Northern District of New York

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Loretta Washington, age 60, of Binghamton, New York, pled guilty yesterday to multiple charges of social security fraud, United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG), New York Field Office announced.

As part of her guilty plea yesterday, Washington admitted that she had applied for and was receiving social security benefits for her minor child, as her representative-payee. A representative-payee is a person or organization selected by the SSA to receive benefits on behalf of a beneficiary who is unable to manage their payments. In September 2018, Broome County Department of Social Services removed the minor from Washington’s custody after the minor—who was four years old at the time—was found walking on a road in the middle of the night. Washington never reported the change in custody to the Social Security Administration and, at one point, lied to the Social Security Administration that the child was still in her custody. In total, Washington stole over $25,000 in social security benefits between October 2018 and November 2021.

Washington faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to three years. She will also be required to pay restitution to the Social Security Administration.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. Sentencing is scheduled for February 13, 2025, in Syracuse.

This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul J. Tuck. 

ALBANY, NEW YORK – United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Joshua R. Rosenthal will lead the efforts of the United States Attorney’s Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election.  AUSA Rosenthal has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Northern District of New York and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of Election Day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department headquarters in Washington, D.C.

United States Attorney Freedman stated: “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election.  Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to threats of violence.  The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”

The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud.  The Department will address these violations wherever they occur.  The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.

Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, 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 interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice.  The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).  

In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Rosenthal will be working while the polls are open.  He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 518-431-0389.

In addition, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will have Special Agents available in each Field Office and Resident Agency Office throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day.  The FBI Albany Field Office can be reached by the public at 518-465-7551.

Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C. by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.

Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities.  State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency. 

ALBANY, NEW YORK – A superseding indictment charges a total of 14 defendants in connection with a nationwide conspiracy to use stolen identities to fraudulently obtain money, checks, and credit from banks and credit unions located in the Northern District of New York and all over the country.  United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.

According to the indictment, court filings, and statements made by prosecutors in court, between at least November 2021 and December 2023, the defendants conspired to steal the identities of people who resided all over the country and impersonated those people at banks and credit unions to fraudulently obtain cash, checks, loans, and credit. The conspirators allegedly opened bank accounts in the names of identity-theft victims, which were then used to deposit and access the funds from checks they had fraudulently obtained from banks and credit unions by impersonating other individuals.  The conspirators’ conduct allegedly involved nearly $3 million in intended losses and more than $1.5 million in actual losses. The charges in the superseding indictment are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Oluwaseun Adkeoya, age 39, of New Jersey, and David Daniyan, age 60, of Brooklyn, New York, were previously charged in an indictment returned last December, along with codefendants Victor Barriera, age 64, of the Bronx, New York, Gaysha Kennedy, age 46, of Brooklyn, Jerjuan Joyner, age 50, of Brooklyn, Akeem Balogun, age 56, of Brooklyn, Danielle Cappetti, age 46, of the Bronx, and Lesley Lucchese, age 53, of Brooklyn, with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft. 

The superseding indictment is the result of an ongoing investigation that began after the May 2022 arrest of Daniyan, Kennedy, and Barriera by the Cohoes Police Department after the trio had allegedly traveled to the Capital Region to commit bank fraud.  The original indictment charged Adekoya, Daniyan, Barriera, Kennedy, Joyner, Balogun, Cappetti, and Lucchese with fraudulently obtaining over $900,000 in cash and checks between December 2021 and April 2023.

The charges in the superseding indictment, which was returned on October 8, 2024, are as follows: 

• Adekoya is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of money laundering conspiracy, and nine counts of aggravated identity theft;
• Daniyan is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of money laundering conspiracy, and four counts aggravated identity theft;
• Kani Bassie, age 36, of Brooklyn, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft;
• Davon Hunter, age 27, of Richmond, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft;
• Jermon Brooks, age 20, of Richmond, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft;
• Christian Quivers, age 20, of Richmond, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft;
• Sherry Ozmore, age 56, of Richmond, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft; and
• Crystal Kurschner, age 44, of Brooklyn, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.

The bank fraud conspiracy charges carry a maximum term of 30 years in prison, the money laundering conspiracy charges carry a maximum term of 20 years in prison, and each aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory term of 2 years in prison, to be imposed consecutive to any other term of imprisonment. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

Balogun, Barriera, Cappetti, Joyner, and Lucchese each previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and will be sentenced by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino. 

FBI Albany is investigating the case, with assistance from the FBI Field Offices in New York, Newark, Richmond and Resident Agencies in Westchester, New York; Brooklyn/Queens, New York; Garrett Mountain, New Jersey; and Fort Walton Beach, Florida.  Additional assistance was provided by other law enforcement agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement & Removal Operations (New York Field Office & Albany sub-office); U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (Buffalo Field Office & St. Albans Resident Office); U.S. Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General; New York law enforcement agencies including the New York State Police; Cohoes PD; Colonie PD; Elmira PD; Corning PD; Plattsburgh PD; Florida law enforcement agencies including the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and Escambia County Sheriff’s Office; the Pennsylvania State Police; Alabama law enforcement agencies including the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, Gasden PD, and Rainbow City PD; Georgia law enforcement agencies including the Georgia State Patrol, Bartow County Sheriff’s Office, and Morrow PD; Kansas law enforcement agencies including Lawrence PD and Overland Park PD; New Hampshire law enforcement agencies including Rochester PD, Manchester PD, and Amherst PD; the Delaware State Police; Maryland law enforcement agencies including the Maryland State Police, Harford County Sheriff’s Office and Baltimore County Sheriff’s Office; Wisconsin law enforcement agencies including Onalaska PD and Eau Claire PD; and Indiana law enforcement agencies including the Allen County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin S. Clark and Joshua R. Rosenthal are prosecuting this case.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Anthony Beverly, age 34, of Syracuse, was sentenced today to serve 84 months in federal prison following his convictions for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person (convicted felon).

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Joseph L. Cecile, Chief of the Syracuse Police Department (SPD), made the announcement.

As part of his previous guilty plea, Beverly admitted that on October 26, 2023, he knowingly possessed in his Onondaga County apartment three pistols, extended ammunition magazines, and approximately 615 rounds of ammunition of various calibers. Beverly further admitted that when he possessed the firearms and ammunition, he knew that he had previously been convicted of a felony. Specifically, in 2015 he was sentenced in Onondaga County Court to 2 to 6 years’ imprisonment as a result of his conviction of possession of a forged instrument in the first degree. Beverly further admitted that in his apartment he possessed various controlled substances which he intended to distribute to others, including cocaine base, powder cocaine, N,N-Dimethylpentylone (sold as “molly”), fentanyl, and methamphetamine.

Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also imposed a 3-year term of supervised release to follow his term of imprisonment.

The FBI and Syracuse Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McCrobie prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – William Soto, age 32, of Springfield, Massachusetts, was sentenced to serve 24 months in federal prison following his conviction for twelve (12) counts of theft of government property, United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) announced.

As part of his previous guilty plea, Soto admitted that, while on supervised release for a 2021 federal conviction for distributing controlled substances, he used fraudulent checks to purchase more than $30,000 worth of United States Postal Service postage stamps over the course of two days in Oneida County, Oswego County, and Onondaga County in August 2023. Soto stole stamps from 12 different Post Offices, and, in one instance, he bought $9,438.00 in stamps from a post office in Oswego County using a fake check.

United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also ordered that Soto pay $31,101.84 in restitution to the United States Postal Service, be subject to a forfeiture judgement in the amount of $31,101.84, and to serve a three-year term of post-incarceration supervised release. In addition to the 24-month prison sentence, Soto was also sentenced to a consecutive 20-month term of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release from his prior offense. 

The United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) investigated the case with assistance from the Fulton Police Department.  Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Tuck prosecuted the case.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Kenneth Koegel, Jr., age 40, of Baldwinsville, New York pled guilty today to seven (7) counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Child, one count of Commission of a Felony Offense Involving a Minor by a Registered Sex Offender, one count of Distribution of Child Pornography, and one count of Receipt of Child Pornography. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) made the announcement.

As part of his guilty plea today, Koegel admitted that he was previously convicted in 2004 in Monroe County (New York) Court of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree for exposing his penis to a 6-year-old girl in a public park and touching her vagina with his hand, and that he was required to register as a sex offender because of that conviction. He further admitted that starting in or about 2014 and continuing until October 2022, he sexually abused a girl from the time she was approximately 2 years old until she was approximately 9 years old. During that time, Koegel created numerous sexually explicit images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of his victim, including Koegel subjecting her to multiple sex acts. He also used a social messaging application to distribute the material he produced to someone else, with whom he also traded thousands of other child pornography files.

Sentencing is scheduled for March 5, 2025, before United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby. If the Court accepts the parties’ agreed-upon disposition, Koegel will be sentenced to serve between 35 and 50-years imprisonment, with a lifetime term of supervised release to follow. Koegel also will have to pay restitution to the victim of his exploitation and to the victims in whose depictions he trafficked. He also will continue to be required to register as a sex offender upon release.

The case was investigated by the FBI’s Albany Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force – comprised of FBI Special Agents, and state and local police investigators, including from the New York State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael D. Gadarian and Adrian S. LaRochelle as part of Project Safe Childhood.

Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s 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, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Ejembi Onah, age 61, of Ithaca, New York, was sentenced to serve 24 months in federal prison yesterday following trial convictions for two counts of wire fraud and three counts of transacting in criminally derived property for fraudulently obtaining two Paycheck Program (PPP) loans during the pandemic, receiving over $140,000 in loan proceeds, and spending those proceeds, among other things, in three separate transactions each exceeding $10,000.

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Thomas Fattorusso, Executive Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.

PPP loans were United States Small Business Administration (SBA)-guaranteed, forgivable loans authorized in the Coronavirus Aid Relief, Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was enacted in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering adverse economic effects from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The government’s evidence at Onah’s October 2023 non-jury trial established that Onah submitted two fraudulent PPP loan applications to two different lenders in June 2020. Each application included false information about the payroll and number of employees at Onah’s company, which he claimed was engaged in a seasonal nanotechnology business and were supported by falsified tax returns. Onah spent the more than $140,000 he received to, among other things, pay back rent at his personal residence, lease a luxury car, and pay for his daily living expenses.

United States District Judge David N. Hurd also ordered that Onah serve a two-year term of supervised release following his release from prison and pay $218,983.32 in restitution to his victims.

IRS-CI and HSI investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael D. Gadarian and Joshua R. Rosenthal prosecuted the case.

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

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

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Xiomara Christian, age 37, of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, pled guilty today to conspiracy to commit money laundering. 

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement.

Christian admitted that from May 2017 to November 2018, she and a co-conspirator laundered drug proceeds from Europe and Australia through bank accounts in the Northern District of New York, intending to conceal the true source of the proceeds, and to make it appear as though the money was legally obtained through legitimate business transactions.

On October 4, 2018, Christian delivered €101,950 ($114,816.09 USD) in drug proceeds to an undercover agent with the National Police of The Netherlands in The Netherlands. On October 5, 2018, an undercover agent with the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission picked up $85,000 AUD ($57,843 USD) in drug proceeds from another co-conspirator in Melbourne, Australia. Christian then had the money wired through a bank account in Latham, New York, and sent to bank accounts in Panama.

At sentencing, scheduled for February 19, 2025, Christian faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.

The DEA investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Douglas Collyer is prosecuting the case.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – John Kelly, age 82, of Rome, New York, and Richard Hockersmith, age 65, of Plattsburgh, New York, were arraigned last week on a federal indictment charging each defendant with conspiring to receive and distribute child pornography using the U.S Postal Service. Kelly and Hockersmith also face charges of receipt, distribution, and possession of child pornography. Both defendants have been detained in custody pending trial.

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.

The indictment alleges that between August 19, 2022, and September 10, 2024, Kelly and Hockersmith conspired to receive and distribute child pornography which they also possessed on several electronic devices. Each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

If convicted, Kelly and Hockersmith each face at least 5 years and up to 20 years in federal prison for the conspiracy and receipt and distribution counts, and up to 20 years for their possession of child pornography. They also face a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. Kelly and Hockersmith would also have to register as sex offenders upon their release from federal prison and would be required to forfeit the devices used to commit their crimes and pay restitution to victims. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with assistance from the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office and the New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.

Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s 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, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – John F. Reap, age 58, of Rome, New York, pled guilty today in federal court to failing to properly register as a sex offender and to filings false reports with the United States Probation Office announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman United States Marshal David L. McNulty.

As part of his guilty plea, Reap, a previously convicted federal sex offender, admitted that between January 26, 2023, and May 8, 2024, he knowingly failed to report an e-mail address he had created and controlled as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Reap also admitted that during the same period, he filed false reports with the United States Probation Office regarding the same e-mail address and his lack of compliance with SORNA requirements. In addition to pleading guilty to violating SORNA and filing false reports, Reap also admitted that he violated the terms of his supervised release including using an unauthorized, internet-capable phone and maintaining the undisclosed email account.

The SORNA charge filed against Reap carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000.00 and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. The charge of filing false reports with the United States Probation Office carries a maximum sentence of 8 years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000.00 and a term of supervised release of up to three years. Reap also faces up to an additional 2 years in federal prison for his violation of the conditions of his supervised release. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

The United States Marshals Service and the U.S. Probation Department investigated the case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Adrian LaRochelle and Richard Southwick as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s 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, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Nelson Moran, age 31, a citizen of Guatemala, pled guilty today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. 

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement.

Moran admitted that on July 31, 2024, he agreed to deliver a package of methamphetamine in exchange for $13,700. Moran further admitted that he delivered the package in Saratoga Springs, New York, and tried to collect the $13,700 before he was arrested.  The package contained about 200 grams of methamphetamine.

At sentencing on February 11, 2025, Moran faces a maximum term of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, and a term of supervised release of at least 3 years and up to life.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

The DEA and Saratoga Springs Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mikayla Espinosa is prosecuting the case.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Lawrence Mumphrey, aka “L,” age 45, of Albany, and Niara Banks, aka “Nie,” age 32, of Troy, New York, pled guilty today to offenses related to their involvement in nationwide marijuana trafficking and money laundering conspiracies. 

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division; Troy Police Chief Daniel DeWolf; and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.

Mumphrey and Banks admitted to being members of a marijuana and tetrahydrocannabinols (THC) trafficking organization that cultivated marijuana on a commercial scale in Fresno, California, and shipped thousands of kilograms of marijuana and THC from Fresno to locations throughout the United States, including the Capital Region of New York.

Banks admitted to receiving packages of marijuana shipped by Dwight A. Singletary, II, aka “Nutt” and “Mike Jones,” and McKenzie Merrialice Coles, aka “Kenzie,” from a shipping store in Fresno, Fast Pack & Ship, at her home in Troy and another home in Albany.  Banks was notified of the packages of marijuana by Dwight Singletary and David Singletary, aka “DB,” and typically notified David Singletary, who retrieved the packages, when they arrived.  Banks also sold marijuana, which she obtained from Dwight and David Singletary.  

Between September 2020 and March 2022, Banks received 33 packages containing approximately 133 kilograms (293 pounds) of marijuana at her home in Troy and the other home in Albany. 

Banks also admitted to laundering marijuana and THC proceeds for the organization by purchasing cashier’s checks with cash drug proceeds.  Federal law requires financial institutions to complete a currency transaction report for cash transactions over $10,000.  To avoid the reporting requirement and otherwise conceal the cash drug proceeds, Banks purchased seven cashier’s checks in amounts slightly below the reporting threshold for cash transactions with $65,880 in cash drug proceeds.  The cashier’s checks were payable to Dwight Singletary; Dwight Singletary’s company, DAS Empire, Inc.; and a person from whom Dwight Singletary and DAS Empire purchased real estate. 

Mumphrey admitted to receiving packages of marijuana shipped from Fast Pack & Ship at his apartment in Albany and to selling marijuana and THC “edibles” for the organization out of a “knock spot” in Troy.  In searching the “knock spot” in January 2022, law enforcement discovered 29 pounds of marijuana, which was in several plastic shelves with sticky notes denoting the strain and price of the marijuana, and in a backpack.  The “knock spot” also contained $3,953 in cash, several digital scales, a large safe with a bulletproof vest, and a box shipped from Fast Pack & Ship to Mumphrey at his apartment in Albany. 

In June 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Mumphrey’s apartment in Albany and discovered, among other things, a dogfood container with approximately eight pounds of marijuana in a room in the basement.  In the same room, law enforcement discovered a Ruger model AR-556 5.56x45mm caliber semiautomatic rifle, a 5.56x45mm caliber semiautomatic rifle with no serial number, an Anderson model AM-15 5.56x45mm caliber semiautomatic rifle with no serial number, and a Taurus 9mm caliber pistol with no serial number, and assorted ammunition.  Mumphrey possessed the firearms to protect the organization’s marijuana, THC edibles, and drug proceeds, including from potential robbers. 

Between February 2020 and June 2022, 74 packages containing approximately 341 kilograms (752 pounds) of marijuana were shipped from Fast Pack & Ship to Mumphrey at his apartment in Albany. 

Mumphrey also admitted to laundering drug proceeds for the organization.  Between March 2020 and June 2022, Mumphrey purchased 14 cashier’s checks in amounts slightly below the reporting threshold for cash transactions with $132,270 in cash drug proceeds.  Mumphrey also gave cash drug proceeds to two other members of the organization for use in purchasing cashier’s checks in amounts slightly below the reporting threshold. 

Banks faces up to 20 years in prison on each of the two counts to which she pled guilty, conspiring to distribute marijuana and THC and conspiring to commit money laundering; fines of up to $1 million and $500,000, respectively, on each count; and a term of supervised release of between three years and life. 

Mumphrey faces a total of at least 10 years in prison and up to life on the three counts to which he pled guilty, conspiring to distribute marijuana and THC, conspiring to commit money laundering, and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; a total of $5.75 million in fines; and a term of supervised release of between four years and life. 

A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

Banks and Mumphrey were charged in an indictment with Dwight Singletary, David Singletary, Coles, and 19 other people charging marijuana distribution and money laundering conspiracies, firearms offenses, and other crimes.  Dwight Singletary, David Singletary, and Coles have pled not guilty and are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. 

In addition to Banks and Mumphrey, 14 other defendants, Rosemary Coles, Latrice Mumphrey, Sammy Olague, Victor Turner, Kristle Walker, Ruby Ledesma, Lateek White, Onisha Smith, Jazell Shuler, Earnest Flood, aka “Pop,” Consanga Harris, aka “Sondy,” James Tyrell Daniels, aka “Red” and “Ghost,” LaFay Pearson, aka “Lala,” and Alyssa June White previously pled guilty and are pending sentencing. 

The ATF, DEA, Troy Police Department and HSI are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cyrus P.W. Rieck and Dustin C. Segovia are prosecuting the case.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Stephen Brisee a/k/a Sage Brisee, age 30, of Albany, pled guilty today to a six-count indictment charging Brisee with distributing, receiving, and possessing child pornography.

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Buffalo Field Office, made the announcement.

Brisee admitted to receiving and distributing videos of adults subjecting girls between the ages of six months and 10 years to sexual penetration.  A search of Brisee’s phone revealed Brisee to be in possession of a collection of other child pornography images.  At the time of the offenses, Brisee was a registered sex offender on post-release supervision following a New York State conviction for promoting a sexual performance by a child.

At sentencing scheduled for February 7, 2025, Brisee faces at least 15 years and up to 40 years in prison; a fine of up to $250,000; mandatory restitution to victims of the offenses; and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.  As a result of this conviction, Brisee will also continue to be required to register as a sex offender.

HSI investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner is prosecuting as a part of Project Safe Childhood.

Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s 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, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Joelvis Jose Rivas-Solorzano, Silvio Fabian-Ordonez, Jose Medina, Jose Navarro, Deivy Santiago Pena-Rojas, Jefferson Jose Marquez-Marquez, all citizens of Venezuela, were indicted for conspiracy to commit bank larceny, and bank larceny related to their involvement in a nationwide automatic teller machine (ATM) Jackpotting Scheme. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig. L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) made the announcement.

“ATM jackpotting” is the exploitation of physical and software vulnerabilities in ATMs that result in the machines dispensing cash to unauthorized fraudsters. Typically, during ATM jackpotting events one or two people use a key to access the inside of an ATM to install a foreign device that allows a hacker to assume control of the ATM. After the ATM is compromised, groups of individuals arrive at the ATM to conduct transactions and the ATM dispenses its cash reserves, which are untethered to any bank account. 

In December 2023, several financial institutions in the Northern District of New York became victims of an ATM Jackpotting scheme. In total, over $400,000.00 was stolen during four separate ATM jackpotting events in Onondaga, Broome, and Chenango counties.

Joelvis Jose Rivas-Solorzano, Silvio Fabian-Ordonez, Jose Medina, Jose Navarro, and Deivy Santiago Pena-Rojas have all been arrested and are in custody in the Northern District of New York. Jefferson Jose Marquez-Marquez is in custody in South Dakota and is awaiting transport to the Northern District of New York.

The charges to which Joelvis Jose Rivas-Solorzano, Silvio Fabian-Ordonez, Jose Medina, Jose Navarro, Deivy Santiago Pena-Rojas, Jefferson Jose Marquez-Marquez face carry a maximum sentence of 5 or 10 years, a fine of up to $250,000 million, and a supervised release term of up to 3 years. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This case is being investigated by the FBI Albany Field Office, with assistance from  United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP), United States Secret Service, the New York State Police, the Onondaga County Sherriff’s Office, the Chenango County Sherriff’s Office, the Broome County Sherriff’s Office, the Town of Cicero Police Department, the Syracuse Police Department, the Binghamton Police Department, the Norwich Police Department, the Dearborn, Michigan Police Department, and the Belle Fourche, South Dakota Police Department. Special Assistant United States Attorney Paul Tuck is prosecuting the case.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Bruce Bochette, age 67, of Charlton, New York, was sentenced today to 1 year of probation, to pay a $20,000 fine, and to pay $219,706 in restitution, for evading taxes on unreported business income.

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Thomas Fattorusso, Executive Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), New York Field Division, made the announcement.

Bochette operates a commercial painting business. In pleading previously guilty, he admitted that for tax years 2017 through 2021, he evaded income taxes by depositing checks, and portions of checks, into his personal account that were payments from his company’s commercial painting clients. Bochette did not report this income to the IRS, on either his company’s tax returns or his personal tax returns, and did not pay taxes on it.

Bochette admitted to not reporting $825,719.56 in business income, and to evading the assessment and payment of $219,706 in taxes. Bochette has already made a full restitution payment in the amount of $219,706.

IRS-CI investigated this case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett prosecuted this case. 

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Mario Leslie, age 32, of Syracuse, was sentenced yesterday to serve 10 years in federal prison for his convictions for possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).

As part of his previous guilty plea, Leslie admitted that on February 6, 2024, he possessed over 151 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, inside his home and his vehicles, all of which were in Syracuse, New York. Leslie intended to distribute the fentanyl to others. Leslie also admitted that on that same date he knowingly possessed a loaded handgun in a secret compartment in his vehicle that he used to protect his drugs and drug proceeds as well as over 100 rounds of ammunition which were found in his home and vehicles. 

United States District Judge David N. Hurd also yesterday sentenced Leslie to serve a 4-year term of post-release supervision and ordered him to pay a $200 special assessment.

This case was investigated by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), with assistance from the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, the Syracuse Police Department (SPD), and the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kristy Lynne Koldis, age 46, of Latham, New York, was sentenced today to 180 months (15 years) in prison and 15 years of supervised release for sexual exploitation of a child. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.

In previously pleading guilty, Koldis admitted that she created sexually explicit content depicting the lewd and lascivious exhibition of V-1’s genitals from the time V-1 was approximately 9 years old through the time V-1 was approximately 13 years old and distributed the files to Joshua White, who pled guilty on December 13, 2023, to distribution and possession of child pornography. His sentencing is currently scheduled for December 12, 2024.

United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also imposed special assessments totaling over $55,000 and ordered Koldis to pay $5,000 in restitution. Koldis will have to register as a sex offender upon her release from prison.

Homeland Security Investigations and the New York State Police investigated this case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael D. Gadarian as part of Project Safe Childhood.

Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s 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, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Benjamin Wheeler, age 19, of Norwich, New York pled guilty today in federal court in Utica to possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Craig. L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).

As part of his guilty plea today, Wheeler admitted that on August 6, 2024, the defendant knowingly possessed a “Spikes Tactical” AR-15 style rifle at his apartment in Norwich, New York, knowing that the firearm had a barrel length of less than sixteen inches. The firearm was not registered to the defendant in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as required by federal law.

Sentencing for his conviction for possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle is scheduled for February 12, 2025, in Utica, New York, at which time Wheeler faces a maximum sentence of up to 10-years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.

The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), New York Police Department (NYPD) and the New York State Police with assistance from the Chenango County Sheriff’s Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown is prosecuting the case.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Annmarie Ditoro, age 42, of Schenectady, New York, pled guilty yesterday to multiple counts of social security fraud, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Office.

Ditoro admitted that she stole Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”) benefits and Social Security Survivor’s benefits intended for her four disabled children. Ditoro was previously the representative payee for all four of her children. A representative payee is a person or organization receiving Social Security benefits on another person’s behalf and tasked with ensuring the benefits are used only to support the beneficiary. Ditoro admitted that Schenectady Department of Social Services removed all four of her children from her custody in July 2022. Ditoro failed to inform the Social Security Administration of the change in custody, and she continued to receive Social Security benefits on her children’s behalf. Ditoro admitted that she spent the benefits for her personal use despite knowing that she was not entitled to that money. In total, Ditoro stole over $25,000 in benefit payments intended for her children. 

Ditoro faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 5 years, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised of up to 3 years. She will also be required to pay restitution to the Social Security Administration.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. Sentencing is scheduled for January 31, 2025, in Albany.

This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul J. Tuck. 

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Anthony Luizzi, age 24, of Halfmoon, New York, was sentenced today to 210 months in prison, and to pay a $10,000 fine, for drug and gun crimes in connection with his trafficking of large amounts of fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine, and his possession of more than 30 firearms.

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Field Division; and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.

Luizzi previously pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl; possession with intent to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl; and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes.

Luizzi admitted that he conspired to distribute, and possessed with intent and distribute, cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl, from his residence in Halfmoon, and at an apartment on Western Avenue in Albany. On May 23, 2023, law enforcement searched his apartment in Halfmoon and found more than 11 kilograms of fentanyl pills, along with five firearms, including a shotgun with a defaced serial number. Law enforcement also seized $2,616 as drug proceeds. On that same day, law enforcement also searched the apartment on Western Avenue and found 34 more firearms, as well as more than 400 grams of fentanyl pills, more than 7,000 grams of pills containing methamphetamine, and more than 700 grams of cocaine.

United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci also ordered that Luizzi serve a 5-year term of supervised release following his release from prison and ordered the forfeiture of the $2,616 in cash found at his Halfmoon residence.

The following defendants have also been charged in connection with this investigation:

• Brandon Bartley was sentenced on September 24, 2024, to 180 months in prison and to pay a $5,000 fine, for drug and gun crimes.
• Devon Newsome pled guilty on September 3, 2024, to unlawfully transferring firearms as part of the firearms trafficking conspiracy. Newsome is scheduled to be sentenced on January 6, 2025.
• Jabree Jones was charged with a violation of the terms of his supervised release on May 23, 2023, based on violations of federal gun and drug trafficking laws, and has been detained pending the resolution of the supervised release violation petition. A final revocation hearing is currently scheduled for December 17, 2024. The charges against Jones are merely accusations. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The DEA and the ATF are investigating the case, with assistance from the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO), the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (USDOL-OIG), and Henry County Police Department in Georgia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping is prosecuting the case.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jodi Drygula, age 52, of Amsterdam, New York, and Anthony Camou, age 45, of Las Vegas, Nevada, have been indicted on mail fraud and conspiracy to commit mail fraud charges for fraudulently obtaining pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits in the names of other people.

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge, Northeast Region, United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (USDOL-OIG); Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); and Lucy Lang, New York State Inspector General (NYS-OIG), made the announcement.

Drygula appeared on August 27, 2024, before United States Magistrate Christian F. Hummel in Albany, and Camou appeared on September 13, 2024, before United States Magistrate Daniel J. Albregts in the District of Nevada; both defendants were ordered released with conditions.

The indictment alleges that from July 2020 through September 2021, Drygula and Camou fraudulently obtained unemployment insurance benefits from the New York State Department of Labor (“NYSDOL”) in the names of three people. As a result of their conspiracy, which included additional fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance benefits, Drygula and Camou defrauded the NYSDOL out of more than $250,000. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proved guilty.

The mail fraud and conspiracy charges carry a maximum term of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.

The case is being investigated by USDOL-OIG, USPIS, and NYS-OIG, with assistance from the New York State Department of Labor. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew M. Paulbeck and Joshua R. Rosenthal are prosecuting the case.

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

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

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Benz Coleman, age 33, of Colonie, New York, pled guilty today to one count of possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine.

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement.

Coleman admitted that on January 31, 2024, he possessed more than 3,000 fentanyl pills and more than 13 grams of cocaine, all with the intent to distribute the drugs.  Coleman further admitted that between November 1, 2023, and January 31, 2024, he sold another person more than 2,400 fentanyl pills. 

At sentencing on February 12, 2025, before Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn, Coleman faces at least 5 years and up to 40 years in prison.  The judge will also be required to impose a term of post-release supervision of at least 4 years and up to life.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

DEA and the Colonie Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Belliss is prosecuting the case.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Thomas Berrington, age 33, of Colonie, New York, pled guilty yesterday in federal court to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

As part of his guilty plea yesterday, Berrington admitted that between June of 2023 and January of 2024, he repeatedly sexually abused a minor female child for the purpose of photographing and video recording the abuse. The victim was eight years old when Berrington’s abuse of her began.

At sentencing, currently scheduled for January 30, 2025, in Albany New York, Berrington faces a term of imprisonment between 15 and 60 years, a term of post-release supervision between 5 years and life, and a fine of up to $250,000. Berrington will also be ordered to pay restitution to the victim, forfeit the device used in the offense, and will be required to register as a sex offender. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant violated, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.

The case was investigated by the FBI’s Albany Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force – comprised of FBI Special Agents, and state and local police investigators, including from the New York State Police and Colonie Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle as part of Project Safe Childhood.

Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s 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, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – John Oathout, age 54, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on Friday to 25 years in prison for transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.  United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.

As part of his guilty plea, Oathout admitted that after a romantic relationship ended with the victim’s mother, the victim’s mother permitted the defendant to take her daughter on overnight trips to Virginia and New York.  During the week of Thanksgiving 2021, the defendant arranged to pick up the 5-year-old child from her home in Delaware and transport her to a hotel in Kingston, New York, where he subjected the child to sexual contact. 

In addition to sentencing Oathout to serve 25 years in prison, Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also imposed a 20-year term of supervised release, which Oathout will begin serving after he is released from prison, at which time Oathout will also be required to register as a sex offender.

The FBI’s Albany Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated this case.  The Task Force includes members of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Assistant United States Attorney Carling Dunham prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.

Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS).  Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locates, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – A jury today voted to acquit Richard W. Crist, James R. Gordon and Leslie A. Wallace on all charges following a 13-day trial.

The jury voted to acquit Crist, Gordon and Wallace of conspiring to violate the rights of Rensselaer County voters in connection with elections held in 2021.

The jury also found Gordon not guilty of witness tampering and found Wallace not guilty of making false statements.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Barnett and Steven D. Clymer prosecuted this case.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jacob Boldt, age 35, of Gansevoort, New York, was sentenced today to 51 months in prison for dealing in firearms without a license and possessing a firearm as a felon.

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo, New York Field Office; and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.

In pleading guilty, Boldt admitted he sold multiple firearms without a license, identified criminals as good customers for “ghost guns,” and possessed a firearm that he knew was stolen.  At the time of the offenses, Boldt could not possess firearms because of a prior felony conviction.

In addition to the imprisonment, United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci fined Boldt $5,000, ordered him to serve 2 years of supervised release and forfeit a shotgun seized by law enforcement.

HSI and ATF investigated the case with assistance from the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner prosecuted the case.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Brandon Bartley, age 26, of Laurel, Maryland, was sentenced today to 180 months in prison and to pay a $5,000 fine for drug and gun crimes in connection with his trafficking of large amounts of fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine, and his possession of more than 30 firearms.

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Field Division, and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.

Bartley previously pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl; possession with intent to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl; and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes.

Bartley admitted that he engaged in a conspiracy to distribute, and that he possessed with intent to distribute, cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl, from an apartment on Western Avenue in Albany. On May 23, 2023, law enforcement searched his apartment and found 34 firearms, including a loaded Glock on his bed that he used to protect his drugs and drug proceeds, and other firearms, as well as more than 400 grams of fentanyl pills, more than 7,000 grams of pills containing methamphetamine, and more than 700 grams of cocaine.

United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci also ordered that Bartley serve a 5-year term of supervised release following his release from prison.

The following defendants have also been charged in connection with this investigation:

• Anthony Luizzi pled guilty on March 18, 2024, to drug and gun crimes in connection with his trafficking of large amounts of fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine, and his possession of more than 30 firearms, including drugs and guns found at the Western Avenue property. Luizzi is scheduled to be sentenced on October 1, 2024.
• Devon Newsome pled guilty on September 3, 2024, to unlawfully transferring firearms as part of the firearms trafficking conspiracy. Newsome is scheduled to be sentenced on January 6, 2025.
• Jabree Jones was charged with a violation of the terms of his supervised release on May 23, 2023, based on violations of federal gun and drug trafficking laws, and has been detained pending the resolution of the supervised release violation petition. A final revocation hearing is currently scheduled for December 17, 2024. The charges against Jones are merely accusations. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The DEA and the ATF are investigating the case, with assistance from the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO), the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (USDOL-OIG), and Henry County Police Department in Georgia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping is prosecuting the case.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Carey Terrance, Sr., age 43, of Hogansburg, New York, was sentenced yesterday to time served and to pay a $350,000 fine in connection with a scheme to smuggle cut rag tobacco into Canada from the United States.  Cut rag tobacco is tobacco cut into fine strips and used to make smoking tobacco.

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Thomas Fattorusso, Executive Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), New York Field Office, made the announcement.

As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Terrance, Sr. admitted that from approximately 2013 to 2016, he worked with co-conspirators to acquire cut rag tobacco and smuggle it into Canada, where it was made into contraband cigarettes. Members of the conspiracy sold the contraband cigarettes, making substantial profits by avoiding taxes and duties, and used some of their profits to buy more cut rag tobacco that they sent into Canada.

Funds to purchase the cut rag tobacco were sent from Canada, often through the Northern District of New York, to North Carolina.  Once purchased, the cut rag tobacco was delivered to warehouses and buildings in the Northeastern United States, including on the St. Regis Mohawk Akwesasne Reservation, where it was staged for smuggling into Canada. Terrance admitted that he laundered $221,860.20 as part of the scheme; he forfeited that amount as part of sentence in addition to the fine imposed.

Senior United States District Judge Frederick J. Scullin, Jr. also imposed a 2-year term of post-imprisonment supervised release. 

HSI and IRS-CI investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allen J. Vickey and Alexander P. Wentworth-Ping prosecuted this case.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Charles Brennan, age 45, of Mechanicville, New York, was convicted today following a 6-day jury trial of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of distributing methamphetamine, possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number.   

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and Sheriff Michael H. Zurlo of the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO).

The evidence at trial established that between July and September 2022, Brennan was a member of a drug conspiracy that involved the distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The jury concluded that during that time, Brennan distributed methamphetamine on two occasions from his residence in Mechanicville. During the execution of a search warrant at Brennan’s residence, Brennan was found in possession of 9 grams of pure methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, ammunition, and eight firearms, including a pistol with an altered serial number. The jury also concluded that Brennan possessed the methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it.

Jurors voted to acquit Brennan on two counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Brennan faces at least 5 years and up to 40 years in prison when he is sentenced by United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci on January 22, 2025. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.

This case was investigated by members of the ATF and SCSO, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ashlyn Miranda, Joseph S. Hartunian, and Allen J. Vickey.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Brien Fredendall, age 46, of Port Byron, New York, pled guilty today to two counts of possession of child pornography. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) made the announcement.

As part of his guilty plea, Fredendall, who has a previous New York State conviction for possession of child pornography, admitted that he possessed videos and images of child pornography he received from a minor on his Snapchat account. He also admitted to possessing additional child pornography on his cellular phone.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 21, 2025, before Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes.  Fredendall faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison, a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000.00 and a term of supervised release of between five years and life, to begin after imprisonment. Fredendall will also be required to continue to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.

This case was investigated by the FBI’s Albany Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force with the assistance of the Cayuga County Sherriff’s Office. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Tuck prosecuted Fredendall as part of Project Safe Childhood. 

Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s 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, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – William Taylor, age 33, of Jamaica, New York, was sentenced to serve 36 months’ imprisonment for aggravated identity theft and conspiring with his girlfriend, Patricia Clarke, to commit mail and wire fraud.  Clarke, 27, also of Jamaica, was also sentenced to 12 months’ and one day imprisonment for the conspiracy. 

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region (USDOL-OIG) Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone; Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo, New York Field Office Special Agent in Charge Matthew Scarpino; U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division (USPIS) Postal Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward; and New York State Inspector General (NYSIG) Lucy Lang made the announcement.

Taylor and Clarke used stolen identities to fraudulently obtain pandemic unemployment insurance benefits from the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL).  They used the names, dates of birth, and social security numbers of at least 20 individuals to submit claims to NYSDOL.  Based on those false claims, NYSDOL wired funds directly to accounts controlled by Taylor, Clarke, or both; and NYSDOL directed bank cards to be mailed to the addresses directed by Taylor and Clarke.  In total, NYSDOL paid $381,815 on the claims submitted by Taylor and Clarke under the stolen identities. 

United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also ordered both defendants repay $381,815 in restitution to NYSDOL; Taylor to forfeit $315,723 in criminal proceeds; and Clarke to forfeit $66,092 in criminal proceeds.  Judge D’Agostino also sentenced both defendants to 2 years’ supervised release.

USDOL-OIG, HSI, USPIS, and NYSIG investigated the case, with assistance from the New York State Department of Labor’s Office of Special Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner prosecuted the case.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – James H. Swanson, age 59, of Rome, New York, was sentenced today to three years in federal prison for possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo, New York Field Office.

As part of his earlier guilty plea, Swanson admitted that between March 25, 2022, and March 28, 2022, he uploaded several videos of child pornography to a cloud storage account under his control. Swanson also admitted that he had engaged in this type of conduct for years but would periodically purge his collection of child pornography before eventually accessing, viewing, and downloading more. According to documents filed in United States District Court, Swanson worked as a pastor for decades and most recently served as the pastor of the Rome Wesleyan Church.

In addition to sentencing Swanson to serve time in federal prison, Chief United States District Judge, Brenda K. Sannes, also imposed a 15-year term of supervised release which Swanson will begin serving after he is released from prison at which time Swanson will also be required to register as a sex offender.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HIS), the New York State Police (NYSP), and the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle as part of Project Safe Childhood.

Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Stuart Chambers, age 44, of Watertown, New York, was sentenced today to serve 120 months in prison for his attempted possession of methamphetamine and cocaine with intent to distribute.  United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement.

As part of his prior plea, Chambers admitted that, on January 30, 2024, he travelled to Syracuse from Watertown and purchased what he believed to be one pound of methamphetamine and nine ounces of cocaine, which he intended to distribute.  He further admitted that, before he committed this offense, he had previously been convicted in federal court in the Middle District of Pennsylvania of Possessing controlled substances with the intent to distribute. 

In addition to the 10-year sentence, Chambers was sentenced to serve an additional 24 months in prison for violating the conditions of supervised release from his prior offense.  Senior United States District Court Judge Frederick J. Scullin also ordered Chambers to serve an 8-year term of supervised release following his release from prison.

The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigated the case with assistance from Pennsylvania State Police, Metro-Jefferson Drug Task Force, and New York State Police Special Investigations Unit - Syracuse. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica N. Carbone prosecuted the case.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Richard Nejame, age 29, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced today to serve 240 months (20 years) in federal prison, to be followed by 25 years of supervised release, for receiving and attempting to receive child pornography.

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.

As part of his guilty plea, Nejame admitted that between about October 2022 and May 1, 2023, he communicated with several different minor females over various social media applications to include Snapchat.  Nejame further admitted that his online personas on social media claimed that he was a teenage boy.  During Nejame’s online communications with the minor females, he encouraged them to take nude pictures and videos of themselves, and to then send the pictures and videos to him.  Once in receipt of the nude picture and videos of the minor females, Nejame directed the females to take more sexually explicit pictures and videos of themselves, to send those sexually explicit pictures and videos of themselves to him, and that if the females did not comply with his demands, Nejame would threaten to embarrass and expose the females by publishing their pictures and videos on the Internet. 

In addition to the imprisonment and supervised release terms, Nejame will be required to register as a sex offender upon release from imprisonment. 

The FBI’s Albany Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated this case.  The Task Force includes members of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Assistant United States Attorneys Rick Belliss and Benjamin S. Clark prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.

Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS).  Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locates, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kris Roglieri, age 44, of Queensbury, New York, has been indicted on wire fraud charges.

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.

Roglieri operated Prime Capital Ventures, LLC (“Prime Capital”) and Prime Commercial Lending, LLC (“Prime Commercial”), among other companies, that were based in Albany.

The indictment and an earlier-filed criminal complaint allege that Prime Capital held itself out as a commercial lending business. As part of contractual arrangements with its borrower clients situated across the country, Prime Capital obtained upfront interest payments from prospective borrowers while it sought to secure loans for those borrowers; these upfront interest payments were characterized by Prime Capital as the “Interest Credit Account Payment,” or “ICA” payment for short. ICA payments did not represent fees to Prime Capital. Instead, each borrower’s upfront ICA payment would be debited over time as the loan was funded and accrued more interest. An ICA payment would also be refundable if Prime Capital failed to secure a loan for the borrower client.

Roglieri is alleged to have defrauded a Minnesota company in December 2023, by committing to fund, through Prime Capital, an approximately $100 million commercial project, even though, at the time, Prime Capital had failed to fund numerous loans promised to earlier clients; failed to return tens of millions of dollars in ICA payments to earlier clients once those loans did not materialize; and had been sued multiple times by clients alleging fraud and seeking the return of ICA payments.

On December 22, 2023, Roglieri, on behalf of Prime Commercial, signed a Deposit Agreement by which he agreed to keep the Minnesota company’s ICA payment in a “separate and distinct” bank account, and to hold it as a “trust fund.”  That same day, the Minnesota company wire transferred a $5 million ICA payment to a Prime Capital account controlled by Roglieri. Roglieri then transferred and spent these funds, including by transferring $950,000 in order to meet a financial obligation to another Prime Capital client; paying $84,000 for his purchase of a Rolex day-date 36 mm yellow gold diamond bezel watch; paying $101,000 to a private jet services company, for round-trip, private air travel between Albany International Airport and Anguilla, for a family vacation that Roglieri took from about December 29, 2023 to January 5, 2024; and paying $400,000 to a law firm that represented Prime Capital in court proceedings.   

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

If convicted, Roglieri faces up to 20 years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine per count, as well as up to 3 years of supervised release. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel ordered Roglieri detained after Roglieri’s May 31, 2024 arrest on the criminal complaint.

The FBI is conducting this ongoing investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua R. Rosenthal and Michael Barnett are prosecuting this case.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – David Hughes, aka Danielle Starr, 50, of Syracuse, and formerly of Oneida County, was sentenced today to serve 10 years in federal prison for possession of a sexually explicit video of a 13-year-old boy he received from the child over the internet.

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) made the announcement. 

In his earlier guilty plea, Hughes, who previously served 210 months in federal prison for a prior conviction for receipt and possession of child pornography, admitted that while on federal supervised release he used his monitored smart phone to communicate with a person he knew to be a 13-year-old boy.  Hughes identified himself as, “Danielle Starr.” In communications captured by the monitoring program, Hughes discussed engaging in sexual conduct with the child, and knowingly received a sexually explicit video the child produced for and sent to Hughes. Law enforcement identified the child as a minor from out of state, and notified the child’s parents of the online activity.

In addition to the 10-year sentence, Hughes was sentenced to a concurrent 2-year term of imprisonment for violating the conditions of supervised release from his prior offense.  He will be placed on supervision for 20 years when released from prison, and will continue to be required to register as a sex offender.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Albany Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and the United States Probation Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa M. Fletcher, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator for the Northern District of New York, prosecuted the case.

Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Franklin W. Jackson, age 29, of San Diego, California, was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for his role in a drug-trafficking organization that distributed methamphetamine in Onondaga County and elsewhere in Central New York.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division.

As part of his prior guilty plea, Jackson admitted that from approximately October 2020 through December 2020, he conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in Central New York, which had been transported from California. Jackson further admitted that in December 2020, he and others loaded 11 vacuum-sealed packages containing more than 50 grams of pure methamphetamine into a rental car, which a coconspirator planned to drive from California to Syracuse, New York. Jackson admitted that he drove a separate car close behind the rental car, to make sure that the coconspirator did not abscond with the methamphetamine and also to act as a diversion to any law enforcement officers who attempted to stop the rental car carrying the drugs. Before ultimately being stopped by police in the area of Oklahoma City, Jackson did attempt to prevent them from stopping the rental car carrying the drugs.

United States District Judge David N. Hurd also ordered Jackson to serve a 4-year term of supervised release to follow his release from prison.

This case was investigated by DEA, U.S. Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), New York State Police-Violent Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team (NYSP-VGNET), Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, Syracuse Police Department, Oklahoma City Police Department, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McCrobie.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kyle Offringa, age 33, of Caledonia, Michigan, and Highway and Heavy Parts, LLC (“HHP”), a heavy-duty diesel parts supplier headquartered in Coleman, Michigan, recently pled guilty to conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act (“CAA”).  United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Tyler Amon, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”)’s Criminal Investigations Division (“CID”), Northeast Area Branch, made the announcement. Offringa pled guilty to the indictment today and HHP pled guilty to the indictment last month.

Offringa and HHP were indicted by a grand jury in the Northern District of New York earlier this year.  As alleged in the indictment, the purpose of the CAA is, among other things, “to protect and enhance the quality of the Nation’s air resources so as to promote the public health and welfare and the productive capacity of its population.”  Pursuant to the CAA, the EPA enacted regulations that required heavy-duty diesel engine manufacturers to limit emissions on those engines.  To comply with these regulations, manufacturers install hardware components, including filters, exhaust recirculation systems, and exhaust aftertreatment systems.  Heavy-duty diesel trucks are also required under the CAA to maintain an onboard-diagnostic system (“OBD”), which monitors the functionality of the hardware emissions control components.  If the OBD detects that an emissions control component is not working, or has been removed, it will ultimately put the truck into what is known as “limp mode,” which limits the top speed to as low as 5 miles per hour.  This is designed to incentivize truck operators to repair any faulty components.

As further alleged in the indictment, truck operators deleted the emissions control hardware on their heavy-duty diesel trucks, which significantly increased pollution emitted by those trucks but allowed them to run at higher horsepower, with greater fuel efficiency, and with reduced maintenance cost. 

As part of their pleas, Offringa and HHP admitted that between at least June 2017 and March 2019, they conspired together and with HHP’s customers, including coconspirators DAIM Logistics, Inc. and Patrick Oare of Fultonville, New York, to tamper with (“tune”) the emission control monitoring devices and systems of numerous diesel vehicles.  As part of the conspiracy, HHP referred its customers who had removed emissions hardware on their heavy-duty diesel trucks to Offringa, who then reprogrammed the OBDs to bypass the CAA monitoring functions so the trucks would remain operational in exchange for a fee of $1,000 to $1,500 per OBD.  HHP charged its customers approximately $250 for each tune performed by Offringa on top of what Offringa charged.

HHP is scheduled to be sentenced on December 17, 2024, and Offringa is scheduled to be sentenced on January 17, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino in Albany.  If HHP’s plea agreement is accepted, it will be required to pay a fine of $25,000.  Offringa has agreed to pay a fine of $100,000 and also faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison and a term of supervised release of up to three years.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

Coconspirators Patrick Oare and DAIM Logistics, Inc., of Fultonville, New York, previously pled guilty to violating the CAA and are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino in Albany on October 23, 2024.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigations Division (EPA CID) is investigating the case, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Police.  Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Clark is prosecuting the case.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – The Research Foundation of the State University of New York (RFSUNY) has paid $313,574 to resolve civil allegations that a research scientist at the State University of University at Albany (UAlbany) failed to disclose his affiliations with and support from a foreign government in connection with federal research funding.

The settlement relates to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States Department of Commerce (NOAA) grants and research support agreements that provided funding to UAlbany.  In the funding application process, NASA and NOAA require disclosure of, among other things, foreign government support received by any principal investigator (PI) on the grant or agreement.  The settlement resolves allegations that Research Scientist Dr. Qilong Min failed to disclose his affiliations with and/or funding from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in connection with Min’s work as PI on three federal research grants from which RFSUNY received funding (the Subject Grants). In particular, UAlbany’s Dr. Min did not disclose that he was receiving funding from PRC during the period of the Subject Grants in connection with: (i) Min's employment with Wuhan University, a public university in China; (ii) Min's participation in a Chinese Talent Plan, a program established by the PRC to recruit individuals with knowledge or access to foreign technology intellectual property; and (iii) grants that funded Min’s research efforts for projects in China from the National Natural Science Foundation of China and other Chinese funding sources.  During the United States’ investigation, UAlbany terminated Dr. Min’s employment. 

“Universities, institutions and researchers are required to make certain disclosures when applying for federal grants so that the government can assess whether to fund their research and development,” said United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman. “My office will hold accountable applicants who undermine the integrity of the grant process by knowingly failing to submit complete and truthful applications.”

“This settlement demonstrates NASA OIG’s commitment to identifying and holding accountable those who engage in deliberate concealment of affiliations with foreign entities to illegally obtain research funding,” said Adelle K. Harris, Special Agent in Charge of the Eastern Field Office, NASA Office of Inspector General. “I am proud of the exceptional teamwork of our law enforcement partners and the USAO for the Northern District of New York that resulted in securing this settlement and ensuring aggressive oversight of taxpayer funds awarded for academic research.”

“The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), Office of Inspector General is determined to protect the integrity of NOAA programs and grant funding,” said Eric Arcand, Special Agent in Charge, DOC Office of Inspector General. “Failure to comply with level of effort reporting requirements when working on NOAA-funded research projects undermines the trust placed in those receiving federal grant funds.  We greatly appreciate the efforts by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our federal law enforcement partners in investigating and resolving this matter.”

This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney John D. Hoggan, Jr., with substantial assistance from DOC OIG and NASA OIG.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kenneth Locke, age 23, who currently resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, pled guilty today to conspiring with others to unlawfully obtain firearms from a licensed dealer by making false statements, also known as “straw purchasing” firearms.

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.

Locke, a native of North Carolina, admitted that he entered into an agreement with Rylan Peterson, a Kingston native and former Marine then living in North Carolina, to acquire six semi-automatic handguns on behalf of Oryin McLeod and others residing in Kingston, New York.  After McLeod paid Locke through Peterson, Locke purchased the firearms from a licensed dealer in North Carolina, falsely representing at the time of the purchase that he was acquiring the firearms for himself.  Peterson later transported the firearms from North Carolina to New York where he provided them to McLeod and others. McLeod was subsequently arrested for unlawful possession of two of the firearms acquired through the straw purchasing scheme.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 15, 2025, before Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn. Locke faces up to 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of 3 years.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

McLeod and Peterson previously pleaded guilty to charges related to their unlawful acquisition of the firearms.

ATF and the Kingston Police Department are investigating this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin C. Segovia and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon prosecuted the case.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Louis LaPolla, age 79, of Utica, New York, was sentenced today in federal court in Syracuse to 3 years of probation, after previously pleading guilty to mail fraud for soliciting and then stealing donations intended for a scholarship fund in his late wife’s name. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), announced the guilty plea.

In pleading guilty previously, LaPolla admitted that he set up a scholarship fund in honor of his late wife, Andrea LaPolla, after she passed away in 2018, with the stated intention of benefitting Utica City School District students who planned to pursue post-secondary education in health-related fields. LaPolla further admitted that he received nearly $40,000 in donations intended for the scholarship fund from individuals and businesses and that he spent nearly all the donated money on himself rather than depositing it into the scholarship fund. LaPolla served as the mayor of Utica from 1984 to 1995, and he served as President of the Utica City School Board from 2018 to 2022, following 21 years of service as a member of the board.

As part of his sentence, LaPolla will pay restitution in the amount of $38,616, and he will separately owe a forfeiture money judgment in the same amount.

Earlier this year, LaPolla pled guilty in Oneida County Court to a misdemeanor petit larceny charge after admitting that he used envelopes, stamps, and mailing labels belonging to the Utica City School District to send out fundraising flyers relating to the scholarship. In that case, LaPolla was sentenced to 60 days of house arrest, 3 years of probation, and ordered to pay $3,100 in restitution.

The FBI investigated this case with assistance from the New York State Police and the Oneida County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Perry prosecuted the case.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Samuel Payano, age 24, of Amsterdam, New York, was sentenced today to 130 months in prison for engaging in a drug trafficking conspiracy involving fentanyl pills, cocaine, and methamphetamine, for distributing fentanyl pills, and for using a firearm during or in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division; and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.

As part of his prior guilty plea, Payano admitted that he conspired with Bernardo Tovar to distribute counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, as well as cocaine and methamphetamine, from May 2022 to December 2022. Payano also admitted that he distributed fentanyl pills and a firearm to another person on October 12, 2022. He also admitted that he and Tovar possessed fentanyl pills, cocaine, and methamphetamine, as well two firearms in their apartment, on December 7, 2022, when their apartment was searched.

Chief United States District Judge Branda K. Sannes also ordered that Payano serve a 4-year term of supervised release following his release from prison.

Payano’s co-conspirator, Tovar, previously pled guilty and was sentenced to 181 months in prison.

The DEA and ATF investigated this case, and Assistant United States Attorney Alexander P. Wentworth-Ping prosecuted the case.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Brian Tierney a.k.a. “Wodanaz,” age 31, of Lynchburg, Virginia, was sentenced today to 57 months in prison for conspiring to commit bank robbery.

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.

As part of his guilty plea, Tierney admitted that between November 14 and November 27, 2022, he agreed to and planned to commit an armed bank robbery at a bank branch in Johnstown, New York, with two co-conspirators, Luke Kenna a.k.a. “Lt.” and Michael Brown, Jr. a.k.a. “Russ.” As part of that conspiracy, Kenna conducted surveillance of the bank and purchased items, including weapons, to commit the robbery; Tierney ordered handgun parts for use in the robbery and sent photographs to Kenna of a handgun and a radio scanning and jamming device for use in robbing the bank; and Brown drove to New York to conduct surveillance of the bank with Kenna.

Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also ordered that Tierney serve a 3-year term of supervised release following his release from prison.

Tierney’s two co-conspirators, Luke Kenna, and Michael Brown, Jr., pled guilty and were sentenced on June 14, 2024, to 41 months and 37 months in prison, respectively.

The FBI Albany Field Office’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), which includes FBI Special Agents, and federal, state, and local investigators, including from the New York State Police, investigated the case. The FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office, the FBI’s Richmond Field Office and New York State Police Special Investigations Unit also provided assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping is prosecuting the case.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jorge L. Rosario, age 54, of Albany, was sentenced today to 188 months in prison for robbing a marijuana dealer and brandishing a pistol in furtherance of the robbery at the dealer’s Guilderland residence.

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and Guilderland Police Chief Daniel P. McNally made the announcement.

As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Rosario admitted that on January 23, 2022, at about 5 a.m., he and Alexander G. Madera, armed with a pistol and a rifle, respectively, entered a single-family residence in Guilderland with the goal of robbing a marijuana dealer.  After entering the residence, Rosario remained on guard in the living room while Madera robbed the dealer of $172 in drug money, at gunpoint, in the dealer’s bedroom.  Before they could leave the residence, however, another resident awoke and encountered Rosario, who pointed his pistol at the resident, warning the resident not to move or say anything.  A struggle over the pistol ensued, with other residents joining in.  In the course of the struggle, Rosario and Madera were disarmed.  They were then restrained until the police arrived and arrested them. Bost have remained in custody since that time.

Chief United States District Judge Branda K. Sannes also ordered that Rosario serve a 5-year term of supervised release following his release from prison.  Rosario’s sentence was within a recommended sentencing range and supervised release term that the parties agreed upon in Rosario’s plea agreement.  

On June 14, 2024, Chief Judge Sannes sentenced Madera to 85 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. 

This case was investigated by ATF and the Town of Guilderland Police Department, with assistance from the Albany County District Attorney’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua R. Rosenthal and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Devon Newsome, age 31, of Forrest Park, Georgia, pled guilty today to unlawfully transferring firearms to a New York resident.

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Field Division; and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.

Newsome admitted that on May 21, 2023, he delivered 29 firearms to a New York resident in Georgia, including stolen firearms and a handgun equipped with a conversion device that allowed it to function as a machinegun. Those firearms were then transported from Georgia to a property on Western Avenue in Albany. Newsome knew the firearms were destined for New York and knew that neither he nor the person for whom the guns were destined were licensed importers, manufacturers, dealers or collectors of firearms. On May 23, 2023, law enforcement searched the Western Avenue property and found 34 firearms, including the firearms that Newsome had transferred.

Law enforcement also found significant quantities of drugs at the Western Avenue property, which has resulted in criminal charges against Anthony Luizzi and Brandon Bartley, and supervised release revocation proceedings against Jabree Jones.

Sentencing for Newsome is scheduled for January 6, 2025, before United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. Newsome faces up to 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a supervised release term of up to 3 years, to begin after he finishes his prison term. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.

The following defendants have been charged in connection with this investigation:

• Anthony Luizzi pled guilty on March 18, 2024, to drug and gun crimes in connection with his trafficking of large amounts of fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine, and his possession of more than 30 firearms, including drugs and guns found at the Western Avenue property. Luizzi is scheduled to be sentenced on October 1, 2024.

• Brandon Bartley pled guilty on May 24, 2024, to drug and gun crimes in connection with his trafficking of large amounts of fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine, and his possession of more than 30 firearms at the Western Avenue property. Bartley is scheduled to be sentenced on September 19, 2024.

• Jabree Jones was charged with a violation of the terms of his supervised release on May 23, 2023, based on violations of federal gun and drug trafficking laws, and has been detained pending the resolution of the supervised release violation petition. A final revocation hearing is currently scheduled for September 23, 2024. These supervised release violations are merely accusations. Jones is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The DEA and the ATF are investigating the case, with assistance from the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (USDOL-OIG), and the Henry County Police Department in Georgia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping is prosecuting the case.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Andre Paolo Juarez-Oliva, age 27, and a citizen of Peru, pled guilty and was sentenced today to time served (over 5 months in jail) for possessing a fraudulent visa and a fraudulent social security card.  United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo, New York Field Office, made the announcement.

Juarez-Oliva admitted that he entered the United States illegally and that on June 4, 2023, police arrested him in Waterford, New York, after observing him driving a vehicle with fraudulent license plates.  The police then found the fraudulent visa and social security card in Juarez-Oliva’s vehicle.

HSI agents in Albany and Newark, New Jersey, investigated this case with assistance from the Waterford Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mikayla Espinosa prosecuted this case.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – A grand jury returned an indictment yesterday charging Rylin Turley, age 25, of Cleveland, New York, with transportation and possession of child pornography.

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.

The indictment alleges that on August 3, 2024, Turley entered the United States from Canada, and knowingly possessed and transported an iPhone that contained child pornography. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

If convicted, Turley faces at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison for the transportation count, and up to 20 years for his possession of child pornography. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. Turley would also have to register as a sex offender, forfeit the device used to commit the crimes and pay restitution to victims. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

HSI is investigating the case, with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McCrobie is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.

Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s 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, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Zachary Frye, age 29, of Rensselaer County, New York, was sentenced today to 30 years in prison, to be followed by a life term of supervised release, for sexual exploitation of a child. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo Field Office, made the announcement.

When Frye pled guilty, he admitted that he had been convicted in 2017 in New York State court of promoting the sexual performance of a child. He also admitted that, while being required to register as a sex offender due to that conviction, he took several sexually explicit photographs of an approximately 5-year-old child in fall 2019. The images that Frye created included depictions of the child’s genitals and of the child’s hand on Frye’s penis. On the same day he created those images, Frye sent them to another person on social media with whom he had been discussing the sexual abuse of children.

United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci imposed the sentence.

Frye will have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.

HSI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Gadarian prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.

Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jade A. Pittsley, age 34, of Binghamton, New York, pled guilty today to escaping from federal custody, and possessing and intending to distribute methamphetamine.

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo, New York Field Office; and United States Marshal David L. McNulty made the announcement.

Pittsley admitted that in November 2023, while she was serving a federal term of imprisonment for a drug offense involving methamphetamine, she was under the supervision of a halfway house.  Pittsley was directed to return to the halfway house but never did.  Days later, law enforcement found Pittsley carrying methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia in her purse.  

At sentencing, scheduled for December 30, 2024, before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino, Pittsley faces a minimum term of 5 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 4 years.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.

The case was investigated by HSI and the U.S. Marshals Service with assistance from the Broome County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mikayla Espinosa and Kristen Grabowski are prosecuting this case.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Angelo Dalmau, age 54, of Amsterdam, New York, was sentenced today to 93 months in prison, to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release, for drug, money laundering, and firearm offenses.

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division; and Thomas Fattorusso, Executive Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), New York Field Office, made the announcement.

As part of his guilty plea, Dalmau admitted to selling cocaine base (a/k/a crack cocaine) to another person on five occasions between September 2021 and March 2022; the total amount sold was approximately 250 grams.  Dalmau further admitted to delivering $149,500 in drug money to another individual in January 2022 for the purpose of laundering those funds.  When investigators searched Dalmau’s residence pursuant to a warrant on April 14, 2022, they recovered approximately 100 grams of crack cocaine, drug paraphernalia, $191,843 in cash, and a pistol loaded with ammunition.  Dalmau was arrested on that date has remained in custody since that time.

The DEA, IRS and Amsterdam Police Department investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Segovia and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon prosecuted the case.