Northern District of Ohio
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Former head of Sandusky business charged with defrauding investors out of $10 millionRead the Press Release
The leader of an international binary options scheme was arrested and a 19-count federal indictment unsealed, charging him with defrauding investors out of at least $10 million.
Jared J. Davis previously lived in the Columbus area but currently resides in Kalispell, Montana. He was indicted on multiple charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to launder money, wire fraud, money laundering and obstruction of justice.
He was arrested early Tuesday morning at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.
According to the indictment:
Davis and others ran a fraudulent binary options investment scheme between 2012 and 2016 through Erie Marketing LLC, headquartered in Sandusky, where Davis was involved in various real estate ventures and businesses. The options business used various trade names, including OptionMint, OptionKing and OptionQueen.
A binary option is a concept in which an investor seeks a future payout based on the future price of a given security or commodity. Binary options are sometimes traded on regulated exchanges that match two investors, one who believes the price of the asset will go up and the other who believes it will go down. The option exchange makes a commission but otherwise has no interest in the outcome of a trade.
Davis’ binary options businesses were not registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission nor the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which have regulatory oversight, including registration and licensing.
Davis, acting as a broker, did not connect investors to a legitimate binary options exchange that would match investors who chose different options outcomes. Instead, Davis took the opposing position on each trade, similar to a casino or sports book.
Thus, Davis only made money when investors lost money, providing a built-in incentive to employ manipulative and deceptive practices, including failing to disclose to victims that they were not matched with individual investors, failing to disclose to them that he could and did manipulate trading conditions, falsely telling investors their money was held in an account when Davis actually spent victim deposits as he received them, falsely portraying his employees as “brokers” or “analysts” when in fact they had no relevant experience or qualifications, falsely representing to victims they could withdraw their money at any time when Davis actually required unnecessary and burdensome documentation to closing an account, falsely representing to victims they could make “risk free,” “insured,” or “guaranteed” binary options trades if they deposited more money, and other deceptive practices.
Davis solicited victims through Internet marketing campaigns and call centers that he operated out of Sandusky, Costa Rica and St. Maarten. He enlisted foreign nationals who, under Davis’ direction, created an elaborate web of foreign corporations in the United Kingdom, Belize, Anguilla, Costa Rica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and St. Maarten to receive and launder the victims’ deposits.
“This defendant portrayed himself as a legitimate investment broker when he was really no better than a simple con man,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney David Sierleja. “He fleeced his victims out of $10 million by manipulating trading conditions, falsely telling investors his salespeople were financial analysts and using offshore companies to spend money as fast as it came in.”
“Crime knows no borders, and neither does the financial investigative reach of IRS-Criminal Investigation,” said IRS-Criminal Investigations Special Agent in Charge Ryan Korner. “IRS-CI will follow the money wherever it may be to ensure those who prey upon the finances of others are held accountable for their actions.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony said: “Davis defrauded investors out of their hard-earned money and used their money for his personal real estate interests. The FBI, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to identify, investigate and bring financial fraudsters to justice.”
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations and Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gene Crawford.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Warrensville Heights man sentenced to more than 16 years in prison for leading conspiracy that brought fentanyl, heroin and cocaine to Northeast Ohio from Chicago and New YorkRead the Press Release
A Warrensville Heights man was sentenced to more than 16 years in prison for helping lead a conspiracy that brought large amounts of fentanyl, heroin and cocaine into Greater Cleveland from Chicago and Yonkers, New York.
Alfonso Rodrigo, 37, was sentenced to 200 months in federal prison. He was one of nearly 20 people prosecuted as part of Operation Loaded Deck. Law enforcement seized 29 kilograms of cocaine, eight kilograms of heroin and one kilogram of fentanyl, as well as $350,000 and several firearms as part of the investigation.
Some of these conspirators had significant links to the Sinaloa cartel. Among the defendants sentenced thus far:
Ismael Acosta, 39, of Cleveland Heights, to 190 months in prison.
David Urrabazo Maldonado, 31, of Medera, California, to 120 months in prison.
Jonathan Stepp, 34, of Cleveland, to 108 months in prison.
Jose Hernandez, 57, of Chicago, to 57 months in prison.
The defendants conspired together from 2010 through 2016 to obtain fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and marijuana from suppliers in Chicago and Yonkers, N.Y. and then sell the drugs in Northeast Ohio.
Acosta obtained heroin from suppliers in Chicago. Jose Hernandez supplied vehicles with after-market trap compartments to transport hidden drugs and drug proceeds. The conspirators used a home on West 130th Street in Cleveland to store and distribute the drugs and drug money. The Rodrigos used a house on Maple Heights Boulevard in Maple Heights to store and distribute drugs and drug money, according to court documents.
“Cocoa plants don't grow in Cleveland and poppy plants don't grow in Parma," said Justin Herdman, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio. “We increasingly see the Mexican cartels sending deadly narcotics into our region, and that was certainly true in this case.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. Plancon said: “The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Operation Loaded Deck exposed a network of violent drug cartel members who controlled a pipeline of cocaine and fentanyl from Mexico and Phoenix to Cleveland, along with several other major American cities including Detroit, Chicago, Atlanta and New York. The DEA, along with our federal, state, and local partners, has ruptured that pipeline to impede the flow of poison this organization was pushing onto our streets. This collaborative law enforcement effort sends a clear message that we have zero tolerance for drug dealers and their violence in northern Ohio. This investigation has demonstrated DEA’s resolve to dismantle criminal organizations such as this, and to reduce violent crimes and drug related activities in our community.”
“The laundering of illegal drug profits is as important and essential to drug traffickers as the very distribution of their illegal drugs,” said Ryan Korner, IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge. “Without these ill-gotten gains, the traffickers could not finance their organizations. IRS-CI is committed to taking the profit away from the drug traffickers and putting those individuals in jail.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert F. Corts and Marisa Darden following an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations.
U.S. Attorney's Office to add five prosecutors to focus on violent crime, opioids and immigration-related crimeRead the Press Release
On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.
In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSA’s will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.
"Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis—and today we are sending in reinforcements," said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. "We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.' When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades."
In the Northern District of Ohio, three of these AUSAs will focus on violent crime, one on civil enforcement, and one on prosecuting immigration crimes.
"These additional prosecutors will allow us to build on the work being done with our police and federal partners to target criminals who use violence and firearms to prey on our neighbors," U.S. Attorney Herdman said. "This will also allow us to continue to find creative solutions to the opioid epidemic, prosecute crimes associated with illegal immigration and to make Northern Ohio a safer place to live and work."
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan honored with an Arthur S. Flemming Award for his work preventing and prosecuting child exploitation crimesRead the Press Release
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Sullivan was honored today with an Arthur S. Flemming Award for his work in preventing and prosecuting crimes involving the exploitation of children.
The Flemming Awards were established in 1948 and are presented by the George Washington University Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration. Past recipients include Neil Armstrong, former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, former Senator Elizabeth Dole, former Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, and former Federal Reserve Chair Paul Volcker. The last time a Flemming Award was presented to an employee of any U.S. Attorney’s Office was in 2011.
Sullivan was honored for his highly successful prosecution, as Senior Litigation Counsel, of child exploitation cases. He has gained a national reputation for his aggressive prosecution of these offenders. His greatest contribution may well be his role in the implementation and promotion of a new investigative protocol for child pornography cases that has been incredibly successful in Northern Ohio and has been replicated across the country.
“This award is a testament to the many years Mike has spent pursuing predators and sticking up for our most vulnerable victims,” U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said. “Mike is absolutely the best that the Department of Justice, the United States Attorney’s community, and the Northern District of Ohio has to offer. I’m very glad he’s on our side and the side of our nation’s child victims.”
Sullivan is often asked to train and speak to prosecutors around the nation about how to investigate and prosecute child exploitation cases. He also frequently talks to students and parents at school throughout the area about safe use of computers and social media.
Sullivan graduated from the University of Notre Dame and the Fordham University School of Law. He worked in the Suffolk County (New York) District Attorney’s Office and the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office before joining the United States Attorney’s Office in Cleveland in 2003.
Thirteen people indicted for firearms crimes and related violations as part of Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
Thirteen people from Ohio were indicted or charged in the past week in U.S. District Court in Cleveland for firearms crimes and related violations.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio is on pace to file approximately 60 percent more firearms and violent crime indictments in Fiscal Year 2018 as it did in the previous two fiscal years.
“These defendants include those with a long history of violent crime, as well as defendants who have illegally obtained guns for criminals to use in violent crime like carjackings,” said U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman. “As part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, we will continue to work with local police and federal law enforcement to target the most dangerous offenders and make our community safer.”
“There is no place in our community for those who use firearms for violent, criminal purposes,” said Trevor Velinor, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “ATF will continue to work with our law enforcement partners at the federal, state, and local levels to bring those individuals to justice.”
Indicted are: Tyla Spencer, 21, of Cleveland; Charles Fortney, 32, of Lorain; Rishad S. Bilal, 23, of Cleveland; Sergio D. Watson, 26, of Barberton; Logan Charles Peters, 20, of Wooster; David Crosby, 41, of Cleveland; Thomas O. Taylor, 36, of Cleveland; Demetrion Gross, 38, of Cleveland; Tony Olds, 37, of Boardman; Miquel Jones, 48, of South Euclid; Cory Moore, 25, of Cleveland; Keith Lundy, 43, of Cleveland, and Gregory Horne, 55, of Warren.
Spencer was charged with one count of making a false statement in acquisition of a firearm. Spencer bought a Glock 9 mm pistol and a Glock .40-caliber pistol on Jan. 3 from Cleveland Armory in Valley View.
Spencer went Cleveland Armory with Lashawn Davis and a juvenile and bought the Glocks with cash that Davis and the juvenile got from robbing a check-cashing store in Cleveland the day before. Spencer falsely stated she was the true buyer of the firearms when, in fact, she was purchasing the firearms on behalf of the males. Davis and the juvenile then used the firearms in a bank robbery and carjacking in February, according to court documents and statements in court.
Davis and the juvenile are in jail and awaiting trial for their crimes.
Fortney was charged with one count of possession of a firearm not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Fortney on March 5 possessed a Kel-Tec 5.56 mm firearm modified with a forward vertical grip which had not been registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, according to the indictment.
Bilal was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. He possessed a Glock, Model 26, 9 mm caliber pistol with 15 rounds of ammunition on April 11, after having been previously convicted of drug trafficking, according to the indictment.
Watson was charged with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Watson on April 19 possessed four pistols loaded with ammunition: a Springfield Armory XD 40 .40 caliber pistol, a stolen Smith and Wesson SW40VE .40 caliber pistol, a Ruger SR9C 9mm pistol and a stolen Titan Manufacturing .25 caliber pistol. Watson had previous convictions for burglary, heroin trafficking, aggravated drug trafficking, having weapons while under disability, cocaine possession and other crimes, according to the indictment.
Peters was charged with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Peters on March 28 possessed a Ruger 9 mm pistol and 17 rounds of ammunition despite previous convictions for aggravated motor vehicle theft and drug crimes, according to the indictment.
Crosby was charged with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Crosby on April 22 possessed a Taurus 9 mm caliber pistol with six rounds of ammunition despite having been previously convicted of drug trafficking, robbery and assault on a peace officer, according to the indictment.
Taylor was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Taylor possessed a Taurus .40-caliber handgun and ammunition on March 25 despite two prior convictions for drug trafficking, according to the indictment.
Gross was charged with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. On April 5, he possessed a Diamondback 9 mm handgun, a Glock .40-caliber handgun and ammunition, despite previous convictions for felonious assault, drug trafficking and escape, according to the indictment.
Olds was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Olds on March 18 possessed a Taurus 9 mm pistol and ammunition despite numerous previous convictions, including a conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to the indictment.
Jones was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was arrested on May 23for having a Maverick 12-gauge shotgun, a Ruger 9 mm handgun and 16 rounds of ammunition, despite previous convictions for robbery, burglary and domestic violence, according to court documents.
Moore was charged with one count of making false statements in the acquisition of firearms. Moore purchased a Taurus 9 mm pistol from On Target Firearms on State Road in Parma in July 2015. Moore caused to be made false statements about who was the actual buyer on the firearm.
Lundy was charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Lundy possessed a firearm and approximately 500 grams of fentanyl that he planned to sell, according to the indictment.
Horne was charged with possession of a firearm in relation to drug trafficking, possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Horne had a Ruger 9 mm pistol and ammunition and 28 grams of crack cocaine on Dec. 15, 2017. He was previously convicted of possession of cocaine, according to the indictment.
These cases are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
These cases were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Cleveland Division of Police, Cleveland Metropolitan Housing Authority Police, Akron Police Department, Parma Police Department, Youngstown Police Department, Warren Police Department, Ohio State Highway Patrol, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Crime Strategies Unit.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Seven people indicted for conspiracy to distribute heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and crack cocaine around Youngstown and Girard, Ohio, and Farrell, PennsylvaniaRead the Press Release
Seven people were indicted in federal court for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and crack cocaine around Youngstown and Girard, Ohio, and Farrell, Pennsylvania, said U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman and DEA Special Agent in Charge Timothy Plancon.
Named in the 39-count indictment are: Cedis R. Martin, 31, of Warren; Zachary E. Bradford, 36, of Girard; Adham Aburhma, 23, of Youngstown; Prentice Miller, 29, of Grove City, Penn.; Eric Murray, 31, of Farrell, Penn.; Ashley Allison, 31, of Grove City, Penn., and Amanda Walker, 23, of New Castle, Penn.
All seven defendants conspired from February 2015 through this April to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine, according to the indictment.
According to the indictment:
Martin supplied cocaine to Murray for distribution in Youngstown, Ohio, and Farrell, Pennsylvania areas; supplied heroin to Bradford and Miller for distribution in the Youngstown, Ohio and Farrell, Pennsylvania areas; and supplied fentanyl to Aburahma for distribution in the Youngstown, Ohio and Farrell, Pennsylvania areas.
Allison and Walker transported heroin from suppliers to Martin for distribution.
It was further part of the conspiracy that cellular telephones, code words and phrases were used by the co-conspirators to facilitate their drug trafficking activities.
If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Girard Police Department and the Pennsylvania State Police. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David M. Toepfer.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Three people indicted for illegally re-entering the U.S. after previous deportationsRead the Press Release
Three people were indicted in federal court for illegally re-entering the United States after previous deportations.
Indicted are: Jose Gregorio De Refugio Cruz, 50, a citizen of Mexico; Jermaine Willis, 39, a citizen of Jamaica; Saul Reyes-Murcia, 45, a citizen of El Salvador,
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
These cases were investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and U.S. Border Patrol. They are being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alissa M. Sterling, Brad Beeson.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Canton man sentenced to more than a year in prison for money laundering and tax violationsRead the Press Release
A Canton man was sentenced to more than a year in prison after failing to report more than $1 million in income over seven years, law enforcement officials said.
Paul G.A. Kasapis, 48, was sentenced to 15 months in prison, ordered to pay $533,434 in restitution, and has forfeited a residence in Cape Coral, Florida, and a Marriott Vacation Club timeshare account as properties derived from the proceeds of an illegal gambling business in violation of federal law.
Kasapis pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of income tax evasion, one count of the willful failure to collect and pay over employment taxes and two counts of money laundering.
Kasapis failed to pay over unreported personal income and unreported employee wages from PK Produce, Lucky Fox and El Dorado City of Gold resulted in a total criminal tax loss of approximately $533,434, according to court documents.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry F. DeBaggis following an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Stark County Sheriff’s Office and Jackson Township Police Department.
Parma man sentenced to 16 years in prison for leading cocaine conspiracyRead the Press Release
A Parma man was sentenced to 16 years in prison for leading a cocaine conspiracy.
Gilbert Mendez, 40, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, distribution of cocaine and related crimes.
Mendez obtained at large amounts of cocaine from suppliers. Mendez and co-conspirators then cooked the drug into crack cocaine, which they stored at stash houses on West 54th Street and Finn Avenue, according to court documents.
Mendez and others sold the drugs from an auto body shop on West 63rd Street and other locations, according to court documents.
This case was investigated by Northern Ohio Law Enforcement Task Force. The NOLETF is a task force comprised of investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cleveland Division of Police, Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority, Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the police departments of Cleveland Heights, Euclid, Lakewood, the Regional Transit Authority, Westlake and Shaker Heights. The NOLETF is also one of the initial Ohio High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area initiatives, which supports and helps coordinate numerous Ohio drug task forces in their efforts to eliminate or reduce drug trafficking in Ohio.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle M. Baeppler, Margaret A. Sweeney and Patrick P. Burke.
Four people sentenced to prison for taking job training money from Toledo-based nonprofit and using it to fund lavish lifestylesRead the Press Release
Four people were sentenced to prison for taking federal money earmarked for job training and instead using the money to pay for personal expenses, including vacations, investments, real estate purchases and salaries for people who did not work at the company.
James D. Moody, 58, of Toledo, was sentenced today to 66 months in prison. Victoria Hawkins, 31, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, was sentenced last week to 54 months in prison. Angela Bowser, 46, of Toledo, was sentenced last week to 36 months in prison.
All three were convicted by a jury late last year for their activities related to Toledo-based Business Rehabilitation Informed Decisions Guiding Employment Strategies, Inc. d/b/a B.R.I.D.G.E.S., Inc..
Company founder and general manager Daniel E. Morris, 68, of Maumee, previously pleaded guilty to his crimes and was sentenced to 46 months in prison.
“These defendants stole millions of dollars targeted to help the least among us learn job skills, and instead used the money to fund lavish lifestyles and pay for no-show jobs,” said U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said. “They ripped off taxpayers and betrayed the trust placed in them.”
“This was a transparent scheme to defraud the taxpayers of Northwest Ohio,” said IRS Special Agent in Charge Ryan Korner. “Today’s guilty verdicts brings justice to thieves who enriched themselves on the backs of those struggling to survive.”
According to court documents and trial testimony:
BRIDGES operated at 242 Reynolds Road and 310 Reynolds Road. The company was in the business of providing work placement and work training services to public assistance recipients, and nearly all of its revenue came from public funds.
Morris was the co-founder and general manager of BRIDGES. Moody was co-founder and sole-shareholder. Hawkins was an employee from 2008 through 2012, while Bowser was an employee from 2008 through 2014.
BRIDGES was funded through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. TANF was a welfare program that provided cash assistance to qualifying households with minor children or pregnant women. TANF provided federal block grants to states each year to cover benefits, administrative expenses and services targeted to needy families.
One of TANF’s goals was reducing the dependency of needy parents by promoting job preparation, work and marriage. TANF recipients must work as soon as they are job ready and no later than two years after commencing assistance. BRIDGES placed public assistance recipients at “job sites,” where the recipients would work for free to obtain job training and as a condition of receiving public assistance benefits like cash assistance or SNAP benefits (formerly food stamps).
BRIDGES received more than $15.7 million in funding from several entities between 2004 and 2015, including the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, the Lucas County Department of Job and Family Services, Ohio Works First and others. This funding was based in part on BRIDGES’ grant proposals. The majority of BRIDGES’ stated administrative costs were payroll and transportation.
BRIDGES provided job training and work placement services but at substantially lower costs than those stated in its budgets and invoices. The defendants fraudulently inflated BRIDGES payroll costs, transportation and mileage.
Morris, BRIDGES and others maintained false personnel files, timesheets, mileage records and reimbursement forms for nonexistent employees. They included fake, former or nonexistent employees on the payroll. For example, BRIDGES paid Moody a salary even though he did not work there, and later continued to pay him by issuing payroll checks to Moody’s wife.
During trial, Moody testified that he placed the salary in his wife’s name in order to distance himself from BRIDGES while running for mayor in 2009 and so that she could receive Social Security benefits despite not otherwise being eligible. Moody also received non-payroll checks, which he used to purchase and rehabilitate an investment property in Toledo, purchase an interest in his real estate company, Flex Realty, and pay for legal fees.
BRIDGES, Morris, Moody, Hawkins and Bowser used TANF funds to pay for personal living expenses including groceries, dental care, medical care, resort vacations, pharmaceuticals, clothing, toys, designer bags, furniture, video streaming services, credit card bills, legal fees unrelated to BRIDGES’ business, tattoos, cosmetic surgery, real estate, vehicles, investments and jewelry, according to court documents and trial testimony.
For example, between February 2013 and October 2014, Hawkins accessed a BRIDGES business account to make approximately $18,200 in cash withdrawals. Hawkins also had access to a debit card through which she accessed and spent approximately $750,000 in a two-year timeframe. Hawkins and co-defendant Morris also purchased two houses, including a $400,000 house in the Point Place neighborhood of Toledo.
Bowser, a program manager at BRIDGES, received numerous non-payroll checks from the company, some of which were used to purchase a house in Toledo. Bowser continued to receive bi-weekly payments from the company after she stopped working there in 2014.
Each defendant that went to trial was convicted of conspiracy to commit federal program theft, conspiracy to commit money laundering offenses, substantive federal program theft counts, and substantive money laundering counts.
Morris pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program theft and mail fraud, aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and willful failure to pay over withheld payroll tax.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Noah P. Hood and Gene Crawford following an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations with the assistance of the Ohio Auditor of State’s Office, Public Integrity Assurance Team.
Hawaii man sentenced to more than six years in prison for conspiracy to ship a ton of marijuana to Ohio from Hawaii, California and Oregon, and then launder the drug profitsRead the Press Release
A Hawaii man was sentenced to more than six years in prison for his role in a conspiracy to ship a ton of marijuana to Ohio from Hawaii, California and Oregon, and then launder the drug profits, law enforcement officials said.
William B. Murphy, 38, of Kealakekua, Hawaii, was sentenced to 80 months in prison. He previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute marijuana and conspiracy to launder money.
Murphy is the last of six people to be sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy. The others are: Michael W. Spellman, of Kealakekua, Hawaii, and formerly of Geauga County; Peter Reichert, of Lyndhurst; Dustin Robinson, of East Liverpool; Young Hee Park, of Broadview Heights, and So Young Park, of Kealakekua, Hawaii.
According to court documents:
Murphy grew marijuana in Hawaii and procured marijuana in Hawaii, California and Oregon and had it shipped to people in Ohio.
Michael Spellman packaged the marijuana inside five-pound foil coffee bags, which also contained loose coffee beans, and mailed them to various addresses in Northeast Ohio, including a location in Shaker Heights. Murphy paid Spellman $100 for each package he mailed.
Reichert received packages of marijuana in Northeast Ohio, including in Chester Township, mailed from Hawaii, California and Oregon, for further distribution. Robinson received packages of marijuana in Pennsylvania mailed from Hawaii and California.
Robinson also mailed bulk cash to Spellman from East Liverpool. Murphy and Spellman had drug profits mailed to them at several post office boxes in Hawaii and California.
Young Hee Park received cash payments in Ohio from various marijuana customers and then mailed the cash to Murphy in Hawaii. Park mailed the packages containing cash from 25 different post offices in Northeast Ohio to avoid suspicion.
Spellman opened a bank account at Fifth Third Bank in Mentor. He and Murphy directed people in Ohio to deposit cash into the account from at least 15 different bank branches, in order to avoid detection. They used a similar arrangement with accounts opened at PNC Bank.
The defendants deposited at least $348,000 in cash into the accounts between 2014 and 2016. They used the accounts to pay for living expenses and other purchases, including airline tickets from flights between Cleveland and Hawaii totaling $40,959; drones from Drones, Inc. totaling $13,062; a greenhouse in Hawaii for $10,632; a Honda ATV for $11,170, and other purchases.
Overall, Murphy, Spellman and the other conspirators caused approximately 1,113 packages containing marijuana to be shipped to Northeast Ohio between 2014 and 2016. Additionally, they caused approximately 965 packages containing bulk cash to be mailed from Ohio to Hawaii, California and Oregon.
Spellman was previously sentenced to 34 months in prison. Reichert was sentenced to 20 months in prison. Robinson was sentenced to 28 months in prison
“This group mailed thousands of pounds of marijuana to Greater Cleveland from the West Coast and then laundered nearly $350,000 in drug profits,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “The leaders of this conspiracy paid for a lavish lifestyle with drug money, but now it will cost them federal prison.”
“From coast to coast the IRS will take every step to ferret out those who attempt to launder the proceeds of illegal drug profits,” said Ryan L. Korner, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office. “The laundering of illegal drug profits is as important and essential to drug traffickers as the very distribution of their illegal drugs. Without these ill-gotten gains, the traffickers could not finance their organizations.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Howell following an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service and the Lake County Narcotics Agency.
Salvadoran national charged with stealing identity of Puerto Rican manRead the Press Release
A federal Grand Jury returned a two-count indictment charging Oscar Armando Amaya-Melendez, 32, a citizen of El Salvador, with stealing the identity of a Puerto Rican man to conceal his illegal presence in the United States.
Amaya-Melendez stole the identity of a Puerto Rico resident in order to obtain an Ohio driver’s license. This took place between 2010 and 2018, according to the indictment.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad J. Beeson is prosecuting the case following an investigation by United States Border Patrol, the Department of Homeland Security.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial, in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt
Five people indicted for illegally reentering the U.S. after deportationRead the Press Release
Five people were indicted for illegally reentering the United States.
Roberto Zuniga-Vega, 35, a citizen of Mexico, was found in Ohio after having been deported in September 2012, according to the indictment.
Ascencion Carrillo-Hernandez, 56, a citizen of Mexico, was found in Ohio after having been deported in 1995, according to the indictment.
Jorge Mauricio Astudillo-Jimbo, 43, a citizen of Ecuador, was found in Ohio after having been previously deported four different times, according to the indictment.
Uriel Perez-Gonzalez, 27, a citizen of Mexico, was found in Ohio after having been previously deported four different times, according to the indictment.
Wilson Cerrato-Moran, 30, a citizen of Honduras, was found in Ohio after having been previously deported twice, according to the indictment.
The cases are unrelated. They were investigated by U.S. Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial, in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt
Cleveland man with aggravated robbery conviction sentenced to six years in prison for having rifle with obliterated serial numberRead the Press Release
A Cleveland man was sentenced to six years in prison for having a rifle with an obliterated serial number and ammunition.
Sharrieff Muhammad, 48, also known as Robert White, previously pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Muhammad possessed a Norinco SKS 7.62 mm rifle with a partially obliterated serial number and ammunition on Oct. 19, 2017. Muhammad was not allowed to possess firearms because of a prior conviction for aggravated robbery with specifications.
This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Deckert and Michelle Baeppler.
Cleveland man indicted for having fentanyl, heroin and cocaineRead the Press Release
A Cleveland man was indicted in federal court for having large amounts of fentanyl, heroin and cocaine.
Aaron Reels, 51, was arrested on April 24 in possession of approximately 319 grams of heroin, 200 grams of a mixture of fentanyl and heroin, and 138 grams of cocaine, according to the indictment.
This case was investigated by the DEA and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa T. Darden.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Beachwood woman charged for collecting her mother's Social Security payments years after her deathRead the Press Release
Daphna J. Goren of Beachwood was charged in federal court for theft of public money and bank fraud.
Goren fraudulently converted to her own use, her mother’s Social Security Retirement and Survivor’s benefits that continued to be deposited after her mother died in July 2011. Goren’s theft resulted in a loss to SSA of approximately $91,403, according to a criminal information.
Goren also is alleged to have forged her mother’s signature on TIAA-CREF payment checks and deposited into her Key Bank account.
Special Agent Manuel Muniz from the United States Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Payum Doroodian.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
An information is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial, in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Akron man indicted for making threatsRead the Press Release
An Akron man was indicted in federal court for making threats against police and others, said U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman and FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony.
Brian Newell, 24, was indicted on three counts of transmitting threats across state lines.
Newell made several threats against police and other law enforcement officers on Facebook in October 2017 and again in April 2018.
According to the indictment:
Newell wrote several messages over three four days in October 2017, including:
“Def feel like I can beat the vegas shooter’s high score.”
“Better prayer God with y’all cause I’m def not praying for your safety.”
“As Allah is my witness any cop or law enforcement who approaches me in any way will be fire on. Yes I’m high on them hard drugs and carrying a weapons. Just leave me alone I’ve lost everything I don’t mind losing my life #Allahuakbar #gamg”
On April 7, 2018, Newell wrote several messages, including: “Kill cops” and “I BET I KILL A COP TODAY P*****S”
On April 7, 2018, Newell threatened to kill an individual during a phone call placed from the Summit County Jail in which he said: “And I’m killing you and them kids b***h.”
Herdman said: “We take all threats seriously. People will be held accountable when they threaten violence against our police and law enforcement officers, to commit mass shootings or to otherwise harm children and other innocent people.”
"Those who serve and protect the citizenry of our communities should not have death threats against them,” Anthony said. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify threats and hold those responsible accountable."
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Bulford.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Akron man charged with selling fentanyl that caused Wadsworth man's deathRead the Press Release
A superseding indictment was filed in federal court charging Akron man with selling fentanyl that resulted in the fatal overdose of a Wadsworth man.
LeTroy Vaughn, 26, was indicted on one count of distribution of fentanyl. The charge carries a potential sentencing enhancement because the fentanyl resulted in death.
Vaughn sold the fentanyl on Sept. 27, 2015, to a man identified in court documents as E.W. E.W. died after ingesting the fentanyl sold to him by Vaughn, according to the indictment
“This defendant will be held accountable selling fentanyl that killed someone’s son and friend,” Herdman said. “Law enforcement will continue to work together to disrupt the flow of deadly fentanyl into our region and hold accountable those who profit from this epidemic.”
Akron Police Chief Kenneth Ball said: "The cooperative effort of law enforcement is always at work, pursuing justice and determined to make our communities safer. The arrest of Letroy Vaughn is evidence of this partnership. I am very proud of the accomplishments of members of the Akron Police Department. I am also thankful for continued work of our local and federal partners who add so much to this process.”
“This shows the great collaboration between the County Prosecutor’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said Summit County Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh. “We are relieved for the victim’s family that this offender will not escape justice on a legal technicality. I would personally like to thank Justin Herdman, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, for ensuring justice for Eric Ward’s family.”
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa Riley following an investigation by the Akron Police Department’s Narcotics Unit.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Solon woman charged with embezzling $156,000Read the Press Release
A Solon woman was charged in federal court with embezzling $156,000 from a fund established on behalf of someone entrusted to her care.
Teresita Sidoti, 52, was charged via criminal information with bank fraud and filing false tax returns.
Sidoti worked as a caregiver for Noel Zugay and was the trustee of the Noel Zugay Supplemental Needs Trust. From 2009 through 2015, Sidoti devised a scheme to defraud the trust of funds held at Huntington Bank for Zugay’s benefit. Sidoti used those funds for her personal benefit. She also diverted deposits that should have been to the trust account into her own personal account, according to the information.
In total, Sidoti embezzled approximately $156,949, according to the information.
Sidoti also failed to claim some of this income on her tax returns between 2011 and 2014, according to court documents.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew B. Kall, following an investigation by the FBI and IRS – Criminal Investigations.
An information is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Former high school assistant coach from Toledo sentenced to more than seven years in prison for child pornography crimesRead the Press Release
A former high school football assistant coach from Toledo was sentenced to more than seven years in prison for receiving and sharing images of child pornography.
Russell Smith, 51, was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison. He previously pleaded guilty to one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography.
“These are cases with real victims, children whose lives will be forever changed because adults assaulted and violated them,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “We will continue to work to prosecute those who re-victimize these children by sharing and downloading these images.”
Smith received numerous images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. This took place between at least March 15 and August 10, 2017. He also possessed more than 20 computer files and images of children, some as young as eight years old, being sexually abused and/or raped, according to court documents.
Smith also had at least six Skype accounts where he pretended to be a young teen girl while messaging men all over the world about sex, according to court documents.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Sylvania Police Department. It is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Ballard Tangeman.
Cleveland man with multiple violent felonies convicted of stealing handgun from gun show in BereaRead the Press Release
A jury convicted a Cleveland man of stealing a firearm from a gun show in Berea.
Anthony Lett, 40, was convicted on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of being in possession of a stolen firearm following a two-day trial in U.S. District Court.
"This is a person with a long history of violence who has no business having a firearm," U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. "Our community is safer with him behind bars."
Lett is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 29.
Lett stole a Kahr Arms .45-caliber pistol from a gun show in Berea on April 30, 2016. Lett has prior convictions that make it illegal for him to have a firearm, including convictions for kidnapping, felonious assault, carrying a concealed weapon, drug trafficking and other crimes, according to court documents.
Lett is currently serving 20 years in state prison for unrelated convictions including rape, attempted murder, aggravated robbery and other crimes, according to court documents.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly Galvin and Elliot Morrison following an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Berea Police Department, with assistance from the Cleveland Division of Police.
Cleveland man pleads guilty to stealing $77,000 in federal grants designed to help Native AmericansRead the Press Release
A Cleveland man pleaded guilty to stealing more than $77,000 in federal grants designed to help Native Americans.
Robert Roche, 71, pleaded guilty two counts of theft from programs receiving federal funds. He is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 29.
“This defendant stole from taxpayers and betrayed the Native American families he purported to help,” U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said. “He took tens of thousands of dollars designated for mental health and wellness programs and put the money in his own pockets.”
“Mr. Roche stole federal grant funds that were intended to assist tribal and urban American Indian communities with the tools and resources needed to plan and design coordinated systems of care to support mental health and wellness for children, youth and families,” said Lamont Pugh III, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General - Chicago Region. “Mr. Roche's actions deprived needy families of precious resources and squandered vital taxpayer dollars. The OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate and seek prosecution of individuals who seek to defraud HHS programs.”
Roche served as executive director of the American Indian Education Center (AIEC), a Parma-based nonprofit established in 1995 to support Native American causes in Northeast Ohio, according to court documents.
Craig McGuire operated McGuire & Associates LLC, a company that wrote grant applications and provided evaluation services. Roche entered into an agreement with McGuire & Associates in April 2011 to draft grant proposals on behalf of the AIEC. Later that year, McGuire submitted an application on behalf of the AIEC to receive a Circle of Care grant, offered through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The grant was designed to provide Native American communities with the tools and resources to design programs to support mental health and wellness for children and families, according to court documents.
The AIEC’s application contained numerous false statements including: misrepresenting the date the AIEC was established; falsely claiming the AIEC had a wellness department and a “Positive Paths” afterschool program serving 500 children when no such department or program existed; fraudulently listing people the AIEC allegedly employed and mischaracterizing the description of the AIEC’s building and alleged physical amenities, according to court documents.
SAMHSA awarded the AIEC a Circle of Care grant on Sept. 1, 2012 of approximately $302,340 for FY 2012. On June 26, 2012, SAMHSA awarded the second year of a Circle of Care grant in the amount of $308,040 for FY 2013, according to court documents.
The AIEC received approximately $482,766 from SAMHSA from 2011 through 2013. The AIEC did not receive full funding because SAMHSA placed it in “high risk” status, according to court documents.
Roche paid himself through AIEC on several occasions as a project coordinator for the Circle of Care project. Roche was not identified as the project coordinator on the grant application and such payments were precluded by regulation, according to court documents.
Roche converted approximately $77,097 of that money for his own personal use, according to court documents.
McGuire pleaded guilty to theft and is awaiting sentencing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert J. Patton and Alejandro A. Abreu following an investigation by the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General.
Wooster men sentenced to prison for selling heroin that contributed to woman's deathRead the Press Release
Two Wooster men were sentenced to prison for distributing heroin that contributed to the fatal overdose of a Wayne County woman.
Jamie Curtis, 37, was sentenced to seven years in prison. Theodore Alleman, 28, was sentenced to four years in prison. Both previously pleaded guilty to distribution of heroin. Curtis also pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Curtis sold heroin and cocaine to Alleman from June 2016 through January 2017, according to court documents.
Alleman, on Nov. 12, 2016, contacted a Wayne County woman identified in court documents as H.C. H.C. was 21 years old and a recovering drug addict. Alleman repeatedly attempted to persuade H.C. to inject heroin with him, but she refused, according to court documents.
Alleman purchased drinks for H.C. throughout the evening at a local pub and continued to ask her to inject heroin with him. In the early morning hours of Nov. 13, H.C. agreed. Alleman went to an ATM to get money and texted Curtis “I need a g” (gram of heroin), according to court documents.
A friend identified in the indictment as G.C. fought with Alleman and H.C. about getting heroin. C.G. was forcefully removed from the vehicle. Alleman and H.C. met with Curtis and purchased heroin and cocaine, according to court documents.
On Nov. 13, Alleman prepared a mixture of heroin and cocaine that he and H.C. injected. H.C. then overdosed and died, according to court documents.
“This case demonstrates the terrible toll taken on our community by this epidemic,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “We will continue to prosecute dealers who profit from pain caused to families while trying to get help for those who are ready to change their lives.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. Plancon said: “Today, our justice system was at its best. The successful investigation and prosecution of individuals who pollute our neighborhoods with deadly drugs is a victory for the Wooster community. The DEA will continue to target the most heinous drug traffickers in efforts remove them from the streets of America.”
“The continued collaborative efforts of the Medway Drug Task Force and the Cleveland DEA to investigate these opiate overdoses, truly sends a message to our community that people will be held accountable,” said MEDWAY Director Don Hall.
This case is prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa Riley following an investigation by the DEA, ATF, MEDWAY Drug Enforcement Agency, Wooster Police Department, Wayne County Sheriff's Office, Wayne County Coroner's Office and Ohio BCI.
Akron man sentenced to life in prison for role in methamphetamine conspiracyRead the Press Release
An Akron man was sentenced to life in prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute more than a kilogram of methamphetamine.
Damar Ruffin, 34, was convicted by a jury earlier this year.
Ruffin in flew from Cleveland to Reno, Nevada, where he rented a vehicle and drove to Sacramento, California. Ruffin and others packaged five bags containing a total of approximately 2,211 grams of methamphetamine in two plastic cylinders on Nov. 4, 2015. Ruffin then drove from California to Nevada, then flew back to Cleveland, according to court documents and trial testimony.
Ruffin was present on Nov. 13, 2015, at 665 W. Exchange Street in Akron, when the contents of the parcel with the methamphetamine was delivered to that location, according to court documents and trial testimony.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Akron Police Department and the FBI. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Henry F. DeBaggis and Alex Abreu.
Toledo pastor Kenneth Butler pleads guilty to sex trafficking of minorsRead the Press Release
A Toledo pastor is likely to spend 17 ½ years in prison after pleading guilty to sex trafficking of minors.
Kenneth Butler, 38, pleaded guilty Monday to one count of conspiracy to sex traffic children, two counts of sex trafficking of children and one count of obstruction of a sex trafficking investigation.
Butler is scheduled to be sentenced in September. Under the terms of his plea agreement, both sides will ask for a sentence of 210 months in prison.
“This defendant has admitted to crimes that include preying on a foster child who was previously the victim of sexual abuse, and he committed these crimes in a house of worship,” U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said. “Butler may hold himself out to the community as a pastor, but in the eyes of the law he is a criminal who pays money to sexually assault children.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony said: “The FBI is pleased that Kenneth Butler has acknowledged the criminal behavior he inflicted on a vulnerable minor. The FBI will continue efforts to identify and prosecute those that coerce and exploit our youth through sex trafficking.”
Two other pastors – Anthony Haynes and Cordell Jenkins – have been indicted for their roles in the sex trafficking conspiracy and are awaiting trial. Laura Lloyd Jenkins has been indicted for obstructing the investigation and is also awaiting trial.
According to Butler’s plea agreement:
Butler did knowingly recruit, entice, harbor, transport, provide, obtain, maintain, patronize, or solicit, by any means, Juvenile #1 and #2, knowing that such juveniles had not attained the age of 18 years and would be caused to engage in a commercial sex act. This took place between 2015 and March 2017.
Butler was a pastor of a church in Detroit from 2007 through 2012. Shortly after his church closed in 2013, Butler started attending church at the Greater Life Christian Center in Toledo. Anthony Haynes was the lead pastor of the church. Haynes and Butler quickly became friends and started spending time together at the church and elsewhere.
In 2014, Haynes told Butler Juvenile #1 moved into his home. Haynes informed Butler that Juvenile #1 was sexually abused when she was younger by her family members, and at least one of the family members was convicted of a crime for the conduct.
In late 2015, Haynes picked up Butler with Juvenile #1 already in the car. The three of them went to the Greater Life Christian Center to Haynes’s office. Juvenile #1 began to undress. Haynes looked at Butler and stated, “You owe me” and laughed.
Haynes and Butler performed oral sex on Juvenile #1 and then took turns having unprotected vaginal intercourse. While Butler was penetrating Juvenile #1, Juvenile #1 was performing oral sex on Haynes. Butler knew Juvenile #1 was under the age of 18 years. The next day, Haynes and Butler discussed the encounter and how it was fun.
In 2016, Haynes closed Greater Life Christian Center and opened a new church named University Bible Fellowship in Toledo. Shortly after this church opened, Haynes called Bulter and told him to meet Juvenile #1 and him at University Bible Fellowship. When Butler arrived, it was apparent they were going to have another threesome.
However, Haynes instructed Butler to give Juvenile #1 a ride to her job interview first. He drove Juvenile #1 to the interview and brought her back to the church. Once back at the church, Juvenile #1 performed oral sex on Haynes and Butler, and they took turns having unprotected vaginal intercourse with her.
After this encounter, Haynes told Butler that Cordell Jenkins also was having sex with Juvenile #1. Butler knew Jenkins as another pastor in the Toledo area. Butler went to Jenkins’s church on a few occasions when Haynes was a guest preacher. Likewise, Jenkins was a guest preacher at Haynes’s church.
Approximately one month later, Butler picked up Juvenile #1 from school and drove to a secluded area, where Butler had unprotected vaginal intercourse with her in the car.
Butler rented a motel room in Toledo a few weeks later. Juvenile #1 stated that Haynes was supposed to meet them, but he never showed up. Butler had unprotected vaginal intercourse with Juvenile #1.
Butler went to Juvenile #1’s residence in early 2017. On the way, he called and spoke with Haynes. Juvenile #1 asked for $30 for her hair, in which Butler replied, “You better be nice and naked.”
Butler had unprotected vaginal intercourse with Juvenile #1 at her residence. After the sex, he gave her $30.
In March 2017, Haynes informed Butler that there was a federal investigation into their conduct. Butler deleted text messages on his cellular telephone regarding his conversations with Juvenile #1.
Butler also had sex with another minor, Juvenile #2, who attend church at Greater Life Christian Center. The two met at the church in 2016. Shortly after meeting, Butler started his own church in the Detroit area.
Butler routinely took Juvenile #2 with him to his church in Michigan. Juvenile #2 watched Bulter’s children during the church service. In 2017, while driving back from his Detroit church, Butler pulled off the road and had vaginal intercourse with Juvenile #2. Butler knew Juvenile #2 had not attained the age of 18 years. Butler routinely provided Juvenile #2 rides to various places in the Toledo area, and on at least one occasion, gave her $20.
On October 4, 2017, Juvenile #2 called Butler. During the call, Butler told Juvenile #2 to lie to federal authorities when asked about their sex, according to court documents.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Freeman and Alissa Sterling following an investigation by the FBI’s Northwest Ohio Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force. The Task Force is comprised of members of the FBI, Toledo Police Department, Perrysburg Township Police Department, Lima Police Department, Oregon Police Department, Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Lucas County Sheriff’s Office.
Canadian man arrested at park in Rocky River sentenced to more than 15 years in prison for sexual exploitation of a childRead the Press Release
A Canadian man arrested last summer at a park in Rocky River was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison for production of child pornography.
Joseph B. Haggerty, 50, was sentenced to 182 months in prison. He previously pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents in Texas received a tip last August that Haggerty had been soliciting nude images from a 13-year-old. Haggerty flew Cleveland from Toronto. HSI agents in Cleveland followed him upon his arrival in Ohio to Linden Park in Rocky River, where he met another minor female, according to court documents.
Haggerty had a reservation at the Days Inn on Lake Avenue in Lakewood. He was carrying a bag with clothing, 12 condoms, a stuffed animal and a package of baby pacifiers, according to court documents.
The minor he met in Rocky River told agents she met Haggerty on Kik in December 2016 and they subsequently communicated via Skype. She said the calls would last hours and Haggerty would direct her to strip naked and engage in sexually explicit conduct, according to court documents.
The girl told her relatives she was going on a camping trip for the weekend but actually planned to go the Lakewood hotel with Haggerty, according to court documents.
HSI agents contacted the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s Internet Child Exploitation Unit, which executed search warrants at Haggerty’s home. They found nude images of the Ohio minor, contact information for the child in Texas, as well as evidence of other potential victims.
“This defendant preyed on young girls, emotionally and verbally abusing them and coercing them into sending nude images of themselves,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “This case is a stark reminder to parents and guardians that they need to know who their children are communicating with online.”
“Through our partnerships with state, local, federal and international law enforcement agencies, HSI will continue to vigorously investigate child exploitation cases like this one to ensure that special agents continue to serve as a powerful barrier between predators and children," said Steve Francis, Special Agent in Charge of HSI’s Detroit Office, which includes Ohio.
This case was investigated by HSI’s Cleveland and Austin offices, with assistance from the Rocky River Police Department and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Sullivan.
Warren man sentenced for theft of government fundsRead the Press Release
A Warren man was sentenced to six months of house arrested and ordered to repay $82,428 to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
Dean Nikolaides, 64, was also fined $5,000 and placed on probation for three year. He previously pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government funds.
Nikolaides fraudulently received $82,428 in benefits over 14 years from the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation to which he knew he was not entitled. The PBGC is a federal agency that protects the retirement incomes of American workers in private-sector defined benefit pension plans, according to court documents.
Special Agents Adelle Harris and Conrad Quarles from the PBGC conducted the investigation, with assistance from the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Payum Doroodian prosecuted the case.
Mail carrier from Broadview Heights locked up for three months for stealing packages containing marijuanaRead the Press Release
A mail carrier from Broadview Heights was sentenced to three months of incarceration for stealing packages containing marijuana.
Thomas N. Schaefer, 44, previously pleaded guilty to one count of theft of mail.
Schaefer was assigned to the Newburg Post Office, zip code 44127 in Cleveland, when he stole two parcels in 2017 which contained more than 10 pounds of marijuana, according to court documents.
On March 22, 2017, Schaefer took a parcel addressed to a house on Dolloff Road in Cleveland. He suspected it contained marijuana. He opened it and found four vacuum-sealed one-pound bags of marijuana, according to court documents.
Schaefer took a parcel addressed to an address on Melgrove Avenue in Garfield Heights on Aug. 4 and kept it for himself. The parcel contained 6.7 pounds of marijuana, according to court documents.
U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General Special Agent in Charge Kenneth Cleevely, Eastern Area Field Office, said: “The jail sentence in this case should send a message to those postal employees who decide to go into the drug dealing business for themselves by stealing drug parcels from the mail. When they are caught by Special Agents with the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General and Postal Inspectors, they lose their career, benefits, retirement, and, in this case, their freedom. They also put their fellow employees at risk. This investigation was initiated when Schaefer’s supervisor was assaulted by drug dealers looking for a drug parcel Schaefer may very well have stolen. Postal employees should be advised that USPS OIG special agents make these types of investigations a top priority. To report criminal activity or serious misconduct committed by postal employees, contact USPS OIG special agents at www.uspsoig.gov or 888-USPS-OIG.”
Assistant United States Attorney Elliot Morrison prosecuted the case following an investigation by the United States Postal Service Office of the Inspector General and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
Cleveland man sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for selling fentanyl and heroin that caused death of Cleveland Heights manRead the Press Release
A Cleveland man was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for selling a mixture of fentanyl and heroin that resulted in the death of a Cleveland Heights man.
Michael Cleveland, 35, was sentenced 135 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to distribution of fentanyl and heroin resulting in death.
Cleveland sold a mixture of fentanyl and heroin to a 46-year-old Cleveland Heights man that resulted in that man’s overdose death on Aug. 3, 2016, according to court documents.
“This defendant sold drugs that directly resulted in a death,” Herdman said. “We will continue to seek long prison sentences for drug dealers who kill and injure our friends and neighbors.”
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Cleveland Heights Police Department and the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa T. Darden.
Akron man arrested and charged for launching denial of service attacks that shut down web sites for city of Akron and Akron Police DepartmentRead the Press Release
An Akron man was arrested this morning and charged in federal court for launching denial of service attacks that shut down web sites for the city of Akron and the Akron Police Department.
James Robinson, 32, was charged with one count of knowingly causing the transmission of a program, information, code and command, and as a result of such conduct, intentionally causing damage to a protected computer.
According to an affidavit filed in the case:
Servers hosting web sites belonging to the city of Akron were victims of an active distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack on Aug. 1, 2017. Two website domains appeared to be the target of the attacks: akronohio.gov and akroncops.org.
The DDoS attack ultimately overwhelmed the web sites with network traffic and rendered them unavailable to users.
A tweet that same day from @AkronPhoenix420 took credit for targeting the Akron web sites, including a link to a youtube video and a screenshot showing akronohio.gov was not accessible. The tweet included hashtags #Anonymous and #TangoDown.
The video showed a static image of an individual in a Guy Fawkes mask making statements including “it’s time we teach the law a lesson,” “Akron PD abuses the law” and “this week the city of Akron experienced system failures on multiple domains including their emergency TCP ports.”
The subsequent investigation identified attacks coming from an Internet connection registered to James Robinson and that Robinson’s phone was associated with the Twitter account @AkronPhoenix420.
@AkronPhoenix420 also claimed credit for many other DDoS attacks including many in 2018 that bore similar characteristics to the Akron attacks. Targets of those attacks web site domains and servers hosted by the Ohio Department of Public Safety, the National Institutes of Health, the Defense Information Security Agency, the Department of Defense, the Department of Treasury and others. Multiple DDoS attacks have been claimed by AkronPhoenix420, including many in 2018.
Law enforcement authorities on May 9 got a search warrant for Robinson’s house on Edison Avenue in Akron. Agents located a Guy Fawkes mask and a cell phone with a cracked screen similar to a phone seen in tweets by @AkronPhoenix420. Robinson stated he was responsible for the DDoS attacks against the Department of Defense, city of Akron and others, according to the affidavit.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Defense Criminal Investigative Services, Akron Police Department, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Treasury. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Om Kakani and Daniel J. Riedl.
“As evidenced by this individual living in Akron, Ohio, cyber attackers can be anywhere and reach anyone via a computer,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony. “It is imperative that law enforcement and the public join forces to protect ourselves, our institutions, and our businesses. Working together, we must continue to combat and thwart these cyber criminals.”
“This defendant illegally shut down government web sites to serve his own agenda,” U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said. "We will work with our partners in the private and public sector to help strengthen their cyber defense systems and prosecute those who launch attacks against our community, regardless of their motivation.”
“This arrest underscores DCIS resolve and the ongoing joint efforts among international law enforcement to stop cyber criminals. DCIS Special Agents will use every tool at their disposal to hunt down and bring to justice those that attack and endanger the Department of Defense," said Jeffery Thorpe, Special Agent in Charge, Cyber Field Office, Defense Criminal Investigative Service.
“Convenient access to city services and information is essential to the proper functioning of local government,” Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan said. “We take any attacks or attempted attacks on our web site seriously, and will continue to do all we can to ensure the perpetrator of this malicious incident is brought to justice.”
Akron Police Chief Kenneth Ball said: “The Akron Police Department is very appreciative for the partnerships that were involved in this case. This shows a strong positive resolution by all the public and private partners. Hopefully this sends a strong message to any others that may think they can bully law enforcement.”
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
A charge is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial, in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Richmond Heights man sentenced to 15 years in prison for receiving four pounds of methamphetamine and Postal Service letter carrier sentenced to eight years in prison for diverting and delivering packages of drugsRead the Press Release
A Richmond Heights man was sentenced to 15 years in prison for receiving more than four pounds of methamphetamine from California, and a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier was sentenced to more than eight years in prison for diverting packages of drugs and delivering them to him.
Devon Williams, 24, of Richmond Heights, was sentenced to 180 months in prison. Marquacia Deshawn Morris, 27, of Woodmere, was sentenced to 97 months in prison. Kevin Williams, 24, of Richmond Heights and Devon Williams’ twin brother, was sentenced to 72 months in prison.
Devon Williams and Morris previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than two kilograms of methamphetamine. Kevin Williams pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin.
A package containing more than a kilogram of methamphetamine was mailed from California to Beachwood on Sept. 7, 2017. Four days later, Morris, a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier, accepted the package and began her daily assigned mail route, according to court documents.
She traveled to Beachwood on Sept. 11, where she met Devon Williams. He accepted the package and transported it to 440 Richmond Park East in Richmond Heights, according to court documents.
Investigators believe the methamphetamine was supplied by a Mexican drug cartel. Morris abused her position with the Postal Service to divert and deliver approximately 15 packages for the drug traffickers, according to court documents and statements.
“We increasingly see drug traffickers attempting to utilize whatever transportation method they can to get their drugs into the country, including the mail and private carriers,” U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said. “The Postal Service’s investigators and all in law enforcement are working to stop the flow of drugs before they reach our streets.”
U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General Special Agent in Charge Kenneth Cleevely, Eastern Area Field Office, said: “Postal employees are paid to deliver mail, not drugs. The vast majority of the Postal Service's 600,000 employees are hard-working, trustworthy individuals. Unfortunately, a few of them decide to engage in criminal conduct, as in this case. When postal employees decide to risk their job, benefits, retirement, and freedom to get involved with drug trafficking, Special Agents of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General will work with Postal Inspectors and the U.S. Attorney's Office to put them all in federal prison. To report criminal activity or serious misconduct by postal employees, contact USPS OIG special agents at www.uspsoig.gov or 888-USPS-OIG.”
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the Willoughby Hills Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Seabury Gould.
Two Cleveland men charged for brandishing firearms while robbing MetroPCS stores and shooting at an off-duty Cleveland police officerRead the Press Release
Two Cleveland men were charged in federal court for brandishing firearms while robbing four MetroPCS stores and shooting at an off-duty Cleveland police officer.
Shawn Ford, 19, and Charles Rogers, 23, were each charged with Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing firearms during a crime of violence. The investigation is ongoing.
Ford and Rogers are accused of robbing the MetroPCS story at 10959 Kinsman Road on March 21, at 11100 Lorain Ave. on March 25, at 14701 Kinsman Road on March 27 and at 5853 Broadway Ave., also on March 25.
Ford and Rogers fled from the store on Broadway after taking more than $1,000 from the register. An off-duty Cleveland police officer, who was a customer in the store, followed them out of the store. He identified himself as a police officer and ordered them to stop. One of the suspects began shooting at the officer and 15 spent 9 mm shell casings were recovered nearby, according to court documents.
About 30 minutes later, an officer saw a vehicle that matched the description of the car the suspects got into after shooting at the officer. The car was pulled over with Ford and Rogers inside. Inside the car was a spent 9 mm round, blue latex gloves and clothing that matched clothing worn by suspects in other MetroPCS robberies, according to court documents.
Rogers was wearing an electronic monitoring device with GPS capabilities on March 21, the date of the first MetroPCS robbery. The GPS placed Rogers one-tenth of a mile from the Kinsman Road store a few minutes before the robbery. Sometime later the GPS device was tampered with or taken off Rogers, according to court documents.
This case was investigated by the Cleveland Division of Police and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Ohio Adult Parole Authority and the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Crime Strategies Unit. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly L. Galvin.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
A charge is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial, in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lorain man and federal prison inmate convicted for conspiracy to commit murder for hire and to distribute cocaineRead the Press Release
A Lorain man and an inmate at a federal prison in New Jersey were convicted by a jury for their conspiracy to commit murder for hire and to distribute cocaine.
Eduardo Rios Velasquez, 37, of Lorain, and Angel Cordero, 37, an inmate at Fort Dix Federal Correctional Institution, are scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 18. They were both convicted on one count of conspiracy to commit murder for hire and one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
Velasquez and Cordero had previously been incarcerated together. Cordero was in contact with Velasquez in the summer of 2017 through a contraband cellular phone that had been smuggled into Fort Dix, according to court documents and trial testimony.
Cordero put Velasquez in contact with another inmate. Velasquez offered to pay the other inmate money if he could provide Velasquez with the address for a woman identified in court documents as T.G. Cordero told the inmate that Velasquez had been hired to kill T.G, according to court documents.
Additionally, another person supplied Velasquez with large shipments of cocaine, with Cordero serving as the broker in the deals. Federal law enforcement authorities intercepted a kilogram of cocaine in July that was being shipped to Velasquez, according to court documents and trial testimony.
“This case was an outstanding effort by investigators and prosecutors from multiple states and jurisdictions who came together to avert a tragedy,” U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said.
“This case shows that no one is out of reach from being charged and prosecuted when a crime is committed. Even when serving a sentence, Cordero continued his criminal activity with little regard of the consequences,” said Angel M. Melendez, special agent in charge of HSI New York. “Now he and Valasquez were found guilty of their actions and will now face whatever sentence issued because of their reprehensible actions.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge James Hunt stated: “It is not uncommon for our investigations to unveil drug-related murders; but this significant murder-for-hire plot paved a twisted path from New York City to Lorain, Ohio. Law enforcement collaboration helped prevent another murder from occurring. I commend the dedicated and talented team of agents, detectives, investigators and prosecutors who worked on this investigation.”
“The FBI is pleased with the jury's verdict. Velasquez will spend significant time behind bars for his ruthless willingness to kill someone for money,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony. “The FBI Cleveland Division commends the collaboration between the law enforcement agencies involved in disrupting and prosecuting this murder for hire.”
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian McDonough, Brad Beeson and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Hiral Mehta following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s New York office, the DEA’s New York Drug Enforcement Task Force – which is comprised of agents, detectives and investigators of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, New York City Police Department and the New York State Police -- and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cleveland office, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
Jury convicts two Cleveland men for armed robberies of Dollar Tree stores in ClevelandRead the Press Release
A jury convicted two Cleveland men for their roles in armed robberies of Dollar Tree stores in Cleveland in May and June 2016.
Williams Holmes, 22, and Demon Carter, 25, are scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 15.
Holmes was convicted of brandishing a firearm during robberies of the Dollar Tree store at 12900 Miles Road on June 4 and at 2892 East 116th Street on June 19, as well as robbing the Miles Road store on May 14.
Carter was convicted of violating the Hobbs Act by robbing the stores with Holmes on the May 14 and June 4. Carter is a former Dollar Tree employee.
Holmes entered the Miles Road store on the evening of June 4, 2016, held a handgun to an employee’s head and told the employee to disarm the alarm. Holmes took approximately $1,500 from the store, according to court documents and trial testimony
One day after that robbery, Holmes posted a photo of himself on Facebook holding a stack of money in one hand and a handgun in the other. The next day he posted a photograph of several stacks of money, a black pistol and candy laying on a table. Holmes captioned the photo: “Money guns n snacks is life,” according to court documents and trial testimony.
U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said: “People who use firearms to rob others who are shopping or working belong in prison. We will continue to target these violent predators and work together to make our community a safer place to live, work and play.
“ATF and CPD are laser-focused on removing violent criminals from the streets of Cleveland,” said Trevor Velinor, ATF’s Special Agent in Charge for the Columbus Field Division. “These individuals used firearms to threaten innocent employees and steal from people who worked long hours. ATF, CPD, and all of our law enforcement partners are united in sending a clear message that our community is tired of firearms violence.”
Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams said: “Once again, a partnered effort between local and federal law enforcement and the federal justice system has resulted in the successful conviction of violent offenders. It is my hope that this sets an example for other young people in our communities considering committing offenses like these, as there are severe consequences for these actions.”
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carol M. Skutnik and Megan Miller following an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Cleveland Division of Police.
Ohioans turn in more than 20 tons of unused medication during Drug Take Back DayRead the Press Release
Ohio saw a 13 percent increase in medication collected during Drug Take Back Day last month.
Appoximately 40,509 pounds of unused, unwanted or expired prescription pills were turned in in Ohio on April 28. That’s an increase from 35,797 pounds collected last fall.
Americans nationwide did their part to drop off a record number of unused, unwanted or expired prescription medications during the DEA’s 15th event National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, at close to 6,000 sites across the country. Together with a record-setting amount of local, state and federal partners, DEA collected and destroyed close to one million pounds—nearly 475 tons—of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs, making it the most successful event in DEA history.
This brings the total amount of prescription drugs collected by DEA since the fall of 2010 to 9,964,714 pounds, or 4,982 tons.
“National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is a day for every American, in every community across the country, to come together and do his or her part to fight the opioid crisis – simply by disposing of unwanted prescription medications from their medicine cabinets,” said DEA Acting Administrator Robert W. Patterson. “This event – our 15th – brings us together with local, state and federal partners to fight the abuse of prescription drugs that is fueling the nation’s opioid epidemic.”
“We know of many cases where leftover pain pills have led to an opioid addiction,” U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio Justin Herdman said. “Properly disposing of these pills is one important step anyone can take to get involved in turning the tide on the opioid epidemic that has caused so much pain here in Ohio.”
Now in its 9th year, National Prescription Drug Take Back Day events continue to remove ever-higher amounts of opioids and other medicines from the nation’s homes, where they could be stolen and abused by family members and visitors, including children and teens.
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.
DEA launched its prescription drug take back program when both the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration advised the public that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—posed potential safety and health hazards.
Helping people to dispose of potentially harmful prescription drugs is just one way DEA is working to reduce the addiction and overdose deaths plaguing this country due to opioid medications.
Complete results for DEA’s fall Take Back Day are available at www.deatakeback.com. DEA’s next Prescription Drug Take Back Day is October 27, 2018.
Lorain man faces at least 20 years in prison after jury convicts him of selling fentanyl that killed a 23-year-old Lorain manRead the Press Release
A Lorain man faces at least 20 years in prison after a jury convicted him of selling fentanyl that killed a 23-year-old Lorain man in 2016.
Russell Davis, 51, is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 29. The jury convicted him on one count of distribution of fentanyl that resulted in death.
Davis sold fentanyl to Jacob Castro-White that resulted in Castro-White fatally overdosing on March 7, 2016, according to trial testimony and court records.
“Aggressively prosecuting people who profit from selling the drugs killing our friends and neighbors is a crucial component to overcoming the opioid epidemic,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “The Lorain Police Department, FBI, the Lorain County Prosecutor's Office are all to be commended for their diligence in this case.”
“It is almost a daily occurrence to hear of a death due to heroin or fentanyl,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony. “Law enforcement will continue to work collaboratively to hold accountable those that bring this poison and destruction to our communities.”
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Corts and Vasile Katsaros following an investigation by the FBI and Lorain Police Department, with assistance from the Lorain County Prosecutor's Office.
Three from Summit County indicted for having 1,500 pills of fentanyl stamped to look like OxycodoneRead the Press Release
Three people from Summit County were indicted in federal court after they were arrested with 1,500 pills stamped to look like Oxycodone but which were actually pills of fentanyl.
Gerald Bowerman, 36, of Cuyahoga Falls, Emmett Nelson, 34, of Akron, and Cortney Williams, 22, of Cuyahoga Falls, were each indicted on one count conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
“This case is another stark reminder that drugs bought on the street don’t come with a verified list of ingredients and people have no idea what they are putting into their body,” U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said. “Those who make the mistake of trying these drugs can be making the last mistake of their lives. These arrests helped save at least 1,500 lives.”
Akron Police Chief Kenneth Ball said: “The battle against the opioid crisis takes many shapes and impacts a widely diverse group. In this instance, criminal predators were willing to put so many at great risk by poisoning prescription drugs with fentanyl. Communities and families continue to suffer significantly because of acts like this. Fortunately law enforcement continues to work together to hold these despicable lawbreakers accountable.”
Bowerman, Nelson and Williams on April 17 traveled from 789 Upson Street in Akron to a residence at 1523 S. Chapel Street in Louisville, then back to the Akron residence. Bowerman carried a package with him as he entered the Akron home, according to court documents.
All three were detained later that day. Williams possessed 260 pills stamped as Oxycodone 30 milligrams, as well as a drug ledger that contained the amounts of pills Williams was selling and delivering. Agents and officers found approximately 1,000 pills on the kitchen counter next to an empty U.S. Postal package, according to court documents.
Nelson stated the package they picked up in Louisville was supposed to contain 1,500 pills and he was in the process of counting the pills when law enforcement entered the home, according to court documents.
While the pills were stamped as Oxycodone, a subsequent test revealed the pills were made up of fentanyl and cutting agents.
The defendants are scheduled to appear in court later this week.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Summit County Drug Unit and Akron Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vasile Katsaros and Patrick Burke.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial, in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Portage County man sentenced to 33 years in prison for videotaping children using the restroom and having multiple videos of children being raped and sexually assaultedRead the Press Release
A Portage County man was sentenced to more than 33 years in prison for videotaping children using the restroom and for having multiple videos of children being raped and sexually assaulted.
Thomas D. Brown, 41, was sentenced to 405 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child, one count of distributing child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
“These are cases with real victims, children whose lives will be forever changed because adults assaulted and violated them,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “We will continue to work to prosecute those who re-victimize these children by sharing and downloading these images.”
Brown secretly videotaped acquaintances using the restroom in apartments where he lived. This took place from Jan. 1, 2014, through Dec. 31, 2015, and again from June 1, 2016, through May 22, 2017, according to court documents.
Brown knowingly received and distributed numerous computer files of toddlers and young children being sexually abused. Brown possessed a computer, a Lexar flash drive and an SD card in May 2017, each of which contained child pornography, according to court documents.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael A. Sullivan. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Canton Police Department.
Former attorney indicted for failing to report nearly $400,000 he used to pay personal expensesRead the Press Release
A former attorney from Hiram was indicted for failing to report nearly $400,000 that he used to pay personal expenses.
Robert J. Andrews, Jr., 75, was indicted on two counts of making and filing false tax returns.
Andrews opened several bank accounts in the names of businesses he controlled or was involved with, including Ace Demo, Gem Collar LLC, Rocky Mountain Logging Company LLC and Falcon LLC, according to the indictment.
Andrews diverted money from corporate accounts for his own personal benefit and failed to report those transfers of money – which he used for personal expenses -- as income. Andrews failed to report approximately $396,617 as taxable income in 2012 and 2013, according to the indictment.
"Robert Andrews, Jr., a once trusted attorney, is now facing criminal tax charges for failing to report more than $396,000 of income on his tax returns,” said Ryan L. Korner, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert J. Patton.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial, in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney's Office and Trumbull County Prosecutor's Office jointly designate prosecutors to work drug trafficking cases togetherRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman and Trumbull County Prosecuting Attorney Dennis Watkins have cross-designated members of their respective offices to work together prosecuting drug trafficking cases, including those involving fatal overdoses.
Trumbull County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Gina Buccino-Arnaut was sworn in as a Special Assistant United State Attorney and Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer was sworn in as a Trumbull County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney.
The cross designation will allow both offices to better share information and work on each other’s cases, allowing for more effective and efficient prosecutions of drug traffickers.
Herdman has made combating opioids and other drugs in Trumbull County a priority, providing additional resources to help analyze drug trafficking patterns in the region. The office can also seek additional penalties in federal court in cases where it can prove the sale of a specific drug resulted in the death of another person.
“This continuing partnership will allow our offices to work together to help make Trumbull County safer,” Herdman said. “We look forward to continuing to work with all our law enforcement partners in the region.”
Toledo man and man from Texas indicted for cocaine conspiracy; additional firearms charges also filedRead the Press Release
A Toledo man and a man from Texas were each indicted for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute at least 11 pounds of cocaine.
John Anthony Rivas, 31, of Mission, Texas, and Charles Warren Tobias, 33, of Toledo, were each charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute at least five kilograms of cocaine. Rivas faces additional federal firearms charges, including use of a firearm in relation to drug trafficking, being a felon in possession of firearms and possession of an unregistered short-barreled shotgun.
Rivas and Tobias conspired to distribute the drugs between 2016 and April 2018, according to the indictment.
Rivas on April 4 had a Savage Arms 12-gauge sawed-off shotgun and a Hermann Weihrauch .357-caliber revolver that he used in relation to the cocaine conspiracy. Rivas was prohibited from having firearms because of several prior convictions, according to the indictment
If convicted, the defendants' sentences will be be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendants' prior criminal record, if any, the defendants' role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The investigating agency in this case are the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas P. Weldon.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The burden of proof is always on the government to prove a defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Maple Heights man indicted for robbing Cleveland bank one day after getting out of prison for robbing the same bankRead the Press Release
A Maple Heights man was indicted for robbing a Cleveland bank day one day after being released from prison for previously robbing the same bank, said U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman and FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony.
Markiko Sonnie Lewis, 40, was indicted on one count of bank robbery. Lewis robbed the Key Bank at 15000 St. Clair Ave. on April 12. Lewis robbed the bank of approximately $1,044, according to the indictment.
Court records indicate Lewis was released from prison the day before the robbery. Lewis was incarcerated for previously robbing the same bank, according to court records.
Assistant United States Attorney Brian S. Deckert is prosecuting the case following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Cleveland Police Department.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial, in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Former comptroller of Toledo company indicted for embezzling nearly $500,000 from his employerRead the Press Release
The former comptroller of a Toledo company was indicted embezzling nearly $500,000 from his employer, U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said.
Thomas Paul Mangotic, 30, Whitehouse, was indicted on one count of wire fraud.
Mangotic worked for Richland Industries d/b/a Tools Unlimited in Toledo from 2013 through 2016. Magnotic served as accounts payable manager and then, in 2015, he became Richland’s comptroller, overseeing the company’s financial accounts, according to the indictment.
Mangotic in 2014 began defrauding the company, embezzling fund through a variety of ways, including overpaying his own salary without authorization to do so, using company checking accounts to pay his own personal credit card accounts (including more than $150,000 for his personal American Express bills), and using company credit cards to pay his own personal expenses, including high-end clothing and payments to Microsoft Xbox Live and Apple iTunes, according to the indictment.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The investigating agency in this case is the United States Secret Service. The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gene Crawford and Jody L. King.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Bedford man sentenced to more than six years in prison for bank fraud and identity theftRead the Press Release
A Bedford man was sentenced to more than six years in prison for defrauding banks by creating counterfeit checks.
Jasaun R. Mattice, 35, was sentenced to 79 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent. Mattice pleaded guilty earlier this year to 44 counts, including conspiracy to commit bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, bank fraud and other crimes.
Mattice defrauded several banks out of more than $40,000 by obtaining check routing numbers from various businesses and individual bank accounts without their permission. He used this information to create fraudulent or counterfeit checks, which he made payable to himself or to businesses he controlled.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Baeppler and James Lewis following an investigation by FBI.
Youngstown man indicted for taking still images of himself sexually assaulting a childRead the Press Release
A Youngstown man was indicted in federal court that he took still images of himself sexually assaulting a young girl, said U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman and FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony.
Daniel B. Fleischer, 36, was charged with sexual exploitation of children, receipt and distribution of visual depictions of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and possession of child pornography.
Fleischer sexually assaulted a minor in June 2011 and produced a visual depiction of the act, according to the indictment.
Fleischer also received and distributed multiple images of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. This took place between Dec. 18, 2017 and March 27, 2018, on which date Fleischer possessed one Samsung Galaxy S8 phone, one SanDisk Cruzer thumb drive and one SanDisk Ultra USB thumb drive that contained child pornorgraphy, according to the indictment.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant's role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The case was investigated by Task Force Officer Brenda Golec of the FBI Task Force. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Two Mexican citizens indicted for re-entering the United States after multiple deportationsRead the Press Release
Two Mexican citizens previously deported multiple times were charged with illegally reentering the United States.
Ricardo Veloz-Alonzo, 34, was found in Painesville after having previously been deported three times, according to the indictment.
Flor Martinez-Gonzalez, 45, was found in Toledo after having previously been deported four times, according to the indictment.
The cases were investigated by the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security. They are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn G. Andrachik (Alonzo) and Tracey Ballard Tangeman (Gonzales).
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial, in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Three men indicted for federal firearms crimesRead the Press Release
Three men were indicted on for federal firearms violations, U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said.
Indicted are: Jeremy Pleasant, 35, of Massillon; Zachary Eversole, 39, of Ravenna and Terrance Craig, 27, of Youngstown. All three are charged with being felons in possession of firearms. Their cases are not otherwise related.
Pleasant possessed a Ruger 9 mm handgun on March 24, despite two previous convictions for felonious assault with a firearm. Pleasant was found with the firearm in his pants pocket after attempted to run for
Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers after a traffic stop, according to court documents.
Eversole possessed a Walther .22-caliber pistol on Feb. 22, despite prior convictions for conspiracy to traffic cocaine and cocaine trafficking, according to the indictment.
Craig possessed a Ruger 9 mm pistol on Nov. 26, 2017, despite a prior conviction for aggravated robbery, according to the indictment.
The cases were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as well as the Ohio State Highway Patrol (Pleasant), Portage County Sheriff’s Office (Eversole), and Youngstown Police Department (Craig). The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David M. Toepfer and Aaron Howell.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Ravenna man indicted for using firearms while trafficking fentanyl and cocaine, making straw purchase of a handgunRead the Press Release
A Ravenna man was indicted for using a firearm while selling fentanyl and cocaine, as well as making a straw purchase of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said.
Josiah Jackson, 25, was indicted on one count of making a false statement in acquisition of a firearm, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and one count each of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana.
Jackson on March 28, 2018, possessed a Springfield 9 mm pistol, a Glock 9 mm pistol, a FN 28-caliber pistol and a Glock 40-caliber pistol, as well as ammunition. He also possessed fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana, according to the indictment.
Jackson also purchased a Taurus 9 mm pistol from On Target Firearms LLC in Parma on July 31, 2015. Jackson stated he was the actual buyer of the firearm when, in fact, he was not the actual buyer, according to the indictment.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant's role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Portage County Sheriff’s Office and the Cleveland Divisions of Police. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Zarzycki and Robert J. Patton.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Parma couple indicted for defrauding Social Security out of $47,000Read the Press Release
A Parma man and woman were indicted on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States and theft of government property, Social Security fraud, and obstruction of justice, said U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman.
David Fievet, 51, and Gerolyn Fievet, 52, conspired to steal $47,556 in Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits by concealing David Fievet’s presence in the family home, according to the indictment.
The SSI program is administered by the Social Security Administration. It pays monthly cash benefits to those found to be disabled and in financial need, based on the beneficiary’s income, living arrangements and other circumstances. A representative payee is approved to managed the beneficiary’s funds and ensure their basic human needs are met, such as food, clothing and shelter, according to the indictment.
Gerolyn Fievet applied for SSI benefits on behalf of her son around September 2006. She applied to serve as representative payee for her son and reported that her husband (and her son’s father) did not live in the household. SSA informed Fievet that she was required to promptly notify SSA if anyone moved into or out of the house. SSA issued SSI benefit checks directly to Fievet, according to the indictment.
In truth, David Fievet lived with Gerolyn Fievet and their son – a fact they did not disclose to the SSA, according to the indictment.
Special Agent Kelly Clark from the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Payum Doroodian is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, the Court will determine the defendant’s sentence after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum. In most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Cleveland man indicted for using firearm while dealing crack cocaineRead the Press Release
A Cleveland man was indicted in federal court for possessing a firearm while dealing crack cocaine, United States Attorney Justin E. Herdman said.
An indictment was filed charging Michael Townsend, 35, with two counts of being a felon in possession of firearm and ammunition, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
On March 2, 2018, Townsend possessed with intent to distribute 32.17 grams of cocaine base, and possessed a Century Arms, Model RAS47, semiautomatic rifle, and ammunition. Townsend has prior convictions that prohibit him from having firearms or ammunition, including convictions for drug trafficking and assault on a peace officer, according to the indictment.
On March 14, 2018, Townsend possessed a Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm pistol, and ammunition, according to the indictment.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle K. Angeli is prosecuting the case following investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and the Cleveland Division of Police.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial, in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.