thayer fraudulently represented to his adult clients that they would be adopted by U.S. citizens. This would supposedly allow the clients to obtain new birth certificates and, subsequently, obtain U.S. citizenship for themselves. Thayer charged each client an upfront payment between $7,000 and $20,000 for USAAS’s services. In total, Thayer received more than $1,018,337.83 in payments from his clients.

This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Simon F. Kung and Jessica Oliva are prosecuting the case.

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LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man was sentenced today to seven years and 10 months in prison for his role in two armed robberies of cell phone stores in the Las Vegas area.

Kejon Ward (28) pleaded guilty in August 2021 to one count of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of possession of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. In addition to imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey sentenced Ward to three years of supervised release.

According to court documents, Ward — together with co-conspirator Rushard Burton and another co-conspirator — stole more than 100 cell phones from two stores on April 28 and June 5, 2017. Ward was on parole at that time, having been convicted previously for a similar armed robbery. During each cell phone store robbery, Ward pointed a firearm at victims inside, and threatened to shoot them if they did not comply with his demands.

During the June 5 robbery, Ward walked into the store, racked the slide of his handgun, and ordered employees and customers to get to the back of the store. Ward then pointed the gun at several customers — including a family with children — while Burton filled a duffel bag with cell phones.

Co-conspirator Burton pleaded guilty in August 2021 to four counts of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He was sentenced in February 2022 to nine years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.

Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.

This case was a joint investigation by the FBI, North Las Vegas Police Department, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and Henderson Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Burton.

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LAS VEGAS – A former official with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) was sentenced today to two years and six months in prison for his role in a bribery scheme involving a federal contract and committing $1.5 million in tax fraud.

Frederick J. Leavitt, 50, of Henderson, Nev., pleaded guilty in October 2019 to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States. In addition to imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon ordered Leavitt to pay restitution in the amount of $704,002.

According to court documents, Leavitt had been employed by the USBR as Director of the Financial Management Office for the Lower Colorado Region, which includes the Hoover Dam. From about February 2015 through about February 2016, Leavitt and co-conspirator Dustin M. Lewis — a certified public accountant employed by L.L. Bradford & Company, an accounting firm in Las Vegas — devised and executed a scheme to defraud the United States. Leavitt had been assigned to a selection committee that awarded government contracts to perform auditing services for USBR programs. As part of the honest services fraud conspiracy, Lewis paid more than $150,000 in bribes to Leavitt, which they agreed to conceal. In exchange, Leavitt steered an audit contract to L.L. Bradford.

In a separate tax fraud conspiracy, Leavitt and Lewis worked together to file fraudulent tax forms for tax year 2013, on behalf of six business entities that claimed over $11,000,000 collectively in false business deductions. As a result, they caused a tax loss to the IRS in excess of $1.5 million.

Co-conspirator Lewis pleaded guilty in January 2020. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 18, 2022.

Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the FBI, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Interior. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Myhre and Tax Division Trial Attorney Patrick Burns are prosecuting the case.

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LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) officer made his initial appearance in federal court on Friday for allegedly robbing three casinos, stealing approximately $164,000 in total.

Caleb Mitchell Rogers (33) was arrested on February 27, 2022. A federal grand jury returned an indictment on March 22, 2022, charging Rogers with three counts of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. U.S. Magistrate Judge Brenda Weksler scheduled a jury trial for May 23, 2022.

According to allegations in the indictment, on November 12, 2021, Rogers robbed a casino in the western part of Las Vegas of approximately $73,810. On January 6, 2022, he robbed a casino in North Las Vegas of approximately $11,500. In both robberies, Rogers walked directly to the casino’s cashier cage and demanded money from the cashiers.

The third robbery occurred on February 27, 2022. As alleged, Rogers ran toward two casino employees in the sportsbook area and yelled: “Get away from the money. I’ve got a gun. I will shoot you!” Rogers climbed over the counter and shoved one of the employees to the floor, before grabbing approximately $78,898 and placing it into a bag. Rogers fled when the employees triggered an alarm. As Rogers ran toward the parking garage, a casino security officer tackled him. Rogers drew a .357 caliber revolver and, with his finger on the trigger, threatened: “I’m going to shoot you!” Security officers were able to disarm Rogers and restrain him until LVMPD officers arrived. The officers arrested Rogers and seized his firearm. Checking the revolver’s serial number, officers learned that it belonged to the LVMPD.

The statutory maximum penalty is 20 years in prison for each count of interference with commerce by robbery, and life imprisonment for brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Acting Special Agent in Charge W.M. Herrington for the FBI made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the FBI and the LVMPD. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Cowhig is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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LAS VEGAS – A former airline executive pleaded guilty today to failing to pay over $2.6 million in employment taxes to the IRS.

William Acor (62) pleaded guilty to one count of willful failure to collect and pay over employment taxes. U.S. District Judge Gloria M. Navarro scheduled a sentencing hearing for July 27, 2022.

According to court documents, Acor had been the President and Chief Executive Officer of Vision Airlines Inc., an airline headquartered in North Las Vegas. On behalf of Vision Airlines, Acor was responsible for collecting, accounting for, and paying over to the IRS taxes withheld from employee wages, including federal income tax, Social Security tax, and Medicare tax. In addition, Vision Airlines was responsible for paying the employer matching share of Social Security taxes.

Acor admitted that, from 2014 to 2016, he failed to pay over on behalf of Vision Airlines a total of $2,657,254.75 in combined employee tax withholdings and employer matching share of taxes.

At sentencing, Acor faces a statutory maximum penalty of five years in prison, a term of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Acor has also agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $1,667,290.46 to the IRS.

Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Albert Childress for the IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the IRS-CI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Schmale is prosecuting the case.

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LAS VEGAS – A six-time felon was sentenced on Friday to four years in prison for unlawful possession of a loaded firearm.

Nhut Hong Nguyen (41) pleaded guilty on July 9, 2021 to one count of felon in possession of a firearm. In addition to imprisonment, U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan sentenced Nguyen to three years of supervised release.

According to court documents, on May 7, 2019, law enforcement attempted to arrest Nguyen — on a warrant for attempted burglary — as he was exiting a residence. Rather than stopping, Nguyen tried to drive away, struck a police vehicle, crashed his car into a light pole, and then fled on foot. In Nguyen’s car, officers found a loaded .40 caliber pistol with a partially obliterated serial number.

Prior to this latest conviction, Nguyen had been previously convicted of five felonies in Clark County. As a result, federal law prohibits him from possessing a firearm.

Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Acting Special Agent in Charge W.M. Herrington for the FBI made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the FBI, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and the North Las Vegas Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Oliva is prosecuting the case.

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