Northern District of New York

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Marcus Fuller, age 38, of the Town of DeWitt, New York, pleaded guilty yesterday to transmitting an interstate threat to injure another person. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Chase L. Bilodeau, Chief of the Town of DeWitt Police Department, made the announcement.

As part of his guilty plea, Fuller admitted that in April 2022, he sent dozens of communications via Instagram directed to a musical performing artist, using multiple different accounts that he created for that purpose. The communications contained threats to harm the victim, up to and including death. Fuller further admitted that in one of those Instagram communications, he sent the victim a photograph of a firearm and ammunition. Fuller admitted that he possessed an identical firearm (a Ruger, .338 caliber bolt-action rifle) at his residence in DeWitt, along with 4 boxes of ammunition.

At sentencing, Fuller faces up to 5 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Town of DeWitt Police Department, and the New York State Police are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McCrobie is prosecuting the case.

UTICA, NEW YORK – Eric L. Henderson, age 38, was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for failing to update his registration as a sex offender after he fled New York State parole supervision and moved to South Carolina. 

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and United States Marshal David L. McNulty made the announcement.

Henderson must register as a sex offender because he was convicted of rape-third degree in 2020, in Herkimer County, for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old.  In pleading guilty, Henderson admitted that following his release from state prison in May 2021, he cut off contact with his state parole officer and fled to Kingstree, South Carolina, without updating his sex offender registration in New York or registering as a sex offender in South Carolina.  Henderson was arrested on October 27, 2021, in South Carolina, by the United States Marshals Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force.

United States District Judge David N. Hurd also imposed a 5-year term of post-imprisonment supervised release.

The United States Marshals Service NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force, with assistance from the Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force, investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett prosecuted this case.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Mikal Smith, age 29, of Albany, was sentenced today to 63 months in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base. 

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

A jury voted to convict Smith on August 31, 2022, following a three-day trial.  The trial evidence established that on April 7, 2021, Smith possessed with the intent to distribute 83 grams of cocaine base and possessed a large-capacity magazine loaded with 20 rounds of LC 5.56 ammunition.  Smith discarded the drugs and ammunition during a foot pursuit after members of the Albany Police Department’s Community Response Unit attempted to arrest him on a parole warrant. At the time, Smith had felony convictions for Attempted Robbery in the Second Degree and Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree.  Under federal law, these convictions prevented Smith from lawfully possessing the ammunition.

United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also imposed a 4-year term of post-imprisonment supervised release.

The Albany Police Department and DEA investigated this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allen J. Vickey and Katherine Kopita prosecuted this case.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Rodney Ogletree, age 38, was sentenced today to serve 78 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon.  Ogletree was also sentenced to 24 additional months in prison for violating his conditions of supervised release imposed in a previous federal case.  

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Joseph Cecile, Syracuse Police Department.

As part of his guilty plea, Ogletree admitted that on September 16, 2020, he possessed a loaded Glock model 23, .40 caliber pistol with an extended magazine containing sixteen rounds that was recovered during a traffic stop by Syracuse Police of a vehicle Ogletree was driving. Ogletree was prohibited from possessing the firearm due to previous federal felony convictions involving firearms.  Ogletree was on federal supervised release when he committed this offense, for a 2014 conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Syracuse Police Department, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the United States Marshals Service.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Thomson 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 – Ryan Maher, age 36, of Cicero, New York was sentenced today to 294 months in prison for receiving and possessing child pornography.

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

In previously pleading guilty, Maher, who has a prior New York State conviction for Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree, admitted that he received child pornography in 2019 and 2020 using a peer-to-peer file sharing service on the internet. Maher also admitted that, on November 17, 2020, he possessed approximately 4,000 child pornography files on a thumb drive.

In addition to the 294-month imprisonment term, United States District Court Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also imposed a lifetime term of supervised release to begin after Maher serves his term of imprisonment. In addition, Maher was ordered to pay restitution of over $60,000 to the identified victims of his offenses.

The FBI Syracuse Mid-State Child Exploitation Task Force, comprised of FBI Special Agents and Investigators of the New York State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), and Computer Crimes Unit (CCU) investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Michael D. Gadarian prosecuted the case.

This case was prosecuted 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 – Remanu Phillips, age 32, of Ithaca New York, was sentenced today to serve 320 months (26 years and 8 months) in federal prison for sexually exploiting a child.  United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and New York State Police Acting Superintendent Steven A. Nigrelli, made the announcement.

As part of his guilty plea, Phillips admitted that on two separate days in June of 2019 he produced sexually explicit videos of himself sexually abusing a child.  Phillips further admitted that he later transferred the two videos from his cellular telephone to a desktop computer, where they were later recovered by law enforcement.

United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also imposed a 30-year term of supervised release, which will start after Phillips is released from prison, and ordered Phillips to pay a $200 special assessment.  Phillips will also be required to register as a sex offender.

Phillips’ case was investigated by the FBI Syracuse Mid-State Child Exploitation Task Force, comprised of FBI Special Agents and Investigators of the New York State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), with assistance from the Tompkins County Sheriff’s office.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J.L. Brown 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), 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 – Kirtankumar Dalwadi, age 27, and a citizen of India, was sentenced today to 15 months in prison for his role in a law enforcement impersonation scheme.

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, Dalwadi admitted that in June and July 2021, while temporarily residing in Albany, he was contacted by scammers he knew in India, who asked him to pick up quantities of U.S. currency from several locations in the eastern United States, and to transport and deliver the currency to various people in New Jersey.

At the request of Dalwadi’s associates, he picked up $250,000 in Niskayuna, New York, $60,000 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and $30,000 in McKee, West Virginia, and delivered most of this money to people in New Jersey.  The victims in Niskayuna, Pennsylvania and West Virginia were victims of law enforcement impersonation scams, and were falsely led to believe that by making cash payments, they would extricate themselves from legal trouble threatened by the scammers.  In pleading guilty, Dalwadi admitted that he knew the victims were being defrauded. 

Dalwadi was initially arrested by Watervliet Police in July 2021, while attempting to pick up a Fedexed package of money sent by a would-be victim in New Mexico.

United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also ordered Dalwadi to pay $340,000 in restitution, and to forfeit an additional $12,000.  Dalwadi, as a citizen of India lacking status in the United States, will also be placed into removal (deportation) proceedings.

HSI, along with the Niskayuna and Watervliet Police Departments, investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett prosecuted the case.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – William Maybank, age 56, of New York City was sentenced today to 39 months in federal prison for robbing a KeyBank location in Utica, New York.

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

In previously pleading guilty, Maybank admitted that, in August 2019, he robbed a KeyBank branch in Utica, New York by pointing an apparent revolver at bank employees and a bank customer in two cubicles outside the teller counter. He then jumped the teller counter and ordered a bank employee to remove cash from multiple drawers at two teller locations. He made off with approximately $6,700 in cash.

In addition to the 39-month imprisonment term, United States District Court Judge David N. Hurd also imposed a 5-year term of supervised release to begin after Maybank serves his term of imprisonment. In addition, the defendant was ordered pay restitution in the amount of money he stole from the bank and was required to pay a money judgment in the same amount.

The FBI, the Utica Police Department, the New York State Police, and the Oneida County District Attorney’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Gadarian and Matthew J. McCrobie prosecuted this case.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jacques Laventure, age 36, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced today to 10 months in jail for obstructing an official proceeding by selling a mansion and estate that the U.S. Attorney’s Office was seeking to forfeit as part of a criminal case against his brother.

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

Laventure is the brother of Jean Lavanture, of Saugerties, New York.  Jean Lavanture was indicted in October 2020 for fraudulently obtaining nearly $5 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) intended to help legitimate businesses during the pandemic. As part of that prosecution, the U.S. Attorney’s Office sought to forfeit a mansion and estate in Byram Township, New Jersey, that Jean Lavanture bought with approximately $850,000 in fraud proceeds.

In previously pleading guilty, Jacques Laventure admitted that between January and March 2021, he schemed to sell the Byram Township property, knowing that the U.S. Attorney’s Office sought to forfeit it.  He also admitted that on March 10, 2021, he completed the sale of the property for $443,920 net of fees, and knew that by selling the property to a third party, he was preventing its forfeiture in the criminal case brought against his brother.

United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby ordered Laventure to forfeit $443,920 already seized by the Government, and to pay $331,080 in restitution.  Judge Suddaby also imposed a 2-year term of post-imprisonment supervised release.

The FBI investigated this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Barnett and Joshua R. Rosenthal prosecuted this case.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – David Feeney, age 56, of Bristol, Connecticut, pled guilty today to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.  United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.

Feeney admitted that between March and April 2022, he exchanged sexually explicit messages online with undercover officers posing as a father and a 10-year-old child in an attempt to entice the child into engaging in sexual acts with him.  Feeney also admitted that on April 24, 2022, he traveled from Connecticut and arrived unannounced at a residence in Albany County, with the intent to engage in sexual acts with the presumed 10-year-old child.  Feeney was arrested by law enforcement shortly after arriving at the location. Feeney was a registered sex offender at the time of the offense, and had a prior felony conviction, in Connecticut, involving sexual assault of a minor. 

Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes will sentence Feeney on May 23, 2023. He faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment 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.

This case was investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Colonie Police Department and New York State Police.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping 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 – Ryan Berte, age 33, of Eaton, New York, pled guilty yesterday to receiving and possessing hundreds of images and videos of child pornography announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, United States Postal Service-Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG), Northeast Area Field Office, Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward, Boston Division, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and New York State Police (NYSP) Acting Superintendent Steven A. Nigrelli.

As part of his guilty plea yesterday, Berte admitted that from at least February 24, 2021, through March 10, 2021, while employed as a mail carrier in Madison County, New York, he downloaded images and videos of child pornography which he also made available to third parties using a peer-to-peer file sharing program installed on his laptop.  Berte also admitted that, on September 22, 2021, during a search of his home, he possessed hundreds of images and videos of child pornography on the same laptop.

At sentencing, scheduled for ­­May 22, 2023, Berte faces a maximum potential sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum term of 5 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release of between 5 years and life, and a maximum fine of $250,000. Berte will also be required to register as a sex offender upon release from prison.  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.

This case was investigated by USPS-OIG, USPIS, and the New York State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), Computer Crimes Unit (CCU), Troop D Oneida.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle as a 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), 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 – Dionel Hall, age 43, of Liverpool, New York, received an 84-month prison sentence as a result of his convictions for possessing with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and unlawfully possessing a firearm as a felon.

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration New York Division, and New York State Police Acting Superintendent Steven A. Nigrelli made the announcement.

As part of his previous guilty plea, Hall admitted that on February 7, 2021, he possessed 995.6 grams of eutylone, also known as “molly,” which he intended to distribute to customers in Oneida County and elsewhere. Hall further admitted that on September 9, 2021, he possessed a loaded semiautomatic pistol, approximately 140 rounds of ammunition of various calibers, and $45,094.00 cash drug proceeds. Hall acknowledged that at the time of the offense, he knew that he had been convicted of multiple felony offenses punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and that he was also on parole at the time. Those prior convictions included a first-degree robbery conviction in 2003, for which he received a sentence in Monroe County Court of 18 years’ imprisonment.

U.S. District Judge David N. Hurd also imposed a 3-year term of supervised release to follow imprisonment, and the forfeiture of the firearm and ammunition involved in the offense. As part of his prior guilty plea, Hall agreed to the administrative forfeiture of the cash drug proceeds.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and New York State Police investigated the case with the assistance of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Utica Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McCrobie prosecuted the case.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Ouida Cordell, age, 47, of Watervliet, New York, pled guilty today to one count of wire fraud for her submission of a fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) application to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Darren B. Cox, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of the FBI, made the announcement.

As part of her guilty plea, Cordell admitted that on July 13, 2020, she submitted an online application to the SBA for an EIDL on behalf of her company, Bashment Entertainment LLC, that falsely overstated Bashment’s annual revenues.  As a result of the fraud, Cordell and her company Bashment received an EIDL loan in the amount of $149,500 for which she and the company were not entitled.

Sentencing is scheduled for June 28, 2023, before United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby.  Cordell faces up to 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 FBI, with assistance from the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Office of Internal Affairs, and the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, investigated this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Belliss is prosecuting this case.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Daniel Scotsross, age 30, of Schenectady, New York, pled guilty today to attempted possession with intent to distribute N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a hallucinogen similar to lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and making firearms in violation of the National Firearms Act.

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.

Scotsross admitted that he accepted a package addressed to him at his Schenectady residence that contained what Scotsross expected to be over 10 kilograms of bark containing DMT. After a search warrant was executed at his residence, Scotsross was found with quantities of liquid DMT. He admitted that he possessed the DMT because intended to distribute it to others.  

Scotsross also admitted to possessing two firearms, specifically, a combination of parts designed and intended for use in converting firearms into machine guns. He also possessed a 3-D printer and instructions for manufacturing firearms using the printer.

Scotsross faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 3 years when he is sentenced before United States District Glenn T. Suddaby on June 8, 2023. 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 HSI, United States Postal Inspection Service, and Customs and Border Protection, with the assistance of the Schenectady Police Department, Albany County Sheriff’s Department, and the New York State Police Crime Scene Emergency Response Team, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashlyn Miranda.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Diontae Underwood, age 21, of Johnstown, New York, pled guilty today to distributing cocaine base on February 23, 2021 in Schenectady, New York. 

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

When Underwood is sentenced on June 8, 2023 by United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby, he faces up to 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 investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin S. Clark is prosecuting the case.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Heberto Martinez, age 38, a citizen of Guatemala who most recently resided in Lynn, Massachusetts, was sentenced today to 51 months in prison for distributing fentanyl.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Michael Alfonso, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New York; Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa, whose office leads the Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement Narcotics Team (URGENT); and Ulster County District Attorney David Clegg.

As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Martinez admitted that he was a member of a Boston-based drug trafficking organization that trafficked 1.1 kilograms of a fentanyl mixture from Lynn to redistributors in northern Ulster County between October 2020 and March 2021.  Martinez was arrested by HSI and URGENT investigators on March 22, 2021, and has remained in custody since that time.

United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby imposed a 2-year term of supervised release to begin after Martinez is released from prison, in the event that Martinez is not removed from the United States.

HSI and URGENT, with assistance provided by the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office, investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon prosecuted the case.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – German Vasquez-Domingo, age 37, of Guatemala, was sentenced yesterday to serve one year and one day imprisonment for illegally reentering the United States.

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Thomas P. Brophy, Field Office Director, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO) Buffalo, NY, and Sharon B. MacDermott, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Office, made the announcement.

As part of his guilty plea, Vasquez-Domingo admitted that despite being deported back to Guatemala, he illegally reentered the United States again sometime prior to June 2022. Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes imposed the sentence based, in part, on the fact that this offense constituted Vasquez-Domingo’s fourth illegal reentry into the United States.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the U.S. Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica N. Carbone prosecuted the case.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Brent Carter, age 73, of Las Vegas, Nevada, pled guilty on Friday, January 13 to conveying a hoax and false information in connection with his sending white powder letters to the New York State Gaming Commission.

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

Carter admitted that between October 2017 and November 2018, he left numerous voicemails for employees at the New York State Gaming Commission in Schenectady, New York, in which he used threatening language. Carter also admitted that between 2019 and 2021, he mailed four letters containing white powder and other substances to the Commission. He further admitted that he sent the letters and voicemails to the Commission as revenge for suspending his license for horse racing.   

If United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino accepts the parties’ joint sentencing recommendation, Carter will receive time served and face up to 3 years of supervised release, when he is sentenced on May 17, 2023. 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, Schenectady Police Department, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashlyn Miranda and Richard Belliss.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Wu Feng Zhang, age 53, a Chinese citizen residing in the Town of Colonie, New York, has been charged by criminal complaint for transporting stolen property across state lines.

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 criminal complaint alleges that between June and December 2022, Zhang stole merchandise from home improvement stores in states including Pennsylvania, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and New York, and transported those stolen items to his residence in Colonie.  On January 11, 2023, HSI searched his residence in Colonie and found more than $100,000 in merchandise stolen from home improvement and other stores. The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 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.

 

Zhang appeared on January 12, 2023, in Albany, before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart, and was ordered detained pending trial.

HSI, with assistance from the Colonie Police Department, the Albany County Sheriff’s Office, and the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping is prosecuting the case.

PLATTSBURGH, NEW YORK –John Huckabey, age 40, of Potsdam, New York, was arrested yesterday for distribution of child pornography.

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

The criminal complaint alleges that between October 6 and October 31, 2022, Huckabey used a social media application to distribute videos and images depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The charge in the complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Yesterday, Huckabey made an initial appearance in Plattsburgh federal court, before United States Magistrate Judge Gary L. Favro, and was ordered detained pending a detention hearing

Huckabey faces at least 5 years and up 20 years in prison, if convicted.  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 FBI is investigating this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Carling Dunham 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 –Brian Tierney, age 29, of Rustburg, Virginia, was arrested today for conspiring to commit bank robbery. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.

The criminal complaint alleges that between November 14 and November 26, 2022, Tierney agreed to and planned to commit an armed bank robbery at a bank branch in Johnstown, New York, with two conspirators, Luke Kenna and Michael Brown Jr. a/k/a “Doc Grimson.” Kenna, as part of that conspiracy, conducted surveillance of the bank and purchased items, including weapons, to commit the robbery.

Kenna and Brown have already been charged and arrested. 

Kenna appeared on December 21, 2022, in Albany federal court, and was ordered detained pending trial.

On December 14. 2022, Brown made an initial appearance in Philadelphia, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and was ordered detained and transported to the Northern District of New York.  Brown made his initial appearance today in Albany federal court, before United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel, and was ordered detained pending trial.

The charges in the complaints are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The charge carries a maximum sentence of 5 years in 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.

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, is investigating the case. The FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office, the FBI’s Richmond Field Office and the New York State Police Special Investigations Unit also provided assistance.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping is prosecuting the case.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – John Arthur Nolan, III, age 48, of Norfolk, New York, pled guilty today in federal court in Syracuse to one felony count of failing to update his sex offender registration, United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and David L. McNulty, United States Marshal for the Northern District of New York made the announcement.

Nolan pled guilty to violating the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”), which requires a convicted sex offender to register, and keep that registration current, wherever he or she resides.  Nolan admitted that he was previously convicted of Unlawful Sexual Activity with Certain Minors in Florida, which required him to register as a sex offender for 25 years.  Nolan further admitted that he moved from Pennsylvania to New York in July of 2022 and failed to register as a sex offender in New York from that time until his arrest in October of 2022.

Sentencing is scheduled for May 12, 2023, before Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes.  Nolan faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000.00, 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.

The United States Marshals Service is investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown is prosecuting this 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 Rice, age 57, of Crawfordsville, Indiana, was sentenced yesterday to serve 63 months in federal prison for his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

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

As part of his previous guilty plea, Rice admitted that he supplied over 50 grams of methamphetamine and a handgun to Cortland, New York-based drug dealer Kyle Leeper as part of a methamphetamine conspiracy that included members in Indiana, Cortland, and Los Angeles, California. Kyle Leeper was sentenced in November 2022 to serve 40 years in federal prison for his murder of a California man during a drug deal there in 2019 as part the conspiracy. 

Rice was also ordered to serve a 4-year term of supervised release following the completion of his federal prison sentence. Rice’s federal sentence is consecutive to an Indiana State prison sentence he is serving for unrelated drug charges.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), with assistance from the Montgomery County (Indiana) Sheriff’s Department, the Montgomery County (Indiana) District Attorney’s Office, and other Federal, State and Local law enforcement agencies.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Clymer, Richard Southwick, and Thomas Sutcliffe prosecuted the case.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Nectar Alfonso-Ramirez, age 28, of Mexico, pled guilty today to unlawfully entering the United States and assaulting and resisting a federal agent, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Chief Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector.

Alfonso-Ramirez admitted that, on October 4, 2022, he entered the United States on foot from Canada at a location not authorized for the entrance of immigrants. U.S. Border Patrol Agents encountered Alfonso-Ramirez and ordered him to his knees as part of an arrest procedure. Alfonso-Ramirez admitted that he initially knelt, but then fled into the nearby woods, causing a foot pursuit. As a Border Patrol Agent attempted to place him under arrest, Alfonso-Ramirez continued to try to escape, yelling at the agent, thrashing his body, swinging his arms, and kicking his legs.

Alfonso-Ramirez faces up to one year in prison, a fine of up to $100,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 1 year  when he is sentenced on May 11, 2023.  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 United States Border Patrol and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica N. Carbone.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Leroy Reed, age 54, of Ithaca, New York, was sentenced today to serve 15 years in federal prison for receiving and possessing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and New York State Police (NYSP) Acting Superintendent Steven A. Nigrelli.

As part of his guilty plea, Reed, admitted that from February 2020 to March 2021 he used a computer to download child pornography over the internet using peer-to-peer file sharing software. A subsequent search of Reed’s apartment revealed that he was in possession of 55 images and 94 video files depicting child pornography.  Reed is a registered sex offender who was convicted in 2002 of Rape in the First Degree involving a victim who was 15 years old.

United States District Judge David N. Hurd also imposed a 20-year term of supervised release, which will start after Reed is released from prison, and ordered him to pay a $200 special assessment and restitution in the amount of $6,000.00.  Reed will also be required to continue to register as a sex offender.

Reed’s case was investigated by the FBI Syracuse Mid-State Child Exploitation Task Force, comprised of FBI Special Agents and Investigators of the New York State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), with assistance from the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown as a 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), 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 – Jason Schofield, age 43, of Troy, New York, pled guilty today to unlawfully using the names and dates of birth of voters to fraudulently apply for absentee ballots for elections held in Rensselaer County in 2021. 

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Schofield was an Elections Commissioner at the Rensselaer County Board of Elections (“RCBOE”) until late last month, when he resigned in anticipation of today’s guilty plea. 

In pleading guilty to a 12-count indictment, Schofield admitted that in 2021, he unlawfully possessed and used the names and dates of birth of voters in connection with 12 absentee ballot applications he electronically submitted in the voters’ names to the New York State Voter Absentee Ballot Application Request Portal. 

Schofield admitted that for each application, he falsely certified that he was the voter requesting the ballot.  He also admitted that he took personal possession of 9 of these ballots, while knowing and intending that RCBOE records would falsely reflect that the ballots had been mailed to the voters. 

Sentencing is scheduled for May 12, 2023, before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino.  On each count, Schofield faces up to 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment 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.  Schofield’s plea agreement required that he immediately resign from the RCBOE.

This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Frankie Rios, age 42, of Troy, New York, pled guilty today to illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). 

Rios, a convicted felon, admitted that he possessed a .25 caliber Mauser handgun with six rounds of ammunition on March 30, 2019.  The handgun was recovered from Rios by Troy Police Officers responding to a stabbing at a bar on 4th Street in Troy.  Rios also admitted that on February 17, 2021, he possessed over 100 grams of cocaine and cocaine base with intent to distribute those substances, in Troy. 

Rios faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 3 years when he is sentenced before U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino on May 11, 2023.  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 is being investigated by ATF and the Troy Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin S. Clark.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – U.S. Attorney Carla B. Freedman announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York (NDNY) collected $33,885,629.97 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2022. Of this amount, $3,205,538.53 was collected in criminal actions and $30,680,091.44 was collected in civil actions. 

Additionally, NDNY worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $199,895.85 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $42,147.15 was collected in criminal actions and $157,748.70 was collected in civil actions.         

“The Northern District of New York is fully committed to the critical work of collecting money to make crime victims whole, forfeiting property used to commit crimes, and recovering money for the Federal Treasury.  My office will continue to use all of its resources to make sure people and companies are held financially accountable when they commit crimes and violate the False Claims Act,” said United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman.

Notable collections and recoveries in Fiscal Year 2022 include:

In April, NDNY collected $199,942.57 in restitution from Martin Kimber.  Kimber was sentenced to 168 months in prison for using mercury, a toxic chemical, and tampering with consumer products at the Albany Medical Center in Albany, New York.  Kimber admitted that on four separate occasions in 2011 and 2012, he spread mercury, a potentially fatal neurotoxin, throughout various areas of the Albany Medical Center in ways that could lead to inhalation or absorption of the mercury.  Kimber also admitted that he spread mercury to retaliate for what he thought were unfair hospital bills.  The victim, Albany Medical Center, has received this money.

In May, NDNY recovered more than $24 million as part of a $48.5 million settlement NDNY and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington reached with Trimark USA, LLC to resolve allegations that two of Trimark USA’s subsidiaries manipulated federal small business set-aside contracts.  In addition to this recovery, during fiscal year 2022, NDNY recovered more than $6 million in civil cases involving fraud, false claims, and prescription drug diversion. 

The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Department of Justice’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the Department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.

Additionally, NDNY, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $6,910,180 in asset forfeiture actions in Fiscal Year 2022. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Melvin Ansong, age 27, of Corona, New York, was sentenced today to 39 months in prison for mail fraud, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with schemes in which he obtained more than $190,000 in unemployment insurance benefits and government-backed loans meant to provide relief from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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

As part of his July 25, 2021 guilty plea, Ansong admitted that he fraudulently obtained $165,182 in unemployment insurance benefits from the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) in the names of 13 other people and an additional $18,480 in benefits from the Arizona Department of Economic Security in the name of another person.  Ansong further admitted that he fraudulently obtained an $8,000 Economic Injury Disaster Loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) by claiming that he owned a pet grooming company when in fact no such company existed.  

United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also sentenced Ansong to 1 year of supervised release, to begin following his term of imprisonment, and ordered him to pay restitution in the amounts of $165,182 to the State of New York, $18,480 to the State of Arizona, and $8,000 to the SBA.

The case was investigated by USDOL-OIG, USPIS, and HSI, with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s New York Field Office and the NYSDOL’s Office of Special Investigations.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander P. Wentworth-Ping and Joshua R. Rosenthal.

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 – Xiaoqing Zheng, age 59, of Niskayuna, New York, was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for conspiring to steal General Electric trade secrets knowing or intending to benefit the People’s Republic of China.

The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler Jr. of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Counterintelligence Division; and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albany Field Office.

Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen stated: “This is a case of textbook economic espionage. Zheng exploited his position of trust, betrayed his employer, and conspired with the government of China to steal innovative American technology.  The Justice Department will hold accountable those who threaten our national security by conniving to steal valuable trade secrets on behalf of a foreign power.” 

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman stated: “Zheng sought to enrich himself, and benefit the People’s Republic of China, by stealing trade secrets developed and owned by his longtime employer, General Electric. We will continue to work with the FBI to hold criminals accountable when they seek to illegally exploit American ingenuity.”

Zheng was convicted of conspiracy to commit economic espionage, following a 4-week jury trial that ended on March 31, 2022. The jury either acquitted Zheng, or could not reach a unanimous verdict, as to 11 other charged counts.  

Zheng was employed at GE Power in Schenectady, New York, as an engineer specializing in turbine sealing technology.  He worked at GE from 2008 until the summer of 2018.  The trial evidence demonstrated that Zheng and others in China conspired to steal GE’s trade secrets surrounding GE’s ground-based and aviation-based turbine technologies, knowing or intending to benefit the People’s Republic of China and one or more foreign instrumentalities, including China-based companies and universities that research, develop, and manufacture parts for turbines.

FBI Counterintelligence Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler, Jr. stated: “American ingenuity is an integral part of the United States’ economic security – it is what has guided the U.S. to become the global leader, even as China seeks to topple our status.  Xiaoqing Zheng was a Thousand Talents Program member and willingly stole proprietary technology and sent it back to the PRC. Let today’s sentencing serve as a reminder that the FBI remains dedicated in our pursuit of those who collaborate with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and steal American trade secrets.”

FBI-Albany Special Agent in Charge Janeen DiGuiseppi stated: “Dr. Zheng used a complicated process to deliberately steal trade secrets from General Electric to benefit the People’s Republic of China. Today’s prison sentence speaks to the severity of his actions and the danger economic espionage poses to the United States. Put simply, the FBI will not allow American research and development to be stolen and we will continue to work with our partners to ensure American technology and American jobs are protected.”

United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also sentenced Zheng to pay a $7,500 fine and serve 1 year of post-imprisonment supervised release. 

This case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Belliss, former Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Powers, and Trial Attorney Matthew Chang of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Controls Section.

A New York man was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for conspiring to steal General Electric (GE) trade secrets, knowing or intending to benefit the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

Xiaoqing Zheng, 59, of Niskayuna, New York, was convicted of conspiracy to commit economic espionage, following a four-week jury trial that ended on March 31, 2022. According to court documents, Zheng was employed at GE Power in Schenectady, New York, as an engineer specializing in turbine sealing technology. He worked at GE from 2008 until the summer of 2018. The trial evidence demonstrated that Zheng and others in China conspired to steal GE’s trade secrets surrounding GE’s ground-based and aviation-based turbine technologies, knowing or intending to benefit the PRC and one or more foreign instrumentalities, including China-based companies and universities that research, develop, and manufacture parts for turbines.

“This is a case of textbook economic espionage. Zheng exploited his position of trust, betrayed his employer and conspired with the government of China to steal innovative American technology,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department will hold accountable those who threaten our national security by conniving to steal valuable trade secrets on behalf of a foreign power.” 

“Zheng sought to enrich himself, and benefit the People’s Republic of China, by stealing trade secrets developed and owned by his longtime employer, General Electric," said U.S. Attorney Carla B. Freedman for the Northern District of New York. "We will continue to work with the FBI to hold criminals accountable when they seek to illegally exploit American ingenuity.”

“American ingenuity is an integral part of the United States economic security – it is what has guided the U.S. to become the global leader, even as China seeks to topple our status,” said Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler Jr. of the FBI Counterintelligence Division. “Xiaoqing Zheng was a Thousand Talents Program member and willingly stole proprietary technology and sent it back to the PRC. Let today’s sentencing serve as a reminder that the FBI remains dedicated in our pursuit of those who collaborate with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and steal American trade secrets.”

U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also sentenced Zheng to pay a $7,500 fine and serve one year of post-imprisonment supervised release.

This case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Belliss and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Powers for the Northern District of New York, and Trial Attorney Matthew Chang of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jan Lopez-Colon, age 28, of Troy, New York, pled guilty today to a conspiracy to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine in the Capital Region, announced 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).

Lopez-Colon admitted that between June 2021 and December 2021, in Albany and Rensselaer Counties, he and three others conspired to ship more than 5 kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico to the Capital Region.  The cocaine was shipped via U.S. mail in 1-kilogram bricks, and transported to a stash house maintained by a co-conspirator on Fifth Avenue in Troy, where the cocaine was processed for distribution.

Sentencing is scheduled for April 26, 2023 in front of Senior United States District Judge Gary L. Sharpe.  Lopez-Colon faces a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10 million, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life.   Lopez-Colon also agreed to forfeit numerous items of jewelry seized from his residence, and agreed to abandon a Glock model 43 pistol.

The following three men were also charged for their roles in the conspiracy:

• Ilvin Batista-Figueroa, age 31, of Albany;
• Jesus Baez, age 32, of Loudonville, New York; and
• Sam Calderon, age 20, of Troy.

Baez and Calderon have previously pled guilty. The charges against Batista-Figueroa are pending, they are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This case is being investigated by the USPIS and its Capital Region Task Force, led by the USPIS and including the Albany Police Department, the Albany County Sheriff’s Office, and the Schenectady Police Department, as well as the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin S. Clark.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Keith Mussenden, age 39, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced today to 262 months in prison for sexually exploiting a child, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

As part of his guilty plea, Mussenden admitted that between June 2019 and February 2020, he exchanged messages through multiple social media applications with the victim, a then-14-year-old girl who resided outside of New York.  Through these messages, Mussenden persuaded, induced, and enticed the victim to take sexually explicit images of herself and send them to him over the Internet.  Mussenden also sent the victim pictures of his penis in the hopes of obtaining sexually explicit images of the victim in return.  Mussenden further engaged in livestreamed video chats with the victim during which he requested that the victim perform sexual acts while he also engaged in sexual acts.

United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also imposed a 20-year term of supervised release, which will start after Mussenden is released from prison, and ordered total restitution in the amount of $3,057.35.  Mussenden will also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.

This case was investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the Rotterdam Police Department and the New York State Police.  The FBI’s Atlanta Field Office assisted in this investigation.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel L. Williams and Dustin C. Segovia 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 – Luis Madrigal-Grajales, age 35, of Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty yesterday to unlawfully transporting three illegal immigrants.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Chief Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector.

As part of his guilty plea, Madrigal-Grajales admitted that, on a date prior to October 8, 2022, he was contacted by an individual who asked him to drive to Champlain, New York to pick up illegal immigrants and drive them back to Maryland.  On October 8, 2022, Madrigal-Grajales drove to Champlain, New York from his home in Maryland, and picked up three illegal immigrants.  His vehicle was subsequently stopped by police near Plattsburgh, New York.  Madrigal-Grajales admitted that he planned to drive the individuals to Maryland, and that he expected to be paid approximately $1,500.

Sentencing is scheduled for April 20, 2023, before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino. Madrigal-Grajales faces up to 10 years in prison, up to 3 years of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine.  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 is being investigated by the United States Border Patrol and the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica N. Carbone.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Cesar Batres-Recinos, age 26, pled guilty on Tuesday to unlawfully transporting 10 Mexican nationals illegally present in the United States.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Chief Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector.

Batres-Recinos admitted that on October 2, 2022, he drove his SUV from Illinois to Constable, New York, to pick up 10 Mexican citizens who had recently illegally crossed the international border from Canada into the United States.  Batres-Recinos also admitted that he planned to drive the 10 people to various locations in the United States, including Chicago, Illinois.  Batres-Recinos further admitted that he was to be paid $2,500 for his efforts in transporting the Mexican citizens.

Batres-Recinos faces up to 10 years in prison, a 3-year term of post-release supervision, and a fine up to $250,000, when he is sentenced on April 19, 2023.  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 United States Border Patrol and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Belliss.

ALBANY, NEW YORK - Ramion Burt, age 46, of Albany, and Marion Frampton, age 43, of the Bronx, New York, were each sentenced today to 120 months in prison for conspiring to distribute and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; New York State Police Acting Superintendent Steven A. Nigrelli; and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

In pleading guilty, Burt and Frampton admitted to driving from Albany to New York City to pick up fentanyl and cocaine for distribution in February 2021.  On the drive back to Albany, they were stopped by the New York State Police heading northbound on Interstate 87 in Catskill, New York, and 31 grams of fentanyl were discovered in a plastic bag in Frampton’s boot.  In searching the vehicle, the New York State Police discovered an additional 53 grams of fentanyl and 496 grams of cocaine in the glove compartment.  Burt and Frampton admitted to possessing the fentanyl and cocaine, and intending to distribute it.

In 2002, Burt and Frampton were respectively convicted of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York.

Burt and Frampton were also each sentenced to an 8-year term of post-release supervision. 

This case was investigated by the New York State Police and FBI, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyrus P.W. Rieck

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Luke Kenna, age 43, of Johnstown, New York, and Michael Brown, Jr. a/k/a. “Doc Grimson,” age 40, of Exton, Pennsylvania, have been charged by criminal complaint for conspiring to commit bank robbery, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

The criminal complaint alleges that between November 14 and November 26, 2022, Kenna and Brown agreed to and planned to commit an armed bank robbery at a bank branch in Johnstown, and that Kenna, as part of that conspiracy, conducted surveillance of the bank and purchased items, including weapons, to commit the robbery.

The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The charge carries a maximum sentence of 5 years in 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.

Kenna appeared today in Albany, before United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel, and was ordered detained pending trial.

Last week, Brown made an initial appearance in Philadelphia, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and was ordered detained and transported to the Northern District of New York.

This case was investigated by 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. The FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office and New York State Police Special Investigations Unit also provided assistance.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Salvador Hernandez-Hernandez, age 32, of DeKalb, Illinois, was sentenced today to serve 4-months in prison following his conviction for illegally reentering the United States following a prior deportation, announced United States Attorney Carla B Freedman and U.S. Border Patrol Swanton Sector Chief Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia.

As a part of his prior guilty plea, Hernandez admitted that he was removed from the United States in July 2008, and that sometime after his removal he unlawfully reentered the United States without permission.  On October 9, 2022, United States Border Patrol Agents stopped a vehicle that Hernandez was driving near Fort Covington, New York.  Hernandez admitted that he had no legal right to be in the United States.

This case was investigated by the United States Border Patrol and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica N. Carbone.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Joshua Mallory, age 37, and Gary Grier, age 36, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, pled guilty this week in federal court in Syracuse to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Putnam County (New York) Sheriff Kevin J. McConville.

In pleading guilty, Mallory and Grier admitted that they were involved in a fraud scheme known as “Felony Lane Gang” between 2015 and 2020. Mallory, Grier, and their co-conspirators traveled across the country breaking into cars, often targeting those parked by women at locations such as health and fitness centers, daycares, outdoor recreational parks, and dog parks. Mallory, Grier, and other members of the conspiracy stole debit cards, credit cards, checkbooks, and photo identifications in these “smash-and-grab” vehicle thefts, and they used these stolen items to commit bank fraud by recruiting women to impersonate the smash-and-grab victims in drive-through bank lanes and cash checks. The recruited check cashers were almost always suffering from an addiction to controlled substances and were provided payment at least partially in narcotics. Mallory and Grier each admitted that the loss amount from the conspiracy attributable to them is at least $95,000.

The charges to which Mallory and Grier pled guilty carry a minimum sentence of 2 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years, a fine of up to $1 million, and a supervised release term of up to 5 years. Mallory will be sentenced on May 1, 2023, and Grier will be sentenced on April 19, 2023. 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.

Mallory and Grier were two of nine men charged in a 13-count indictment for their roles in the scheme. Keyshawn Arnold, age 25, of Schenectady, New York; Terrell McDonald, age 32, of Troy, New York; and Tyrone Parker, age 40, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, previously pled guilty for their roles in the indictment. The remaining co-defendants are:

• TYRONE PARKER, JR. a/k/a “Ty,” a/k/a “Cheese,” a/k/a “Little Thigh,” age 22, of Fort Lauderdale;
• RANDALL TAYLOR, a/k/a “Gucci,” a/k/a “Guwop,” age 37, of Fort Lauderdale;
• CEDRIC LYNCH, a/k/a “City,” a/k/a “C,” age 37, of Orlando, Florida; and
• ROBERT NATSON, a/k/a “Big Rob,” age 36, of Fort Lauderdale.

Each of the remaining defendants is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and/or aggravated identity theft, and they are scheduled for trial in federal court in Syracuse on January 24, 2023.  The charges in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants whose cases remain pending are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This case is being investigated by the FBI Westchester Resident Agency of the New York Field Office and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, with assistance from the FBI Field Offices in Albany, Miami, and Salt Lake City, and Resident Agencies in Savannah, Georgia, and Portland, Maine, and from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine, the Saratoga County District Attorney’s Office, and the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office.  Additional assistance was provided by numerous law enforcement agencies, including, within New York, the New York State Police; Columbia County Sheriff's Office; Genesee County Sheriff’s Office; Monroe County Sheriff’s Office; Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office; Warren County Sheriff’s Office; and the police departments of the Town of Bethlehem; Glens Falls; Gloversville; Greenburgh; Greece; and Watervliet; and elsewhere, Connecticut State Police; Florida Department of Law Enforcement; Georgia State Patrol; Illinois State Police; Massachusetts State Police; Broward County, FL Sheriff’s Office; Northern York County, PA Regional Police; Southern Chester County, PA Regional Police; Utah County, UT Sheriff's Office; and the police departments of Auburn, MA; Bath, ME; Biddeford, ME; Bozeman, MT; Brunswick, ME; Caernarvon Township, PA; Chester Township, PA; Cinnaminson, NJ; Darien, CT; East Norriton Township, PA; Easthampton, MA; Greenwich, CT; Lower Moreland Township, PA; Manheim Township, PA; Portland, ME; Portsmouth, NH; Saco, ME; Salisbury, MA; Sanford, ME; Scarborough, ME; Somersworth, NH; South Portland, ME; St. George, UT; Syracuse, UT; Tinicum, PA; Towamencin, PA; Tewksbury, MA; Wakefield, MA; Yarmouth, ME; and York, ME. 

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew J. McCrobie and Michael F. Perry, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Paul Tuck, and it was initiated by former Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Beaty.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Cedric L. Hudson, Jr., age 36, of Syracuse, pled guilty today to possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Acting New York State Police Superintendent Steven A. Nigrelli.

Cedric Hudson was arrested in the Town of Dewitt, New York near Carrier Circle on October 17, 2022, when New York State Troopers observed him driving erratically. He was stopped near a local gas station when it was learned his driver’s license was suspended and a tow truck was called to remove his car. A search of the vehicle prior to it being towed located a .45 caliber semiautomatic handgun and seven rounds of .45 caliber ammunition in a magazine clip. Hudson was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition having been previously convicted in Onondaga County Court of a felony drug offense in 2014. When arrested on October 17, 2022, Cedric Hudson was also the subject of a parole violation warrant from the state of North Carolina.

Sentencing is scheduled for April 20, 2022, in Syracuse, New York, at which the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 15 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 particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.

The case against Cedric L. Hudson, Jr. was adopted for federal prosecution after a joint review by the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, the United States Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and the New York State Police as part of gun violence reduction efforts in Onondaga County.

This case is being investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the New York State Police-Community Stabilization Unit (NYSP-CSU), with assistance from the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Southwick 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.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Thomas Hendricks Jr., age 41, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced today to 46 months in prison for illegally possessing a loaded pistol as a felon.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).

As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Hendricks admitted that on June 20, 2021, he brandished a 9mm semi-automatic pistol while live-streaming on his Facebook account.  He further admitted that on June 28, 2021, he possessed the same loaded pistol in his residence in the city of Schenectady, at which time it was seized by the Schenectady Police Department pursuant to a search warrant.  Two prior felony convictions, for criminal possession of a weapon and aggravated cruelty to animals, prevented Hendricks from legally possessing the firearm in New York. 

United States District Mae A. D’Agostino also ordered Hendricks to serve a 3-year term of supervised release following his release from prison.

This case was investigated by ATF and the Schenectady Police Department with assistance provided by the Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon.

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 – Arley Gonzalez, age 35, of Miami, Florida, was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for his role in an access device fraud conspiracy. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Ketty Larco-Ward, Postal Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).

As part of his guilty plea on May 20, 2021, Gonzalez admitted that between December 2015 and July 2019,  he conspired with others to commit access device fraud by building skimming devices designed to steal gas station customer information, installing those devices inside gas pumps in Albany, Broome, and Montgomery Counties, and elsewhere, and then using the information collected by those devices to create fraudulent credit and debit cards. The fraudulent cards were used to obtain money orders, gift cards, cash, and other things of value.  As part of his plea agreement, Gonzalez agreed to be subject to a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $247,000. 

Senior United States District Judge Gary L. Sharpe also imposed a three-year term of supervised release to follow Gonzalez’s term of incarceration. 

This case was investigated by the FBI Albany Field Office and USPIS Boston Division, with assistance from the FBI Field Offices in Miami and Pittsburgh, the USPIS Miami Division, and the United States Secret Service Miami Field Office.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Belliss and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Powers. 

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Irvis Jorge, age 44, was sentenced today to 364 days in jail for fraudulently applying for unemployment benefits while a state prisoner.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Anthony J. Annucci, Acting Commissioner of the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (NYSDOCCS); and New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) Commissioner Roberta Reardon.

Jorge worked with his girlfriend, Pamela Febo, to submit a fraudulent unemployment insurance claim to NYSDOL using Jorge’s personal identifying information, at time when Jorge was an inmate in NYSDOCCS custody.  Febo submitted the application at Jorge’s direction in October 2020 and continued to re-certify Jorge’s benefits eligibility each week for approximately four months.  Febo certified each week that Jorge was “able and available to start work immediately” even though Febo knew Jorge remained incarcerated and could not work.  NYSDOL paid the defendants $27,348 based on the repeated false certifications. 

Senior United States District Judge Gary L. Sharpe ordered the 364-day term of imprisonment to run consecutive to Jorge’s state term of imprisonment for criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree.  He also imposed 3 years of supervised release, and ordered restitution in the amount of $27,348 and forfeiture in the amount of $12,444. Febo pled guilty on October  26, 2022, and is scheduled to be sentenced in February.

The case was investigated by the FBI, the NYSDOCCS Office of Special Investigations, and the NYSDOL Office of Special Investigations.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner.

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 – Shawn Ubrich, age 50, of Coxsackie, New York, pled guilty today to illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and Steven A. Nigrelli, Acting Superintendent of the New York State Police. 

Ubrich, a convicted felon, admitted that he possessed an AR-15 in Greene County, New York on October 5, 2021, and agreed to forfeiture of the firearm.

Ubrich faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 3 years when he is sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Brenda K. Sannes on April 27, 2023.  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 is being investigated by ATF and the New York State Police, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin S. Clark.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Maxwell Leiser, age 35, of Ballston Spa, New York, pled guilty today to drug and firearm charges, and admitted to conspiring with the leader of a Schenectady-based drug trafficking organization to distribute cocaine base and heroin in Saratoga County. 

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and New York State Police (NYSP) Acting Superintendent Steven A. Nigrelli.

Leiser admitted that between December 2020 and April 2021, he conspired with Terell M. Patrick aka “Lite,” to distribute approximately 465 grams of cocaine base and 198 grams of heroin in Saratoga County.  Leiser further admitted that he unlawfully possessed three firearms and ammunition as a felon. 

Leiser faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison, a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life, and a maximum fine of $10 million, when he is sentenced by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino on April 20, 2023.  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 also pled guilty in connection with the conspiracy, and were sentenced as follows:

Name

Age

Prison Term

Supervised Release Term

Donovan Milhouse

25

60 months

4 years

The following defendants have also pled guilty in connection with the conspiracy, and face the following penalties when they are sentenced:

Name

Age

Minimum

Maximum

Terell M. Patrick aka “Lite”

38

10 years

Life

Dequenton Slade

30

5 years

40 years

Alexis Bernadt

28

5 years

40 years

This case was investigated by the FBI and NYSP, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet J. O’Hanlon.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Yoan Rodriguez, age 24, of Syracuse, was sentenced today to serve a total of 120 months incarceration based on his previous guilty plea to drug trafficking and firearms offenses, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino, III, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, Special Agent in Charge Janeen DiGuiseppi, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Albany Field Office, and Chief of Police Joseph Cecile, Syracuse Police Department.  Rodriguez was also ordered to serve a term of five-years supervised release following his release from prison, and to forfeit to the United States a handgun and a money judgment in the amount of $35,000.00, representing the value of unrecovered drug proceeds.

Rodriguez was one of 14 defendants charged and convicted in this case.  The investigation revealed that members of the conspiracy brought kilogram quantities of heroin and fentanyl from Pennsylvania to Syracuse, where they packaged the drugs and distributed them over several months in 2020.  During the investigation, law enforcement seized multiple kilograms of heroin and fentanyl, multiple firearms, several vehicles, and large sums of United States currency.  The other defendants charged in this case, and the sentences they received, are listed below.

Defendant

Age

Residence

Prison Sentence

Alejandro De Jesus Tavarez

31

Syracuse

120 months

Alexander Tavarez Espinal

37

Syracuse

120 months

Jan Leonel Vazquez Familia

31

Hazelton, PA

68 months

Jahdier Dowdell

20

Syracuse

70 months

Maurice Graves

24

Syracuse

123 months

Kamiya Joe, aka “K-Joe”

24

Syracuse

36 months

Jonah Sutton, aka “Kunsa”

28

Syracuse

31 months

Dianisha Trapps, aka “Dutchess”

28

Syracuse

24 months

Tacarra Newton, aka “T-Newt”

26

Syracuse

60 months

Tywone Haskins, aka “Ty”

23

Syracuse

60 months

Joshua Stanley, aka “40”

27

Syracuse

30 months

Shateek Brown, aka “Teek” and “Stu”

27

Syracuse

41 months

Treyquwan Rucker

24

Syracuse

120 months

This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Syracuse Police Department-Gang Violence Task Force and Special Investigations Division (GVTF and SID), the New York State Police, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Enforcement Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, the Auburn Police Department, and the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicolas Commandeur.

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

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Lisa Waldron, age 44, of Palermo, New York, was arraigned Friday on a federal indictment charging her with multiple counts of Theft of Government Property and Social Security Fraud, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Sharon B. MacDermott, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Office.

The charges in the 25-count indictment relate to Waldron’s misuse and theft of Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”) benefits intended for the care of Jordan Brooks, her disabled son. Waldron was Jordan Brooks’s representative payee at the time she committed the alleged offenses, which occurred both before and after Brooks’s death on May 9, 2021.  A representative payee is a person or organization who received Social Security benefits on another person’s behalf and is tasked with ensuring the benefits are used only to support the beneficiary.

Waldron was released on existing conditions of supervision monitored by the Oswego County Probation Department from a pending case in Oswego County Court.

If convicted, Waldron faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten years, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised 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.The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Marvin Antonio Lantigua, age 32, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced today to serve 10 years in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute a kilogram of fentanyl, 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 Syracuse Police Chief Joseph Cecile.

As part of his previous guilty plea, Lantigua admitted that in early November 2021, he was in contact with a drug dealer in Syracuse via Facebook. After discussion, Lantigua agreed to deliver 1,000 bricks (50,000 bags) of fentanyl from New York City to Syracuse for $75,000.00. On November 8, 2021, DEA Special Agents, Syracuse Police Detectives, and Syracuse Police Patrol Officers stopped two vehicles on the Court Street exit of Route 81 North, one of which was being driven by Lantigua. A subsequent search of one of the vehicles located two large bags that were found to contain 1,007 bricks (50,350 bags) containing fentanyl that totaled approximately one kilogram in weight. After waiving his Miranda rights, Lantigua admitted that he was delivering the fentanyl to Syracuse from New York City as part of a drug deal. At the time of his arrest, Lantigua was under New York State Parole supervision in connection with a prior New York State drug felony conviction.

Lantigua was also sentenced to a 5-year term of supervised release following his release from federal prison.

This case was investigated by United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Syracuse Police Department-Special Investigations Division (SPD-SID), with assistance from Investigators of the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, Detectives of the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, and U.S. Border Patrol Agents, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Southwick.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Devin Nau, age 28, of Auburn, New York, was sentenced today to serve 50-years in federal prison for sexually exploiting 2 children and distributing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo, New York Field Office, and New York State Police Acting Superintendent Steven A. Nigrelli.

As part of his guilty plea, Nau admitted to engaging in sex acts with two minor victims that he filmed and photographed using his cellular telephone.  Nau further admitted that after recording the sex acts, he used a social media messaging application on his cellular telephone to distribute the depictions to other individuals over the internet.

United States District Judge David N. Hurd also imposed a 20-year term of supervised release, which will start after Nau is released from prison, and a $400 special assessment.  Nau will also be required to register as a sex offender.

Nau’s case was investigated by U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Investigators of the New York State Police-Computer Crimes Unit (NYSP-CCU), the Cayuga County District Attorney’s Office, and the Auburn City Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J.L. Brown 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), 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 - Jon Burns, age 58, of Cortland, New York, was sentenced today to serve 9 years in federal prison for distributing, receiving, and possessing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo, New York Field Office, and New York State Police Acting Superintendent Steven A. Nigrelli.

As part of his guilty plea, Burns admitted that he actively traded child pornography images and videos using a social media messaging application located on his electronic devices and that on January 4, 2022, he distributed a video file depicting sexual conduct with a child who was between 8 and 10 years old.  Burns further admitted that on February 24, 2022, he received a video file depicting sexual conduct with a child who was approximately 6 years old.  Finally, Burns admitted that on March 8, 2022, he knowingly possessed over 2000 image files and over 750 video files depicting child pornography on his cellular telephone, iPad, and two tablet computers.

Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also imposed a 15-year term of supervised release, which will start after Burns is released from prison, and ordered him to pay $15,000 in restitution and a $600 special assessment.  Burns will also be required to register as a sex offender.

Burns’ case was investigated by U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Investigators of the New York State Police, Computer Crimes Unit (NYSP-CCU).  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J.L. Brown 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), 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.