District of Nevada
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Las Vegas Woman Sentenced for Filing over 80 False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev.—A Las Vegas woman was sentenced Wednesday to eight months in prison, eight months of home confinement, and three years of supervised release for filing 83 false tax returns totaling approximately $450,000, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden of the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Tara Sullivan of the Internal Revenue Service.
“The defendant defrauded the U.S. Government and taxpayers each time she filed a false income tax return,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “This sentencing shows that such greed based criminal behavior does come with a cost. We will continue to pursue individuals who commit tax fraud in Nevada.”
"The sentencing of Roxanne Pitts reflect the continued efforts of IRS Criminal Investigation to prosecute those stealing from the government," said SAC Sullivan.
Roxanne Pitts, 51, was charged by a criminal information and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the government with respect to claims on Oct. 16, 2016.
According to the plea agreement, Pitts admitted that, from June 2011 to about Feb. 2013, she conspired with others to file 83 false U.S. Individual Income tax returns with the IRS. She obtained the identities of deceased individuals through genealogy websites and placed fictitious amounts of wages, withholding, and various deductions on the false tax returns. Pitts electronically filed the false tax returns and directed the IRS to deposit the fraudulent income tax refunds onto pre-paid debit cards that she had obtained in the names of the deceased individuals. In some instances, she directed the IRS to mail U.S. Treasury checks to various Las Vegas addresses. She paid others to receive the checks and to cash the U.S. Treasury checks that she and others fraudulently obtained from the U.S. Treasury.
The case was investigated by the IRS and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Dickinson.
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Las Vegas Man Sentenced to Nearly Six Years for Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev.— A Las Vegas man was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert C. Jones to 70 months in prison and four years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute 400 grams of heroin and methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden of the District of Nevada.
“The defendant concealed the drugs in his vehicle with the intent to avoid law enforcement detection,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “We remain committed to working with the DEA and other law enforcement partners in keeping dangerous drugs off our streets.”
Paulino Rafael Quirazco-Valencia, 30, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Co-defendant Arnold Gutierrez, 30, of Las Vegas, pleaded guilty to two-counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Gutierrez was sentenced to 24 months in prison per count to run concurrent. They were indicted on Feb. 9, 2016.
According to court documents, in January 2016, during an ongoing investigation into the distribution of drugs, DEA Special Agents observed Quirazco-Valencia and Gutierrez manipulating the driver’s side area inside a vehicle parked at an apartment complex and acting in a manner consistent with drug trafficking. They drove off in the vehicle and were stopped by law enforcement. After obtaining consent to search the vehicle, officers located approximately 277 grams of heroin in the center console and a Sig Sauer .38 caliber handgun underneath the front middle seat. The drugs were found in colored balloons and baggies of various sizes consistent with drug distribution. Quirazco-Valencia was arrested and stated that the drugs in the vehicle belonged to him and he was delivering them to a customer. He consented to the search of his residence. The total amount of drugs and money seized from the traffic stop and residence was 395.4 grams of heroin, 4.6 grams of methamphetamine, and $19,290 in cash.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Jaroch.
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Las Vegas Felon Sentenced to Nearly 22 Years in Prison for Firearm and Drug OffenseRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev.—A Las Vegas man was sentenced Tuesday by United States District Judge James C. Mahan to 260 months in prison and six years of supervised release for felon in possession of a firearm, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden of the District of Nevada.
“The defendant is a recidivist, a convicted felon who unlawfully possessed an automatic pistol, ammunition, over 9.5 grams of cocaine, and drug paraphernalia,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “Along with our law enforcement partners, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to fighting violent crime and keeping Nevada’s communities and streets safe.”
Tyrone Davis, 33, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. He was charged in a three-count superseding indictment on Aug. 13, 2013.
According to court documents, Davis has prior felony convictions in Henderson and Las Vegas. On July 19, 2012, detectives with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department were conducting a robbery investigation involving Davis. During the execution of a search warrant of his apartment, the detectives found a Browning .22 caliber automatic pistol, a bullet-proof vest, ammunition, a pistol magazine, 9.6 grams of cocaine, and two digital scales with residue, along with small plastic bags.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa C. Cartier-Giroux and Phillip N. Smith, Jr.
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Las Vegas Woman Pleads Guilty to Possessing Stolen Mail and Counterfeiting U.S. CurrencyRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas woman pleaded guilty today to possessing stolen mail and making counterfeit U.S. currency, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
“Mail theft and manufacturing counterfeit money are serious crimes. Victims of mail theft may suffer for years after the crime has been committed and counterfeit currency impacts the economy and businesses,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work closely with the U.S. Postal Service and our law enforcement partners to bring offenders to justice. Citizens are urged to report incidences of mail theft immediately.”
Mary Fixico, 24, pleaded guilty to possession of stolen mail and counterfeiting before United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon. Co-defendant, Kyle Sanz-Carver, 32, pleaded guilty on Dec. 28, 2016, to possession of stolen mail, possession of counterfeit U.S. Postal Service key, and possession of counterfeit U.S. Postal Service lock. They were indicted on Aug. 9, 2016.
According to the plea agreement, Fixico admitted that she and Sanz-Carver were in possession of approximately 45 pieces of stolen mail, approximately 80 bank and credit card account statements, and approximately 130 personal and commercial checks, all acquired from stolen first class mail. In addition, Fixico admitted that she knew the mail items were stolen and that Sanz-Carver was in possession of one U.S. Postal Service lock and four counterfeit U.S. Postal Service keys which were used to open U.S. mail boxes and mail receptacles to steal the mail items.
Furthermore, Fixico admitted that she would make her own U.S. currency with a scanner/printer and counterfeiting paraphernalia. She used the counterfeit currency at grocery stores, gas stations, and other businesses throughout Las Vegas. During the execution of a search warrant at Fixico’s and Sanz-Carver’s residence, law enforcement found a total of 23 completed forged checks that totaled $50,782. The payee’s name on the forged checks had been changed to Fixico’s name.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 19, 2017. Fixico faces a statutory maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for possession of stolen mail and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for counterfeiting.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service; and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa C. Cartier-Giroux.
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Owner of Major Online Colored Contact Lens Business Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison in Largest-Ever Scheme to Import and Sell Counterfeit and Misbranded Contact Lenses Prosecuted in the United StatesRead the Press Release
The owner and operator of Candy Color Lenses, a major online retailer of colored contact lenses in the United States, was sentenced to 46 months in prison today for running an international operation importing counterfeit and misbranded contact lenses from suppliers in Asia and then selling them over the internet without a prescription to tens of thousands of customers around the country.
Acting Assistant Attorney General David Bitkower of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden of the District of Nevada and Director George M. Karavetsos of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Office of Criminal Investigations made the announcement.
In addition to imposing a prison sentence, U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan of the District of Nevada ordered defendant Dmitriy V. Melnik, 30, of Las Vegas, remit $200,000 in restitution and forfeit $1.2 million in proceeds derived from the scheme as well as property seized during the investigation. Melnik pleaded guilty before Judge Mahan on Sept. 8, 2016, to one count of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods and to introduce into interstate commerce misbranded devices.
According to the plea agreement, Melnik imported large quantities of colored contact lenses from the People’s Republic of China and South Korea that he knew were counterfeit and/or unauthorized by the FDA for sale in the United States. Many of these contact lenses bore labels with counterfeit trademarks for Ciba Vision FreshLook COLORBLENDS, which are manufactured by Novartis International AG (Novartis), and others bore labels of contact lense brands produced and sold in Asia, he admitted.
As stipulated in the plea agreement, contact lenses—even decorative ones—are medical devices that if not fitted, worn, or cared for properly can result in serious eye injury including blindness, and must receive prior FDA authorization to enter the U.S. and be further distributed. Melnik admitted, however, that he sold purportedly “authentic” contact lenses to tens of thousands of customers around the United States without a prescription, adequate directions for use or adequate warnings. After purchasing the contact lenses, many customers complained directly to Melnik about the quality of the contact lenses and questioned Melnik about whether the contact lenses were genuine and FDA approved. Melnik admitted that many of the contact lenses that he sold were substandard, and that some were tested and found to be contaminated with a potentially dangerous bacteria.
As stated in the plea agreement, a substantial part of the fraudulent scheme was committed from outside the United States, and Melnik received at least $1.2 million in gross revenue from this illegal enterprise, including approximately $200,000 alone from the sale of counterfeit Ciba Vision FreshLook COLORBLENDS.
Anyone with information about individuals committing intellectual property offenses can report those crimes to the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center by going to http://www.iprcenter.gov/referral or calling (866) IPR-2060.
The prosecution is the result of an ongoing multiagency effort to combat counterfeit, illegally imported and unapproved contact lenses called Operation Double Vision. The FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations led the investigation, with significant support from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. Senior Counsel Matthew A. Lamberti of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Cowhig of the District of Nevada are prosecuting the case.
The indictment is related to the many efforts being undertaken by the department’s Task Force on Intellectual Property, which supports prosecution priorities, promotes innovation through heightened civil enforcement, enhances coordination among federal, state and local law enforcement partners and focuses on international enforcement efforts, including reinforcing relationships with key foreign partners and U.S. industry leaders.
Owner of Major Online Colored Contact Lens Business Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison in Largest-Ever Scheme to Import and Sell Counterfeit and Misbranded Contact Lenses Prosecuted in the United StatesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev.–The owner and operator of Candy Color Lenses, a major online retailer of colored contact lenses in the United States, was sentenced to 46 months in prison today for running an international operation importing counterfeit and misbranded contact lenses from suppliers in Asia and then selling them over the internet without a prescription to tens of thousands of customers around the country.
Acting Assistant Attorney General David Bitkower of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden of the District of Nevada and Director George M. Karavetsos of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Office of Criminal Investigations made the announcement.
In addition to imposing a prison sentence, U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan of the District of Nevada ordered defendant Dmitriy V. Melnik, 30, of Las Vegas, remit $200,000 in restitution and forfeit $1.2 million in proceeds derived from the scheme as well as property seized during the investigation. Melnik pleaded guilty before Judge Mahan on Sept. 8, 2016, to one count of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods and to introduce into interstate commerce misbranded devices.
According to the plea agreement, Melnik imported large quantities of colored contact lenses from the People’s Republic of China and South Korea that he knew were counterfeit and/or unauthorized by the FDA for sale in the United States. Many of these contact lenses bore labels with counterfeit trademarks for Ciba Vision FreshLook COLORBLENDS, which are manufactured by Novartis International AG (Novartis), and others bore labels of contact lense brands produced and sold in Asia, he admitted.
As stipulated in the plea agreement, contact lenses—even decorative ones—are medical devices that if not fitted, worn, or cared for properly can result in serious eye injury including blindness, and must receive prior FDA authorization to enter the U.S. and be further distributed. Melnik admitted, however, that he sold purportedly “authentic” contact lenses to tens of thousands of customers around the United States without a prescription, adequate directions for use or adequate warnings. After purchasing the contact lenses, many customers complained directly to Melnik about the quality of the contact lenses and questioned Melnik about whether the contact lenses were genuine and FDA approved. Melnik admitted that many of the contact lenses that he sold were substandard, and that some were tested and found to be contaminated with a potentially dangerous bacteria.
As stated in the plea agreement, a substantial part of the fraudulent scheme was committed from outside the United States, and Melnik received at least $1.2 million in gross revenue from this illegal enterprise, including approximately $200,000 alone from the sale of counterfeit Ciba Vision FreshLook COLORBLENDS.
Anyone with information about individuals committing intellectual property offenses can report those crimes to the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center by going to http://www.iprcenter.gov/referral or calling (866) IPR-2060.
The prosecution is the result of an ongoing multiagency effort to combat counterfeit, illegally imported and unapproved contact lenses called Operation Double Vision. The FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations led the investigation, with significant support from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. Senior Counsel Matthew A. Lamberti of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Cowhig of the District of Nevada are prosecuting the case.
The indictment is related to the many efforts being undertaken by the department’s Task Force on Intellectual Property, which supports prosecution priorities, promotes innovation through heightened civil enforcement, enhances coordination among federal, state and local law enforcement partners and focuses on international enforcement efforts, including reinforcing relationships with key foreign partners and U.S. industry leaders.
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Nevada U.S. Attorney's Office Collects $26.8 Million for U.S. Taxpayers in 2016Read the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – United States Attorney Daniel G. Bogden announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada collected approximately $26,800,380 in criminal, civil and asset forfeiture actions in Fiscal Year (FY) 2016. Of this amount, approximately $11,542,574 was collected in criminal actions, approximately $9,507,631 was collected in civil actions, and $5,750,175 was collected in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2016.
The District of Nevada also worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $62,234 in cases pursued jointly with these offices.
“Our office is committed to enforcing the recovery of civil and criminal debts owed to the United States and to victims of federal crime. These collections are used to help crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “Our work has produced a significant return on investment. Our FY 2016 collections substantially exceeded the total appropriated budget for our office for the year. Since FY 2013, our office has collected a total of approximately $78.2 million in criminal, civil and asset forfeiture actions. I commend our attorneys and especially our staff in the Financial Litigation Unit and Asset Forfeiture Section for their remarkable work in recovering many, many millions in funds for the federal treasury and for victims of federal crime.”
Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch also announced today that the Justice Department collected nearly $15.4 billion in civil and criminal actions in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2016. The $15,380,130,434 in collections in FY 2016 represents more than five times the appropriated $2.93 billion budget for the 94 U.S. Attorneys’ offices and the main litigating divisions of the Justice Department combined in that same period.
“Every day, the men and women of the Department of Justice work tirelessly to enforce our laws, ensuring that taxpayer dollars are used properly and that the American people are protected from exploitation and abuse,” said Attorney General Lynch. “Today’s announcement is a testament to that work, and it makes clear that our actions deliver a significant return on public investment. I want to thank the prosecutors and trial attorneys who made this year's collections possible, and I want to emphasize that the department remains committed to the well-being of our people and our nation.”
Below is a summary of a case in which the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada collected a significant amount of money during FY 2016.
In June 2016, Renown Health, a non-profit corporation which operates Renown Regional Medical Center and Renown South Meadows Medical Center in Reno, paid $5.9 million to the Department of Justice to resolve civil allegations of health care fraud to the Medicare system. The civil lawsuit alleged that Renown submitted false claims to the Medicare program for inpatient hospital services from June 1, 2006, through June 30, 2014.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims’ Fund, which distributes the funds to state victim compensation and victim assistance programs. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
The largest civil collections were from affirmative civil enforcement cases, in which the United States recovered government money lost to fraud or other misconduct or collected fines imposed on individuals and/or corporations for violations of federal health, safety, civil rights or environmental laws. In addition, civil debts were collected on behalf of several federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, Internal Revenue Service, Small Business Administration and Department of Education.
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British Man Who Was Arrested at Trump Rally Sentenced on Weapon and Disruption ChargesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev.—The British citizen who was arrested for attempting to seize the firearm of a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officer at a Donald Trump rally in June 2016, was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
“The event’s security is a priority for the safety of the speaker, all attendees and law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “We will continue working together with all our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to ensure the safety of all Nevada citizens and visitors.”
Michael Steven Sandford, 20, of England, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan. Sandford pleaded guilty on Sept. 13, 2016, to one count of illegal alien in possession of a firearm and one count of impeding and disrupting the orderly conduct of government business and official functions.
On June 17, 2016, Sandford, who was unlawfully in the United States because he had overstayed his tourist visa that expired on Aug. 30, 2015, went to a gun range in Las Vegas and took shooting lessons using a rented Glock 9 millimeter handgun. The following day, on June 18, Sandford entered a political rally event for Donald Trump at the Mystere Theatre in the Treasure Island Casino. The entrance to the event was clearly marked with posters designating the grounds as restricted and under the protection of the U.S. Secret Service. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers were also present at the rally to assist with security. Inside the rally, Sandford approached a uniformed Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officer and asked to obtain Trump’s autograph. When the officer gave his verbal reply, Sandford, using both hands, grabbed the officer’s Glock 9 millimeter handgun and attempted to pull it from the holster. Sandford was immediately arrested and removed from the rally. Sandford’s conduct was disorderly and disruptive and required the U.S. Secret Service, other law enforcement, and security personnel to respond to the threat posed by Sandford, whose arrest also disrupted the speech given by Trump.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared L. Grimmer.
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Reno Man Sentenced for Bank Robbery with A Dangerous Weapon Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
RENO, Nev. - A Reno man who was found guilty by a jury for a 2013 bank robbery in south Reno and for killing a customer was sentenced on Monday by U.S. District Judge Miranda M. Du to life in prison on both counts and ordered that the counts run consecutive, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
“The defendant was callous and killed an innocent man who was trying to prevent the bank robbery,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “Using a firearm to rob a bank is a serious offense and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure violent criminals are brought to justice.”
Van McDuffy, aka Van McDuffie, 69, was indicted on Oct. 20, 2013. He was found guilty on Aug. 17, 2016, of bank robbery with a dangerous weapon resulting in death and use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence causing death.
On Oct. 16, 2013, McDuffy entered a Bank of America and approached a teller demanding money while showing the teller a gun. A customer at the teller being robbed told McDuffy to “get out of here.” McDuffy turned and shot the customer who died at the scene. McDuffy took the money from the first teller and then moved to a second teller. He pointed the gun at the second teller while demanding money before fleeing the bank. An off-duty Reno Police Department officer was in the bank at the time of the robbery and followed McDuffy out of the bank. The off-duty officer was able to apprehend McDuffy across the street from the bank at a bus stop.
The case was a joint investigation by the FBI and the Reno Police Department; and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Rachow.
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Owner of Nevada Dry Cleaner Pleads Guilty to Obstructing the Administration of the Internal Revenue LawsRead the Press Release
A Las Vegas, Nevada woman pleaded guilty today to corruptly endeavoring to obstruct the due administration of the internal revenue laws, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo, head of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, and U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden of the District of Nevada.
According to the plea agreement, from at least 2005 through 2009, Judith Woodward, then known as Judith Atwell, 58, was the 99 percent owner and joint operator of a Las Vegas dry cleaning business, Canyon Gate Cleaners, which she held under an entity named Canyon Enterprises LLC.
Woodward admitted that she filed false 2005 through 2009 U.S. Returns of Partnership Income (Forms 1065), which underreported the gross receipts for Canyon Enterprises LLC. Woodward concealed the true gross receipts by failing to deposit certain cash receipts into any bank account, and depositing hundreds of thousands of dollars of other cash receipts into personal bank accounts that she controlled. Woodward provided her return preparer with false information regarding business deductions, and only provided the business bank account records, which omitted the cash receipts. Woodward used the unreported cash receipts to pay for personal expenses, including vehicles and personal credit card payments.
Woodward also admitted to filing false 2005 through 2009 U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns (Forms 1040), on which she underreported partnership income received from Canyon Enterprises LLC.
In 2010, Woodward made false and misleading statements to an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) special agent that all cash business receipts were deposited into the Canyon Enterprises LLC business bank accounts, that she assumed all income from all sources was reported on her filed tax returns, and that the maximum amount of cash she had on hand between 2004 and 2009 was $100,000. Woodward admitted to causing a loss to the IRS of approximately $212,000.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 9, 2017. Woodward faces a statutory maximum sentence of three years in prison, as well as a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Ciraolo and U.S. Attorney Bogden thanked special agents of the IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorneys Christopher S. Strauss and Eric C. Schmale of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Owner of Las Vegas Dry Cleaner Pleads Guilty to Obstructing the Administration of the Internal Revenue LawsRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas woman pleaded guilty today to corruptly endeavoring to obstruct the due administration of the internal revenue laws, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo, head of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, and U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden of the District of Nevada.
According to the plea agreement, from at least 2005 through 2009, Judith Woodward, then known as Judith Atwell, 58, was the 99 percent owner and joint operator of a Las Vegas dry cleaning business, Canyon Gate Cleaners, which she held under an entity named Canyon Enterprises LLC.
Woodward admitted that she filed false 2005 through 2009 U.S. Returns of Partnership Income (Forms 1065), which underreported the gross receipts for Canyon Enterprises LLC. Woodward concealed the true gross receipts by failing to deposit certain cash receipts into any bank account, and depositing hundreds of thousands of dollars of other cash receipts into personal bank accounts that she controlled. Woodward provided her return preparer with false information regarding business deductions, and only provided the business bank account records, which omitted the cash receipts. Woodward used the unreported cash receipts to pay for personal expenses, including vehicles and personal credit card payments.
Woodward also admitted to filing false 2005 through 2009 U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns (Forms 1040), on which she underreported partnership income received from Canyon Enterprises LLC.
In 2010, Woodward made false and misleading statements to an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) special agent that all cash business receipts were deposited into the Canyon Enterprises LLC business bank accounts, that she assumed all income from all sources was reported on her filed tax returns, and that the maximum amount of cash she had on hand between 2004 and 2009 was $100,000. Woodward admitted to causing a loss to the IRS of approximately $212,000.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 9, 2017. Woodward faces a statutory maximum sentence of three years in prison, as well as a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Ciraolo and U.S. Attorney Bogden thanked special agents of the IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorneys Christopher S. Strauss and Eric C. Schmale of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
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Reno Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to TerroristsRead the Press Release
RENO, Nev. - Balwinder Singh, 42, of Reno, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to provide material support and resources to terrorists knowing and intending that such support would be used to commit terrorist attacks overseas.
The announcement was made by Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Mary B. McCord, U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse for the FBI’s Las Vegas Division.
“Singh attempted to provide material support and resources to terrorists to create violence and disruption abroad,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General McCord. “Identifying, thwarting and holding accountable individuals who pursue international terrorism is a top priority of the Department of Justice.”
“Today’s plea is the result of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force working proactively to disrupt terrorist attacks,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “National security is a top priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to locate, identify, and prosecute those who conspire and attempt to provide material support to terrorists and terrorist activities.”
“This is a strong indicator of the law enforcement community’s commitment to combating terrorism and keeping our nation safe,” said Special Agent in Charge Rouse.
Singh, aka Jhaji, aka Happy, aka Possi, aka Baljit Singh, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Larry R. Hicks to one count of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists. He has been detained since his arrest on Dec. 17, 2013. He was charged on Dec. 18, 2013. Singh is a citizen of India and permanent U.S. resident.
According to court filed documents and admissions made in connection with the plea agreement, between September 2013 and Dec. 17, 2013, Singh conspired with others to support terrorist attacks in India as part of a movement to create an independent Sikh state in the Punjab region of India.
Singh communicated with co-conspirators by telephone to discuss these plans and agreed to provide material support by facilitating a co-conspirator’s travel to and within South Asia and providing funding and materials necessary to carry out an overseas attack.
In October 2013, Singh and co-conspirators agreed that one co-conspirator would travel to South Asia in the fall of 2013. Upon arrival, the co-conspirator would travel to India and commit a terror attack – likely an assassination or maiming of an Indian governmental official. The final target would be determined after the co-conspirator arrived in South Asia.
In November 2013, Singh purchased two sets of night vision goggles. In December 2013, he provided the night vision goggles to a co-conspirator who was going to carry out the planned attack. On Dec. 9, 2013, the co-conspirator attempted to board a flight from the San Francisco International Airport to Bangkok, Thailand in order to carry out the terror attack with the night vision goggles provided to him by Singh. U.S. law enforcement prevented the co-conspirator from boarding that flight. As a result, the planned terror attack never occurred. After these events, Singh and his co-conspirators continued to discuss and plan the terror attack in India until Singh’s arrest.
At the time of sentencing, under the plea agreement, Singh faces the statutory maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing has been set for Feb. 27, 2017.
The case is being investigated by the FBI-led Joint Terrorism Task Force in northern Nevada. The northern Nevada JTTF is comprised of the FBI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), Naval Criminal Investigative Service and Nevada Department of Investigation. In addition, ATF, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office provided assistance in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sue Fahami, Brian L. Sullivan, Carla Higginbotham, and Trial Attorney Mara M. Kohn of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
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Nevada Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to TerroristsRead the Press Release
Balwinder Singh, 42, of Reno, Nevada, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to provide material support and resources to terrorists knowing and intending that such support would be used to commit terrorist attacks overseas.
The announcement was made by Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Mary B. McCord, U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse for the FBI’s Las Vegas Division.
“Singh attempted to provide material support and resources to terrorists to create violence and disruption abroad,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General McCord. “Identifying, thwarting and holding accountable individuals who pursue international terrorism is a top priority of the Department of Justice.”
“Today’s plea is the result of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force working proactively to disrupt terrorist attacks,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “National security is a top priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to locate, identify, and prosecute those who conspire and attempt to provide material support to terrorists and terrorist activities.”
“This is a strong indicator of the law enforcement community’s commitment to combating terrorism and keeping our nation safe,” said Special Agent in Charge Rouse.
Singh, aka Jhaji, aka Happy, aka Possi, aka Baljit Singh, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Larry R. Hicks to one count of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists. He has been detained since his arrest on Dec. 17, 2013. He was charged on Dec. 18, 2013. Singh is a citizen of India and permanent U.S. resident.
According to court filed documents and admissions made in connection with the plea agreement, between September 2013 and Dec. 17, 2013, Singh conspired with others to support terrorist attacks in India as part of a movement to create an independent Sikh state in the Punjab region of India.
Singh communicated with co-conspirators by telephone to discuss these plans and agreed to provide material support by facilitating a co-conspirator’s travel to and within South Asia and providing funding and materials necessary to carry out an overseas attack.
In October 2013, Singh and co-conspirators agreed that one co-conspirator would travel to South Asia in the fall of 2013. Upon arrival, the co-conspirator would travel to India and commit a terror attack – likely an assassination or maiming of an Indian governmental official. The final target would be determined after the co-conspirator arrived in South Asia.
In November 2013, Singh purchased two sets of night vision goggles. In December 2013, he provided the night vision goggles to a co-conspirator who was going to carry out the planned attack. On Dec. 9, 2013, the co-conspirator attempted to board a flight from the San Francisco International Airport to Bangkok, Thailand in order to carry out the terror attack with the night vision goggles provided to him by Singh. U.S. law enforcement prevented the co-conspirator from boarding that flight. As a result, the planned terror attack never occurred. After these events, Singh and his co-conspirators continued to discuss and plan the terror attack in India until Singh’s arrest.
At the time of sentencing, under the plea agreement, Singh faces the statutory maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing has been set for Feb. 27, 2017.
The case is being investigated by the FBI-led Joint Terrorism Task Force in northern Nevada. The northern Nevada JTTF is comprised of the FBI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), Naval Criminal Investigative Service and Nevada Department of Investigation. In addition, ATF, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office provided assistance in the investigation.Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sue Fahami, Brian L. Sullivan, Carla Higginbotham, and Trial Attorney Mara M. Kohn of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
Man Convicted of Threatening to Take the Life of the President of the United StatesRead the Press Release
RENO, Nev.—A man was convicted on Wednesday for threatening to take the life of the President of the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
“Threatening to take the life of the nation’s Commander in Chief will be taken seriously and investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden.
Steven Eugene Ford, aka Job Ford, aka Eleazar Melchizedek, 50, was found guilty of making a threat to take the life of the President of the United States. Ford was charged by a grand jury on March 9, 2016. United States District Judge Howard D. McKibben presided over the jury trial.
According to court documents, on or about March 1, 2016, Ford told a White House telephone operator that “I’m going to kill that president. I hate him.” During an interview, Ford admitted to making the threats.
Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 7, 2017. Ford faces the statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian L. Sullivan.
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Las Vegas Illusionist Pleads Guilty to Possession, Receipt, and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev.—A former Las Vegas illusionist pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Chief Judge Gloria M. Navarro to possession, receipt, and distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
“The risk to our children from sexual predators is constant and continuing,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “We will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute these disturbing cases and dangerous defendants as part of our implementation of the Project Safe Childhood initiative throughout Nevada. The Court may consider any counts dismissed under the Plea Agreement and all other relevant conduct, whether charged or uncharged, in determining the appropriate sentence to be imposed in this case.”
Jan Rouven Fuechtener, aka Lars Schmidt, 39, a citizen of Germany, was indicted on March 30, 2016. Sentencing has been scheduled for March 16, 2017, before Chief Judge Navarro.
According to court documents and admissions made in court, on August 2015, a Task Force Officer from the FBI Buffalo Field Office Child Exploitation Task Force in New York, operating in an undercover capacity, was accepted as a friend by user name “Lars45” on GigaTribe, a peer-to-peer file sharing program. On Sept.14, 2015, the officer used the password previously supplied by Lars45 and was able to access and browse Lars45’s shared directories. The officer downloaded numerous files after observing file titles indicative of child pornography. On Jan. 21, 2016, during the execution of a search warrant at the defendant's residence in Las Vegas, law enforcement seized 38 devices throughout the residence. A forensic examination of the seized devices revealed that there were over 9,000 videos depicting children engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Fuechtener admitted that the Lars45 GigaTribe account belonged to him.
Fuechtener further admitted to using the Skype username “larusa22” to engage in chats to offer to distribute child pornography by sharing his GigaTribe Lars45 folder in exchange for a thing of value. Skype user account larusa22 is associated with an email address belonging to Fuechtener.
At the time of sentencing, Fuechtener will face a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count and a five year minimum mandatory on two counts.
The case was investigated by the FBI, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elham Roohani and Lisa C. Cartier-Giroux.
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 growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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 and for information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Las Vegas Woman Indicted for Evading Payment of Trust Fund Recovery PenaltiesRead the Press Release
Las Vegas, Nev. - A Las Vegas, Nevada resident was charged by a superseding indictment today in the District of Nevada for attempted tax evasion announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo, head of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, and U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
According to the superseding indictment, Maria Larkin aka Maria Bella-Larkin, owned and operated Five Star Home Health Care Inc. (FSHHC) from 1996 through 2009 and was responsible for collecting, accounting for, and paying over income, social security, and Medicare tax withheld from employees’ wages. The tax withheld is referred to as “trust fund tax” because the employer holds those funds in trust until the amounts are paid over to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on behalf of the employee. If a responsible person willfully fails to pay over trust fund taxes, the IRS may impose a penalty equal to the amount of the trust fund taxes on the responsible person. This penalty is known as the trust fund recovery penalty.
The superseding indictment alleges that from 2004 through 2009, FSHHC failed to pay over the tax withheld from its employees’ wages and, as a result, the IRS assessed trust fund recovery penalties against Larkin equal to the amount withheld and not paid over.
According to the superseding indictment, Larkin willfully attempted to evade and defeat the payment of the trust fund recovery penalties assessed against her by concealing and attempting to conceal from the IRS her access to personal funds and assets. Specifically, the superseding indictment alleges that Larkin purchased a home in the name of a nominee, engaged in currency transactions with financial institutions in amounts less than $10,000 to prevent the filing of currency transaction reports, changed the name of her business and placed the business in the name of a nominee, and provided false information to the IRS regarding her ability to pay the trust fund recovery penalties.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, Larkin faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison, a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Ciraolo and U.S. Attorney Bogden commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorney John Mulcahy of the Tax Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cristina Silva and Alexandra Michael, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
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Employee Sentenced for Stealing Mail Being Loaded on Airplanes at McCarran International AirportRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – An employee responsible for handling mail being loaded on airlines at McCarran International Airport was sentenced today by U.S. District Chief Judge Gloria M. Navarro to 30 months of probation for his guilty plea of stealing mail containing cash or gift cards, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
“The defendant abused his position and stole over 200 mail items in search of cash or gift cards for his personal use,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “Mail theft is a serious crime. Protecting our mail system’s integrity is important for businesses and social communication. We will continue to work with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to ensure criminals are investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent that the law allows.”
Martin Sagaga Lio Jr., 27, of Las Vegas, pleaded guilty on May 9, 2016, to one count of mail theft. He was indicted on March 1, 2016.
According to court records, between Dec. 6, 2015 and Feb. 25, 2016, Lio was employed by Swissport, the contracted company authorized to handle mail being loaded on airlines at McCarran International Airport. During this time, Lio admitted that he stole mail from mail trays which were being loaded in the cargo areas of various aircraft. He searched the mail for gift card sized envelopes which he would conceal in his clothing and take to various employee restrooms within the airport. After searching for and removing cash or gift cards, Lio would discard the opened mail in the restroom trash cans. A total of 248 mail items which Lio stole and threw away were recovered from employee restroom trash cans.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared L. Grimmer.
If you believe your mail was stolen, call the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455 and press 3. To file a mail theft complaint, visit https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/ or call 1-800-275-8777.
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Jury Convicts Man of Coercion and Enticement of A MinorRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. –A Henderson, Nev., man was convicted Tuesday of coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
Following a two-day jury trial, Kenneth Gordon Wescott, 54, was convicted of one count of coercion and enticement of a minor. He was indicted by a grand jury on March 11, 2014. United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon presided over the jury trial. A sentencing date has been scheduled for Feb. 16, 2017.
“The defendant engaged in sexually explicit communications and grooming behavior with someone whom he believed to be a 13-year-old girl. Fortunately, he was communicating with an undercover officer,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect children from sexual predators.”
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on or about Dec. 12, 2013 and Jan. 4, 2014, Wescott engaged in a series of emails and text messages with someone whom he believed to be a 13-year-old girl. Wescott posted a provocative ad on mymojovillage.com. An undercover officer with the Henderson Police Department posed as an underage girl and responded to Westcott’s ad. Westcott used the email exchanges to build a relationship with the girl and continued to engage in sexually explicit language. Wescott asked for a face to face meeting with the girl and was arrested at the meeting place.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Henderson Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kilby C. Macfadden and Cristina D. Silva.
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 growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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 and for information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Reno Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
RENO, Nev. – A Reno man has been sentenced to five years in prison, lifetime supervised release, and ordered to pay $1,500 in restitution for his guilty plea to receiving child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
“Today’s sentencing is an example of proven partnerships among a service provider, a nonprofit organization, and law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “The defendant abused the use of free public internet connections to commit these heinous crimes against the most vulnerable in our communities. We will continue to use all available resources to identify individuals who commit crimes against our children.”
Phillip Bradley Sanderson, 26, was sentenced on Monday, Nov. 7, by U.S. District Judge Miranda M. Du. Sanderson pleaded guilty on May 16, 2016, to one count of receipt of child pornography. He was indicted by a grand jury on May 6, 2015.
According to court records, in August 2014, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a cybertip from Google, Inc., which reported that one of its users was emailing images of suspected child pornography. NCMEC referred the matter to law enforcement, and the images were confirmed to depict child pornography and Sanderson was identified as the email user. On March 3, 2015, Nevada Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force agents and officers executed a search warrant at Sanderson’s residence. A forensic examination of seven digital devices found at the residence revealed approximately 32 images on Sanderson’s laptop and cellular phone of infants and children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and information that Sanderson had used specific search terms to locate and receive child pornography. During an interview, Sanderson admitted to searching for and downloading child pornography files on the internet using free WI-FI at the Washoe County Public Library and a local casino. He also admitted that he emailed child pornography files to himself so he could save the files on his other electronic devices, and that he had been searching for and downloading child pornography for many years.
The case was investigated by the FBI, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon Bryant.
The NCMEC’s CyberTipline provides the public and electronic service providers with the ability to report suspected child sexual exploitation. More than 12.7 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation have been made to the CyberTipline between 1998 and June 2016. The public and electronic service providers are encouraged to report information at www.cybertipline.com or by calling the 24-hour hotline at 1-800-843-5678.
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 growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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 and for information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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November 2016 ElectionsRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – United States Attorney Daniel G. Bogden announced that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Carla Higginbotham is leading the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for today’s general elections. AUSA Higginbotham has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Nevada, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen because of fraud,” stated U.S. Attorney Bogden. “The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on election day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice.
Today there will be command posts in Reno and Las Vegas staffed by members of the Nevada Election Integrity Task Force, which includes the FBI, Nevada Secretary of State’s Office and U.S. Attorney’s Office. They will assist with the investigation of any complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses, and will ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities.
Complaints may be filed by a number of ways:
- By completing the Election Law Violation Form on the Nevada Secretary of State’s website: http://nvsos.gov/sos/elections/election-information/resources/report-potential-election-law-violation;
- By calling the NV Secretary of State at (775) 684-5718;
- By calling the FBI in Las Vegas at (702) 385-1281 and asking for FBI Special Agent Michael B. Elliott.
- Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington by telephone at (800) 253-3931 or (202) 307-2767, by fax at (202) 307-3961, by email to [email protected], or by complaint form at http://www.justice.gov/crt/complaint/votintake/index.php
- By contacting our United States Attorney’s Office Points of Contact. In southern Nevada, AUSA Nick Dickinson can be reached at (702) 388-6336. In northern Nevada, AUSA Carla Higginbotham can be reached by contacting (775) 784-5438.
We are pleased to again be a part of this most important effort to ensure the 2016 election is administered fairly. The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice.
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Las Vegas Man Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas man was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan to serve 70 months in prison and a lifetime of supervised release following his guilty plea for receiving child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
“The sexual abuse of young victims is deplorable and they are re-victimized each time an image or video file is shared. We are committed to protecting the most vulnerable in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “The defendant is required under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) to register as a sex offender and to keep his registration current where he resides, is an employee or a student.”
Shane Richard Gordon, 36, pleaded guilty on Aug. 5, 2016, to one count of receiving child pornography.
According to court records, on June 1, 2014, a Special Agent for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) launched a file sharing program that permitted access to the BitTorrent peer-to-peer network and identified a computer offering files known to be associated with child pornography images and videos for sharing purposes. The ICE-HSI Special Agent downloaded 50 image files and one video file containing child pornography. On July 31, 2014, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Gordon’s residence. Forensic evaluation of the seized digital items revealed child pornography. During an interview, Gordon admitted to downloading and receiving child pornography.
The case was investigated by ICE-HSI, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa Cartier-Giroux and Elham Roohani.
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 growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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 and for information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Six Convenience Store Robberies During 2015Read the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas man who pleaded guilty to robbing six convenience stores in the Las Vegas area during November and December 2015, was sentenced today to 25 years in prison and five years of supervised release, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
Paul Daniel Loisel, 24, was sentenced this afternoon by U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon. Loisel pleaded guilty on Aug. 10 to five counts of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
“It is simply unacceptable for persons to think they can walk into a convenience store and threaten the employees and customers with a gun in order to obtain what typically is a very small amount of cash,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “We will continue to assist our local authorities in their efforts to deter and end this type of violent crime by prosecuting these cases using federal laws with lengthy, mandatory penalties.”
According to the plea agreement, between Nov. 22 and Dec. 16, 2015, Loisel used a handgun to rob six convenience stores in Las Vegas. In most of the robberies, Loisel entered the stores with a .45 caliber handgun in his hand and pointed it at employees and told them he wanted to make a withdrawal or to put all the money in his bag. In one of the robberies, the defendant attempted to open the cash registers himself because the cashier was outside with her boyfriend. The boyfriend observed that the defendant was attempting to rob the business and when the defendant left the store, the boyfriend pointed a shotgun at the defendant and the defendant shot the boyfriend in the chest, critically wounding him.
Over the last five years, 106 persons have been charged federally with using firearms to commit commercial robberies in southern Nevada. Following are links to the news releases for some of those cases.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/las-vegas-cinched-hoodie-robber-sentenced-life-prison
https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/femal-getaway-driver-convicted-robberies-13-banks-and-stores-las-vegas-area-during-2012
https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/man-sentenced-over-14-years-prison-six-armed-robberies
https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/men-sentenced-prison-kidnapping-conspiracy-and-thefts-delivery-drivers-and-warehouses
https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/last-30-minutes-or-less-robbers-gets-16-years-prison
https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/man-sentenced-over-11-years-federal-prison-robbing-local-jewelry-store-stolen-handgun
https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/man-who-robbed-las-vegas-mini-mart-convicted-jury
This case was investigated by the FBI, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and North Las Vegas Police Department as part of the Safe Streets Task Force and Project Safe Neighborhoods program.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip N. Smith, Jr.
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Reno Geothermal Power Plant Operator Enters into $5.5 Million Settlement with DOJ over Grant Fraud AllegationsRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Several Reno companies that operate geothermal power plants in Nevada, California, Hawaii and elsewhere, have agreed to pay the United States $5.5 million to resolve civil fraud allegations that they unlawfully applied for and received millions in federal clean energy grants, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
Ormat Technologies, Inc., Ormat Nevada, Inc., Puna Geothermal Venture II, L.P., ORNI 18, LLC, and Puna Geothermal Venture, G.P. (hereinafter referred to as Ormat), and the United States entered into the agreement to avoid the delay and uncertainty and expense of protracted litigation. The agreement states that it is neither an admission of liability by the defendants nor a concession by the United States that its claims are not well founded.
“The False Claims Act is an effective civil tool to ferret out fraud in federal taxpayer-funded programs,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “The settlement monies announced today will be deposited into a federal fund used to help crime victims and for a variety of other law enforcement purposes.”
The settlement agreement, effective this week, arises out of a civil lawsuit filed on Feb. 4, 2013 by Tina Calilung and Jamie Kell against Ormat alleging that they violated the civil False Claims Act by submitting false applications for federal clean energy grants to which they were not entitled. The defendant companies are based in Reno, Nev. Calilung and Kell are former employees of Ormat Technologies.
The lawsuit alleged that the federal government had claims against the defendant arising from the submission of applications for and receipt of grants under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax Act of 2009, related to the 8MW Puna Geothermal Power Plant and Puna KS-14 Well, both on the island of Hawaii, and the North Brawley Geothermal Power Plant in Imperial County, Calif.
Since January 2009 and through the end of federal fiscal year 2015, the Justice Department has recovered a total of more than $26.4 billion from cases involving fraud and false claims against the government. The False Claims Act is the government’s primary civil remedy to redress false claims for government funds and property under government contracts, including national security and defense contracts, as well as under government programs as varied as Medicare, veterans’ benefits, federally insured loans and mortgages, highway funds, research grants, agricultural supports, school lunches, and disaster assistance. In 1986, Congress strengthened the Act by amending it to increase incentives for whistleblowers to file lawsuits on behalf of the government.
Most false claims actions are filed under the Act’s whistleblower, or qui tam, provisions that allow individuals to file lawsuits alleging false claims on behalf of the government. If the government prevails in the action, the whistleblower, also known as the relator, receives up to 30 percent of the recovery. Whistleblowers filed 638 qui tam suits in fiscal year 2015 and the department recovered $2.8 billion in these and earlier filed suits this past year. Whistleblower awards during the same period totaled $597 million. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-recovers-over-35-billion-false-claims-act-cases-fiscal-year-2015.
Assistant United States Attorney Roger Wenthe handled the case on behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.
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Nevada Business Owner and Bookkeeper Sentenced for Employment Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
RENO, Nev.– An owner of several Reno, Nevada landscaping and rock hauling businesses was sentenced yesterday to 10 months in prison for failure to pay over employment taxes, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo, head of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, and U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden of the District of Nevada. The bookkeeper for the business was sentenced to five years’ probation with three months home confinement for willful failure to file an employment tax return.
"The willful failure to comply with employment tax obligations is a crime – plain and simple,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Ciraolo. “Stealing employee withholdings and failing to pay them over to the U.S. Treasury, gives dishonest employers an unfair advantage over their law-abiding competitors. The department will continue to work with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to prosecute these offenders and level the playing field.”
“Defendants’ illegal conduct injured not only the United States, but their former employees,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “While the United States of America will foot the bill for the employment and social security taxes that were withheld from the employees’ paychecks, the employees themselves will have any retirement diminished due to the non-reporting of cash wages.”
“Employers have a responsibility to their employees to withhold the proper amount of taxes and pay those taxes over to the IRS,” said Special Agent in Charge Tara Sullivan of IRS Criminal Investigation, Las Vegas Field Office. “When employers fail to do so, it affects revenue to the U.S. government, but more importantly, it affects their employees Medicare and social security benefits.”
According to documents filed with the court, Kyle Archie of Reno, was the part owner of Reno Rock Inc., GKPA Inc. and D Rockeries Inc. Kyle Archie admitted that he was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the businesses and that from 2003 through 2009; he had a legal duty to collect, truthfully account for, and pay over employment taxes to the IRS. He further admitted that although he collected these taxes from his employees’ wages and held them in trust, he failed to pay them over to the IRS for the third quarter of 2008.
Linda Archie of Reno, who is Kyle Archie’s mother, worked as the bookkeeper for Reno Rock Inc., GKPA Inc. and D. Rockeries Inc. and was responsible for maintaining the books and records of the companies and filing documents with various government agencies. She admitted that between 2003 and 2009, she failed to file employment tax returns on behalf of these businesses to account for the taxes that were withheld from the employees’ wages.
In addition to the prison term imposed, Kyle Archie was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release, and both Kyle and Linda Archie were ordered to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $1,235,528.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Ciraolo and U.S. Attorney Bogden commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carla B. Higginbotham of the District of Nevada and Trial Attorney Kathleen M. Barry of the Tax Division, who prosecuted the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division’s enforcement efforts can be found on the division’s website.
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November 2016 ElectionsRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – United States Attorney Daniel G. Bogden announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Carla Higginbotham will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 8, 2016, general elections. AUSA Higginbotham has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Nevada, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen because of fraud,” stated U.S. Attorney Bogden. “The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on election day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice.
On Election Day, Nov. 8, there will be command posts in Reno and Las Vegas staffed by members of the Nevada Election Integrity Task Force, which includes the FBI, Nevada Secretary of State’s Office and U.S. Attorney’s Office. They will assist with the investigation of any complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses, and will ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities.
Complaints may be filed by a number of ways:
- By completing the Election Law Violation Form on the Nevada Secretary of State’s website: http://nvsos.gov/sos/elections/election-information/resources/report-potential-election-law-violation;
- By calling the NV Secretary of State at (775) 684-5718;
- By calling the FBI in Las Vegas at (702) 385-1281 and asking for FBI Special Agent Michael B. Elliott.
- Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington by telephone at (800) 253-3931 or (202) 307-2767, by fax at (202) 307-3961, by email to [email protected], or by complaint form at http://www.justice.gov/crt/complaint/votintake/index.php
- By contacting our United States Attorney’s Office Points of Contact. In southern Nevada, AUSA Nick Dickinson can be reached at (702) 388-6336. In northern Nevada, AUSA Carla Higginbotham can be reached by contacting (775) 784-5438.
We are pleased to again be a part of this most important effort to ensure the 2016 election is administered fairly. The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice.
Tax Preparation Business Owner Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding the IRSRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A man who operated tax preparation businesses in Nevada and Utah from 2004 to 2010, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay approximately $182,000 in restitution, for aiding and assisting in the preparation of multiple fraudulent individual income tax returns, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
“Unfortunately, there are persons with expertise in accounting and tax preparation who take advantage of less skilled or less educated persons who are trying to follow the law,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “We are continually working with the IRS to identify, investigate and prosecute these persons and to ensure that their businesses are shut down or cleaned up.”
Roger Linares, 43, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan. Linares pleaded guilty in July to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States. Linares must report to federal prison by Jan. 13, 2017.
Another defendant charged in the scheme, Sergio Acosta, also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and was sentenced on Sept. 13 to five years of probation, six months of home confinement, and ordered to pay approximately $182,000 in restitution.
According to the guilty plea agreement, in October 2004, Linares and his wife opened a tax preparation business named America Services. By 2010, the business had 11 locations, including seven in Las Vegas, one in Mesquite, two in Salt Lake City, and one in St. George. They registered the business in Linares’ wife’s name because Linares did not become a U.S. citizen until approximately 2009. Linares actively participated in running the day-to-day operations of the business from 2004 to early 2010. The business established a large clientele consisting mostly of Hispanic individuals who spoke little or no English and possessed little tax knowledge. Those clients entrusted Linares and other employees at the business to accurately prepare their federal income tax returns. Linares aided and assisted in the preparation of at least 18 false individual income tax returns, but without the clients’ knowledge that the returns included false information that generated large refunds for the clients. Linares benefited from the large volume of customers because he was part-owner of the business and received a substantial portion of the proceeds. Other employees were paid commissions and the more returns they prepared, the more money they earned. The business was identified as having a 98 percent refund rate and substantial unreimbursed employee business expenses and questionable dependents. The total tax loss to the government for the 2008 and 2009 tax returns prepared by the defendants was $181,818.
The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Cartier-Giroux.
Las Vegas Man Convicted of Murdering Drug Supplier During 2013 Marijuana TransactionRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Following a seven-day trial, a federal jury convicted a Las Vegas man on Oct. 12 of drug and firearm crimes that resulted in the death of a man during a drug deal at a North Las Vegas apartment in November 2013, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
Louis Matthews, 35, was convicted by the jury of one count of conspiracy to possess marijuana with intent to distribute and one count of using a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime resulting in death.
“We are working diligently with our local police departments to help prosecute and convict the criminals who are committing violent crime in Las Vegas,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “We will identify those violent criminals who prey on others and ensure that justice is served.”
Matthews faces up to 10 years in prison on the conspiracy charge, and up to life in prison on the firearm charge. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan on Jan. 12, 2017.
Three co-defendants were also charged in the scheme. John Thomas, 25, of Las Vegas, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess marijuana with intent to distribute and using a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime resulting in death, and is awaiting sentencing. Julio Nunez, 28, of Las Vegas, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess marijuana with intent to distribute and one count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime and is awaiting sentencing. Angel Juarez, 29, of North Las Vegas, is awaiting trial.
According to the court records and information submitted to the jury, on Nov. 30, 2013, at about 7:00 p.m., defendants Matthews and Thomas arrived at an apartment on East Cheyenne Avenue in North Las Vegas to participate in a deal to purchase 20 pounds of marijuana from the deceased victim, Luciano Madrigal-Herrera. Also present at the apartment were the two other co-defendants, Nunez and Juarez. The victim showed some of the marijuana to Matthews for inspection, and then went back outside to retrieve the rest. Matthews also left the apartment, stating he was going to get his friend, Thomas, as well as money for the marijuana. The three men returned to the apartment, and then Thomas and Matthews each produced handguns and repeatedly shot the victim during an attempt to rob him of the marijuana, causing his death. The defendants took the marijuana and attempted to flee with it. Nunez, in an attempt to prevent Matthews and Thomas from fleeing with the marijuana, shot at both of them with a sawed-off shotgun, striking both Thomas and his vehicle. Thomas and Matthews were ultimately able to escape the scene. Thomas was apprehended later the same night by the North Las Vegas Police Department after officers discovered that his gunshot-riddled vehicle had been left behind at the scene parked in front of the apartment where Madrigal-Herrera had been killed. Matthews was charged after the ensuing investigation led to his identity as the second suspect.
This case was investigated by ATF, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and North Las Vegas Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phillip N. Smith, Jr. and Alexandra M. Michael.
U.S. Department of Justice Awards over $22 Million to State of Nevada to Assist Crime VictimsRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Daniel G. Bogden, United States Attorney for Nevada, is pleased to announce that the U.S. Department of Justice recently announced grant awards of over $22 million to the State of Nevada to provide financial assistance and services to federal and state victims of crime during federal fiscal year 2016.
On Sept. 8, the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services was awarded $19,981,431 in victim assistance funds, and on Aug. 22, the Nevada Department of Administration was awarded $2,049,000 in victim compensation funds. The awards were made from the Crime Victims Fund, which is supported primarily by fines paid by federal criminal offenders – not taxpayers. The fines are collected by United States Attorney’s Offices, the United States Courts, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and over 90 percent of Fund deposits are distributed annually by the Department of Justice to states and territories to support state victim compensation and victim assistance programs. Any remaining funds are used for training and technical assistance, national demonstration projects and to improve handling of child abuse cases in Indian communities. In addition, these funds support victim witness coordinator and advocate positions for U.S. Attorney Offices, victim specialist positions in the FBI and a federal victim notification system.
“This is the highest amount of funding ever provided to the State of Nevada to directly help victims of crimes and programs that support them,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “The United States Attorney’s Office is pleased to support both the collection efforts for the Crime Victims Fund, which provides these program dollars, and the allocation of these resources to help Nevada’s crime victims.”
The crime victim assistance funds will be competitively awarded by the State of Nevada to local community-based organizations that provide direct services to crime victims. Funding is provided to domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, child abuse victims’ programs and other initiatives that provide counseling, advocacy or emergency transportation to victims. Nevada can also use these funds for sexual assault programs or victim service units in law enforcement agencies, prosecutors’ offices and social service agencies.
The crime victim compensation funds work similarly to private insurance, providing reimbursement to, or on behalf of, crime victims for expenses such as medical costs, mental health counseling, funeral and burial costs, and lost wages, as a result of being a crime victim.
More information on Nevada’s victim compensation and victim assistance efforts is available from the State of Nevada Department of Administration Victims of Crimes Program at (702) 486-2740 in southern Nevada or (775) 688-2900 in northern Nevada, or the State of Nevada Department of Health and Human Services, at (775) 684-7946. Questions may also be directed to OJP’s Office of Communications at (202) 307-0703.
Woman Sentenced for Bankruptcy Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A former Nevada realtor who owned at least 12 rental properties in Nevada and Texas and filed multiple bankruptcy petitions to avoid paying the mortgages, has been sentenced to 11 months in prison, two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a fine of $10,000 and restitution of $83,000, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
Barbara Jean Dennis, 60, of Las Vegas, was sentenced on Tuesday, Sept. 20, by U.S. District Judge Kent J. Dawson. Judge Dawson also entered an order restricting Dennis from engaging in real estate business during the period she is on supervised release.
“As this case demonstrates, the fallout from the housing crisis in Nevada is still impacting federal investigations and prosecutions,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “The prosecution of these cases typically takes years and requires a significant amount of resources. This sophisticated fraud scheme involved mortgage fraud, bankruptcy fraud, 12 properties in two states, and five bankruptcy petitions.”
Dennis pleaded guilty in February to bankruptcy fraud, admitting that she used the automatic stay provision in bankruptcy proceedings to avoid paying the mortgages, while at the same time, collecting rent from her tenants. Dennis filed three bankruptcy petitions in the District of Nevada and two in the Southern District of Texas between August 2009 and November 2010. The filing of the bankruptcy petitions caused the bankruptcy court to issue an automatic stay, which prevented the mortgage lenders from filing foreclosure proceedings on her properties during the pendency of the bankruptcy proceedings. Dennis also delayed the bankruptcy cases by failing to appear at hearings and meetings, failing to submit supporting financial documents and other paperwork to the Court, and failing to disclose prior bankruptcy cases. In one case, Dennis filed the bankruptcy petition under a false name and failed to disclose the other petitions and the names under which they had been filed. Over the course of the fraud scheme, from Aug. 31, 2009, through Dec. 17, 2010, Dennis received at least $150,000, but not more than $250,000 in rental income.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn C. Newman and investigated by the FBI.
This prosecution is part of efforts underway by President Barack Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. President Obama established the interagency Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. The task force includes representatives from a broad range of federal agencies, regulatory authorities, inspectors general and state and local law enforcement who, working together, bring to bear a powerful array of criminal and civil enforcement resources. The task force is working to improve efforts across the federal executive branch, and with state and local partners, to investigate and prosecute significant financial crimes, ensure just and effective punishment for those who perpetrate financial crimes, combat discrimination in the lending and financial markets and recover proceeds for victims of financial crimes. For more information about the task force visit: www.stopfraud.com.
British Man Arrested at Trump Rally in June Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The British man who seized the firearm of a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officer at a Donald Trump rally in June, pleaded guilty today to two felony charges and will be sentenced in December, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
“It is fortunate that no one was harmed in this incident,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officer’s attentiveness and quick action prevented the escalation of this crime. The result was that no one was injured.”
Michael Steven Sandford, 20, of England, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan to one count of illegal alien in possession of a firearm and one count of impeding and disrupting the orderly conduct of government business and official functions. The maximum penalty for each count is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 13, 2016, at 10 a.m.
According to the plea agreement and other court records, on June 17, 2016, Sandford, who is a British citizen and was unlawfully in the United States because he had overstayed his tourist visa that expired on Aug. 30, 2015, went to a gun range in Las Vegas and took shooting lessons using a rented Glock 9 millimeter handgun. The following day, on June 18, Sandford entered a political rally event for Donald Trump at the Mystere Theatre in the Treasure Island Casino. The entrance to the event was clearly marked with posters designating the grounds as restricted and under the protection of the U.S. Secret Service. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers were also present at the rally to assist with security. Inside the rally, Sandford approached a uniformed Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officer and asked to obtain Trump’s autograph. When the officer gave his verbal reply, Sandford, using both hands, seized the officer’s Glock 9 millimeter handgun and attempted to pull it from the holster. Sandford was immediately arrested and removed from the rally. Sandford’s conduct was disorderly and disruptive and required the U.S. Secret Service, other law enforcement, and security personnel to respond to the threat posed by Sandford. Sandford’s arrest also disrupted the speech given by Trump.
The case is being investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared L. Grimmer.
Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Kidnapping Teenagers in Sacramento and Transporting Them to Reno for Sex WorkRead the Press Release
RENO, Nev. – A Reno man who kidnapped a teenage boy and girl in Sacramento, Calif., in July 2012, and repeatedly raped the girl in both Sacramento and later in Reno, was sentenced today to 40 years in prison and lifetime supervised release, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
John Thomas Abrams, aka Buck, aka David George Garnett, aka John McDonald, aka David Blackwell, 50, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Miranda M. Du. Abrams was convicted by a jury in February of two counts of kidnapping and one count of transportation of a minor for illegal sexual activity. There is no parole in the federal system.
“We have dedicated more resources than ever to catching and prosecuting these predators,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “We are working with local, state and federal partners in Nevada and other states to make sure they face the criminal justice system.”
Between about July 12 and July 22, 2012, Abrams kidnapped the 15-year-old girl and boy in the Sacramento area, and held them. While in Sacramento, Abrams repeatedly sexually assaulted the girl. After several days in Sacramento, Abrams then transported them to Reno with the intent that the girl engage in illegal sexual activity, where he again raped the girl before they were able to escape.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI in Sacramento and Reno and the Sacramento Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Carla Higginbotham and Sue Fahami.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), 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 Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals, federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
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Owner of Major Online Colored Contact Lens Business Pleads Guilty in Largest-Ever Investigation of Counterfeit and Misbranded Contact Lenses in the United StatesRead the Press Release
The owner and operator of Candy Color Lenses, a major online retailer of colored contact lenses in the United States, pleaded guilty yesterday to running an international operation importing counterfeit and misbranded contact lenses from suppliers in Asia and then selling them over the internet without a prescription to tens of thousands of customers around the country.
Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden of the District of Nevada and Director George M. Karavetsos of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Office of Criminal Investigations made the announcement.
Dmitriy V. Melnik, of Las Vegas, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan of the District of Nevada to one count of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods and to introduce into interstate commerce misbranded devices.
According to the plea agreement, Melnik imported large quantities of colored contact lenses from the People’s Republic of China and South Korea that he knew were counterfeit and/or unauthorized by the FDA for sale in the United States. Many of these contact lenses bore labels with counterfeit trademarks for Ciba Vision FreshLook COLORBLENDS, which are manufactured by Novartis International AG, and others had labels of brands of contact lenses produced and sold in Asia, he admitted.
As noted in the plea agreement, all contact lenses are medical devices that must receive FDA authorization to enter the United States and be further distributed. Melnik sold “authentic” contact lenses to tens of thousands of customers around the United States without a prescription, adequate directions for use and adequate warnings. After purchasing the contact lenses, many customers complained directly to Melnik about the quality of the contact lenses and questioned Melnik about whether the contact lenses were genuine and FDA approved, according to the plea agreement. Melnik admitted that some of the contact lenses he sold were tested and found to be contaminated with potentially hazardous bacteria.
As stated in the plea agreement, a substantial part of the fraudulent scheme was committed from outside the United States, and Melnik received at least $1.2 million in gross revenue from this illegal enterprise, including approximately $200,000 alone from the sale of counterfeit Ciba Vision FreshLook COLORBLENDS.
Anyone with information about individuals committing intellectual property offenses can report those crimes to the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center by going to http://www.iprcenter.gov/referral or calling (866) IPR-2060.
The prosecution is the result of an ongoing multiagency effort to combat counterfeit, illegally imported and unapproved contact lenses called Operation Double Vision. The FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations led the investigation, with significant support from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. Senior Counsel Matthew A. Lamberti of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Cowhig of the District of Nevada are prosecuting the case.
The indictment is related to the many efforts being undertaken by the department’s Task Force on Intellectual Property, which supports prosecution priorities, promotes innovation through heightened civil enforcement, enhances coordination among federal, state and local law enforcement partners and focuses on international enforcement efforts, including reinforcing relationships with key foreign partners and U.S. industry leaders.
Man Pleads Guilty in $35 Million Penny Stock Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – One of the members of a penny stock fraud conspiracy that defrauded investors of over $35 million, has pleaded guilty to felony securities fraud charges, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
Jeffrey Turino, 60, pleaded guilty on Monday, Aug. 22, to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud. He faces up to 25 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 28, at 11 a.m. by U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey. Turino, who is currently in custody, has requested to be released pending sentencing, and a hearing on the matter is scheduled for this afternoon at 2:30 p.m.
According to the plea agreement, beginning in about 1997 and continuing until about March 2010, Turino conspired with others to fraudulently issue, offer and sell stock issued by corporate shells which they controlled, including World Wide Cannery and Distribution, Global Diamond Exchange, Inc., Equitable Mining Corporation, ODMA Oil and Gas, Inc. and Grand Entertainment and Music, Inc. Turino and the other conspirators engaged in deceptive practices and issued misleading press releases to promote these companies and to give the impression that they were actively engaged in the importation and sale of products, when in truth, the companies were hollow shells that did not engage in regular or substantial business activities, did not produce any goods, services, or profits, and did not commercially import products as promoted in their news releases. Turino and other members of the conspiracy fraudulently induced investors to purchase billions of unregistered shares of stock in the companies, which the conspirators had deceptively issued without requisite restrictions and disclosures. Although these penny stocks typically traded for less than one cent per share, the billions of shares of stock that the conspirators offered and sold in the public market yielded proceeds of more than $35 million, which was divided and distributed among Turino and the other conspirators.
Ten co-conspirators were originally charged in the case. Four are scheduled for trial beginning Nov. 15. Two pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing, one is a fugitive, and two more are deceased.
Two Defendants Plead Guilty in Nevada Standoff CaseRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Two of the 19 defendants charged in the Nevada criminal case involving the armed standoff over Cliven Bundy’s trespassing cattle, pleaded guilty today to felony charges before Chief U.S. District Judge Gloria M. Navarro, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
“Federal law enforcement officers must be able to engage in their official duties, including executing federal court orders, without fear of assault or losing their lives,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “Persons who impede and interfere with the official duties of these law enforcement officers will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
Gerald A. DeLemus, 61, of Rochester, N.H., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and one count of interstate travel in aid of extortion.
Blaine Cooper, 36, of Humboldt, Ariz., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and one count of assault on a federal officer.
Both defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 1. DeLemus faces up to five years in prison on the conspiracy count, up to 20 years in prison on the extortion count, and fines of up to $250,000 on each count. Cooper faces up to five years in prison on the conspiracy count, up to 20 years in prison on the assault count, and fines of up to $250,000 on each count.
DeLemus and Cooper are the first of 19 defendants charged in the case to plead guilty. The remaining 17 defendants, including Cliven D. Bundy, Ryan C. Bundy, and Ammon E. Bundy, are scheduled for trial beginning in February 2017.
Beginning on about March 28, 2014, federal law enforcement officers from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the National Park Service (NPS) were attempting to execute federal court orders authorizing them to remove and impound Cliven Bundy’s cattle that were trespassing on federal public lands in and around Bunkerville, Nev. Bundy had trespassed on the public lands for over 20 years, refusing to obtain the legally-required permits or pay the required fees to keep and graze his cattle on the land. In an effort to prevent the federal law enforcement officers from removing the cattle, the defendants are alleged to have recruited and organized followers to use armed force against them, and on April 12, 2014, the defendants led a massive armed assault against the officers in order to extort them into abandoning the cattle that they had gathered.
DeLemus’ plea agreement states that he learned of Cliven Bundy and placed a telephone call from New Hampshire to Cliven Bundy in Nevada on or about April 8, 2014. During that call, DeLemus understood Bundy to tell him that federal officers had guns and that Bundy needed “bodies.” DeLemus agreed to assist Bundy. Shortly thereafter, DeLemus gathered multiple firearms and gunmen, and they traveled from New Hampshire to Nevada. DeLemus arrived in Bunkerville on or about April 13, 2014, after the cattle had been forcibly obtained by Bundy and his conspirators. For weeks thereafter, DeLemus provided personal security for Bundy and other conspirators, organized and led other gunmen in conducting patrols and manning security checkpoints, called for others to travel to Bunkerville, and displayed firearms and made public statements to show and threaten force. DeLemus admitted that when he traveled to Nevada, he joined a conspiracy to display force and aggression in order to influence, impede or interfere with the duties of federal law enforcement officers.
Cooper’s plea agreement states that he knew that Cliven Bundy and his sons and others planned to thwart, impede and interfere with the impoundment operations, and that he knowingly agreed to participate in the plan by recruiting others to join the conspiracy and encouraging and inciting others to confront and interfere with federal law enforcement officers and by providing protection for Cliven Bundy. Cooper knew other members of the conspiracy used and carried firearms and planned to use and carry them to display force and aggression against law enforcement officers. Cooper admitted that on April 12, 2014, at least one member of the conspiracy assaulted federal law enforcement officers by brandishing a firearm during the impoundment operations in order to intimidate and instill fear in the officers.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and BLM. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven W. Myhre and Nicholas D. Dickinson and Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nadia J. Ahmed and Erin M. Creegan.
North Las Vegas Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for 2011 Robbery of Convenience Store/Gas Station with ShotgunRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A North Las Vegas man with a violent criminal history who robbed a Las Vegas convenience store and gas station with a long-barreled shotgun in the summer of 2011, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon to 30 years in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
Tracey Brown, 40, was convicted by a jury in 2015 of one count of interference with commerce by robbery, one count of brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of felon in possession of a firearm. A co-defendant, Teshae Gallon, pleaded guilty in 2013 to brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and was sentenced to three years in prison.
“We focus our federal prosecutions of persons who are committing commercial store robberies on those who have prior serious felony convictions,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “These persons are more appropriately handled in the federal system, where there is no parole.”
According to court records and trial testimony, on July 26, 2011, Brown, armed with a long-barrel shotgun, robbed a gas station mini-mart located on S. Rainbow Boulevard in Las Vegas. After robbing the store, Brown got into a getaway car driven by Gallon. Their vehicle was stopped a short while later, and Brown fled. Brown was apprehended when a canine dog found him hiding under a bush.
Brown has six violent felony convictions in Nevada. In 1994, he was convicted of burglary and grand larceny auto while possessing a shotgun. In 2000, he was convicted of burglary with a deadly weapon and robbery with a deadly weapon, as well as conspiracy to commit robbery. In 2010, he was convicted of robbery. In 2015, he was convicted of multiple counts of first degree kidnapping, burglary with a deadly weapon, robbery with a deadly weapon, burglary and robbery.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and the Las Vegas Deputy City Marshal Unit as part of the Safe Streets Task Force and Project Safe Neighborhoods program. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Cowhig.
Pimp Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A California man was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan to 30 years in prison and lifetime supervised release following his jury convictions for felony sex trafficking offenses involving a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
“Assisted by his partner, this five-time convicted felon preyed on his minor victim simply for the purpose of enriching his own pocketbook,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “We will work with our local and federal law enforcement partners to ensure that the persons who engage in this type of criminal activity are arrested and prosecuted.”
Daniel James Barnes, 33, of Merced, Calif., was found guilty on April 6 of one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a child, one count of sex trafficking of a child, one count of transportation of a minor for prostitution, and one count of conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child.
According to the court records, in April 2013, co-defendant, Amber Lynn Marquardt met a 15-year-old girl in the area of Boulder Highway and Tropicana in Las Vegas where they were both working as prostitutes. Marquardt introduced the girl to her pimp, Barnes, and the girl went to work for Barnes the following day and provided all of her earnings to him. That night, Barnes, Marquardt, and the female victim traveled to California, spending one night in a motel in Modesto, and approximately two weeks in motels in and around Merced. In Merced, Marquardt took sexually explicit photographs of the 15-year-old female and posted them on the internet site, MyRedbook.com, commonly used by pimps and prostitutes to promote their business. The 15-year-old female worked as a prostitute while they stayed in Merced, and provided all of her earnings to Barnes. After two weeks in California, Barnes, Marquardt and the 15-year-old girl drove back to Las Vegas and checked into a hotel on the Boulder Highway. The 15-year-old was arrested in May in the area of Tropicana and Polaris after she solicited an undercover Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department detective for sex. Barnes and Marquardt were arrested in September 2013 at a motel in Santa Rosa, Calif.
Barnes has five prior felony convictions in California related to narcotics, burglary, and evading arrest.
Marquardt pleaded guilty to transportation of a minor for prostitution, and was sentenced on May 31 to 41 months in prison and five years of supervised release.
The case was investigated by the FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cristina D. Silva.
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 the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals, federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Federal Fraud Charges Filed Against Former Las Vegas Water District Employee in Ink/Toner Cartridge SchemeRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A former employee of the Las Vegas Valley Water District has been indicted by the federal grand jury on multiple mail fraud charges for her role in a scheme to defraud the public utilities company of over $6.7 million, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
“Nevada residents pay for this type of financial fraud through inflated costs and loss of faith in government,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “We are committed to the vigorous enforcement of financial fraud crimes, and encourage residents to report suspected financial crimes to your local police department or the FBI.”
Jennifer J. McCain-Bray, aka JJ McCain, 41, of Las Vegas, is charged with six counts of mail fraud and criminal forfeiture. McCain was arrested this morning in Las Vegas by FBI Special Agents, and appeared this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge George Foley, Jr. for an initial appearance and arraignment and plea. McCain pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released on a personal recognizance bond pending trial. If convicted, she faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count.
According to the indictment, McCain began working for the Las Vegas Valley Water District (LVVWD) in October 2001 as an office assistant. In February 2004, she was promoted to purchasing assistant, and in October 2007, she was promoted to purchasing analyst. McCain was responsible for transmitting orders and payments to vendors when particular products were requested from LVVWD departments and employees. From about Jan. 1, 2007, to Dec. 7, 2015, McCain and unidentified others allegedly devised the scheme to defraud the LVVWD by fraudulently representing that McCain’s purchases of ink and toner cartridges were for the LVVWD, when they knew that the products were for the benefit of a New Jersey company which received and resold the cartridges for its own profit. McCain instructed the vendor to ship the ink and toner cartridges from California and other locations to her at her LVVWD office in Las Vegas. McCain then relabeled the packages and shipped them to the New Jersey company. In exchange, the New Jersey company transferred money and other things of value to McCain’s personal PayPal account. Between 2007 and 2015, McCain fraudulently purchased approximately $6.7 million in ink and toner cartridges with LVVWD funds.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Burns.
This prosecution is part of efforts underway by President Barack Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. President Obama established the interagency Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. The task force includes representatives from a broad range of federal agencies, regulatory authorities, inspectors general and state and local law enforcement who, working together, bring to bear a powerful array of criminal and civil enforcement resources. The task force is working to improve efforts across the federal executive branch, and with state and local partners, to investigate and prosecute significant financial crimes, ensure just and effective punishment for those who perpetrate financial crimes, combat discrimination in the lending and financial markets and recover proceeds for victims of financial crimes. For more information about the task force visit: www.stopfraud.com.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Man Sentenced to over 112 Years in Prison for Robberies of Five Businesses in Las Vegas Area During Summer of 2014Read the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas man who robbed a convenience store, two liquor stores, a payday loan company, and an electronics retailer in the Las Vegas area during the summer of 2014, was sentenced today to 1,354 months or over 112 years in prison and five years of supervised release, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
Dominique Wells, 29, was sentenced this morning by U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan. Wells was convicted by a jury in April of five counts of interference with commerce by robbery, two counts of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, and five counts of using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Two co-defendants, Christopher Dobbins, 28, and Andre Hall, 27, pleaded guilty in 2015. Dobbins was sentenced on July 13 to four years in prison, and Hall is awaiting sentencing.
“The prosecution of persons who commit violent robberies of commercial establishments with guns in southern Nevada is a top priority of our violent crime program,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “The defendants who are prosecuted federally for these robberies are typically recidivist felons who are using firearms to terrorize our community. Like in this case, the consequences of conviction for these repeat, violent offenders are severe.”
According to court records and trial testimony, on June 15, 2014, Wells robbed a convenience store in Henderson using a handgun and wearing a black mask and gloves, black t-shirt and camouflage shorts. Four days later, on June 19, 2014, Wells robbed a liquor store in Las Vegas using a handgun with a laser sight, and wearing camouflage shorts, a black t-shirt, and a black face mask/ski mask. Two days after that, on June 21, 2014, Wells robbed a liquor store on the Boulder Highway in Las Vegas using a black handgun with a laser sight and wearing camouflage shorts, a black t-shirt and a black face mask/ski mask. On June 26, 2014, Wells robbed a payday loan store in Henderson using a black handgun with a laser sight. Wells and a co-defendant used duct tape to tie up three individuals inside the payday loan store. On July 3, 2014, Wells robbed an electronics retailer in Henderson using a black handgun. Wells and a co-defendant used zip ties to tie up the employees in that robbery. Wells obtained on average only $100 to $250 in each robbery.
Over the last five years, 94 persons have been charged federally with using firearms to commit commercial robberies in southern Nevada. Following are links to the news releases for some of those cases.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/las-vegas-cinched-hoodie-robber-sentenced-life-prison
https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/femal-getaway-driver-convicted-robberies-13-banks-and-stores-las-vegas-area-during-2012
https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/man-sentenced-over-14-years-prison-six-armed-robberies
https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/men-sentenced-prison-kidnapping-conspiracy-and-thefts-delivery-drivers-and-warehouses
https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/last-30-minutes-or-less-robbers-gets-16-years-prison
https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/man-sentenced-over-11-years-federal-prison-robbing-local-jewelry-store-stolen-handgun
https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/man-who-robbed-las-vegas-mini-mart-convicted-jury
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and the Henderson Police Department, as part of the Safe Streets Task Force and Project Safe Neighborhoods program.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phillip N. Smith, Jr. and Lisa Cartier-Giroux.
Las Vegas Man with Lengthy Criminal History of Burglary and Robbery Sentenced to over 12 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas man who robbed two tourists in the parking lot of their hotel at gunpoint and stole their vehicle, was sentenced this morning to 147 months in prison and three years of supervised release, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
Brandon Michael White, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gloria M. Navarro. White pleaded guilty on April 11 to one count of carjacking and one count of using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
According to the guilty plea agreement, on Dec. 26, 2014, at approximately midnight, White approached a man and a woman in the parking lot of their hotel on East Flamingo Road just after they parked their vehicle. White pointed a revolver at their feet and told them to give him everything, including their car keys. White took the female victim’s purse and the male victim’s cellular telephone and the car keys, and drove off in their vehicle. White was captured hiding in a yard near another hotel, where he had discarded the stolen items and the handgun he used to commit the robbery.
White has seven prior felony convictions in Las Vegas for burglary, robbery, and theft, and numerous misdemeanor convictions.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, as part of the Safe Streets Task Force and Project Safe Neighborhoods program.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip N. Smith, Jr.
Fourth Family Member Sentenced in Benefits Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Belize man who was one of four family members convicted in a scheme to steal almost $300,000 in unemployment funds and benefits from multiple federal agencies, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan to 87 months in prison, three years of supervised release and ordered to pay approximately $297,000 in restitution, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
Frederick Vernon Williams, 35, was convicted by a jury in January of 20 counts total, including conspiracy to commit mail fraud, aggravated identity theft, mail fraud, theft of government money, making a false statement in application for a passport, and making false citizenship claims. At sentencing, the judge found that he had been an organizer and leader in the scheme to defraud the agencies.
Williams’ sister, Jacqueline Louisa Gentle, 27, was convicted of nine counts total, including the above charges, misuse of a U.S. passport, and misuse of a social security number, and was sentenced on June 29 to 65 months in prison and ordered to pay $218,000 in restitution. Williams’ wife, Denise Allison Williams, 37, and his other sister, Carolyn Shelmadine Willis-Casey, 40, were each convicted of one count of mail fraud, and sentenced on June 30 to two years of probation and 30 months in prison, respectively. All four family members are citizens of Belize.
“The defendants falsely stated on government paperwork that they were U.S. citizens, and used false identities to steal federal benefits from multiple agencies, including the Departments of Labor, Agriculture, Education, Health and Human Services, and the Social Security Administration,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “We will continue to use federal laws to prosecute benefits thieves who steal from all Americans through greed and fraud.”
According to the court records and evidence submitted at trial, from about August 2010 to June 2012, defendants Frederick Williams and Jacqueline Gentle, citizens of Belize, conspired to register two fictitious companies, Luna Consulting and Centro America Export, with the State of Nevada, Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation (DETR). After the companies were registered with DETR, the defendants conspired to submit fraudulent wage information for 16 fictitious employees, including themselves. After submitting the fraudulent wage information, the defendants submitted fraudulent unemployment compensation claims to DETR, and obtained unemployment compensation payments totaling approximately $218,000. The unemployment compensation payments were transferred to the defendants by means of Nevada debit cards mailed to the fictitious employees, which the defendants and co-defendants used to withdraw cash from ATM’s.
Frederick Williams and Gentle also made false statements in applications for U.S. passports by stating that their father was a U.S. citizen and by stating in other government paperwork that they were U.S. citizens, when they well knew that they were not citizens of the United States but were citizens of Belize.
Frederick Williams and Gentle also falsely stated that they were U.S. citizens in applications for other government benefit programs such as social security, federal student aid (Pell grants), food stamps, and Medicaid. Williams was able to fraudulently obtain approximately $33,184 in social security benefits, $10,900 in Pell grants, $33,814 in food stamp benefits, and $1,132 in Medicaid benefits.
Denise Williams fraudulently caused DETR to pay unemployment benefits in her name, and Carolyn Willis-Casey caused a notice for payment of unemployment benefits to be sent to her.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jiamin Chen and investigated by the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, the Offices of the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Labor, Social Security Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Education, and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Homeland Security Investigations.
This prosecution is part of efforts underway by President Barack Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. President Obama established the interagency Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. The task force includes representatives from a broad range of federal agencies, regulatory authorities, inspectors general and state and local law enforcement who, working together, bring to bear a powerful array of criminal and civil enforcement resources. The task force is working to improve efforts across the federal executive branch, and with state and local partners, to investigate and prosecute significant financial crimes, ensure just and effective punishment for those who perpetrate financial crimes, combat discrimination in the lending and financial markets and recover proceeds for victims of financial crimes. For more information about the task force visit: www.stopfraud.com.
Laughlin Man Sentenced to One Year in Prison for Stealing His Deceased Mother’s Social Security BenefitsRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Laughlin man was sentenced this morning to 12 months and one day in prison and ordered to pay $281,135 in restitution, for stealing the retirement benefits of his deceased mother for over 24 years, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
"Our office works regularly with investigators for federal benefit programs to ensure that persons who unlawfully claim or steal Social Security, VA or other benefits are prosecuted,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “These benefit thieves cheat and steal from all Americans, and deserve to be punished.”
Lafayette George Baida II, 71, of Laughlin, Nev., pleaded guilty last December to one count of theft of government funds, and was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kent J. Dawson. Baida is released on bond, and must self-report to federal prison by October 10 at noon.
“The Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General is committed to pursuing those who violate the public trust,” said Robb Stickley, the Special Agent in Charge of the San Francisco Field Division, which is responsible for the state of Nevada. “We will continue to uphold the integrity of Social Security’s benefit programs, which are a lifeline for so many Americans and their families.”
Baida’s mother was receiving Title II Retirement Benefits from the Social Security Administration until her death on March 21, 1989. Baida did not notify the Social Security Administration of his mother’s death, and they continued to send monthly benefits to her. Baida stole the payments sent to his mother after her death by withdrawing funds at ATMs and cashing checks that were made payable to her. Baida knew he was not entitled to the benefits. Between March 21, 1989, and Sept. 13, 2013, Baida stole a total of $281,135 from the Social Security Administration.
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Newman.
This prosecution is part of efforts underway by President Barack Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. President Obama established the interagency Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. The task force includes representatives from a broad range of federal agencies, regulatory authorities, inspectors general and state and local law enforcement who, working together, bring to bear a powerful array of criminal and civil enforcement resources. The task force is working to improve efforts across the federal executive branch, and with state and local partners, to investigate and prosecute significant financial crimes, ensure just and effective punishment for those who perpetrate financial crimes, combat discrimination in the lending and financial markets and recover proceeds for victims of financial crimes. For more information about the task force visit: www.stopfraud.com.
British Man Who Was Arrested at Trump Rally in Las Vegas Indicted on Weapons and Disruption ChargesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The British man who was arrested two weeks ago at a Donald Trump rally in Las Vegas after he attempted to seize a law enforcement officer’s firearm, was indicted by the federal grand jury today on three felony charges, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
Michael Steven Sandford, 20, of England, is charged with two counts of illegal alien in possession of a firearm and one count of impeding and disrupting the orderly conduct of government business and official functions. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on each count. He is currently in federal custody and scheduled for an arraignment and plea hearing on July 6, at 3:00 p.m.
According to the indictment and previously filed criminal complaint, on June 17, 2016, Sandford, who is a British citizen and was unlawfully in the United States, allegedly went to a gun range in Las Vegas and took shooting lessons using a Glock 9 millimeter handgun. The following day, on June 18, Sandford entered a political rally event for Donald Trump at the Mystere Theatre in the Treasure Island Casino. The event was under the protection of the U.S. Secret Service, and there were posters at the entrance to the event designating the grounds as restricted and under the protection of the U.S. Secret Service. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) officers were also present at the rally to assist with security. Inside the rally, Sandford approached a uniformed LVMPD officer and attempted to seize the officer’s Glock 9 millimeter handgun by grabbing the holster and handle of the firearm with both hands in an attempt to remove it from the holster. Sandford was immediately arrested and removed from the rally.
The case is being investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared L. Grimmer.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Reno Doctor Robert Rand and Eight Others Indicted on Federal Prescription Drug Distribution ChargesRead the Press Release
RENO, Nev. – The federal grand jury in Reno today indicted Robert Rand M.D. and eight others on felony drug conspiracy and other charges, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada. The indictment replaces the prior criminal complaint, and is required in order for the government to prosecute the defendants on the felony charges.
“We are using all legal tools at our disposal to discover, disrupt and dismantle illegal traffic in pharmaceutical controlled substances,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “We are making significant progress in Nevada, and have disrupted a number of so-called pill mills. Our efforts in this area continue, and I am optimistic that we can reverse the alarming upward trend of illegal trafficking of prescription drugs.”
Robert Gene Rand, 53, Richard Winston West II, aka Richie West, 40, Omar Ahsan Ahmad, 31, Joshua Ross Green, 34, Clint Mitchell Bloodworth, 40, Kathleen Griffin, 43, Alan Russel Martinez, 59, and Braden Kyle Riley, 40, all of Reno, and Ryan Daniel Smith, 40, of Carson City, are each charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, such as oxycodone. Rand is also charged with one count of distribution of oxycodone resulting in death and one count of distribution of fentanyl. West is also charged with three counts of distribution of oxycodone, two counts of possession with intent to distribute oxycodone, two count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, two counts of possession with intent to distribute psilocyn, and two counts of possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
If convicted, each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison on the conspiracy charge. Rand also faces a minimum mandatory 20 years in prison on the distribution count resulting in death. West also faces up to 20 years in prison on each of the other drug counts, a consecutive mandatory minimum five years in prison as to the first firearm count, and a consecutive mandatory minimum 25 years in prison as to the second firearm count.
At the time of the criminal conduct, defendant Rand was a Nevada-licensed physician who operates Rand Family Care in Reno and defendant West was the manager of the Jones-West Ford dealership. All of the other defendants were also employees at one time of the vehicle dealership. Rand allegedly prescribed narcotics, such as oxycodone, without a legitimate medical purpose and outside the usual course of his professional practice. Beginning on about Nov. 13, 2012, and continuing to about April 28, 2016, Rand allegedly issued prescriptions for substantial amounts of oxycodone to his co-defendants, who filled the prescriptions at local pharmacies and illicitly distributed them. On September 30, 2015, Rand allegedly issued an unlawful prescription for oxycodone, resulting in the death of an individual.
The indictment alleges that on April 28, the day that West was arrested, he possessed in his truck two pistols and a rifle during and in relation to drug trafficking crimes, and in his residence two pistols and a rifle during and in relation to drug trafficking crimes.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), almost two million Americans abused or were dependent on prescription opioids in 2014. Overdose deaths from opioids, including prescription opioids and heroin, have nearly quadrupled since 1999. Overdoses involving opioids killed more than 28,000 people in 2014, more than any year on record, and over one-half of those deaths were from prescription opioids. For information on opioid overdose and how you can manage pain without prescription drugs, go to http://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/opioids/index.html.
This case is being investigated by the Northern Nevada Unified Drug and Gang Enforcement Task Force, which includes the DEA, FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Enforcement, Reno Police Department, Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, Carson City Sheriff’s Office, Susanville, California Police Department, Nevada Department of Corrections, Nevada Gaming Control, Nevada Department of Public Safety, Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, and the State of Nevada Division of Welfare, Office of Investigations and Recovery.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James E. Keller.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Former Las Vegas Resident Pleads Not Guilty to Felony Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A former Las Vegas resident pleaded not guilty today to felony tax evasion crimes that occurred over a 10-year-period, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
Craig Orrock, 68, currently of Sandy, Utah, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy Koppe in Las Vegas following his arrest in Salt Lake City on April 28, 2016. Orrock is charged in a criminal indictment with one count of attempting to evade the payment of tax, one count of attempting to evade the assessment of tax, and one count of attempts to interfere with the administration of IRS laws. If convicted, Orrock faces up to five years in prison on the first two counts and up to three years in prison on the third count, as well as fines of up to $250,000 on all counts.
The indictment alleges that beginning on about April 15, 2001, and continuing to at least April 23, 2010, in Nevada, Orrock willfully attempted to evade and defeat the payment of a large part of the income tax due and owing by him to the United States for the calendar years 2000 through 2006. Orrock allegedly did so by filing false and fraudulent bankruptcy petitions, false and fraudulent amended tax returns, and a false and fraudulent offer in compromise with the IRS, and by placing funds and property in the names of nominees and concealing from the IRS the nature and extent of his assets.
The indictment also alleges that Orrock willfully attempted to evade and defeat the assessment of a large part of the income tax due and owing by him to the United States for the calendar year 2007, by concealing from the IRS both ownership of property he held through a nominee known as Arville Properties, LLC and the proceeds from the sale of such property.
The case is being investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Burns.
An indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
California Man Pleads Guilty in Biofuels Stock Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A southern California man has pleaded guilty to defrauding 157 persons of over $4 million from 2009 through 2011 by selling them worthless, unregistered stock in a number of purported biofuels development businesses, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
Gilbert R. Rousseau, 57, of North Hollywood, Calif., pleaded guilty on May 4, 2016, to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, and agreed to pay restitution of approximately $4.4 million. Rousseau is released on a personal recognizance bond pending sentencing, and faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
According to the plea agreement, from January 2009 to February 2012, Rousseau and five conspirators defrauded the victims, many of whom were elderly, by selling them worthless, unregistered securities in the form of stock and stock purchase warrants in four Nevada limited liability companies. The companies, Go Green Home Stores, U.S. Biofuels, Vista Biofuels, and G-Tec Biofuels, were not established or operated to sell goods or services, but were actually fronts for the fraud scheme. Rousseau and the conspirators also created and used two other Nevada companies, G.G.H. Marketing and A.G.M. Marketing Group, to market the worthless securities. Rousseau and the conspirators set up and operated websites for the companies that contained material misrepresentations and false promises to make them look legitimate and designed to get the victims to part with their money. The victims were solicited throughout the United States by telephone from call rooms operated by conspirators in California and Las Vegas. Some of the companies used Las Vegas addresses to receive funds from the victims.
The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Cowhig.
This prosecution is part of efforts underway by President Barack Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. President Obama established the interagency Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. The task force includes representatives from a broad range of federal agencies, regulatory authorities, inspectors general and state and local law enforcement who, working together, bring to bear a powerful array of criminal and civil enforcement resources. The task force is working to improve efforts across the federal executive branch, and with state and local partners, to investigate and prosecute significant financial crimes, ensure just and effective punishment for those who perpetrate financial crimes, combat discrimination in the lending and financial markets and recover proceeds for victims of financial crimes. For more information about the task force visit: www.stopfraud.com.
Reno Doctor and Eight Others Charged in Illegal Prescription Drug Distribution CaseRead the Press Release
RENO, Nev. – A local doctor and eight other Reno-area residents, including a number of employees of an automobile dealership, have been arrested and charged with being part of a conspiracy to unlawfully distribute highly addictive prescription drugs, including oxycodone, to persons who did not have a medical necessity for them, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada, DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Daniel Neill, and Nevada FBI Special Agent in Charge Laura A. Bucheit.
“Our U.S. Attorney’s Office is working aggressively with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to attack the growing problem of prescription drug abuse,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “We have prioritized unlawful prescription drug distribution cases, and plan to shut down dangerous ‘pill mill’ operations that are contributing to what amounts to, in many instances, a deadly problem.”
Robert Gene Rand, 53, Richard Winston West II, aka Richie West, 40, Omar Ahsan Ahmad, 31, Joshua Ross Green, 34, Clint Mitchell Bloodworth, 40, Kathleen Griffin, 43, Alan Russel Martinez, 59, and Braden Kyle Riley, 40, all of Reno, and Ryan Daniel Smith, 40, of Carson City, are each charged in a criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, such as oxycodone and illegal use of a communication facility. Rand and West are also charged with engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise with at least five other persons in which Rand and West occupied positions of management. Rand is also charged with distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death, and West is also charged with three separate counts of distribution of oxycodone.
Dr. Rand was arrested this morning in San Francisco, and the eight other defendants were arrested in the Reno area yesterday. Rand will appear before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the immediate future. The other defendants are scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Valerie P. Cooke this afternoon at 3:00 p.m. at the Bruce R. Thompson Federal Courthouse in Reno.
“This investigation targeted a major distribution source of deadly and addictive prescription opioids being diverted to street sales across the region,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Neill. “These arrests clearly demonstrate that DEA and our law enforcement partners are committed to stemming the tide of drugs being diverted to the black market, as well as stopping medical professionals who disregard their ethical obligations and abuse the public’s trust.”
“This investigation demonstrates the FBI’s resolve to aggressively pursue those who engage in the illegal distribution of prescription drugs within our community,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Bucheit. “As a result of our alliance with law enforcement partners in Reno, a significant impact has been made on the illegal drug supply network in the area.”
Defendant Rand is a Nevada-licensed physician who operates Rand Family Care in Reno. Defendant West is the manager of the Jones-West Ford dealership. Defendants Ahmad, Griffin, Martinez, Bloodworth, and Riley are also employees of the dealership, and defendants Green and Smith are former employees of the dealership. According to the criminal complaint, Rand allegedly prescribes narcotics, such as oxycodone, without a legitimate medical purpose and outside the usual course of his professional practice. Beginning on about September 30, 2015, and continuing to about April 28, 2016, Rand allegedly issued prescriptions for substantial amounts of oxycodone to his co-defendants, who filled the prescriptions at local pharmacies and then illicitly distributed them. On September 30, 2015, the complaint alleges that Rand issued an unlawful prescription for oxycodone, resulting in the death of an individual.
In addition to the arrests, law enforcement agents executed federal search warrants at six locations, including two residences, two offices, and two vehicles connected to the defendants, and seized evidence related to the unlawful distribution of controlled substances, such as oxycodone.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), almost two million Americans abused or were dependent on prescription opioids in 2014. Overdose deaths from opioids, including prescription opioids and heroin, have nearly quadrupled since 1999. Overdoses involving opioids killed more than 28,000 people in 2014, more than any year on record, and over one-half of those deaths were from prescription opioids. For information on opioid overdose and how you can manage pain without prescription drugs, go to http://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/opioids/index.html.
This case is being investigated by the Safe Streets Task Force in Reno, which includes the DEA, FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, Reno Police Department, and Washoe County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James E. Keller.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Nevada U.S. Attorney’s Office Participates in Federal Prison Events as Part of National Reentry WeekRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – On April 28, 2016, U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sue Fahami, visited the Federal Correctional Institution in Herlong, Calif. (FCI Herlong) as part of the Department of Justice’s first-ever National Reentry Week, which included events nationwide to assist incarcerated Americans who are preparing to leave prison. National events included job fairs, reentry court graduations, legal service clinics, family events and community resource open houses.
U.S. Attorney Bogden and Assistant U.S. Attorney Fahami were part of a coalition of representatives from two federal judicial districts who presented information to the inmates on various reentry programs that are being offered to inmates who are returning to the community. The team included U.S. Magistrate Judge Valerie P. Cooke of the District of Nevada, as well as U.S. Probation Officers, Assistant Federal Defenders, and residential reentry center representatives. The team was assisted by FCI Herlong management and staff, including Warden Felicia Ponce, and Associate Wardens Ganson McManus and Israel Jacquez.
During this visit to FCI Herlong, as well as another visit that occurred on March 15, the reentry team conducted panel discussions with Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP) participants and general population inmates who were sentenced in U.S. District Courts in Nevada and Eastern California. Approximately 10 staff and 130 inmates attended the panel discussions where the reentry team lectured and responded to inmate questions. The main topic of discussion was the criteria for and expectations of participants in the Court Led Efforts at Recovery (CLEAR Court) programs. The District of Nevada has had a CLEAR Court program for approximately five years. These programs are voluntary and are monitored by a federal judge, federal probation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Federal Public Defender’s Office and a residential reentry center (RRC) clinician.
During their discussion they informed the inmates of the intensive oversight while participating in the CLEAR Court program and that it also offered the returning offenders access to additional resources, a new view of authority figures, and an opportunity to earn up to one year off of their supervised release. After the panel discussions with the inmates concluded, a tour of the institution program areas was provided to allow the reentry team members an opportunity to meet institutional staff, learn about the various departments’ roles and programs that are offered to inmates to assist them with the skills necessary to have a successful reintegration back to the community.
Each year, more than 600,000 citizens return to our neighborhoods after serving time in federal and state prisons. Another 11.4 million individuals cycle through local jails. And nearly one in three Americans of working age have had some sort of encounter with the criminal justice system — mostly for relatively minor, non-violent offenses, and sometimes from decades in the past. The long-term impact of a criminal record prevents many people from obtaining employment, housing, higher education, and credit — and these barriers affect returning individuals even if they have turned their lives around and are unlikely to reoffend.
Visit the following link for additional information on National Reentry Week and reentry programs, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/fact-sheet-during-national-reentry-week-reducing-barriers-reentry-and-employment-formerly.
Man Convicted of Five Violent Robberies During Summer of 2014Read the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas man who wore a mask and gloves and used a black handgun with a laser sight to rob a convenience store, two liquor stores, a payday loan company, and an electronics retailer in the Las Vegas area during the summer of 2014, was convicted by a jury today of all counts charged and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 107 years in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
Following a four-day jury trial, Dominique Wells, 29, was convicted of five counts of interference with commerce by robbery, two counts of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, and five counts of using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Wells is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan on July 21, 2016. Two co-defendants, Christopher Dobbins, 28, and Andre Hall, 27, pleaded guilty in 2015 and are awaiting sentencing.
“We continue to work with the local authorities to use federal laws to prosecute persons who are committing violent robberies with guns in southern Nevada,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “We meet with local law enforcement regularly through our Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force to review all the recent arrests of persons who are using firearms to commit violent crimes and to determine if prosecution in the federal system, where there is no parole, is warranted.”
According to court records and trial testimony, on June 15, 2014, Wells robbed a convenience store in Henderson using a handgun and wearing a black mask and gloves, black t-shirt and camouflage shorts. Four days later, on June 19, 2014, Wells robbed a liquor store in Las Vegas using a handgun with a laser sight, and wearing camouflage shorts, a black t-shirt, and a black face mask/ski mask. Two days after that, on June 21, 2014, Wells robbed a liquor store on the Boulder Highway in Las Vegas using a black handgun with a laser sight and wearing camouflage shorts, a black t-shirt and a black face mask/ski mask. On June 26, 2014, Wells robbed a payday loan store in Henderson using a black handgun with a laser sight. Wells and a co-defendant used duct tape to tie up three individuals inside the payday loan store. On July 3, 2014, Wells robbed an electronics retailer in Henderson using a black handgun. Wells and a co-defendant used zip ties to tie up the employees in that robbery. Wells obtained on average only $100 to $250 in each robbery.
Over the last five years, 94 persons have been charged federally with using firearms to commit commercial robberies in southern Nevada. Following are links to the news releases for some of those cases.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/las-vegas-cinched-hoodie-robber-sentenced-life-prison
https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/femal-getaway-driver-convicted-robberies-13-banks-and-stores-las-vegas-area-during-2012
https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/man-sentenced-over-14-years-prison-six-armed-robberies
https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/men-sentenced-prison-kidnapping-conspiracy-and-thefts-delivery-drivers-and-warehouses
https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/last-30-minutes-or-less-robbers-gets-16-years-prison
https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/man-sentenced-over-11-years-federal-prison-robbing-local-jewelry-store-stolen-handgun
https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/man-who-robbed-las-vegas-mini-mart-convicted-jury
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and the Henderson Police Department, as part of the Safe Streets Task Force and Project Safe Neighborhoods program.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phillip N. Smith, Jr. and Lisa Cartier-Giroux.
Las Vegas Man Indicted for Defrauding 39 Persons in Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A man who convinced persons to invest money with him by falsely representing himself to be a successful securities trader and investor, was indicted by the federal grand jury today for stealing almost $2 million from his victims, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
“Social media platforms are increasingly being used by persons with criminal intentions,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “Be very cautious and investigate the background of persons who request your money with promises to invest it.”
Sean Christopher Sladek, 39, most recently of Henderson, Nev., and Liberty, Texas, is charged with two counts of wire fraud, two counts of money laundering, and criminal forfeiture. Sladek is scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy Koppe on April 21, 2016, for an arraignment and plea. Sladek has been in federal custody since March 31, when he was arrested by the FBI at McCarran Airport.
According to the indictment, from about January 2011 to March 2016, Sladek allegedly solicited persons, including some he met through social media sites, such as online dating platforms Tinder and Bumble, and through Craigslist, for investment funds. Sladek falsely told the victims and potential victims that he was a successful securities trader and investor, and that he would invest any monies they gave him to earn positive returns on their investments. In fact, Sladek was not a successful investor or securities trader, and used the funds he received from the victims for gambling, personal expenses, and to enrich himself. When the victim investors complained to Sladek about non-payment of investment returns, Sladek gave numerous false excuses and reasons for why they had not been paid. The indictment states that on May 10, 2013, and September 12, 2014, Sladek received $100,000 from one victim in California and $40,000 from another victim in South Carolina, respectively, and, within one day of receiving those funds, he deposited cashier’s checks for almost the same amounts into two casino accounts in Las Vegas. Sladek did not pay investment returns to any known victim, and wrongfully obtained approximately $1.7 million from about 39 known victims.
If convicted, Sladek faces a maximum of 20 years in prison on each wire fraud count and up to 10 years in prison on each money laundering count, as well as fines of up to $250,000 on each count.
The case is being investigated by the FBI, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jiamin Chen.
If you believe you are a victim of this offense, please contact your local FBI field office.
This prosecution is part of efforts underway by President Barack Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. President Obama established the interagency Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. The task force includes representatives from a broad range of federal agencies, regulatory authorities, inspectors general and state and local law enforcement who, working together, bring to bear a powerful array of criminal and civil enforcement resources. The task force is working to improve efforts across the federal executive branch, and with state and local partners, to investigate and prosecute significant financial crimes, ensure just and effective punishment for those who perpetrate financial crimes, combat discrimination in the lending and financial markets and recover proceeds for victims of financial crimes. For more information about the task force visit: www.stopfraud.com.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Armed Bank Robber Convicted by Las Vegas Federal JuryRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – One of two local men who violently robbed a Summerlin bank in January 2015, has been convicted by a federal jury of multiple felony counts, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada.
Jerome Michael Bell, 26, of Las Vegas, was convicted on March 22, 2016, of one count of conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery, one count of armed bank robbery, and one count of using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence. Bell faces up to five years in prison on the conspiracy charge, up to 20 years in prison on the armed bank robbery charge, and a minimum of seven years consecutive on the firearm charge. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan on June 20, at 10 a.m.
“Using a firearm to rob a bank or commercial establishment is a very serious offense and typically harms multiple victims,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden. “We are working with our local police departments and the FBI to make sure these violent criminals are brought to justice, convicted and sentenced in the federal system.”
The co-conspirator, DeShawn Walker, 26, pleaded guilty on March 1 to conspiracy to commit bank robbery and one count of using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 1, at 10 a.m.
According to the court records and information submitted to the jury, on Jan. 2, 2015, at approximately 8:44 a.m., Bell and Walker entered the Summerlin bank wearing dark clothing, hooded sweatshirts, face coverings, and dark gloves. Bell was brandishing a loaded handgun and pointing it at the tellers, and Walker grabbed an employee from an office and threatened to kill the employee and a teller if they did not meet their demands. Bell robbed some of the tellers of their money, and then they forced all but one of the employees into a small room. Bell then demanded that the remaining employee open the vault, but when the employee was unable to do so, Bell and Walker ran from the bank with the stolen money. Bell left his revolver at one of the teller stations and they fled in a vehicle that had been rented by one of Bell’s relatives. Law enforcement agents and officers tracked the vehicle to an east-side location in Las Vegas and observed the vehicle crash into a truck. Bell was apprehended following a short foot pursuit, and Walker had jumped out of the vehicle before the crash and was apprehended from a shed in an individual’s back yard.
This case was investigated by the FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, as part of the Safe Streets Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Newman and Brandon Jaroch