Northern District of Ohio
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Wisconsin Man Indicted for Selling and Smuggling Firearms to Buyers in Saudi ArabiaRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A six-count indictment was unsealed today charging a Viroqua, Wisconsin, man for allegedly selling firearms and related parts without a license to buyers in Saudi Arabia, shipping the prohibited items, and then lying to federal inspectors about it.
According to allegations in the indictment, Mark John Buschman, 60, conducted an illegal export conspiracy for more than five years, lasting from about February 2019 to about December 2024. Buschman obtained firearms and firearms parts in the U.S. and advertised the items for sale on eBay and other online marketplace-style websites. When buyers in Saudi Arabia expressed interest in the items for sale, he agreed to sell and ship the items out of the country to them. Throughout the course of the conspiracy, Saudi Arabian-based buyers paid the defendant approximately $398,000.
Court documents indicate that serial numbers from some of the firearms and firearms parts were removed before he shipped the items. The defendant then prepared the items further before shipping them, by concealing the firearms and firearm parts inside of common household appliances and tools such as toasters, coffee makers, space heaters, fans, and landscaping edge trimmers. For example, the defendant concealed rifle barrels in items such as car axles, and smaller pistols inside of toasters. Using a fake return address, the defendant shipped the items through the U.S. Postal Service to freight forwarders, which are companies that specialize in the logistics of shipping items from one country to another. The defendant allegedly shipped the items to freight forwarding companies that operated out of Ohio, New Jersey, Oregon and elsewhere, without declaring that the shipments contained firearms and firearms parts.
Buschman is charged by indictment with conspiracy to smuggle goods from the United States; attempted smuggling of goods from the United States; transporting and shipping firearms with removed, obliterated, or altered serial numbers; mailing firearms as non-mailable prohibited items; unlawful dealing in firearms without a license; and making false statements to law enforcement.
If convicted on all counts, Buschman faces a penalty of 42 years in prison and fines of up to $1.5 million. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Cleveland Office, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Cleveland Office (of the Pittsburgh Division), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF). Elements of the Office of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) also assisted HSI. The Vernon County Sheriff's Office and the La Crosse County Sheriff's Office assisted with the execution of the arrest and search warrants.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Shepherd and Jerome J. Teresinski for the Northern District of Ohio. Trial Attorney Christopher Cook of the Department’s National Security Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan of the Western District of Wisconsin U.S. Attorney’s Office, assisted during the investigation of this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Indian Nationals Convicted of Money Laundering Conspiracy That Took Life Savings from Victims in Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and IndianaRead the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio – After a six-day trial, a federal jury convicted two men of participating in a vast money laundering conspiracy that robbed victims from across four states of their life savings. Pranay Kumar Mamidi, 27, and Kishan Vinayak Patel, 26, both nationals of the Republic of India, were found guilty of participating in a money laundering conspiracy, concealing the source of the money, and using the illegally gained money to further promote a criminal enterprise.
According to court documents, from about May to November 2023, Mamidi and Patel, along with other co-conspirators, engaged in a multi-layered scheme to launder proceeds derived from a fraud known as a phantom hacker scam. In this type of scam, a scammer, acting as a customer service representative for a store or bank, contacts a target victim and falsely informs them that their bank account has been hacked or compromised. Next, the victim is directed to a fake federal law enforcement agent for supposed assistance. The fake federal agent then proceeds to obtain the victim’s savings by deception, typically threatening imminent seizure or arrest.
In one common example, elderly victims are contacted by someone pretending to be an Amazon, Inc. employee, who informs the victim of suspicious activity on their accounts. Next, the victim is contacted by another person who claims to be from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and informs the victim that their identity was stolen. The victim is then contacted by another individual who claims to be a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) special agent. The fake DEA special agent claims that the account in question is being investigated for facilitating fraud and has resulted in supposed arrest warrants for the victim. Fearing legal actions, the victim follows the scammer’s instructions to pull their savings from their bank account and convert funds into cash or gold bars. The victim is further instructed to give another supposed law enforcement official cash and/or gold bars at a designated drop-off point such as a gas station or fast food restaurant. After the drop, the victim is then sent a receipt which appears to be from the U.S. Department of the Treasury and completes the illusion of a legitimate transaction.
According to court documents, the defendants in this case served as money launderers for other co-conspirators throughout the world who participated in phantom hacker schemes based out of India. The U.S. based money laundering infrastructure allowed funds illegally taken from victims to be distributed throughout the world. Investigators estimate that the total amount of money laundered is in the tens of millions of dollars.
Sentencing has not yet been scheduled. Mamidi and Patel each face a maximum of 20 years in prison for each count of conviction.
Six other defendants also named in the second superseding indictment filed in August 2024 were also charged. The following have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing: Dileep Kumar Sakineni, age 26; Balaji Rakesh Mulpuri, age 26; Avi Jitendrakumar Patel, age 22; Sai Hruthik Thodeti, age 25; and Srinivas Ravi Valluru, age 31, all nationals of the Republic of India; and Hiren Jagdishbhai Patel, age 33, of Columbus, Ohio.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI-Cleveland Field Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Melching and Dexter Phillips for the Northern District of Ohio.
The investigation and prosecution of this case is in response to the Elder Justice Initiative Program originating from the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act of 2017 (EAPPA). The mission of the EAPPA and Elder Justice Initiative is to support and coordinate the Department of Justice’s enforcement efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect, financial fraud, and scams that target the nation’s elderly population.
If you suspect fraudulent conduct involving an older adult, please contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 or 1-833-372-8311 and visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center at IC3.gov to report it.
Ohio Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio – Jeremy Dean Chesser, 42, of Maumee, Ohio, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release by U.S. District Judge James R. Knepp, II, after he pleaded guilty to two counts of sexually exploiting minors by means of production of child pornography, also referred to as child sexual abuse materials (CSAM), and to receipt and distribution of child pornography. He was also ordered to pay $21,000 in restitution and $15,300 in assessments.
At the time of the offenses, Chesser was employed as a firefighter and was also a father to 10 children that included biological, adopted, and foster children. In 2022, he sexually exploited a two-year-old and produced child pornography of the toddler. From 2022-2023, Chesser sexually exploited a second minor who was 13-14 years old. He sought the minor out online, pretended to be a 16-year-old boy, and proceeded to convince that minor that they were in a relationship. Chesser then induced that minor to produce and send him sexually explicit photos.
During execution of a federal search warrant on Chesser’s residence, his cellphone was seized and found to contain a large volume of CSAM involving 65 other minors. Investigators discovered that Chesser had been receiving and distributing child pornography for more than 10 years.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI-Toledo Field Office, FBI-New Haven, Connecticut Field Office, and the Maumee Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tracey Tangeman and Frank Spryszak for the Northern District of Ohio.
To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Ohio Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – William Hartson, 26, of Massillon, Ohio, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Benita Pearson, after he pled guilty to smuggling illegal drugs in checked baggage on a flight from Los Angeles to Cleveland. He was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release after imprisonment.
According to court documents, on March 4, 2024, Hartson and a co-conspirator, Dalvin Rogers, 29, Cleveland, Ohio, flew together from Los Angeles to Cleveland. A law enforcement canine alerted airport security personnel to the presence of controlled substances on checked baggage belonging to Hartson and Rogers. After the two men retrieved their luggage, they proceeded to leave the baggage claim area and were encountered by federal agents. The agents received verbal consent to search their luggage and found several bricks of suspected drugs wrapped in wet towels. A field test conducted by the agents confirmed the substances were cocaine. The drugs weighed in at approximately 7.63 kilograms, or nearly 17 pounds, with a street value of more than $175,000.
Hartson’s co-defendant was previously sentenced. Rogers was sentenced Aug. 29, 2024, to 63 months in prison and four years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Investigations (DHS-HSI) with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
The specific mission of the OCDETF Cleveland Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle major criminal organizations and subsidiary organizations, including criminal gangs, transnational drug cartels, racketeering organizations, and other groups engaged in illicit activities that present a threat to public safety and national security and are related to the illegal smuggling and trafficking of narcotics or other controlled substances, weapons, humans, or the illegal concealment or transfer of proceeds derived from such illicit activities in the Northern District of Ohio. The OCDETF Cleveland Strike Force is composed of agents and officers from the FBI, DEA, ATF, Homeland Security Investigations, USMS, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service, and USBP, along with task force officers from numerous local law enforcement agencies, including the Cleveland Division of Police. Prosecutions are led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret A. Sweeney for the Northern District of Ohio.
Ohio Man Charged with Cyberstalking Three WomenRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A grand jury in Cleveland, Ohio, has returned a six-count indictment related to cyberstalking and making online threats. The indictment charges Logan Stanford, 28, of Shelby, Ohio, with cyberstalking at least three individuals. He is also charged with making interstate threatening communications.
According to the indictment, from Sept. 1, 2021, through May 31, 2024, Stanford used various electronic communication methods to stalk his victims online, known as cyberstalking. This form of threatening behavior can include unwarranted emails, instant and direct messaging, or liking and commenting on social media posts. Stanford allegedly created many accounts under different names on various online platforms. He found victims to target and repeatedly sent them numerous harassing comments. Many of the electronic messages Stanford sent his victims were sexual or violent in nature or threatened to cause them physical harm. He also created multiple email accounts under different names to send similar intimidating messages.
The FBI Cleveland Division is the investigating agency on the case which is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Joyce and Michelle M. Baeppler for the Northern District of Ohio.
January is National Stalking Awareness Month. To learn more, or to make a report, visit stalkingawareness.org/what-to-do-if-you-are-being-stalked/.
An indictment is merely an allegation. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
USAO Prosecution Team Awarded for Excellence in Legal PerformanceRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recently recognized the work of its employees and others for extraordinary contributions to the enforcement of the nation’s laws at the 72nd Annual Attorney General’s Awards held Jan. 15, 2025, in Washington D.C. The event was celebrated at the DOJ’s Constitution Hall and followed by a reception for more than 400 award recipients and their guests.
The prosecution team from the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the Northern District of Ohio was among the award recipients for the successful outcome of the United States v. Aimenn Penny case.
Team members Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian S. Deckert, Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew W. Shepherd, and Victim Witness Specialist Allison A. Kretz were honored with the John Marshall Award for “Excellence in Litigation,” one of the Department’s highest recognitions presented for contributions and excellence in specialized areas of legal performance.
The team was honored for its exceptional service in the prosecution of Penny for the 2023 firebombing of the Community Church of Chesterland, in Chesterland, Ohio. According to one of the nominators, the team’s exemplary cooperation and dedication allowed for the rapid identification and arrest of Penny, with the prosecution resulting in Penny receiving an 18-year prison sentence.
The investigative agents on the case from the FBI Cleveland Division, were also recognized at the ceremony.
PA Man Receives Maximum Penalty of 30 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
AKRON, Ohio – Soumya Rudra, 42, of Whitehall, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison by U.S. District Judge John R. Adams, after he pled guilty to traveling across state lines to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and to possession of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM), also referred to as child pornography. He was also ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release after imprisonment and a $50,000 fine.
According to court documents, Rudra met the victim, who was 14-years old at the time of the incident, on the “Kiss Kiss” dating game app. He then used the Snapchat social platform to text and talk to her via video calls throughout several months in 2023. In late November 2023, Rudra made a 400-mile trek from Pennsylvania to Ohio to meet the underage victim. He admitted to picking her up in his vehicle to drive her to a hotel for the purpose of engaging in criminal sexual acts with her. During the investigation, the defendant’s electronic devices recovered in the hotel room were found to contain multiple CSAM images involving other minors.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI-Canton Field Office and the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Toni Beth Schnellinger Feisthamel for the Northern District of Ohio prosecuted the case.
To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Selling Firearms Without a Federal LicenseRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Richard Seawright, 28, of Cleveland, has been sentenced to 33 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Dan Polster, after he pled guilty to reselling firearms he acquired legally, reselling them without a federal firearms license, and lying on paperwork that he was the actual buyer.
According to court documents, Seawright legally bought more than 50 firearms from around April 17, 2018, to about Dec. 12, 2022, at federally licensed dealers throughout Northeast Ohio. He admitted to lying on federal firearms transaction record forms which he completed and submitted when the firearms were purchased. The forms are a requirement of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to inform buyers about the specific restrictions on the receipt and possession of firearms. Each buyer must certify that they do not intend to transfer or sell the firearm. Seawright admitted to making the purchases with the intent to sell them to others who were not legally allowed to buy or own firearms. The practice of acquiring firearms for others who are legally prohibited from buying, owning, or possessing them is known as ‘straw purchasing.’
During the investigation, law enforcement officials discovered that Seawright’s purchases from the licensed firearms dealer, were in fact re-sold to others and found to have been used in multiple acts of violence. Firearms that Seawright purchased were traced to crimes using the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, known as NIBIN. Ballistic cross analysis determined that firearms originally purchased by the defendant had multiple NIBIN connections to other shootings including one that resulted in a homicide.
This case was investigated by ATF-Cleveland and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Kane for the Northern District of Ohio.
Ohio Woman Sentenced to Prison for Selling Nearly $300,000 in U.S. Treasury Bonds Stolen from Elderly VictimRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A Cleveland woman has been sentenced to 32 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to transport and sell stolen U.S. Treasury bonds across state lines, forging treasury bonds, and using a false social security number. According to court documents, Toni Laverne Smith, 71, had in her possession, U.S. Treasury bonds that were believed to have been stolen from the residence of an elderly female in 2011.
The investigation discovered that from about September 2011 to April 2012, Smith and a co-conspirator transported U.S. Treasury bonds, which they knew were stolen, across state lines. They used fake identification cards with the name of the victim to negotiate the sale of more than 350 forged Series E and EE, U.S. Treasury bonds with a face value of $268,500. The sale netted approximately $299,364 in proceeds which included interest on mature bonds. Additionally, they used the social security number of the victim to open bank accounts at several financial institutions as far away as Michigan and Illinois. Smith had eluded capture for more than a decade. Federal authorities apprehended Smith June 3, 2024, on unrelated charges.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa Healy for the Northern District of Ohio.
To report stolen treasury bonds, visit https://www.treasurydirect.gov/savings-bonds/manage-bonds/lost-stolen-destroyed-ee-or-i-bonds/ or call 844-284-2676.
USAO’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Unit Ends 2024 with Notable AchievementsRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – The Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Unit of the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the Northern District of Ohio is responsible for prosecuting criminal organizations whose members violate federal laws in any of the 40 northern counties in the state of Ohio that the district serves.
As an independent component of the U.S. Department of Justice, OCDETF is the largest anti-crime task force in the country. Its mission is to disrupt and dismantle criminal organizations using a nationwide strategy, led by prosecutors, that combines targeting, coordination, intelligence-sharing, and directed resourcing to have the greatest impact in disrupting the operations of organized crime.
The task force approach facilitates coordination among various federal and local agencies to solve crimes, with agents and officers working side-by-side in the same location, led by a federal prosecutor. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to share information and collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle large-scale criminal operations. Such criminal networks include all forms of transnational crime, including but not limited to drug cartels, racketeering organizations, and other groups engaged in illicit activities that present a threat to public safety and national security. They may involve, among other illegal activity, the illegal smuggling and trafficking of narcotics or other controlled substances, weapons, humans, or the illegal concealment or transfer of proceeds derived from such illicit activities in the Northern District of Ohio.
In the Northern District of Ohio, agents and officers from the FBI, DEA, ATF, Homeland Security Investigations, USMS, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service, and USBP investigate OCDETF cases with ties to the District, working with task force officers from numerous local law enforcement agencies, including the Cleveland Division of Police. Prosecutions are led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
“No one group or agency can effectively combat organized crime, and particularly transnational organized crime, while working in a silo. The OCDETF framework allows our federal investigative agents to coordinate with each other and local law enforcement, sharing both resources and intelligence,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “This model allows us to come together and build the best cases possible that put the members of large-scale criminal networks behind bars and bring their criminal operations to a halt.”
Notable operations and cases prosecuted by the OCDETF Unit in 2024 include:
U.S. v. Ojeda-Elenes, et al. – Four individuals, including two individuals with direct connections to the Sinaloa Cartel based in Culiacán, Mexico, were sentenced to prison for a drug conspiracy involving more than 240 pounds of fentanyl and nearly 100 pounds of cocaine.
U.S. v. Mullins, et al. –Twenty-one members and associates of a Cleveland-based, violent street gang known as the Fully Blooded Felons were arrested and charged between December 2023 and November 2024. The defendants are alleged to have committed numerous federal crimes, including Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping in aid of racketeering, assault in aid of racketeering, firearms violations, conspiracy, and drug trafficking. To date, three defendants have pled guilty.
U.S. v. Whittaker, et al. – Fifteen people in Lorain County were charged in a 19-count indictment after authorities seized large quantities of fentanyl that included more than 42,000 fentanyl pills.
U.S. v. Bryant, et al. – According to court documents, Brandon Bryant was one of 24 members of a large-scale fentanyl trafficking organization that operated on Cleveland’s eastside between September 2019 and February 2022. He was sentenced to more than 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, distribution of controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and use of a communications facility in furtherance of a drug felony. Bryant was also ordered to serve a lifetime term of supervised release following his release from prison. The other 23 co-defendants have also been convicted and sentenced. Some of the more notable prison sentences for his co-defendants include the following: Devon Fair, 35 years; Ramel Drew, 27 years; and Branea Bryant, 24 years.
U.S. v. Lumbus et al. – Eleven people were charged in an international drug trafficking conspiracy that involved the importation of fentanyl, synthetic opioids, and synthetic cannabinoids into the United States, and the distribution of those drugs in Ohio and other states.
To report crimes, visit https://tips.fbi.gov/home.
USAO Ends 2024 with Notable Achievements to Combat Elder FraudRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Combatting elder fraud continues to be a top priority for the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the Northern District of Ohio, in 2024 and beyond. The office is responsible for prosecuting federal law violations that occur in any of the 40 northern counties in the state of Ohio which the district serves.
Prosecutors in the USAO’s White Collar Crimes Unit carry out the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiatives, which include a commitment to combatting elder abuse, neglect, financial fraud, and other scams that target our nation’s senior citizens. Elder fraud schemes take a variety of forms that range from small-scale identity thefts to mass mail fraud schemes that steal money and other assets from thousands of elderly victims. Annually, these fraud schemes bilk seniors out of billions of dollars throughout the country.
“Many fraud crimes that target our elderly population involve criminals taking advantage of this group’s trusting nature. Fraudsters falsely claim to be government officials or promise to help with computer issues, persuading victims to provide fraudsters with access to their personal information,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “Our office prioritizes prosecuting those who prey on the elderly members of our communities in an attempt to steal their savings.”
Notable cases in 2024 that involved elder fraud include:
U.S. v. Alahmad - A caregiver forged a power of attorney document and used it to apply for, and receive, credit and debit cards in the name of the victim who was an elderly adult. The victim was in a nursing home rehabilitation facility while the defendant made unauthorized withdrawals and purchases using the victim’s credit and debit cards. Alahmad was sentenced to 30 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution of $46,064.30.
U.S. v. Xie – A Chinese national college student on an F‐1 Visa traveled across the country, worked as a “money mule” who picked up cash from older victims, and then transferred the funds to his handler. Xie was sentenced to 16 months in prison and ordered to pay $188,000 in restitution.
U.S. v. Wehman – The defendant was charged with wire fraud for stealing from his grandfather by using credit cards, debit cards, and a line of credit. He was sentenced to 37 months in prison and ordered to pay $376,069.46 in restitution.
U.S. v. Turnipseede – The defendant defrauded approximately 72 investors out of more than $8.5 million through a Ponzi scheme that promised investors double-digit profits achieved through a purported algorithm designed to generate double-digit returns through various sports wagering businesses. Defendant used investor money to maintain the business, seek new sources of funds, pay off earlier investors, and fund personal expenses. He is scheduled to be sentenced March 3, 2025.
U.S. v. Alexander – The defendant and other involved individuals engaged in a cold‐calling scheme that targeted older investors throughout the United States. They used aggressive and deceptive tactics and promised large returns if the victims participated in wine and whiskey investments. The court sentenced Alexander to three years of probation and ordered him to pay $202,195.58 in restitution.
U.S. v. Mangukia – Defendants were charged in a conspiracy for falsely posing as customer service employees at a company or bank. Co-conspirators contacted a victim and falsely claimed that the victim’s account was at risk or had been compromised by a hacking event or similar computer intrusion. The conspirators directed the victim to make a wire transfer, convert cash to cryptocurrency at a Bitcoin ATM, and withdraw cash to purchase gold coins and bars. Defendants then traveled to Ohio to pick up the gold bars.
U.S. v. Chaudhary – Defendants were charged as part of a conspiracy for falsely posing as customer service employees at a company or bank. Co-conspirators contacted a victim and falsely claimed that the victim’s account was at risk or had been compromised by a hacking event or similar computer intrusion. The conspirators directed the victim to withdraw cash and had a conspirator pick up the cash from the victim's home.
U.S. v. Kai – The defendant approached victims through social media to invest money into cryptocurrency. Victims were instructed to deposit their money through a “service director” affiliated with a cryptocurrency business. The service director informed the victims that deposits were to be made in person and in cash-only transactions. During one of these transactions, Kai was identified as the individual in a vehicle scheduled to take the victims’ money.
Additionally, USAO staff conducted numerous public outreach efforts to educate the community to be aware of elder fraud scams including:
- “Courier and Grandparent Scams,” National Consumer Protection Week Meeting
- “Tops Scams for 2024,” St. Mary of the Woods Senior Living Community, FBI Organized Crime Conference, and Parma Snow Branch Library
- “Elder Fraud Scams and Robocalls,” St. Mary of the Woods Independent Living
- “Elder Fraud and Cold Calling Investment Scams,” AARP Podcast interview
To report crimes, visit https://tips.fbi.gov/home or https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice/financial-exploitation .
Rebecca C. Lutzko Announces Resignation from Service as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of OhioRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio Rebecca C. Lutzko announced today that she will step down as the region’s chief federal law enforcement officer, effective 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 3, 2025. Under the Vacancies Reform Act, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik will become the Acting United States Attorney, effective midnight on Jan. 4, 2025.
Ms. Lutzko was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden on June 7, 2023 and, while pending Senate confirmation, was installed as the interim U.S. Attorney on June 9, 2023, by the United States District Judges for the Northern District of Ohio.
“It has been the single greatest honor of my career to lead the Office and serve the people of northern Ohio as their United States Attorney,” said U.S. Attorney Lutzko. “I thank President Biden, Senators Sherrod Brown and J.D. Vance, Attorney General Merrick Garland, and the Judges of our District Court for giving me that opportunity.”
During her tenure as U.S. Attorney, Ms. Lutzko led an office of approximately 175 prosecutors, civil litigators, and administrative and support personnel in its mission to enforce federal civil and criminal laws, advocate for crime victims, and represent the interests of the United States, its agencies, and their employees in court. In this role, she oversaw prosecutions involving violent crime and organized gang activity, financial crime, national security matters, public corruption, hate crimes and other civil rights violations, drug trafficking organizations, child exploitation, cybercrime, and firearms crimes, among others. On the civil front, she oversaw investigations and the filing of affirmative actions in areas as diverse as protecting the environment, ensuring fair housing, protecting disability rights, and addressing healthcare frauds and controlled substance violations in which the Office recovered tens of millions of dollars in waste, fraud, and abuse. She hired several new civil and criminal Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSA), created the district’s first e-Litigation unit, and implemented numerous internal training, efficiency, and accountability measures.
“I am incredibly proud of the work our office has undertaken and our employees’ collective efforts to do the right thing, the right way, for the right reasons. We have been strategic in the types of cases we have pursued to maximize the positive impact to the communities that we are honored to serve, and we have held ourselves to standards of excellence and integrity in pursuing those cases,” said U.S. Attorney Lutzko. “We have accomplished much in a limited amount of time, despite challenging budgetary constraints. I have dedicated almost 20 years of my career to prosecuting criminals and seeking justice so that life can be better for Ohioans. I am confident that our Office’s many career public servants will continue to uphold the Department of Justice’s norms, making impartial, reasoned, and fair decisions to obtain justice. Credit for our successes during my tenure belongs to them, and to our federal, state, and local law enforcement officers for their unending dedication and redoubled efforts to help our Office combat both violent and non-violent crimes to keep our citizens and their neighborhoods safe and free from financial harm, to allow our citizens to enjoy their civil rights, and to prevent additional crime before it happens.”
The Northern District of Ohio covers the state’s 40 northern counties and is home to more than 5.7 million people. The main office is in Cleveland, with branch offices located in Akron, Toledo, and Youngstown.
Under U.S. Attorney Lutzko’s leadership, the Office has achieved noteworthy success in criminal and civil cases. Even with her focus on strategic case selection emphasizing impact over numbers, the Office remained one of the most productive large U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the nation according to several different metrics. Some of the more notable cases and outreach efforts include the following:
Public Safety & Violent Crime Reduction
U.S. Attorney Lutzko has prioritized combatting violent crime and promoting public safety, encouraging the use of data-driven strategies to identify and focus on the most significant drivers of crime and through purposeful case selection and charging decisions, with the goal of prosecuting cases that will have significant, positive community impact. She and her staff worked closely with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and other law enforcement partners to open a new Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) in the District in 2024. Located in a single facility, a team of firearm evidence examiners, intelligence analysts, and investigators can now rapidly collect, analyze, and share information about guns used in violent crimes. The CGIC serves as a hub for federal and local law enforcement to investigate and prevent gun violence in the region, utilizing cutting-edge technology and tracing systems to rapidly develop and pursue investigative leads to identify, prosecute, convict, and lock up the bad actors who commit violent crimes and remove “crime guns” from the streets faster, so neither continue to endanger innocent people in neighborhoods throughout Northern Ohio. Notably, violent crime rates have dropped significantly in Northern Ohio this year.
Some other notable investigations and cases include:
- Violent Crime Reduction Operation – After a three-month, violent crime reduction initiative in the summer of 2023, a total of 84 defendants were charged in connection with firearms-trafficking, straw purchasing firearms, narcotics, conspiracy, and other firearms offenses. The investigation was led by the ATF and resulted in the seizure of more than 255 firearms, of which 47 were traced back to other crimes. The seizure also included 17 untraceable firearms, also known as “ghost guns.” Seventy defendants were charged federally and the remaining 14 faced state charges. Sixty of those entered guilty pleas, 49 of which have been sentenced to date. Of the 14 defendants charged in the state, 12 have pled guilty and been convicted and sentenced. Noteworthy prison sentencings for charged federal firearms violations include Darvell Jackson, sentenced to 168 months; Cortez Buggs sentenced to 132 months; Kenneth Smith sentenced to 135 months; Darion Shelton, sentenced to 100 months; and Willie Earl Jackson sentenced to 84 months.
- U.S. v. Mullins, et al. – Twenty-one members and associates of a Cleveland-based, violent street gang known as the Fully Blooded Felons were arrested and charged beginning in December 2023 and continuing into 2024. The defendants are alleged to have committed numerous federal crimes, including Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping in aid of racketeering, assault in aid of racketeering, firearms violations, conspiracy, and drug trafficking. As the indictment alleges, the gang styled themselves after a Mafia crime family, conspired to commit numerous violent acts, and operated an open-air illegal drug market in Cleveland’s Cedar Central neighborhood for years.
- U.S. v. McKillips – A Sandusky man was sentenced to 41 months in prison after his guilty plea to interstate communication of threats and unlawful possession of a machine gun. He made multiple online threats to harm or kill law enforcement officers, including by posting a photo of himself aiming a semi-automatic rifle at an officer parked in a police vehicle down the street.
- U.S. v. Sledge, et al. – In October 2024, an Ohio father-son team were indicted for the murder of an on-duty U.S. Postal Service mail carrier. The Office has also separately brought several other indictments and/or obtained convictions for defendants throughout the district who have robbed mail carriers to steal their blue-mailbox keys and mail.
- U.S. v. Matheny – On Oct. 26, 2022, a bank in Lorain, Ohio, was robbed by a man armed with a small silver semi-automatic firearm. The teller reported that the suspect entered, approached the counter, and slid a note under plexiglass indicating that it was robbery, that he had a gun, not to touch the alarm, and to hand over all fifty, hundred, and twenty-dollar bills. When the teller retrieved the cash from her drawer and handed it to him, he walked away with more than $4,000 from the bank. The Lorain Police Department investigated anonymous tips and reviewed surveillance videos. Two days later, Matheny was located and then arrested after a police chase. A bookbag containing a loaded firearm, fentanyl, cocaine, and two cellphones were seized from Matheny. Matheny was convicted on all counts after a five-day trial in April 2024. In August, he was sentenced to 78 months in prison, plus 84 months consecutive for brandishing a firearm in during the course of a robbery, for a total of 162 months.
- U.S. v. Hansen – After he pled guilty to committing three, armed bank robberies in Michigan and Ohio, a Toledo man was sentenced to 348 months in prison and ordered to pay $44,908.73 in restitution. In the Ohio robbery, Hansen aimed a pistol at bank employees and customers and forced them to lie down on the floor. After growing frustrated with the speed at which tellers were retrieving the money he demanded, Hansen grabbed money containers from a bill-dispensing machine and fled with approximately $82,000. Officers apprehended Hansen a short time later.
In addition to bringing criminal prosecutions to combat violent crime, U.S. Attorney Lutzko and USAO staff also engaged in affirmative public outreach activities in an effort to promote public safety. For example, she brought together local community organizations and the Ohio Adult Parole Authority to work with the USAO to identify individuals recently released from state prison who were deemed at high-risk for committing future violent crime, but amenable to making positive change in their lives. That partnership is continuing with a pilot program that pairs those individuals with needed services and hands-on mentors to assist participants in charting a new course for themselves that avoids criminal conduct.
Taking a different tack, under U.S. Attorney Lutzko’s direction, the USAO also led a “Safe Storage” awareness campaign to highlight firearms safety and help prevent accidents, self-harm, theft, and other unauthorized use of firearms. Thus far, the campaign has included public in-person events, public service announcements, and information dissemination. Additional events are scheduled for 2025.
Healthcare Fraud
As chief law enforcement officer in a district with multiple, sophisticated healthcare providers and facilities, U.S. Attorney Lutzko prioritized fighting fraud, waste, and abuse in federal healthcare programs through a combination of robust criminal and civil enforcement efforts. The Office’s notable criminal convictions and sentences and civil settlements and judgments obtained during her tenure include the following:
- U.S. v. Singh – In February 2024, a jury convicted Ankita Singh, M.D., of six counts of healthcare fraud for signing false orders for orthotic braces that patients had never requested and did not need. Although she never saw, examined, or even spoke to these patients, she signed more than 11,000 such prescriptions for approximately 3,000 Medicare beneficiaries, causing the submission of more than $8 million in fraudulent bills to Medicare for devices that were not medically necessary. Singh was sentenced to 26 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $4,470,931.02 in restitution.
- U.S. v. Bailey, et al. – From 2017 through 2020, 21 individuals involved with the healthcare nonprofit entity Eye for Change Youth and Family Services, Inc., conspired and manipulated billing, falsified records, and used the identities of clients without authorization to bill Medicaid. Twenty defendants pled guilty, while one, Eric King, was convicted at trial in August 2023 for his role in the scheme, and for continuing to engage in similar fraudulent conduct at another provider. King and the scheme’s leader, Alfonso Bailey, were each sentenced to 36 months in prison (in Jan. 2024 and June 2023, respectively). The defendants were ordered to pay $4.5 million in restitution, with more than $4.3 million forfeited from Eye for Change and Bailey.
- Investigation of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation – The Cleveland Clinic Foundation agreed to pay $7,600,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting grant applications for health-related-research funding to the National Institutes of Health that contained materially false information.
- U.S. ex rel. White, et al. v. Rite Aid Corp., et al. – Rite Aid Corporation and 10 subsidiaries and affiliates agreed to pay $7.5 million to settle the government’s allegations of filling medically unnecessary prescriptions under the False Claims Act and Controlled Substances Act.
- U.S. ex rel. Rzeszutko v. Elixir Insurance Co., et al. – Three Rite-Aid subsidiaries, Elixir Insurance Company, RX Options LLC, and RX Solutions LLC, agreed to a $101 million settlement that resolved allegations that they violated the False Claims Act when they did not accurately report drug rebates to the Medicare program.
- U.S. v. Gerber, et al. – In August 2024, a federal court permanently enjoined Ohio physician Gregory Gerber, M.D., from prescribing opioids and other controlled substances, and ordered him to pay $4.7 million in a civil case alleging Controlled Substances Act and False Claims Act violations. Gerber also pled guilty to criminal drug-trafficking charges for writing numerous medically unnecessary prescriptions for addictive painkillers, including over 800 illegitimate prescriptions for a drug he was being paid to promote. In March 2024, Gerber was sentenced to 42 months in prison and ordered to pay $861,892.13 in criminal restitution.
Other Fraud Schemes & Public Corruption
In addition to the serious long-term effect that financial crimes may have on individual victims, such crimes undermine the well-being of financial institutions and harm our entire community. Similarly, public corruption undermines the public’s confidence in the public institutions and officials central to our democratic society. Accordingly, during U.S. Attorney Lutzko’s tenure, the Office both criminally prosecuted such crimes and engaged in public outreach to prevent such crimes from occurring in the first place. Lutzko also served as a member of the White Collar Crime Subcommittee of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC).
Notable efforts and case success in these areas included the following:
- Elder Fraud Outreach – U.S. Attorney Lutzko and her staff engaged in several outreach events to bring awareness to senior citizens about the dangers of financial scams.
- Government Supply Chain and Procurement Fraud Task Force – In 2024, the Office stood up this task force, bringing together white collar crime AUSAs, homeland security investigators, and numerous other federal investigative agencies to address large-scale supply chain and procurement fraud in government contracting, prioritizing fraud in connection with military, law enforcement, and public safety. A first of its kind in this District, the task force will focus on government contractors who provide faulty, counterfeit, or otherwise dangerous products, such as substandard medications or supplies purchased by the Veterans Administration, counterfeit or faulty electronics or software provided to NASA, or similar products supplied to the military.
- U.S. v. Eid – A Perrysburg man was sentenced to 30 months in prison for filing false tax returns and engaging in wire fraud that defrauded educational and government entities. He admitted to falsifying his income for his children to qualify for aid packages to colleges and private schools.
- U.S. v. Page – A Toledo man who described himself as a “social-justice activist” was sentenced to 42 months in prison after a jury convicted him of wire fraud and money laundering. Page defrauded donors of more than $450,000 that they collectively gave to his nonprofit organization, “Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta,” based on Page’s false representations about how their money would be spent.
- U.S. v. Khan – In November 2023, a Michigan man was sentenced to 97 months in prison after earlier pleading guilty to bank fraud and attempted tax evasion in connection with a massive check-kiting scheme involving numerous banks. He was also ordered to pay more than $150,000,000 in restitution to the victims of his bank fraud and the IRS, and to serve three years of supervised release once released from prison.
- U.S. v. Pounds – A Toledo-area man was sentenced to 94 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering in a scheme to obtain Small Business Administration (SBA)-financed loans from the Economic Injury Disaster Loans program and the Paycheck Protection Program under false pretenses. He was also ordered to pay $4,239,940.43 in restitution to the SBA.
- Fresh Mark Inc. Investigation – An Ohio meat processing company entered into an agreement with the USAO for a hiring manager’s involvement in an identity theft scheme and making false statements on government forms. Under the terms of the agreement, the company paid more than $3.7 million to the federal Crime Victims Fund in November 2024 and agreed to abide by compliance-reporting requirements for a two-year period.
- U.S. v. Spivak, et al. – A jury convicted two men for conspiring to artificially inflate prices on “penny stocks” being sold to investors. After a trial that proceeded in two stages for over four weeks in August and September 2024, the two were found guilty of conspiracy to commit securities fraud. Spivak was also found guilty of two counts of wire fraud at trial, then pled guilty to four other counts of wire fraud, two counts of securities fraud, and a separate count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud. His codefendant was found guilty of a securities fraud conspiracy and one count of securities fraud in the second stage of trial. Two other defendants also pled guilty.
- U.S. v. Barr – A Pennsylvania man was sentenced to 57 months in prison after pleading guilty to an organized scheme that defrauded the Lucas County Auditor of more than $622,000. From March 2018 through November 2020, he conspired with others to obtain money by pretending to be legitimate vendors with which the county was approved to do business.
- U.S. v. Graham, et al. – Two Ohio men were charged in a bribery scheme in which a municipal prosecutor allegedly agreed to help a criminal defendant with his pending cases in exchange for auto repair work. According to the indictment, Graham was a prosecutor for the Warren Municipal Court. The other defendant had two criminal cases pending in the same court. It is alleged that in October 2019, Graham assisted the codefendant with his criminal cases, and in return, he performed repairs to Graham’s truck.
- U.S. v. Cheney et al. – Six defendants pled guilty and were sentenced to a total of 355 months for a COVID-19 fraud conspiracy. From March 2020 to August 2021, they obtained nearly $3,000,000 in federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits using other people’s identities to apply for benefits in several states. The defendants, all residents of Northeast Ohio, were sentenced to numerous years in prison. Dates for future proceedings for a seventh defendant are yet to be determined.
Civil Rights
U.S. Attorney Lutzko led a comprehensive approach dedicated to protecting the civil rights of Ohioans through criminal and civil enforcement actions, community outreach, and a strong partnership with the Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil Rights Division. She also served as a member of the AGAC’s Civil Rights Subcommittee. The Office’s efforts included the following:
- U.S. v. Penny – In January 2024, an Ohio man was sentenced to 18 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for firebombing a church and attempting to burn it down because the church supported the LGBTQ+ community. He was convicted of violating the Church Arson Prevention Act, a hate-crime statute, and of using fire and explosives to commit a felony.
- U.S. v. Durant – In April 2024, a woman was sentenced to two years of probation and fined $2,000 after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of intentionally damaging a reproductive healthcare center and violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. She did so after learning that the clinic offered pregnancy counseling, free pregnancy testing, and ultrasounds, but not abortion services.
- Investigation of Case Western Reserve University – The USAO entered into a settlement with a private Ohio university to resolve Title IX violations. The agreement requires extensive reforms to ensure the University enacts appropriate response protocols for students and employees to report sex discrimination and to provide adequate support to those affected.
- U.S. v. Citizens for a Pro-Life Society, Inc. et al. – A federal lawsuit was filed against two organizations and seven individuals, alleging they violated the FACE Act on two days in June 2021 by physically obstructing entrances to reproductive health facilities.
- U.S. v. Pedaline and TLP LLC – A federal lawsuit was filed against an owner and manager of residential rental properties, in Youngstown, Ohio, for engaging in sexual harassment in violation of the Fair Housing Act. The complaint alleged that Pedaline sexually harassed female tenants at properties that he owned or managed in Youngstown since 2009. Pedaline entered into a consent decree with the USAO and agreed to pay a $10,000 civil penalty and $189,000 to aggrieved persons allegedly harmed by the defendant’s actions.
- Protecting Places of Worship Forum – More than 150 leaders from different faiths attended the “Protecting Places of Worship” forum, sponsored by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI-Cleveland, and the DOJ’s Community Relations Service. U.S. Attorney Lutzko gave opening remarks, and legal and security experts provided information about how to identify, report, and protect against hate crimes.
- Interfaith Council Initiative – The USAO reestablished an interfaith council to bring together members of our area’s diverse faith communities to address issues that are important to them, including the protection of Civil Rights and the freedom to worship without fear. Ms. Lutzko and USAO staff also visited several different houses of worship and faith-community gatherings during her tenure as part of the Office’s continued outreach efforts.
- The USAO partnered with the Beachwood City School District and DOJ’s Community Relations Service to hold a Fall 2024 program under the DOJ’s “United Against Hate” umbrella, wherein representatives from law enforcement, community organizations, and members of the public engaged in a discussion about practical strategies and skills to constructively address and resolve conflicts and to prevent acts of hate.
- Also in connection with the Department’s “United Against Hate” initiative, the USAO sponsored a community engagement program in the Fall of 2023 at The LGBTQ Center in Lakewood. It addressed identifying and reporting hate crimes and related civil rights violations.
- Voting with a Disability – In February 2024, U.S. Attorney Lutzko took part in an online forum to highlight concerns and address issues encountered by voters with disabilities. Advocacy groups and others from throughout the state listened to the presentation and identified areas of concern. This event was held in partnership with the USAO for the Southern District of Ohio.
- Pride in CLE – Ms. Lutzko and USAO staff marched alongside thousands of community members to support diversity, acceptance, and inclusion for all.
Child Exploitation
Under U.S. Attorney Lutzko’s leadership, the Office continued its strong tradition of prosecuting crimes against children, who are among our most vulnerable of victims. Notable case examples include:
- U.S. v. Zacharias – In November 2023, a former priest was sentenced to life in prison after a jury found him guilty of sex trafficking three victims who he first met at a Catholic school in Toledo in 1999. The evidence presented at trial showed that Zacharias used his position of authority as a spiritual leader to groom the boys and grow close with their families before ultimately coercing the victims into engaging in commercial sex acts. Zacharias’s abuse continued for years, assisted by his exploiting his victims’ opioid addictions, which they had developed while taking such drugs to cope with the abuse.
- U.S. v. Patterson – A Canton man was sentenced to 26 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple charges including sexual exploitation of children, receipt and distribution of visual depictions of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and possession of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM), also referred to as child pornography.
- U.S. v. Walker – After FBI agents received a lead that a sexually explicit picture of a two-year old was likely a child residing in Northeast Ohio, agents identified the child and discovered that she spent time at an in-home daycare in Parma, Ohio, where Walker was often present. After he pled guilty to sexual exploitation and child pornography crimes for sexually abusing the child, filming it on his phone, and distributing those videos, Walker was sentenced to 16 years in prison.
- U.S. v. Deitsch – In February 2024, an Ohio man was sentenced to 17 and a half years in prison after he pled guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor and transportation of a minor across state lines for illicit sexual activity. A month after his release from prison for the abduction of another female, Deitsch traveled to Illinois to pick up a 15-year-old girl who he had met online, then brought her back to Ohio and engaged in sexual activity with her. After serving his prison term, he was also ordered serve 25 years of supervised release.
- U.S. v. Wilcoxon – A Defiance man was sentenced to 30 years in prison in October 2023 after pleading guilty to attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, coercion and enticement of a minor, and receipt and distribution of child sexual abuse materials. According to court documents, he initiated online chats with a purported 13-year-old and sought to meet with her to have sex. A search of his home uncovered more than 11,000 images of child sexual abuse in his possession.
National Security & Cybercrime
National security remained a top priority of all U.S. Attorney’s offices, including the Northern District of Ohio. Further, the Office continued to be a recognized leader in cybercrime investigations and prosecutions, seeking to apprehend and punish criminal actors who hide behind their computer screens to wreak immeasurable damage worldwide. Office achievements under U.S. Attorney Lutzko’s leadership included the following:
- U.S. v. John Doe a.k.a. “Brain” – In August 2024, the Office filed a criminal complaint against a defendant known as “Brain,” believed to be based in Europe and responsible for building a multi-national ransomware organization known as Radar. This complaint sought injunctive relief to prevent additional attacks on victims from occurring and authorized disruption of the ransomware by disabling foreign and domestic domain names, servers, and IP addresses associated with the criminal enterprise. Victims include businesses and organizations located in more than three dozen countries throughout the world, including a trade union and a manufacturing company located in the northern district of Ohio. The FBI estimates monetary losses incurred by individuals and organizations to be in the millions, and the investigation remains open.
- U.S. v. Vidic – A Croatian man living in Parma Heights was sentenced to three years in prison for possessing a green card that he fraudulently obtained by concealing that he had been charged with a war crime in Croatia before immigrating to the United States. He also falsely stated that his only past military service was in the Yugoslav Army from 1988 to 1989, when, in fact, he fought with the Serb Army of Krajina and its predecessors during the civil war in the former Yugoslavia from 1991.
- Trickbot Malware Conspiracy – Russian national Vladimir Dunaev pled guilty in November 2023 to crimes related to developing and deploying worldwide a malicious software program used to launch cyberattacks against American hospitals, schools, and businesses, including 10 in northern Ohio. Dunaev was responsible for causing those Ohio entities $3.4 million in losses based on Trickbot ransomware attacks. He was sentenced to 64 months in prison in January 2024. A co-conspirator pled guilty earlier and was sentenced in June 2023.
Drug Trafficking
U.S. Attorney Lutzko emphasized prosecuting and dismantling multi-level drug-trafficking organizations during her tenure, particularly those with international connections and/or that peddled highly toxic poisons such as fentanyl on our communities streets. The Office had numerous successes combatting the scourge of drug-trafficking, including the following examples:
- U.S. v. Ojeda-Elenes et al. – Four individuals, including two with direct connections to the Sinaloa Cartel based in Culiacán, Mexico, received sentences in 2024 ranging from two and a half years to 19 years in prison for a drug conspiracy involving more than 240 pounds of fentanyl and nearly 100 pounds of cocaine.
- U.S. v. Whittaker, et al. – Fifteen people in Lorain County were charged in a 19-count indictment after authorities seized large quantities of fentanyl that included more than 42,000 thousand fentanyl pills.
- U.S. v. Hovanec, et al. – A woman was sentenced to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple charges, including conspiring to distribute a controlled substance that resulted in the death of her husband (she intentionally injected him with that substance). Her boyfriend and mother were also implicated in the case and sentenced to 18 and 10 years prison, respectively.
- U.S. v. Johnson, et al. – Twenty members of a drug trafficking operation operating in Sandusky, Ohio, were charged in a 63-count indictment and alleged to be responsible for trafficking distribution quantities of controlled substances in the Greater Sandusky area, including fentanyl and fentanyl analogues in both powder and counterfeit pill form, as well as methamphetamine and cocaine.
- U.S. v. May – A man was sentenced to more than 14 and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute drugs and distributing drugs. He was also ordered to serve 15 years of supervised release following imprisonment. According to court documents and court records, he led a drug conspiracy in the Youngstown area that distributed fentanyl, cocaine, cocaine base, and heroin.
- U.S. v. Lumbus, et al. – Eleven people were charged in an international drug trafficking conspiracy that involved the importation of fentanyl, synthetic opioids, and synthetic cannabinoids into the United States, and the distribution of those drugs in Ohio and other states, including in Ohio’s prisons.
U. S. Attorney Lutzko chaired the Office’s Heroin-Opioid Task Force, partnering with local law enforcement entities and service providers to address the opioid epidemic in Cuyahoga County. Under her leadership, the Office recently spearheaded a successful effort to more quickly connect persons who have experienced a recent overdose with community intervention organizations that assist willing participants begin their journey toward sobriety.
Financial Collections/Forfeiture
As U.S. Attorney Lutzko recently noted, “Asset forfeiture is a vital tool” used “to punish criminals and financially deter, disrupt, or dismantle criminal activity and criminal organizations. When we take the assets used to commit, or gained as the result of crime, we deprive criminals of the tools they need to engage in criminal activity and, indeed, their reason for committing such crimes in the first place. Additionally, forfeiting criminal assets allows us to return money lost by victims who were scammed by criminals in deceitful and fraudulent schemes or otherwise harmed by crime.” In FY 2024 alone, the Office forfeited over $7.7 million in criminal assets, with more than $50 million of assets still pending future forfeiture.
In addition, the Office continued its tremendous success collecting debts owed to the government based on false claims, environmental damage, controlled-substance violations, and the like, to return that money to the U.S. taxpayers, and further, recovering money for crime victims to make them whole. In FY 2024, the Office’s Financial Litigation Program collected nearly $28 million in victim restitution and taxpayer recoveries of money improperly taken through fraud, waste, and abuse.
Protecting Our Environment & Animal Welfare
The Office worked closely with the DOJ’s Environmental and Natural Resources Division to protect the environment for our district’s residents. Notable examples include:
U.S. v. Norfolk Southern Railway Co., et al. – The Norfolk Southern Railway Company agreed to a settlement valued at over $310 million to hold it accountable, address, and pay for the environmental damages caused by the Feb. 3, 2023, train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, and fund health monitoring and mental health services for the surrounding communities, and railway safety measures.
U.S. v. Shepherd – A Kenton, Ohio, man was sentenced to probation, community service, a $5,000 fine, and to pay $22,508.60 in restitution after pleading guilty to dumping over 7,000 gallons of hazardous pollutants into the Scioto River, killing over 43,000 fish and contaminating an 18-mile stretch of the river.
U.S. v. Mt. Hope Auction – A civil complaint filed in September against Mt. Hope Auction alleged that it placed animals in serious danger and violated the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). At the time of the complaint’s filing, Mt. Hope had been cited for 69 AWA violations in less than two years, including repeated violations for failing to provide veterinary care to sick or injured animals. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspectors observed a calf unable to stand, with its legs splayed in an abnormal position and other animals that were so emaciated that their ribs, scapula, pelvic bones, and individual vertebrae were visible. Mt. Hope Auction entered into a consent decree with the USAO and agreed not to deal or exhibit AWA-regulated animal without a license and allow the USDA access to ensure compliance. If Mt. Hope Auction obtains a new USDA license within the next three years, it agrees to a two-year probationary period.
Career History
Ms. Lutzko first joined the Office as a career prosecutor in 2005. As an Assistant United States Attorney, she prosecuted complex criminal cases involving a range of federal violations, including money laundering; campaign-finance violations; public corruption; multiple types of fraud schemes, including healthcare, tax, government-program, investment, and corporate frauds; and complex narcotics conspiracies, from illegal “street” drugs to illegal online pharmacy operations and other doctor-involved drug trafficking. She served as Chief of the Criminal Division’s Appeals Unit between January 2017 and June 2023, where she oversaw all briefing and arguments by the Office before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. She also served as Deputy Chief of the Major Fraud and Corruption Unit from 2010 to 2011.
Before becoming an Assistant U.S. Attorney, Ms. Lutzko was an associate at BakerHostetler in Cleveland from 1998 to 2005. She also served as a law clerk from 1997 to 1998 for Judge Alice M. Batchelder of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Ms. Lutzko graduated cum laude from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1997 where she earned her Juris Doctor degree with distinction. She graduated magna cum laude in 1993 from Boston University where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree.
New USAO Task Force to Target Government Contract FraudRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio is spearheading a new, interagency Supply Chain Oversight and Procurement Enforcement (SCOPE) Task Force, created in 2024, to ensure supply chain integrity and prevent procurement fraud. The task force will serve to support the work of the Government Supply Chain Investigations Unit (GSCIU), led by the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), based in Washington, D.C.
The GSCIU investigates procurement and government contract fraud in connection with military, law enforcement, and public health and safety. Examples include investigations into substandard or fraudulent vaccines or medications that are supplied to veterans through Veterans Affairs. Other investigations have focused on faulty electronics and software provided to NASA or the military supply chain, and counterfeit and faulty armor and munitions provided to law enforcement and military personnel.
“As the first of its kind in the district, this task force brings together the USAO’s white collar crime unit, Homeland Security Investigations, and numerous other federal investigative agencies to address large-scale supply chain and procurement fraud in government contracting,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “We also must be vigilant about products entering the government supply chain stemming from prohibited sources or foreign countries of concern, which presents a national security issue that may potentially sabotage or compromise systems put in place to protect our country, our servicemen and servicewomen, and our citizens.”
The task force will hold its first meeting in early February. Topics of discussion will emphasize public health and safety, vaccine and medicine fraud, counterfeit goods, intellectual property theft, and national security. Regional federal agencies that have committed to the USAO-NDOH-led task force include the FBI, NASA, HSI, NCIS, Intellectual Property Rights Center, Defense Criminal Investigative Services, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Veterans Affairs, General Services Administration, Customs and Border Protection, IRS-Criminal Investigation, U.S. ARMY, and Defense Finance Accounting Service.
USAO General Crimes Unit Ends 2024 with Notable AchievementsRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – The General Crimes Unit of the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the Northern District of Ohio is responsible for prosecuting individuals who violate a wide variety of federal laws in any of the 40 northern counties in the state of Ohio which the district serves.
These Assistant U.S. Attorneys focus on prosecuting crimes that involve firearms violations, illegal drugs, and violent crimes such as armed robberies, carjackings, and/or make threatening communications. They also hold those accountable who sexually abuse children, fail to register as sex offenders, possess and/or distribute pornographic images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and engage in human trafficking.
Reducing violent crime has been a top focus of the Department of Justice and the USAO. To further those efforts, a new Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) was opened in the District in June 2024. Attorney General Merrick Garland and ATF Director Steven Dettelbach, alongside U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko, announced the center’s opening at a press conference earlier this year. The CGIC serves as a hub for federal and local law enforcement to investigate and prevent gun violence in the region. It utilizes cutting-edge technology and tracing systems to rapidly develop and pursue investigative leads that have helped to drive violent crime rates down in Northern Ohio this year. With these experts located in the same facility, this team of firearm evidence examiners, intelligence analysts, and investigators can rapidly collect, analyze, and share information about guns used in violent crimes.
“Driving down violent crime has, without a doubt, been one of our office’s top priorities,” said U.S. Attorney Lutzko. “With the CGIC now fully operational, it allows us to connect the dots between crimes so we can prosecute, convict, and lock up the bad actors who commit violent crimes and remove “crime guns” from the streets faster, so neither continue to endanger innocent people in neighborhoods throughout Northern Ohio.”
Notable operations and cases for fiscal year 2024 include the following:
Violent Crime Reduction Operation – After a three-month, violent crime reduction initiative in the summer of 2023, a total of 84 defendants were charged in connection with firearms-trafficking, straw purchasing firearms, narcotics, conspiracy, and other firearms offenses. The investigation was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and resulted in the seizure of more than 255 firearms, of which 47 were traced back to other crimes. The seizure also included 17 untraceable firearms, also known as “ghost guns.” Seventy defendants were charged federally and the remaining 14 faced state charges. Sixty of those entered guilty pleas, 49 of which have been sentenced to date. Of the 14 defendants charged in the state, 12 have pled guilty and been convicted and sentenced. Some notable prison sentencings for various federal firearms violations include Darvell Jackson, sentenced to 168 months; Cortez Buggs sentenced to 132 months; Kenneth Smith sentenced to 135 months; Darion Shelton, sentenced to 100 months; Willie Earl Jackson sentenced to 84 months.
U.S. v. Conner Walker – In early January 2024, the FBI Cleveland Division received a lead that a sexually explicit picture of a two-year-old was likely a child residing in Northeast Ohio. After the FBI confirmed the child’s identity, they learned that she spent time at an in-home day care in Parma, Ohio. Walker was identified as a friend of the day care owner’s adult son who frequented the home and often stayed the night. During an interview, he admitted to sexually abusing the child, filmed it on his phone, and distributed the video online. Walker entered guilty pleas to sexual exploitation, receipt, distribution, and possession of child pornography and is currently awaiting sentencing.
U.S. v. Shannon Matheny – On Oct. 26, 2022, a bank in Lorain, Ohio, was robbed by a man armed with a small silver semi-automatic firearm. The teller reported that the suspect entered, approached counter, slid a note under plexiglass indicating that it was robbery, that he had a gun, not to touch the alarm, and to hand over all fifty, hundred, and twenty-dollar bills. When the teller retrieved the cash from her drawer and handed it to him, he walked away with more than $4,000 from the bank. The Lorain Police Department investigated anonymous tips and reviewed surveillance videos. Two days later, Matheny was located and then arrested after a police chase. A bookbag containing a loaded firearm, fentanyl, cocaine, and two cellphones were seized from Matheny. Matheny was convicted on all counts after a five-day trial in April 2024. In August, he was sentenced to 78 months in prison, plus 84 months consecutive for brandishing a firearm during the course of a robbery, for a total of 162 months.
Additionally, to address regional crime issues, the USAO conducted numerous outreach efforts to diverse members of the community. These included discussions with religious and ethnic groups with concerns about the rise in hate crimes.
To report crimes, visit https://tips.fbi.gov/home.
USAO Forfeits More Than $7M in Criminal Assets in FY24, with More Than $50M of Assets Still PendingRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – The U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the Northern District of Ohio forfeited $7,701,470 in criminal assets for fiscal year 2024 (FY24). The total forfeited assets were from investigations throughout the District’s 40 northern counties in the state of Ohio. The District’s headquarters is located in Cleveland, with branch offices in Akron, Toledo, and Youngstown.
At the end of FY24, the USAO had more than $50 million of assets still pending forfeiture orders in cases districtwide. They included items such as cash, cryptocurrency, vehicles, real estate, and jewelry. These assets were acquired from 214 cases brought under the three types of federal forfeiture proceedings, which include criminal, civil judicial, and administrative. Criminal forfeiture involves personal assets used in conjunction with a crime and is included as part of a defendant’s sentence. Civil judicial forfeiture concerns assets derived from or used in criminal activity. Administrative forfeiture involves assets for whom no one has filed a claim contesting the seizure.
Because of the time it can take to process appeals, payments to victims can stem from previous fiscal years. In FY24, a total of $11,077,758 of forfeited funds were earmarked for return to crime victims to whom defendants owed restitution.
Some of the forfeited assets were deposited into the Department of Justice Asset Forfeiture Fund (AFF), which was established in 1984 by the Comprehensive Crime Control Act. The AFF is used to restore funds to crime victims and pay expenses associated with forfeiture operation, such as asset management, storage, protection, and disposal. It is also used for a variety of law enforcement purposes. Other assets seized were deposited into the Treasury Asset Forfeiture Fund, which functions in a similar way to the AFF.
In addition, a portion of each fiscal year’s forfeited funds are authorized to be shared with local law enforcement agencies that contributed time and resources to federal investigations. In FY24, $10,523,635 was shared across 83 agency partners in the Northern District of Ohio, as well as other districts, for supporting federal prosecution efforts to fight crime.
“Asset forfeiture is a vital tool that we use to punish criminals and financially deter, disrupt, or dismantle criminal activity and criminal organizations. When we take the assets used to commit, or gained as the result of crime, we deprive criminals of the tools they need to engage in criminal activity and, indeed, their reason for committing such crimes in the first place. Additionally, forfeiting criminal assets allows us to return money lost by victims who were scammed by criminals in deceitful and fraudulent schemes or otherwise harmed by crime,” said Rebecca Lutzko, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio. “The amount of assets forfeited this year and still pending forfeiture by the court far exceeds our annual office budget. We take pride in returning such significant amounts of money to our community and constituents from the work that our office undertakes.”
Cases with significant forfeitures in FY24 include the following:
United States v. Christen Clark
Clark pled guilty to federal drug and gun violations. During a search warrant execution, agents seized six kilograms of cocaine, two kilograms of fentanyl, 50 pounds of marijuana, and six handguns. The USAO forfeited $1,004,496 and a 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe from Clark.
United States v. Rocco Ferruccio
Defendant pled guilty to illegal gambling operations in Canton. The USAO forfeited $1,118,442 seized from Ferruccio’s residence.
United States v. Christos Karasarides
Related to the Ferruccio case, Karasarides was convicted of illegal gambling operations in Canton. The USAO forfeited $419,768 in U.S. currency. Karasarides’ residence was also determined to have been acquired with gambling proceeds and forfeited.
United States v. $774,830 in U.S. Currency
During an Ohio Highway Patrol traffic stop, a K-9 alerted to the trunk of a defendant’s rental car, and U.S. Currency was seized from a suitcase in the trunk. The defendant declined to provide the source of the currency. The USAO forfeited a total of $774,830.
United States v. Kevin Clay
Clay was found guilty of healthcare fraud and agreed to the USAO’s forfeiture of approximately $539,770 in proceeds of his fraud, along with the forfeiture of a home purchased with fraud proceeds. But, as alleged in a pending indictment, before the government took possession of his home, Clay instructed his wife to remove fixtures and appliances from it to sell, profiting about $5,000. In the process, his wife caused more than $20,000 in damage to the home and the government subsequently charged the couple with destruction or removal of property to prevent seizure.
United States v. 947,883 Tether (“USDT”)
In this elder fraud case, on Nov. 26, 2024, the United States filed a civil complaint in forfeiture against 947,883 Tether (“USDT”) cryptocurrency, valued at approximately $947,883. At the time the asset was frozen, the cryptocurrency address had a balance of 947,883 USDT, valued at approximately $947,883. If successful in this forfeiture action, the United States would seek to return these stolen funds to the victim of the scheme. Claims made in the Complaint in Forfeiture are allegations that the United States will need to prove should the case proceed to trial.
All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The mission of the Department of Justice Asset Forfeiture Program (AFP) is to use asset forfeiture as a tool to deter, disrupt, and dismantle criminal enterprises, denying them the proceeds and the instruments of criminal activity. The AFP involves federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement agencies across the country.
USAO Collects Nearly $28M in Civil and Criminal Actions for FY 2024Read the Press Release
CLEVELAND - In the fiscal year 2024 (FY 2024), the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio collected $27,882,120.34 in civil and criminal actions. Of this amount, $12,537,202.34 was collected for civil damages, penalties, and interest owed to the United States, while $15,344,918 was collected for criminal restitution to victims of federal crime.
In addition to those amounts, the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO), working with partner agencies and divisions, also separately forfeited in FY 2024 $7,701,470 in assets connected to criminal activity, with more than $50M in additional assets still pending forfeiture orders. Forfeited assets are deposited into the Department of Justice Asset Forfeiture Fund or the Treasury Asset Forfeiture Fund and used to restore funds to crime victims and for various law enforcement purposes.
Accordingly, the U.S. Attorney’s Office collected a combined $35,583,590.34 in FY 2024.
“Every year, dedicated USAO employees work hard to collect debts owed to the government based on false claims, environmental damage, controlled-substance violations, and the like, and return that money to the U.S. taxpayers. They also work to recover money for victims of crime to make them whole and ensure that justice is served from a financial perspective,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “The USAO’s FY 2024 collection efforts were tremendously successful, and we remain committed, in 2025 and beyond, to using all available legal remedies to collect restitution for victims and recover taxpayer dollars improperly taken through fraud, waste, and abuse.”
Notable collections in FY 2024 include:
Civil Cases
Cleveland Clinic Foundation – Payment of $7,600,000 to settle False Claims Act allegations relating to federal grant applications and progress reports. That amount is now paid in full.
Ohio Refining Co., Chevron USA Inc., Energy Transfer (R&M) LLC, Pilkington North America Inc., and Chemtrade Logistics Inc. – Payment of $7,282,518.92 to settle allegations of historic industrial pollution discharges near Toledo. That amount is now paid in full.
Republic Steel – Payment of a civil penalty as part of a consent decree to settle Clean Air Act allegations. Republic Steel paid $1,051,169.49 as part of the consent decree, which also included air pollution reductions.
Criminal Cases
U.S. v. Aydin Kalantarov – Defendant was sentenced in May 2023 for conspiring to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The court ordered Kalantarov to pay $7,799,400.00 in restitution to the Small Business Association (SBA). In January 2024, the USAO facilitated the transfer of $5,624,627.21 in forfeited funds to the Clerk of Courts for payment to the SBA.
U.S. v. Matthew Maluchnik – Defendant was sentenced in October 2023 for committing healthcare fraud and making false statements on his tax returns. The court ordered him to pay $941,068.50 in restitution. In April 2024, the USAO facilitated the transfer of $715,979.50 in forfeited funds to the Clerk of Courts for payment to Maluchnik’s victims.
U.S. v. Christopher Hardin – Defendant was sentenced in September 2019 for committing mail fraud and was ordered to pay $671,699.73 in restitution to over a dozen victims. In FY2024, the USAO collected $655,574.73 from Hardin for his victims.
The 94 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country, along with the Department of Justice’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss.
While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the Department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
USAO White Collar Crimes Unit Ends 2024 with Notable AchievementsRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – The White Collar Crimes Unit of the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the Northern District of Ohio prosecutes those who violate federal law through fraud or corruption in any of the 40 northern counties in the state of Ohio that the district serves.
White collar crimes are usually non-violent and typically involve schemes such as tax evasion, embezzlement, money laundering, insider trading, multiple variations of fraud, bribery, and investment scams. They also include public corruption and abuse of government benefits meant for unemployment, health, or small businesses. These crimes increasingly target victims on their computers or other electronic devices and are becoming more technologically sophisticated. Victims of such crimes can be individuals, large or small businesses, organizations, and government entities.
“White collar offenders frequently hatch elaborate plans to obtain money by deceitful means. They plot and scheme their way to taking advantage of circumstances and human nature, causing financial harm to people, businesses, and governments, and undermining public trust,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “Our office has prioritized investigating and prosecuting those who attempt to deceive others—whether individuals, businesses, or government entities and the public at large—by committing crimes to line their own pockets at the expense of victims. We will continue to seek justice and hold wrongdoers responsible for the financial havoc they wreak.”
Notable white collar crime cases for 2024 include:
U.S. v. Basheer Jones – Jones was a former Cleveland city councilman who pled guilty to bribery and wire fraud. He obtained more than $130,000 from local nonprofits through fraud, and then attempted to obtain additional funds through a bribery scheme involving the use of city funds to pay for a nonprofit to purchase a dilapidated property owned by his romantic partner and co-conspirator. He pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and honest services wire fraud on Dec. 19, 2024. His sentencing is scheduled for April 1, 2025.
U.S. v. Gregory Gerber – Gerber pled guilty to illegal prescribing of opioids and other substances while ignoring the signs of addiction and abuse in his patients. He was sentenced to 42 months in prison and one year of home confinement. He was also ordered to pay $850,000 in restitution for making fraudulent claims for healthcare reimbursement. A civil complaint was also filed against Gerber, and he agreed to a consent judgment to settle the allegations. The order entered by the court permanently prohibits Gerber from prescribing opioids or other controlled substances, permanently prohibits him from managing, owning, or controlling any entity that dispenses controlled substances, and requires Gerber to pay approximately $4.7 million under the False Claims Act.
U.S. v. Yue Cao – Cao was a bank IT security professional indicted for using his position to find accounts of elderly victims, set up online access to those accounts, and steal funds from them. According to court documents, Cao allegedly transferred approximately $2 million from customers’ real accounts to other accounts he had set up in their names, but that he controlled. Dates for future proceedings are to be determined.
U.S. v. Terrence Pounds – From March 2020 through December 2020, Pounds and his co-defendants devised a scheme to obtain Small Business Administration (SBA)-financed loans from the Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) program and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) under false pretenses. Under the guise of operating faith-based, nonprofit organizations, the SBA approved many of their loan applications. Pounds often received a share of the loan proceeds as payment for obtaining the loan. He was sentenced to 94 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. He was also ordered to pay $4,239,940.43 in restitution to the SBA.
U.S. v. Clarissa Cheney et al. – Six defendants pleaded guilty and were sentenced to a total of 355 months for a COVID-19 fraud conspiracy. From March 2020 to August 2021, they obtained nearly $3,000,000 in federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits using other people’s identities. They submitted fraudulent applications for PUA benefits to California and other states around the country. The defendants, all residents of Northeast Ohio, were sentenced to prison as follows: Clarissa Cheney, 81 months; Kevin Gilmore, 78 months; Tiara Henderson, 70 months; Ladessa Battle, 24 months; Lynard Mitchell, 78 months; and Marcelys Jones, 24 months. Dates for future proceedings for a seventh defendant, Silas Moultrie, are yet to be determined, as Moultrie was a fugitive for approximately one year before being arrested in West Virginia in September 2024.
To report suspected white collar crimes, visit https://tips.fbi.gov/home.
Ohio Meat Processing Company “Fresh Mark, Inc.” Enters into Non-prosecution Agreement for Scheme to Use Stolen Identities of U.S. Citizens for WorkersRead the Press Release
AKRON, Ohio – Fresh Mark, Inc, has entered into a Non-prosecution Agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio in connection with its hiring manager’s involvement in an identity theft scheme and subsequent obstruction of justice. The company was founded in 1920 and is a nationwide producer of processed meats under the Sugardale and Superior Brand Meats brands, along with several private labels. Between 2013 and 2018, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents arrested multiple Fresh Mark employees who used stolen identities to gain employment with the company.
According to court documents, a hiring manager at Fresh Mark’s Salem facility, Yelwin Omar Munoz-Solis, 43, of Salem, Ohio, conspired with others to steal identities of U.S. Citizens and give them to job applicants at Fresh Mark’s meat processing plants. He then certified I-9 documents, which are used to verify identity and employment eligibility in the United States. Munoz-Solis was charged and subsequently plead guilty to conspiracy to commit aggravated identity theft, aggravated identity theft, and making false statements on immigration forms submitted to HSI.
HSI served search warrants at Fresh Mark’s processing facilities in Salem, Massillon, and Canton on June 19, 2018, where investigators detained 146 aliens working at the facility who were in the United States without legal status. Approximately 30 of those individuals were later charged with various immigration violations in federal court.
“Stealing identities to transfer to others not eligible to work is not an acceptable business practice,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “Employers must ensure that their hiring practices comply with all federal laws, and businesses caught providing false statements to the government will be held to account.”
“This settlement is a testament to HSI’s commitment to the American people and our Ohio communities,” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Angie M. Salazar. “I’m extremely proud of the agents and prosecutors, who over many years saw this case through until the end. We should remain vigilant and ensure that all companies abide by the law when it comes labor practices.”
Under the terms of the agreement, Fresh Mark paid a $3,719,997 penalty and will abide by compliance reporting requirements for a period of two years. Pursuant to the Victims of Crime Act Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021, the money will go to the federal Crime Victims Fund.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Toepfer.
Ohio Man Charged with Sexual Abuse of Jail InmateRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A federal grand jury sitting in Cleveland, Ohio, has returned an indictment charging an Ohio man for sexual abuse of a person being held in police custody. According to the indictment, Damon K. Perry, 52, of Youngstown, sexually abused a female inmate under federal detention at the Mahoning County Jail on two dates in November 2023. The correctional facility, located in Youngstown, Ohio, serves under contract with a federal law enforcement agency to house detainees at their direction as needed.
The first incident allegedly occurred when the inmate was under Perry’s charge and supervision as she was being held in custody on Nov. 9, 2023. Court documents indicate that the investigation also found a second incident on Nov. 30, 2023, when Perry again engaged in a non-consensual sexual act with the same federal detainee placed under his authority.
“A prison sentence should never include sexual abuse, and certainly not sexual abuse committed by someone to whom we have entrusted a prisoner’s care and custody,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “Correction officers have significant power over the inmates they supervise—they are to use their authority to keep prisoners safe, not abuse it and violate a prisoner’s basic rights.”
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General and being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Joyce and Yasmine Makridis for the Northern District of Ohio.
USAO Civil Division Ends 2024 with Notable AchievementsRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – The Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the Northern District of Ohio is responsible for litigating civil cases that involve the United States and its agencies throughout the 40 northern counties in the state of Ohio.
The Assistant U.S. Attorneys in this division litigate a diverse docket of both affirmative and defensive court cases on behalf of the United States and its various agencies. Examples include cases that involve federal laws concerning the environment, disability and anti-discrimination, voting rights, fair housing, fraud recovery on behalf of Medicare and Medicaid, and more. The division also recovers money owed to the government or victims of crimes, and collects payment of criminal restitution, fines, and penalties. Additional areas of responsibility include protecting the United States’ interests in medical malpractice actions, bankruptcies, foreclosures, and social security matters.
“Our civil division attorneys perform a broad array of work that protects the public fisc and has far-reaching impacts, from affirmatively protecting individual civil rights to defending the environment to recovering taxpayer money diverted by individuals and corporations through fraudulent conduct or deceptive health care practices,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “The division’s achievements this year are significant, and we will continue our efforts, next year and beyond, to hold accountable those who break federal laws and cheat the U.S. taxpayer, and to otherwise represent the United States’ interests in civil litigation.”
Some of the division’s notable achievements in 2024 include the following resolutions:
Investigation of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation - The Cleveland Clinic Foundation (CCF) agreed to pay $7,600,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act when it submitted federal grant applications and progress reports to the National Institutes of Health that did not disclose that a key employee involved in administering the grants had financial research support from other sources.
U.S. ex rel. White, et al. v. Rite Aid Corp., et al. - Rite Aid Corporation and 10 subsidiaries and affiliates agreed to settle the government’s allegations of filling unnecessary prescriptions under the False Claims Act and Controlled Substances Act, asserted in United States ex rel. White et al. v. Rite Aid Corp., et al. Under the settlement, the government will be paid $7.5 million.
U.S. ex rel. Rzeszutko v. Elixir Insurance Co., et al. – Three Rite-Aid subsidiaries, Elixir Insurance Company, RX Options LLC, and RX Solutions LLC, agreed to a settlement that resolved allegations that they violated the False Claims Act when they did not accurately report drug rebates to the Medicare program. As part of the settlement, Elixir Insurance and Rite Aid will pay the United States $101 million.
U.S v. Gerber, et al. – A federal court prohibited Ohio physician Gregory Gerber, M.D., from prescribing opioids and other controlled substances and ordered him to pay $4.7 million in a case alleging violations of the Controlled Substances Act and the False Claims Act. Allegations against Gerber include writing prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances without a legitimate medical basis, causing a patient’s death due to a fentanyl patch overdose, and receiving kickback payments from a drug manufacturer when prescribing certain drugs that contain fentanyl.
U.S. v. Norfolk Southern Railway Co., et al. – The Norfolk Southern Railway Company agreed to a settlement valued at over $363 million to hold it accountable, address, and pay for the damage caused by the Feb. 3, 2023, train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. The USAO worked in conjunction with the Environmental Enforcement Section of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division to settle the case. The settlement included provisions requiring Norfolk Southern to fund a community health program that will monitor and treat individual medical needs of residents and first responders stemming from the disaster. It also required Norfolk Southern to fund extensive environmental site cleanup to restore the region’s waterways and habitats; to implement expanded rail safety and emergency response measures and measures to improve and protect waterways and wetlands; and to monitor drinking water to ensure it is safe.
Additionally, the USAO’s Civil Division conducted numerous outreach efforts to connect with the community. In 2024, these included the following events:
Voting with a Disability – In February, U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko took part in an online forum to highlight concerns and address issues that voters with disabilities encounter. Advocacy groups and others from throughout the state listened to the presentation and identified areas of concern. This event was held in partnership with the USAO for the Southern District of Ohio.
Legal Aid Society of Cleveland – In April, lawyers and support staff from the USAO volunteered their time and talents at a legal aid clinic. The event was held at the Cleveland Public Library-Memorial Nottingham Branch. Clinic volunteers provided advice and assistance to people with limited financial resources and addressed a range of civil, legal problems, such as landlord and tenant issues, employment, family law, and consumer law.
Summer Camp ADA Compliance – In May the USAO corresponded with numerous summer camps in the district to remind them of their obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In particular, summer camps must make reasonable modifications to enable campers with disabilities to participate fully in all camp programs and activities.
Toledo Branch Office – Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Rojas addressed local bar associations, providing current Department of Justice guidance for evaluating requests by debtors to discharge federal student loans. In May, he addressed the Bankruptcy Court Committee of the Toledo Bar Association. In December, AUSA Rojas participated on a panel for the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association’s William J. O’Neill and Pat E. Morgenstern-Clarren Bankruptcy Institute. The Department of Justice issued its student loan discharge guidance, in part, to set transparent discharge criteria and ease the burden on bankruptcy debtors in pursuing adversary proceedings.
To report crimes or file a complaint, please visit https://www.justice.gov/action-center/report-crime-or-submit-complaint#complaint.
Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Unemployment Insurance and Bank FraudRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Darmani Hawkins, 21, of Aurora, was sentenced to 60 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Donald Nugent after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud; conspiracy to commit bank fraud; and mail theft, as part of schemes to fraudulently obtain coronavirus disease (COVID)-era state unemployment benefits and, separately, to steal checks from the mail, alter them, and deposit them. He was also ordered to pay $681,114.14 in restitution and serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment.
According to court documents, from 2020 through 2021, Hawkins conspired to fraudulently obtain COVID pandemic unemployment insurance benefits by submitting fake claims, and in 2023, he conspired to steal checks out of the United States mail, deposit them, and keep the proceeds.
In the COVID fraud scheme, Hawkins and his co-conspirators exploited the CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security), which had been established to assist people who were out of work because of the COVID-related shutdown. They submitted false unemployment applications to multiple states, making it appear as if they were eligible to receive benefits when, in fact, they were not. Once a state’s unemployment agency approved the applications, the state mailed the unemployment benefits to Hawkins and his co-conspirators in the form of debit cards, which they used to withdraw cash for their personal benefit.
In the bank fraud and mail theft scheme, Hawkins used a social media platform to recruit postal workers to steal checks from the U.S. Postal Service in exchange for a fee. Hawkins also offered to pay people to use their established bank accounts to deposit the checks stolen from the mail. Those who agreed to participate in mail theft deposited the stolen checks into bank accounts that Hawkins had paid others to allow him to access. Hawkins then withdrew or received the stolen deposited funds.
“Mr. Hawkins shamelessly exploited federal resources intended to help those who became unemployed as a result of an uncontrollable, life-changing world event. His deceitful actions were selfish and heartless, diverting much-needed funds away from those who lost their jobs through no fault of their own,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “He also manipulated others to steal checks and misuse our banking system in a greedy effort to make easy money. Those, like Mr. Hawkins, who seek to capitalize on the misfortune of others by abusing federal safety nets established to protect the needy, and who steal from the U.S. taxpayer and private citizens, will be held to account and brought to justice.”
“The sentencing of Mr. Hawkins should send a strong message to anyone who believes they can deceive government programs designed to help the American public in times of need. As part of our mission, postal inspectors will aggressively work to protect the public and prevent criminal misuse of the mail,” said Postal Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Pittsburgh Division. “We value our relationships with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the law enforcement partners involved in bringing Mr. Hawkins to justice.”
During the investigation, officials determined that Hawkins had caused a loss of approximately $425,000 in the COVID fraud scheme and more than $700,000 in the stolen check scheme.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, and the FBI Cleveland Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erica Barnhill for the Northern District of Ohio.
To report fraud, visit https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/unemployment-insurance-payment-accuracy/UIFraudReporting or https://www.uspis.gov/report.
Mexican National Sentenced to Prison for Drug Conspiracy Involving More Than 240 Pounds of Fentanyl and Nearly 100 Pounds of CocaineRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Ronald Rendon-Luna, 37, a Mexican national residing in Painesville, Ohio, has been sentenced to 151 months in prison by U.S. District Chief Judge Sara Lioi, after he pled guilty to engaging in a drug-trafficking conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and being an alien in possession of firearms. He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, the Cartel, Gangs, Narcotics and Laundering Task Force of the FBI-Cleveland Division conducted a long-term drug-trafficking investigation that led to the arrest and successful prosecution of Rendon-Luna and three other co-conspirators, including two individuals with direct connections to the Sinaloa Cartel based in Culiacán, Mexico.
During the investigation, law enforcement officials discovered that, from about June 2022 through January 2023, the leader of the conspiracy, Nefer Ojeda-Elenes, 32, of Upland, California, conspired with Rendon-Luna to use residences in Cleveland and Painesville, and two storage units in Cleveland and Middleburg Heights, to store illegal drugs and proceeds from the sales of the illegal substances. Rendon-Luna, on behalf of Ojeda-Elenes, traveled to area hotels to meet a third co-conspirator, Cameron Harris, 29, of Dayton, who further distributed the drugs in the Dayton, Ohio area. A fourth individual, Trino Alexander Briceno-Matheus, 31, of Miami Beach, Florida, also participated in the conspiracy and is known to have met with Rendon-Luna at an area hotel to pick up approximately $149,640 in proceeds earned from illegal drug activities.
This organization was responsible for distributing approximately 111 kilograms of fentanyl, and approximately 42 kilograms of cocaine during the course of the conspiracy.
“These criminals used their Mexican Cartel connections to bring millions of doses of fentanyl—each one potentially fatal—into our communities and distribute those poisons across our state,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “Every day, dangerous drugs like the fentanyl and cocaine that these defendants imported and peddled on our streets destroy lives. Those who seek to expand their illegal drug trade to our District should know that we will use all tools available to stop them from endangering our residents’ lives and the safety of our neighborhoods.”
During a federal search warrant executed at the related residences and storage units, law enforcement officials found illegal drugs in a storage unit, and confiscated several weapons, including an AK-47 and an AR-15 from Rendon-Luna’s Painesville home.
Rendon Luna’s co-conspirators were previously sentenced.
Ojeda-Elenes was sentenced Sept. 17, 2024, to 228 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. He was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release.
Harris was sentenced Aug. 20, 2024, to 151 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. He was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release.
Briceno-Matheus was sentenced July 23, 2024, to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and interstate transportation in aid of racketeering.
This case was investigated by the FBI-Cleveland Division, with assistance from the Cleveland Division of Police, U.S. Border Patrol (USBP), U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Services, Moreland Hills Police Department, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation & Identification, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Bedford Police Department, Internal Revenue Service, Parma Police Department, Solon Police Department, Ohio Adult Parole, Ottawa County Drug Task Force, Shaker Heights Police Department, Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, Brooklyn Police Department, North Royalton Police Department, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority Police Department, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Painesville Police Department, Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center, Ohio HIDTA, U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
The specific mission of the OCDETF Cleveland Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle major criminal organizations and subsidiary organizations, including criminal gangs, transnational drug cartels, racketeering organizations, and other groups engaged in illicit activities that present a threat to public safety and national security and are related to the illegal smuggling and trafficking of narcotics or other controlled substances, weapons, humans, or the illegal concealment or transfer of proceeds derived from such illicit activities in the Northern District of Ohio. The OCDETF Cleveland Strike Force is composed of agents and officers from the FBI, DEA, ATF, Homeland Security Investigations, USMS, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service, and USBP, along with task force officers from numerous local law enforcement agencies, including the Cleveland Division of Police. Prosecutions are led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Bullard for the Northern District of Ohio.
Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for RobberiesRead the Press Release
AKRON, Ohio – Timothy Hyatt, 36, of Akron, has been sentenced to 18 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Charles Fleming after pleading guilty to four counts of interference with commerce by means of robbery, and two counts of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
According to court documents, from December 2023 to January 2024, Hyatt entered multiple businesses to commit robberies. He threatened employees with a loaded firearm, and in one instance, shots were exchanged between Hyatt and an employee who had obtained a firearm. Hyatt was shot during the scuffle and left the business. After he was treated at a local hospital for a gunshot wound, he was taken to the Akron Police Department, read his Miranda rights, and eventually confessed to committing four robberies.
The business locations Hyatt robbed were:
- Panera Bread, Cuyahoga Falls, Dec. 19, 2023
- Sav-a-Lot, Akron, Dec. 27, 2023
- Game Stop, Akron, Dec. 29, 2023
- Taco Bell, Akron, Jan. 1, 2024
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Akron Police Department, and the Cuyahoga Falls Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Dangelo for the Northern District of Ohio.
Ohio Auction Prevented from Conducting Business Due to Animal Welfare Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A federal court has entered a consent decree to prevent the Mt. Hope Auction Company from conducting business or exhibiting animals without a license. The Millersburg, Ohio company was a holder of a class B dealer license from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). However, its license renewal was denied due to failing two relicensing inspections and failure to schedule a third, and final, inspection. A USDA license is required to obtain and sell Animal Welfare Act (AWA) regulated animals in commerce. Since 2022, the USDA conducted 11 inspections involving Mt. Hope. All 11 inspections identified multiple violations of AWA regulations and standards.
Under the consent decree, the Mt. Hope Auction agrees not to deal in or exhibit AWA-regulated animals without a license, and to allow the USDA access to ensure compliance with this provision. Moreover, if the Mt. Hope Auction applies for and obtains a new USDA license within the next three years, it agrees to a two-year probationary period.
A civil complaint filed in September against Mt. Hope Auction alleged that it placed animals in serious danger and violated the AWA during their three-day, Mid-Ohio Alternative Animal and Bird Sales which it held three times a year. Each of these auctions featured thousands of animals and included more than 200 domestic and exotic species such a sheep, rabbits, parrots, bobcats, red kangaroos, giraffes, Egyptian fruit bats, and sloths. Endangered species such as ring-tailed lemurs were also included in the auction.
If Mt. Hope Auction were to obtain a new USDA license, it would do so under a probationary period and agree to comply with AWA requirements to provide adequate veterinary care to animals consigned at the auctions; handle animals carefully; prevent the public from contacting animals without a responsible employee present; ensure that all facilities and enclosures are sanitary, in good repair and meet the minimum AWA standards; and create and maintain complete and accurate records. Mt. Hope also agrees to maintain veterinary records to allow for future monitoring of veterinary care. If Mt. Hope repeatedly violates the same AWA regulations and standards during the probationary period, its AWA license will be permanently revoked.
“In recent years, Mt. Hope Auction has auctioned off more than 5,000 animals annually, which underscores the widespread effect of their violations,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The company’s ‘business as usual’ approach — risking injury, illness and harm to the animals at its auctions — will not continue. It is important for auction houses dealing in regulated animals to abide by the Animal Welfare Act and provide humane treatment to the animals that come through their doors.”
“USDA is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of animals protected under the Animal Welfare Act,” said Deputy Administrator Sarah Helming for USDA’s Animal Care program. “The partnership between USDA and DOJ helps to ensure enforcement of the AWA regulations for those who put regulated animals at risk.”
“Despite numerous opportunities to correct their business practices, Mt. Hope Auction chose not to comply,” said Rebecca Lutzko, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio. “Their complete disregard for the laws regarding animal welfare and treatment placed both these animals and the public at large in danger. As this case demonstrates, we will hold accountable businesses that seek to profit from treating animals inhumanely.”
At the time of the complaint filing, Mt. Hope had been cited for 69 AWA violations in less than two years. This included repeated violations for failing to provide veterinary care to sick or injured animals. In one instance, inspectors saw a calf unable to stand, with its legs splayed in an abnormal position and a member of the public reported that the calf had been in the same position since the day before. Other violations reported in court documents include Asian antelopes and cattle that were so emaciated that their ribs, scapula, pelvic bones, and individual vertebrae were visible; sheep and exotic cattle with diarrhea on their hind legs, a fox with eye discharge, birds with feather loss; and a pheasant with a wound on top of its head that was bleeding and its neck matted down from blood drainage as it lay lethargic with little to no reaction to the loud surrounding environment.
The investigation also determined that animal enclosures were unsafe, improperly constructed, unsanitary, damaged or broken, too small, or did not provide adequate ventilation. Several animals were found covered in excrement or unable to move. Court documents further revealed that there was a lack of sufficient food and water for animals. Inspectors discovered rabbits that had been deprived of food and water. Once provided with water, one rabbit drank for more than 40 seconds, a nursing rabbit drank for more than two-and-a-half minutes, and a third rabbit drank for over four minutes.
Mt. Hope also allowed the public to touch animals — including potentially dangerous coyotes, fox and bison — without proper barriers or employee supervision. The complaint also alleged that Mt. Hope had accepted hundreds of animals from sellers who did not hold a USDA license when they were required.
The court entered a temporary restraining order against Mt. Hope on Sept. 13, requiring the auction company to comply with several AWA requirements at its September Alternative Animal and Bird Sale. Mt. Hope canceled that sale. Mt. Hope’s USDA license was set to expire at the end of September, and after failing to demonstrate compliance at two inspections, Mt. Hope declined the third and final opportunity for a re-licensing inspection and terminated the re-licensing process.
The USDA investigated this case. Senior Trial Attorney Devon Flanagan and Trial Attorneys Kamela Caschette and Taylor Mayhall of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Wildlife and Marine Resources Section prosecuted the case, with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Andrachik and Elizabeth Deucher for the Northern District of Ohio.
To report animal welfare violations, visit https://www.aphis.usda.gov/awa/regulatory-enforcement/complaint.
mt_hope_complaint.pdf signed_consent_decree.pdfEighteen Cleveland Gang Members and Associates Indicted on Federal Charges for RICO Conspiracy, Murder, Kidnapping, Assault, Firearms Violations, and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
A federal district court in the Northern District of Ohio today unsealed a second superseding indictment against 18 members and associates of a violent street gang known as the Fully Blooded Felons, who have been charged with various federal crimes, including racketeering (RICO) conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping in aid of racketeering, assault in aid of racketeering, firearms violations, and drug trafficking offenses.
The investigation that led to the second superseding indictment took place over the last two years. Agents apprehended individuals in a series of coordinated arrests. They seized cocaine, methamphetamine, over 400 grams of fentanyl, and 15 illegally possessed firearms throughout the investigation.
“The superseding indictment alleges that these 18 defendants were leaders, members, or associates of the Fully Blooded Felons, a violent gang that — for more than a decade — made money and controlled territory in Northern Ohio through murder, arson, robbery, drug trafficking, and firearms possession,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Violence and other gang activities make communities less safe for all of their residents. Addressing violent crime — including through the arrests announced today — is one of the Criminal Division’s highest priorities. I am proud of the outstanding work done by our Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, in partnership with our federal, state, and local partners, to make our communities safer places to live by targeting the most violent offenders on our streets.”
“As the indictment alleges, the Fully Blooded Felons styled themselves after a Mafia crime family, terrorizing Cleveland’s streets and operating an open-air illegal drug market in the Cedar Central neighborhood for years. I commend the valiant efforts of our brave law enforcement partners who have worked diligently to win back our streets and protect our community by taking down these bad actors,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “The USAO will aggressively continue to pursue — through RICO prosecutions and other federal charges — violent criminals who seek to secure territory, power, and money by ruthlessly harming others, peddling poisons, and creating an atmosphere of fear. Members of FBF or other violent gangs in this district who have yet to be caught should think twice before continuing to engage in such illegal and destructive behavior.”
“For several years, according to the indictment, these individuals committed a homicide, armed robberies, and unlawfully imported and distributed fentanyl and other dangerous opioids throughout the community,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen of the FBI Cleveland Field Office. “The Fully Blooded Felons, a subset of the Heartless Felons criminal network, has been identified as Cleveland’s most significant gang threat and their reign of terror is over thanks to the collaborative efforts of FBI and the Safe Streets Gang Task Force. We will not waver in our mission to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle gangs not only in the larger cities across America, but also right here in northern Ohio.”
As alleged in the second superseding indictment, the Fully Blooded Felons have been in existence in Ohio since approximately 2012, operating primarily out of the east side of Cleveland, as well as Akron, Youngstown, and elsewhere. They are also allegedly active in the Ohio prison system.
According to the facts alleged in the indictment, the Fully Blooded Felons’ structure includes a “Commission,” which is a group of members tasked with maintaining the structure and organization of the enterprise through physical discipline and by determining which illicit means the organization would use to make money.
As alleged in the indictment, the Fully Blooded Felons had rules that members were required to abide by. The rules were disseminated to members online, by text message, and in face-to-face communications. Members were required to abide by “omerta,” or the code of silence. Members were also required to memorize and recite at meetings the “Fully Five,” a set of rules that included following all orders issued by the Commission, pledges of loyalty to fellow members, and being respectful to Capos, a position held by senior gang members. If a member did not know the “Fully Five,” they were punished. Members were also expected to know and abide by the “Fully Commandments,” a similar set of rules.
Fully Blooded Felon members allegedly utilized different two separate stash-houses at a local apartment complex. According to court documents, during the execution of two search warrants, law enforcement recovered over 300 grams of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine, as well as seven firearms.
Members and associates of the Fully Blooded Felons allegedly came together for the common purposes of making money through robberies and drug trafficking, preserving and promoting Fully Blooded Felon territory, and promoting and enhancing the Fully Blooded Felon enterprise and its members and associates’ activities.
According to the indictment, on Sept. 12, 2023, three Fully Blooded Felon members — Raven Mullins, Henry Burchett, and James Clemons — and another individual shot and killed a victim on the west side of Cleveland. After killing the victim, the defendants allegedly fled the scene in a stolen Honda Pilot, which Fully Blooded Felon members later burned.
The second superseding indictment alleges a years-long pattern of racketeering and violence including a murder, kidnapping, assaults, and drug trafficking.
The defendants and their charges are:
- Raven Mullins, 35, also known as Dunny and Dun, of Cleveland, is charged with RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping in aid of racketeering, assault in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, numerous counts of possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and use of a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.
- Henry Burchett, 29, also known as Noodles, Noo, and Omerta, of Cleveland, is charged with RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping in aid of racketeering, assault in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, numerous counts of possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, felon in possession of a firearm, and use of a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.
- Elijah Johnson, 37, also known as Loon, of Youngstown, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, interstate travel in aid of racketeering, and use of a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.
- Demarcus Elliott, 37, also known as Moo and Fast Lane, of Cleveland, is charged with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and use of a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.
- Dontez Hammond, 35, also known as Donny and Tez, of Cleveland, is charged with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and illegal receipt of a firearm and ammunition by a person under indictment.
- Jeffrey Lee, 24, also known as Fatty, of Cleveland, is charged with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, numerous counts of possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and use of a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.
- Jerrell Jones-Ferrell, 25, also known as Ruga, of Cleveland, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, felon in possession of a firearm, and use of a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.
- Devonte Johnson, 32, also known as D Nut and Nut, of Euclid, Ohio, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and felon in possession of a firearm.
- Jerome Williams, 29, also known as Jay, and JT, of Cleveland, is charged with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and use of a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.
- Christepher Horton, 41, also known as Cam and Killa, of Cleveland, is charged with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, and use of a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.
- Deeundra Perkins, 33, also known as Drizzy, of Garfield Heights, Ohio, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
- Deon Blackwell, 38, also known as White Boy, of Cleveland, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and use of a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.
- James Clemons, 32, also known as Flock, Pope, and Fully Pope Flock, of Cleveland, is charged with RICO conspiracy and murder in aid of racketeering.
- Alex Darden, 23, also known as Lil’ Pee Wee, of Cleveland, is charged with RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
- Esmond Williams, 35, also known as Relle, of Cleveland, is charged with RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
- Adrionna Null, 27, also known as Ali, of Cleveland, is charged with kidnapping in aid of racketeering and assault in aid of racketeering.
- Myeasha West, 31, also known as Action, of Lorain, Ohio, is charged with kidnapping in aid of racketeering and assault in aid of racketeering.
- Kyla Sharie Tyler, 27, also known as Yayeo, of Cleveland, is charged with kidnapping in aid of racketeering and assault in aid of racketeering.
The FBI is investigating the case, with assistance from the Cleveland Division of Police, U.S. Marshals Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Trial Attorneys Brian W. Lynch and Alyssa Levey-Weinstein of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Hanna and Robert F. Corts for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
18 Ohio Gang Members and Associates Charged in Second Superseding IndictmentRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio today unsealed a second superseding indictment against 18 members and associates of a Cleveland-based, violent street gang known as the Fully Blooded Felons or “FBF.” The defendants charged are alleged to have committed numerous federal crimes, including Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping in aid of racketeering, assault in aid of racketeering, firearms violations, conspiracy, and drug trafficking. The investigation that led to this second superseding indictment took place throughout the last two years, with the initial indictment issued on Dec. 20, 2023, followed by a superseding indictment on April 4, 2024.
According to court documents, members of FBF have engaged in criminal activity for more than a decade in Ohio, since approximately 2012. The gang was primarily based on the east side of Cleveland, but also established strongholds in Akron, Youngstown, and other areas. The scope and reach of the gang’s alleged criminal operations included attempts to infiltrate the Ohio prison system.
Federal and local law enforcement agents and officers apprehended individuals in a series of coordinated arrests. They seized several controlled substances, including cocaine, methamphetamine, and more than 400 grams of fentanyl. They also confiscated 15 illegally possessed firearms throughout the investigation.
“The superseding indictment alleges that these 18 defendants were leaders, members, or associates of the Fully Blooded Felons, a violent gang that — for more than a decade — made money and controlled territory in Northern Ohio through murder, arson, robbery, drug trafficking, and firearms possession,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Violence and other gang activities make communities less safe for all of their residents. Addressing violent crime — including through the arrests announced today — is one of the Criminal Division’s highest priorities. I am proud of the outstanding work done by our Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, in partnership with our federal, state, and local partners, to make our communities safer places to live by targeting the most violent offenders on our streets.”
“As the indictment alleges, the Fully Blooded Felons styled themselves after a Mafia crime family, terrorizing Cleveland’s streets and operating an open-air illegal drug market in the Cedar Central neighborhood for years. I commend the valiant efforts of our brave law enforcement partners who have worked diligently to win back our streets and protect our community by taking down these bad actors,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “The USAO will aggressively continue to pursue—through RICO prosecutions and other federal charges—violent criminals who seek to secure territory, power, and money by ruthlessly harming others, peddling poisons, and creating an atmosphere of fear. Members of FBF or other violent gangs in this District who have yet to be caught should think twice before continuing to engage in such illegal and destructive behavior.”
“For several years, these individuals committed a homicide, armed robberies, and unlawfully imported and distributed fentanyl and other dangerous opioids throughout the community, said FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen. “The Fully Blooded Felons, a subset of the Heartless Felons criminal network, has been identified as Cleveland’s most significant gang threat and their reign of terror is over thanks to the collaborative efforts of FBI and the Safe Streets Gang Task Force. We will not waver in our mission to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle gangs not only in the larger cities across America, but also right here in northern Ohio.”
During the investigation, law enforcement officials uncovered the defendants’ patterns of racketeering activity, which included their establishment of an organizational structure for their criminal enterprise involving gang membership hierarchy, titles, and rules. The FBF’s framework was allegedly created by its highest-ranking member, Raven Mullins, who held the self-proclaimed position of “Godfather.” The gang structure included a “Commission” made up of a member subgroup known as “Commissioners.” Together, they maintained the enterprise’s organization through physical discipline and by determining which illicit means they would pursue to generate income. To accomplish their goal of promoting and enhancing their criminal enterprise and its members’ and associates’ activities, and preserving and protecting their territories, FBF members and associates conspired to commit and did commit a murder, assaults, robberies, and drug trafficking.
As the indictment alleges, each FBF member was expected to follow a set of rules that Mullins primarily established. Mullins and the Commission disseminated these expectations to FBF members online, in text messages, and by face-to-face communications. Members were required to memorize and recite a set of rules, known as the “Fully Five,” at meetings, and they faced punishment if they answered incorrectly. Rules included following all orders issued by the Commission, pledging their loyalty to fellow members, and being respectful to the “Capos,” who were FBF members in leadership roles beneath the Commissioners. They were also expected to know and adhere to the “Fully Commandments,” another set of rules similar to the “Fully Five.”
Investigators discovered that gang members occupied two separate units at a local apartment complex that they used as stash-houses to facilitate drug trafficking. While executing two search warrants, law enforcement officers recovered more than 400 grams of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and multiple firearms from these locations.
According to the second superseding indictment, on Sept. 12, 2023, Raven Mullins, Henry Burchett, and James Clemons, along with another unidentified individual, shot and killed a victim on the west side of Cleveland. After killing the victim, the defendants fled the scene in a stolen vehicle that was later set on fire.
The second superseding indictment alleges a years-long pattern of racketeering and violence, including a murder, kidnapping, assaults, and drug trafficking. The defendants and their charges are as follows:
- Raven Mullins, aka Dunny, aka Dun, 35, of Cleveland, Ohio, is charged with RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping in aid of racketeering, assault in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, numerous counts of possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, use of a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
- Henry Burchett, aka Noodles, aka Noo, aka Omerta, 29, of Cleveland, Ohio, is charged with RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping in aid of racketeering, assault in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, numerous counts of possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, use of a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
- Elijah Johnson, aka Loon, 37, of Youngstown, Ohio, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, interstate travel in aid of racketeering, and use of a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.
- Demarcus Elliott, aka Moo, aka Fast Lane, 37, of Cleveland, Ohio, is charged with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and use of a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.
- Dontez Hammond, aka Donny, aka Tez, 35, of Cleveland, Ohio, is charged with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
- Jeffrey Lee, aka Fatty, 24, of Cleveland, Ohio, is charged with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, numerous counts of possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and use of a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.
- Jerrell Jones-Ferrell, aka Ruga, 25, of Cleveland, Ohio, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, use of a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
- Devonte Johnson, aka D Nut, aka Nut, 32, of Euclid, Ohio, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
- Jerome Williams, aka Jay, aka JT, 29, of Cleveland, Ohio, is charged with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and use of a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.
- Christepher Horton, aka Cam, aka Killa, 41, of Cleveland, Ohio, is charged with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, and use of a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.
- Deeundra Perkins, aka Drizzy, 33, of Garfield Heights, Ohio, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
- Deon Blackwell, aka White Boy, 38, of Cleveland, Ohio, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and use of a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.
- James Clemons, aka Flock, aka Pope, aka Fully Pope Flock, 32, of Cleveland, Ohio, is charged with RICO conspiracy and murder in aid of racketeering.
- Alex Darden, aka Lil’ Pee Wee, 23, of Cleveland, Ohio, is charged with RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
- Esmond Williams, aka Relle, 35, of Cleveland, Ohio, is charged with RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
- Adrionna Null, aka Ali, 27, of Cleveland, Ohio, is charged with kidnapping in aid of racketeering and assault in aid of racketeering.
- Myeasha West, aka Action, 31, of Lorain, Ohio, is charged with kidnapping in aid of racketeering and assault in aid of racketeering.
- Kyla Sharie Tyler, aka Yayeo, 27, of Cleveland, Ohio, is charged with kidnapping in aid of racketeering and assault in aid of racketeering.
An indictment is merely an allegation. Defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, each defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to the case, including each defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, their 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 prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
The specific mission of the OCDETF Cleveland Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle major criminal organizations and subsidiary organizations, including criminal gangs, transnational drug cartels, racketeering organizations, and other groups engaged in illicit activities that present a threat to public safety and national security and are related to the illegal smuggling and trafficking of narcotics or other controlled substances, weapons, humans, or the illegal concealment or transfer of proceeds derived from such illicit activities in the Northern District of Ohio. The OCDETF Cleveland Strike Force is composed of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms (ATF), and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Marshals Service (USMS), U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service, and U.S. Border Patrol, along with task force officers from numerous local law enforcement agencies, including the Cleveland Division of Police. Prosecutions are led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
This case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division, with assistance from the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office, the Cleveland Division of Police, USMS, the DEA, and the ATF.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Paul E. Hanna and Robert F. Corts for the Northern District of Ohio, and Trial Attorneys Brian W. Lynch and Alyssa Levey-Weinstein of the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.
Ohio Man Deceived into Transferring Life Savings in Cryptocurrency ScamRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio (USAO) has filed a civil complaint in forfeiture against 947,883 Tether (USDT) cryptocurrency, valued at approximately $947,883. USDT is a virtual currency which are digital tokens of value circulated over the internet. Its transactions are publicly recorded on what is known as a blockchain.
According to court documents, the cryptocurrency fraud scam began in or around October 2023, when an Elyria, Ohio, man was contacted via a pop-up window on this computer with instructions to call a number to resolve a tech issue. The victim was then told that his retirement account had been compromised and that his funds were being wired to accounts in China or Russia and a casino in Las Vegas. He was provided with a purported solution and told that the transactions could be stopped by wiring money. Thinking that he was protecting his retirement account, the victim gave remote computer access to the scammer who then proceeded to withdraw money and move funds into various cryptocurrency accounts. In total, the victim lost his entire life savings of $425,000 as a result of this cryptocurrency fraud scam.
Investigators conducted a blockchain analysis and determined that the stolen funds were converted to USDT cryptocurrency and placed into a virtual currency wallet. Law enforcement officers executed a federal seizure warrant to recover 947,883 USDT tokens, on July 31, 2024, and then transferred these funds to a law-enforcement-controlled virtual currency wallet.
By the Complaint in Forfeiture filed on Nov. 26, 2024, the United States seeks to forfeit the 947,883 USDT cryptocurrency. If successful, the United States would seek to provide compensation to the victim. In the complaint, the United States alleges that the additional cryptocurrency contained in the address is subject to forfeiture as the proceeds of fraud.
The claims asserted in the complaint are allegations only, and the United States must prove these allegations by a preponderance of the evidence at trial.
The FBI Cleveland Division is actively investigating cryptocurrency fraud schemes perpetrated on victims throughout the United States, including in the Northern District of Ohio. The United States is represented in this matter by Assistant United States Attorney James L. Morford. The USAO would like to acknowledge Tether for its assistance in this matter.
If you observe something that you believe might be fraudulent conduct involving an older adult, contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 or 1-833-372-8311 and visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center at IC3.gov to report it.
Former Cleveland City Council Member Charged with Bribery and FraudRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Basheer Jones, 40, of Cleveland, Ohio, has been charged in a two-count information with conspiring to commit wire fraud and honest services fraud for using his role as a public official for personal financial gain by seeking to defraud multiple community stakeholders out of more than $200,000. He previously served as an elected Cleveland city council member representing Ward 7.
According to court documents, from about December 2018 to June 2021, Jones allegedly misrepresented and concealed material facts to induce nonprofit organizations to enter into a variety of arrangements that would benefit Jones and his romantic partner co-conspirator. Under the guise of working on projects to benefit the city of Cleveland and revitalize Ward 7, Jones fraudulently sought and obtained funds from local nonprofits while he concealed his connection to his romantic partner, through whom he benefited from these arrangements.
Jones’s schemes were devised to deceive nonprofit entities into making payments toward projects they thought were for the community’s benefit. Instead, the money ultimately went into bank accounts controlled by Jones’s romantic partner. Jones would then direct her to divert those funds to herself, Jones, and to other associates who were involved.
The information alleges that Jones deceptively advised nonprofits to provide funding to move community projects forward or to hire a purported “consultant,” with the full knowledge that the funds would flow back to himself. For example, Jones recommended that a nonprofit hire a consultant for community outreach. Unbeknownst to the nonprofit, the “consultant” who quickly submitted a proposal and whose business was ultimately contracted, was Jones’s co-conspirator and romantic partner. She submitted the proposal and requested $5,000 per month at Jones’s prompting. The investigation discovered that she did not provide the nonprofit with substantial services in exchange for payments she received.
Jones later defrauded the same nonprofit out of an additional $50,000, again through his romantic partner’s consulting business. Jones claimed that he needed $50,000 to plan a community event, which included buying backpacks for schoolchildren, and falsely promised that the city would reimburse the organization. Instead, after the funds were paid, no event was held, and Jones directed his romantic partner to divide the money amongst herself, Jones, and others associated with the scheme.
Some of the projects Jones pushed included seeking community funding to rehabilitate certain distressed properties while concealing his financial interest in them. In one instance, Jones devised a bribery scheme under which he arranged for co-conspirators, including his romantic partner, to acquire a dilapidated property on Superior Road, and used his position as councilperson to pass ordinances allocating city funds to buy that property from them. Jones arranged for a co-conspirator to buy the property a minimal cost. After asking a nonprofit to purchase and rehabilitate the property, and promising city funding, Jones sponsored an emergency ordinance to fund the nonprofit’s purchase and renovation of the property. When Jones was unable to convince the nonprofit to proceed, he arranged to transfer the property to his romantic partner’s consulting business, with the understanding that she too would share the proceeds of the sale with him. After sponsoring another ordinance to reauthorize city funding for the same project, Jones sought to finalize the nonprofit’s purchase of the property from his partner’s entity for $80,000. Ultimately the scheme failed when the nonprofit decided not to proceed with the purchase.
Jones and his partner did succeed in obtaining funds for the sale of a different property to another nonprofit. He misled them to believe that he was helping them to acquire the property from the original owner. Instead, he was simultaneously arranging for his romantic partner to acquire the property from the original owner in the name of another business entity, and then immediately to resell it to the nonprofit. Jones and his partner arranged to purchase the property for only $1, promising to pay a $40,500 city demolition bill. But without paying that bill or disclosing it, Jones’s partner immediately re-sold the property to the nonprofit for $45,000.
These charges are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial. It will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, their 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 was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of the Inspector General, and the IRS – Criminal Investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erica Barnhill and Elliot Morrison for the Northern District of Ohio.
To report fraud, visit justice.gov/action-center/report-crime-or-submit-complaint.
Ohio Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
AKRON, Ohio – Seth Hoover, age 39, of Republic, Ohio, has been sentenced to 35 years in prison by U.S. District Judge John R. Adams after being found guilty at a jury trial of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
According to court documents, an Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper observed Hoover make a traffic violation on U.S. Route 250 in Ashland County. During the traffic stop, Hoover presented fake identification. A search of his vehicle revealed a loaded pistol, approximately 1.8 kilograms of fentanyl, drug paraphernalia, and items associated with drug trafficking.
The investigation determined the street value of the fentanyl to be approximately $120,000.
This case was investigated by the DEA-Cleveland District Office and the Ohio State Highway Patrol. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Dangelo for the Northern District of Ohio.
Ohio Man Convicted of Possession and Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio – A federal jury has convicted an Ohio man of possession and distribution of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM), also known as child pornography. Derran Reebel, 52, of Toledo, was found guilty of committing crimes that violate federal laws regarding the sexual exploitation and abuse of children. According to court documents, Reebel knowingly received and distributed CSAM for nearly eight years, from about Jan. 1, 2014 through Aug. 17, 2022. During a search warrant execution conducted at his residence, investigators found numerous books, magazines, periodicals, films, and video tapes that contained visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct in his possession.
Law enforcement officials also discovered that Reebel used social media for a number of years to chat with minors and send them sexually explicit messages and photos of himself.
Sentencing has not yet been scheduled. Reebel faces a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI-Toledo. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Al-Sorghali and Frank Spryszak for the Northern District of Ohio.
To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced for Carrying Out Scheme to Defraud Lucas County Auditor of More Than $622,000Read the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio – A Pennsylvania man has been sentenced to 57 months in prison after pleading guilty to an organized scheme that defrauded the Lucas County Auditor of more than $622,000. From March 2018 through November 2020, Darren Barr, age 39, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, collaborated with others to carry out a plan to obtain money by pretending to be legitimate vendors with which the county was approved to do business.
In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge James G. Carr for the Northern District of Ohio ordered Barr to serve three years of supervised release and pay $622,793.62 in restitution.
During the investigation, law enforcement officials discovered that the fraudsters used information found on public websites to obtain specific details about approved government vendor businesses. Among the information they gathered, were the names of the Lucas County employees who were responsible for paying vendors. Using the data they found, Barr and his co-conspirators created email accounts to look like those of the approved businesses. They also opened fraudulent bank accounts with forged State of Pennsylvania and Internal Revenue Service corporate documents. After each step of the scheme was in place, Barr and his co-conspirators carried out their plan.
First, legitimate invoices were sent to the county employees from the false vendor emails they controlled. Instructions in the email directed the employees to submit payment to any one of the fraudulent corporate bank accounts created by Barr and his co-conspirators. Because they believed the emails to be from legitimate vendors, the employees submitted payments to the sham bank accounts controlled by the scammers.
As soon as payments were received into the fraudulent accounts, Barr would quickly transfer the money into other bank accounts he and his co-conspirators controlled in an attempt to try and conceal their activities.
This case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Melching for the Northern District of Ohio.
To report fraud, visit justice.gov/criminal/criminal-fraud/report-fraud.
Justice Department to Monitor Compliance with Federal Voting Rights Laws in Cuyahoga and Portage CountiesRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND - United States Attorney Rebecca Lutzko announced that the Justice Department will monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in Cuyahoga and Portage Counties for the Nov. 5 general election.
The Justice Department enforces federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all eligible citizens to access the ballot. The department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities all across the country.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division will coordinate the effort. Monitors will include Justice Department personnel, who will contact state and local election officials as needed throughout Election Day.
The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act and Civil Rights Acts. The division’s Disability Rights Section enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure that persons with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote. The division’s Criminal Section enforces federal criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and voter suppression based on race, color, national origin or religion.
On Election Day, Civil Rights Division personnel will be available all day to receive questions and complaints from the public related to possible violations of federal voting rights laws. Reports may be made through the department’s website www.civilrights.justice.gov or by calling toll-free at 800-253-3931.
U.S. Attorney’s Office personnel will also be available to receive complaints on Election Day at 216-338-4479 or 419-215-5444 to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns or fraudulent election activity.
Individuals with questions or complaints related to the ADA may call the department’s toll-free ADA information hotline at 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY) or submit a complaint through a link on the department’s ADA website at www.ada.gov.
Complaints related to any disruptions at a polling place should always be reported to local election officials (including officials based in the polling place). Complaints related to violence, threats of violence or intimidation at a polling place should be reported immediately to local police authorities by calling 911. These complaints should also be reported to the department after local authorities have been contacted.
More information about voting and elections, including guidance documents and other resources, is available at www.justice.gov/voting. Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
15 Charged in Lorain County Drug Trafficking Ring That Distributed More Than 42,000 Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND - Federal, state, and local law enforcement officials have unsealed an indictment that charged 15 members of a Drug Trafficking Operation (DTO) based in Lorain County, Ohio.
According to court documents, the DTO was allegedly trafficking fentanyl in counterfeit pill form in the cities of Elyria and Lorain and the surrounding Northeast Ohio areas. This announcement was made by United States Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko, DEA Special Agent in Charge Orville Greene, FBI Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen, and Lorain Police Department Chief James P. McCann.
The investigation that led to the indictment took place over the last year and a half. Agents apprehended individuals in a series of coordinated arrests. They seized large quantities of fentanyl that included thousands of fentanyl pills made to look like legitimate prescription medications. Agents also discovered cash and several illegally possessed firearms during the investigation.
“Given its extreme potency, fentanyl is extraordinarily dangerous—it has poisoned and killed over 3,500 Ohioans in 2023 alone. Distributing it disguised as legitimate prescription medication, as the indictment alleges the defendants did here, is particularly condemnable because it heightens the overdose danger for those who ingest it,” said United States Attorney Lutzko. “I commend the incredible cooperation among our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to take thousands of these deadly pills off the streets. Their dedication and hard work led to a successful disruption of this organization, helping to make our neighborhoods safer and free from the criminals who peddle these poisons on our streets.”
The following defendants were charged in the 19-count indictment:
Ronald Whittaker, 31, Cleveland, Ohio
Tyvez McCullum, 30, Elyria, Ohio
Ivan Barrios, 45, Lorain, Ohio
Tavon Martin, 28, Lorain, Ohio
Jaivon Wint, 27, Lorain, Ohio
Katlynn Caudill, 22, Lorain, Ohio
Nicholas Thomson, 47, Elyria, Ohio
Max Kennedy, 19, Wellington, Ohio
Jordan Johnson, 29, Elyria, Ohio
Angela Shuck, 35, Lorain, Ohio
Stacey Thomson, 48, Elyria, Ohio
Tyrone Phillips, 25, Elyria, Ohio
Joseph Kushner, 32, Berea, Ohio
Nicholas Burkholder, 29, Elyria, Ohio
Aubrey Brown, 29, Elyria, Ohio
According to the indictment, from about May 2023 to October 2024, the defendants conspired to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, mixtures and substances containing amounts of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance.
It is alleged that McCullum and Whittaker led the conspiracy. After receiving pill supplies from Whittaker, McCullum would redistribute the fentanyl pills to the others listed in the indictment. Those individuals would, in turn, further distribute the fentanyl pills to their own networks throughout the Elyria and Lorain region. The named defendants are allegedly responsible for the distribution of at least 4,406.25 estimated grams of fentanyl and/or 42,793 blue fentanyl pills.
“We will continue leveraging every available resource to disrupt, dismantle and defeat Drug Trafficking Organizations spreading deadly poisons in Ohio. Our collaboration with local, state and federal partners is not just about enforcement, but it’s about safeguarding the future of our communities and ensuring they remain safe and drug-free,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Orville Greene.
“Illegal drugs are devastating lives and corrupting communities all across northern Ohio,” said FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen. “This indictment underscores the commitment not only of the FBI, but our multi-agency partners who work collaboratively to identify local drug traffickers and disrupt and dismantle their drug trafficking networks.
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.
If convicted, each defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including each defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, each 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 investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the DEA, FBI Cleveland Division, HSI, City of Lorain Police Department, City of Elyria Police Department, Lorain County Drug Task Force, United States Marshals Service, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, and the Lorain County Prosecutor’s Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert F. Corts and Paul Hanna for the Northern District of Ohio.
Ohio Man Sentenced to 26 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Brian Patterson, 44, of Canton, Ohio, has been sentenced to 26 years in prison by U.S. District Judge J. Philip Calabrese after pleading guilty to multiple charges including sexual exploitation of children, receipt and distribution of visual depictions of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and possession of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM), also referred to as child pornography. He was also ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release after imprisonment and must register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, law enforcement officials discovered that Patterson possessed 766 images of CSAM that included 50 images of children under the age of 12. The remaining images were of a child known to law enforcement and who was unaware that she was being surreptitiously recorded by a hidden camera.
This case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division and the Canton Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph P. Dangelo for the Northern District of Ohio prosecuted the case.
To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Election Officers Named for Northern District of OhioRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – United States Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko has named two Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) as District Election Officers for the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the Northern District of Ohio.
AUSAs Megan R. Miller and Ava R. Dustin will lead the USAO’s efforts to implement the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming Nov. 5, 2024, general elections.
These AUSAs will oversee the district’s handling of Election Day complaints in consultation with the Justice Department’s Civil Rights, Criminal, and National Security Divisions in Washington, D.C. The USAO for the Northern District of Ohio serves the 40 northern counties in the state. AUSA Miller covers the Northeastern counties of Ohio, while AUSA Dustin covers the Northwestern counties.
Federal law protects against election-related crimes such as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for voters’ rights, to ensure that voters can vote free from interference, including intimidation and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act also protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice, for example, if a voter needs assistance because of a disability or inability to read or write in English.
“The right to vote is the cornerstone of American democracy. Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination, and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. As it has for years, the Department of Justice will work tirelessly to protect the integrity of our nation’s election process,” said U.S. Attorney Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “We encourage anyone who has specific information about voting-rights concerns, including access or intimidation-related issues, or specific information about fraudulent election activity, to please provide that information to the Department of Justice. Our goal is to ensure that those who wish to vote can freely exercise this right if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice.”
The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
AUSAs Miller and Dustin will be on duty in the Northern District of Ohio while the polls are open Tuesday, Nov. 5. AUSA Miller can be reached at 216-338-4479 and AUSA Dustin at 419-215-5444 to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns or fraudulent election activity. They will ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities.
In addition, the FBI will have dedicated special agents, known as Election Crime Coordinators, available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day. The Election Crime Coordinator for the Cleveland Field Office can be reached at 216-522-1400. Tips also may be submitted online at tips.fbi.gov.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws may also be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington at civilrights.justice.gov or by phone at 1-800-253-3931.
In the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. Please note: State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
Two Men Charged with the Murder of a USPS Mail CarrierRead the Press Release
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – An indictment was unsealed charging two Ohio men with the murder of an on-duty United States Postal Service (USPS) Letter Carrier in March of 2024.
According to the indictment, on March 2, 2024, Kaprise Sledge, 24, of Warren, Ohio, and Thomas Sledge, 44, of Youngstown, Ohio, used a firearm to kill the mail carrier during the course of his official employment with the USPS.
Kaprise Sledge and Thomas Sledge are each charged with one count of murder of an officer and employee of the United States and one count of discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence.
If convicted, they face a penalty of mandatory life in prison for first-degree murder, and a penalty of 10 years, up to life imprisonment for discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The United States Postal Inspection Service is investigating the case. The Warren Police Department, Trumbull County Action Group Drug Task Force, FBI Violent Crimes Task Force, and Trumbull County Emergency Management also assisted in this investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Toepfer, Michelle Baeppler, and Brett Hammond, for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
To report mail theft or other crimes committed through, or towards, the United States Postal Service, call the USPIS at 1-877-876-2455 or visit https://www.uspis.gov/report.
Man Sentenced to 37 Years in Prison for Violent RobberiesRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – David Johnson, 37, of Euclid, has been sentenced to 37 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Dan Polster after pleading guilty to multiple charges of armed robbery at places of business. Additionally, Johnson pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm due to his previous convictions for involuntary manslaughter and aggravated robbery.
According to court documents, between November 2019 and January 2020, Johnson entered several businesses in Northeast Ohio and threatened employees with a loaded firearm to commit the robberies. The affected business locations were:
- Sunoco gas station, Euclid, Nov. 27, 2019
- BP gas station, Parkman, Jan. 18, 2020
- Dollar General, Chardon, Jan. 18, 2020
- Gas Mart gas station, Euclid, Jan. 25, 2020
During the investigation, law enforcement officials located a stolen vehicle used in the robberies at Johnson’s residence. Clothing and a firearm observed in surveillance videos were recovered during a search warrant execution of his residence.
This case was investigated by the FBI, ATF, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Geauga County Sheriff’s Office, Geauga County Prosecutor’s Office, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office, Euclid Police Department, Willoughby Police Department, and the Cleveland Division of Police.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret Kane and Joseph Dangelo for the Northern District of Ohio.
Ohio Man Who Concealed Croatian War Crime Charge Sentenced to Prison for Immigration FraudRead the Press Release
An Ohio man was sentenced yesterday to three years in prison for possessing a green card he illegally obtained by concealing that he had been charged with a war crime in Croatia prior to immigrating to the United States.
According to court documents, Jugoslav Vidic, 56, of Parma Heights, in applying to become a lawful permanent resident of the United States, falsely stated that he had never been charged with breaking any law even though he knew he had been charged in Croatia with a war crime against the civilian population. Vidic also falsely stated that his only past military service was in the Yugoslav Army from 1988 to 1989, when, in fact, he fought with the Serb Army of Krajina and its predecessors during the civil war in the former Yugoslavia from 1991 to 1995. As a result of these materially false statements, Vidic was approved for lawful permanent resident status and received a green card.
“Jugoslav Vidic lied about war crimes charged against him in an attempt to escape his past and live in the United States unlawfully,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Thanks to the dedication of prosecutors, law enforcement, and our international partners, Vidic will serve prison time in the United States followed by his removal. His sentence demonstrates that human rights violators will not be allowed to hide from their crimes in the United States.”
“Vidic committed serious human rights violations and was convicted of war crimes in Croatia as a result. Yet, he lied to U.S. immigration officials about his conviction and participation in a violent military force to claim refugee status and obtain a green card — becoming a permanent legal resident of our country — when he was not eligible to do so,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “Those who run away from violent crimes they commit elsewhere in the world and then enter our country by brazenly lying about their past will be held to account, as yesterday’s sentence demonstrates. Vidic’s deceitful actions are detestable, and unfairly hurt people in need who legitimately seek refuge to flee real harms in their home countries.”
“Our communities here in Ohio and across the United States are not safe havens for war criminals to escape accountability in their home countries,” said Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “It is my hope that this sentencing provides some measure of solace to the victims’ families with the knowledge that despite the passage of time, the United States will seek justice.”
“Jugoslav Vidic intentionally circumvented the laws of the United States by lying on his green card application about his war crimes conviction in Croatia,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “This case should serve as a warning to others that the FBI will work with our law enforcement partners to identify and hold accountable those like Vidic who seek to violate U.S. law by fraud of any kind.”
“Jugoslav Vidic knowingly avoided the truth of his past to enjoy the freedoms and liberties of the United States for over two and a half decades,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen of the FBI Cleveland Field Office. “Yesterday’s sentence underscores the work of the FBI and its local, state, federal, and international partners and sends a clear message that people in the United States who take part in war crimes, regardless of when or where they occurred, or by masking their involvement, will be identified, investigated, and prosecuted.”
Vidic admitted in his plea agreement that he was charged with a war crime in Croatia in 1994 and convicted in absentia in 1998. The Croatian court found that during an attack by ethnic Serb forces in Petrinja, Croatia, on Sept. 16, 1991, Vidic cut off the arm of civilian Stjepan Komes, who died afterward. Vidic further admitted that he knew about the Croatian charges when he immigrated to the United States as a refugee in 1999, applied to become a lawful permanent resident in 2000, and was interviewed by U.S. immigration officials and received his green card in 2005.
Vidic pleaded guilty to one count of possessing an alien registration receipt card knowing it had been procured through materially false statements. As part of the plea agreement, Vidic agreed to the entry of a judicial order of removal from the United States.
HSI and the FBI investigated the case with coordination provided by the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center, including the FBI’s International Human Rights Unit. The Justice Department thanks the Ministry of the Interior and Ministry of Justice and Public Administration of the Republic of Croatia, which were both instrumental in furthering the investigation.
Trial Attorney Patrick Jasperse of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Shepherd and Jerome J. Teresinski for the Northern District of Ohio prosecuted the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided assistance.
Members of the public who have information about human rights violators or immigration fraud in the United States are urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or through the FBI online tip form, or HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or through the ICE online tip form. All are staffed around the clock, and tips may be provided anonymously.
Man Who Concealed Croatian War Crime Charge Sentenced to Prison for Immigration FraudRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – An Ohio man was sentenced yesterday to three years in prison for possessing a green card he illegally obtained by concealing that he had been charged with a war crime in Croatia prior to immigrating to the United States.
According to court documents, Jugoslav Vidic, 56, of Parma Heights, in applying to become a lawful permanent resident of the United States, falsely stated that he had never been charged with breaking any law even though he knew he had been charged in Croatia with a war crime against the civilian population. Vidic also falsely stated that his only past military service was in the Yugoslav Army from 1988 to 1989, when, in fact, he fought with the Serb Army of Krajina and its predecessors during the civil war in the former Yugoslavia from 1991 to 1995. As a result of these materially false statements, Vidic was approved for lawful permanent resident status and received a green card.
“Jugoslav Vidic lied about war crimes charged against him in an attempt to escape his past and live in the United States unlawfully,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Thanks to the dedication of prosecutors, law enforcement, and our international partners, Vidic will serve prison time in the United States followed by his removal. His sentence demonstrates that human rights violators will not be allowed to hide from their crimes in the United States.”
“Vidic committed serious human rights violations and was convicted of war crimes in Croatia as a result. Yet, he lied to U.S. immigration officials about his conviction and participation in a violent military force to claim refugee status and obtain a green card — becoming a permanent legal resident of our country — when he was not eligible to do so,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “Those who run away from violent crimes they commit elsewhere in the world and then enter our country by brazenly lying about their past will be held to account, as yesterday’s sentence demonstrates. Vidic’s deceitful actions are detestable, and unfairly hurt people in need who legitimately seek refuge to flee real harms in their home countries.”
“Our communities here in Ohio and across the U.S. are not safe havens for war criminals to escape accountability in their home countries,” said Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “It is my hope that this sentencing provides some measure of solace to the victims’ families with the knowledge that despite the passage of time, the U.S. will seek justice.”
“Jugoslav Vidic intentionally circumvented the laws of the United States by lying on his green card application about his war crimes conviction in Croatia,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “This case should serve as a warning to others that the FBI will work with our law enforcement partners to identify and hold accountable those like Vidic who seek to violate U.S. law by fraud of any kind.”
“Jugoslav Vidic knowingly avoided the truth of his past to enjoy the freedoms and liberties of the United States for over two and a half decades,” said FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen. “Yesterday’s sentence underscores the work of the FBI and its local, state, federal, and international partners and sends a clear message that people in the United States who take part in war crimes, regardless of when or where they occurred, or by masking their involvement, will be identified, investigated, and prosecuted.”
Vidic admitted in his plea agreement that he was charged with a war crime in Croatia in 1994 and convicted in absentia in 1998. The Croatian court found that during an attack by ethnic Serb forces in Petrinja, Croatia, on Sept. 16, 1991, Vidic cut off the arm of civilian Stjepan Komes, who died afterward. Vidic further admitted that he knew about the Croatian charges when he immigrated to the United States as a refugee in 1999, applied to become a lawful permanent resident in 2000, and was interviewed by U.S. immigration officials and received his green card in 2005.
Vidic pleaded guilty to one count of possessing an alien registration receipt card knowing it had been procured through materially false statements. As part of the plea agreement, Vidic agreed to the entry of a judicial order of removal from the United States.
HSI and the FBI investigated the case with coordination provided by the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center, including the FBI’s International Human Rights Unit. The Justice Department thanks the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Justice and Public Administration of the Republic of Croatia, which were both instrumental in furthering the investigation.
Trial Attorney Patrick Jasperse of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Shepherd and Jerome J. Teresinski for the Northern District of Ohio prosecuted the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided assistance.
Members of the public who have information about human rights violators or immigration fraud in the United States are urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or through the FBI online tip form, or HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or through the ICE online tip form. All are staffed around the clock, and tips may be provided anonymously.
Justice Department to Monitor Compliance with Federal Voting Rights Laws in Portage County, OhioRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it will monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in Portage County, Ohio, during the early voting period and on Election Day.
The Justice Department enforces the federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all citizens to access the ballot. The department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities all across the country. In addition, the department also deploys federal observers from the Office of Personnel Management, where authorized by federal court order.
Voters in Portage County have raised concerns about intimidation resulting from the surveillance and the collection of personal information regarding voters, as well as threats concerning the electoral process. Attempted or actual intimidation, threats or coercion directed toward any person for voting and related activities or urging or aiding others in voting is prohibited by Section 11(b) of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section, working with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Civil Rights Acts and Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.
Reports related to voter intimidation in Portage County and complaints about any other possible violations of federal voting rights laws can be submitted through the Civil Rights Division’s internet reporting portal at www.civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-3931. More information about voting and elections, including guidance documents and other resources, is available at www.justice.gov/voting. Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section.
United States Seeks to Forfeit 200,000 Tether (“USDT”) Cryptocurrency, Valued at $200,000, Fraudulently Transferred from the Virtual Currency Wallet of an Ohio VictimRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND - The United States filed a civil complaint in forfeiture against a total of 200,000 Tether (“USDT”) cryptocurrency, valued at approximately $200,000. In February 2024, bitcoin valued at approximately $340,000 was fraudulently transferred from the virtual currency wallet of an Ashtabula, Ohio, victim to a cryptocurrency address unknown to the victim. The victim did not initiate or authorize the transaction.
Many virtual currencies publicly record all of their transactions on what is known as a “blockchain.” The blockchain is essentially a distributed public ledger, run by the decentralized network of computers, containing an immutable and historical record of every transaction utilizing that blockchain’s technology. The blockchain records every virtual currency address that has ever received virtual currency and maintains records of every transaction and all the known balances for each virtual currency address.
Through several steps of “blockchain analysis,” investigators were able to trace approximately $200,000 of the funds that were fraudulently transferred out of the victim’s virtual currency wallet to two cryptocurrency addresses on the Ethereum blockchain. As part of this analysis, it was determined that the fraudulently transferred bitcoin had been converted by the fraudsters to USDT cryptocurrency. USDT is a “stablecoin,” a type of blockchain-based currency that is tied - or tethered - to a fiat currency and exists on several third-party blockchains, including Ethereum. Tether seeks to peg USDT to the U.S. Dollar at a 1:1 ratio.
In March, 2024, the USDT tokens - valued at approximately $200,000 - at the two cryptocurrency addresses were frozen by Tether Limited Inc. Thereafter, pursuant to a federal seizure warrant issued on July 31, 2024, 200,000 USDT tokens were transferred by Tether Limited to a U.S. law enforcement-controlled virtual currency wallet.
By the Complaint in Forfeiture filed on October 3, 2024, the United States seeks to forfeit the subject 200,000 USDT cryptocurrency. If successful, the United States would then seek to return the forfeited funds to the Ashtabula, Ohio, victim. It is specifically noted that the claims made in the Complaint in Forfeiture are allegations that the United States will need to prove by a preponderance of the evidence should the case proceed to trial.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cleveland Field Office, is actively investigating cryptocurrency fraud schemes perpetrated on victims throughout the United States, including in the Northern District of Ohio.
This case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James L. Morford and Daniel J. Riedl.
View Complaint in Forfeiture
BLM Activist Sentenced to Prison for Wire Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio - Sir Maejor Page, 35, of Toledo, has been sentenced to 42 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Helmick after a jury convicted him of wire fraud and money laundering for defrauding donors of more than $450,000 that they collectively gave to his nonprofit “Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta” (BLM of Greater Atlanta) based on Page’s false representations. He was also ordered to pay a $400 special assessment fee.
Page continued to collect donations to his purported social justice charity through the organization’s Facebook page even after its tax-exempt status was revoked for failure to submit IRS Form 990 for three consecutive years. He regularly posted content to Facebook about social and racial issues to give his nonprofit the appearance of legitimacy, despite no longer being tax-exempt. He also used Facebook to message privately with users, and he falsely represented that their donations would be used to “fight for George Floyd” and the “movement.” As a result, approximately 18,000 people donated to the BLM of Greater Atlanta charity through its Facebook account, which Page administered.
Page used the donations to BLM for his own personal benefit. He purchased entertainment, hotel rooms, clothing, firearms, and a property that he intended to use as his personal residence. He attempted to conceal the purchase of the property by using the name “Hi Frequency Ohio” and asked the seller to sign a nondisclosure agreement that would have prevented the seller from listing Page as the actual buyer.
“Mr. Page took advantage of a cause meant to fight social injustices, using it instead to line his own pockets with thousands of dollars of donations,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “People donate their hard-earned money to support causes they believe in, and when a fraudster like Page comes along and tries to get away with a fake charity scheme, it hurts legitimate nonprofit organizations that rely on the generosity of others to advance their missions and make positive change in the world. This Office will hold accountable those who try to profit by scamming unsuspecting people out of their money like Page did here.”
"The FBI will aggressively investigate individuals, like Sir Maejor Page, who engage in fraudulent charity schemes at the expense of the American public,” said FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen. “Page is a calculating criminal who willingly conspired to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars through the trusting public. Today’s sentence holds him accountable and demonstrates that the FBI will steadfastly pursue perpetrators who target American citizens.”
This case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gene Crawford and Rob Melching.
Ohio and Virginia Men Convicted of Conspiracy to Commit Securities FraudRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A jury convicted two men for conspiring to artificially inflate prices on a low-value stock being sold to investors. After a trial that proceeded in two stages for over four weeks, Paul Spivak, 65, of Willoughby Hills, Ohio, and Charles Scott, 70, of Alexandria, Virginia, were found guilty of conspiracy to commit securities fraud. Spivak was also found guilty on two counts of wire fraud in the first stage of trial, and he then pled guilty to four other counts of wire fraud, two counts of securities fraud, and a separate count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud. Scott was then found guilty of a securities fraud conspiracy and one count of securities fraud in the second stage of trial.
According to court documents, trial testimony, and exhibits, Spivak was the majority owner and chief executive officer of U.S. Lighting Group, Inc. (USLG), a publicly traded Florida corporation based in Euclid, Ohio, that focused on the design and manufacture of commercial LED lights, aftermarket auto parts, and fiberglass recreational campers and boats. The company traded on OTC Markets under the ticker USLG and was considered a “penny” stock due to its lower market value. Penny stocks are more vulnerable to price manipulation because they draw less scrutiny and have lower trading volume than other stocks.
Between 2016 and 2019, Spivak and his co-conspirators manipulated USLG’s stock price to their financial benefit. He and his co-conspirators arranged to take USLG public through a reverse merger with a shell company. They sought to artificially inflate or “pump” up the price of USLG stock using call rooms and other manipulative practices. One co-conspirator who helped to take USLG public and inflate the stock price was Richard Mallion, who was previously convicted of securities fraud and banned for life from participating in the securities industry. Numerous investors throughout the country were pressured to purchase USLG stock while Mallion and other co-conspirators covertly arranged for sell orders to match with the buy orders that the call rooms generated.
While the stock price was artificially inflated, Spivak arranged for co-conspirators to act as unlicensed stockbrokers, cold-calling investors to sell them restricted shares of USLG stock. The brokers used aliases and represented the stock as offered at a steep discount relative to the apparent market price. Spivak arranged to pay those brokers large, undisclosed commissions, while concealing the true nature of USLG’s payments to those brokers by entering into fraudulent consulting agreements with them and requiring them to submit invoices that falsely described commission payments as payments for other services.
Between 2016 and 2019, USLG took in approximately $6.9 million from numerous restricted stock investors—many of them elderly and located throughout the country—in increments between $4,000 and $1 million. During that time, the company made approximately 200 payments totaling $2 million in undisclosed commissions to those unlicensed stockbrokers.
From February through June of 2021, Spivak and Scott engaged with undercover agents and a confidential source, who together posed as co-conspirators arranging to artificially inflate or “pump” up the price of USLG. Spivak arranged for them to receive stock, to be sold at inflated prices, from Scott and another co-conspirator, who had also agreed to kick back proceeds to USLG.
Spivak and Scott arranged for Scott to sell free-trading USLG stock to undercover agents and to send approximately half of the proceeds of those sales back to USLG in exchange for additional restricted stock. Undercover agents, in turn, would sell USLG stock at inflated prices, and then use some of the profits to buy more free-trading shares from Scott, who would then kick back additional money to USLG to buy more restricted stock.
Six of the defendants’ co-conspirators previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud and other charges in this matter. Those co-conspirators included Mallion, Spivak’s wife, Olga Smirnova, and a number of the unlicensed stockbrokers. A seventh co-conspirator, Robert Louis Carver, also admitted to participating in this scheme as an unlicensed stockbroker using a stolen identity, all while he was a fugitive in a long-pending securities fraud matter in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California (Case No. 8:11-CR-62).
“These men orchestrated an aggressive, fraudulent scheme to benefit their company, enrich themselves, and to add to their personal coffers at the expense of others. They not only withheld information, but also purposely engaged a team of affiliates that devised tactics to make it appear that USLG shares were a valuable and valid investment to people who thought they were investing in good faith,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “We will not tolerate those who think they can outsmart and manipulate the system through fraud and misrepresentation. This verdict helps protect our citizens and our business communities from these predatory methods and serves as a warning to others who are tempted to break federal securities laws because of greed.”
On April 21, 2025, Spivak was sentenced to 17 years and five months in prison and ordered to pay a $200,000 fine by U.S. District Judge J. Philip Calabrese. Spivak was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment. Restitution is to be determined.
On Feb. 12, 2025, Scott was sentenced to 42 months in prison and ordered to pay a $500,000 fine by U.S. District Judge J. Philip Calabrese. Scott was also ordered to serve two years of supervised release after imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliot Morrison, Megan Miller, and Stephanie Wojtasik for the Northern District of Ohio.
Report investment, financial, and related violations at https://www.sec.gov/submit-tip-or-complaint.
Note: This page was updated Jan. 10, 2025, to reflect the rescheduled sentencing date for Spivak.
Note: This page was updated Jan. 16, 2025, to reflect the rescheduled sentencing date for Scott.
Note: This page was updated Feb. 12, 2025, with sentencing information for Scott.
Note: This page was updated April 22, 2025,with sentencing information for Spivak.
Ohio Woman Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Killing Husband with Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio – Amanda Hovanec, 37, of Wapakoneta, Ohio, has been sentenced to 40 years in prison by U.S. District Judge James R. Knepp, II, after pleading guilty to multiple charges, including distributing a controlled substance that resulted in the death of her husband. Amanda Hovanec was also ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $2,108,559.36.
According to court documents, Hovanec and her husband, Timothy, were married and had three children. They moved several times for his job with the U.S. Department of State, which included an assignment in South Africa around 2018. While there, Hovanec developed a relationship with a South African citizen named Anthony Theodorou. Hovanec initiated divorce proceedings against her husband in 2020 after returning to the United States. In December 2021, she began to deny her husband visitation with their children despite a court order to permit it. After her husband filed several contempt motions against Hovanec for denying visitation, a judge ordered that the children be given visitation with their father in April 2022, and further ordered that the husband become the residential parent and legal custodian of their children for two months that summer, beginning in May.
The children went with their father for an April weekend visitation, as ordered, after which their father returned them to Hovanec’s Wapakoneta residence. Later, a missing persons investigation was opened when the husband failed to check out of an area hotel where he had been staying.
During the investigation, law enforcement officials discovered the husband’s abandoned car in Dayton, Ohio. It had been equipped with a dash camera. Review of the camera’s video showed that the husband had returned the children to Hovanec’s residence around 7 p.m. on April 24, 2022. Video footage showed Hovanec and her mother, Anita Green, waiting outside the residence next to the garage. Hovanec was then seen walking toward the driver’s side of the vehicle and heard telling the children, “I have a surprise for you inside.” The children entered the residence, followed by Green. Seconds later, the victim was heard saying, “What the heck are you doing? Did you just assault me?” and then, “Get away from me . . . Get off of me.” The victim and Hovanec came into the camera’s view, at which time video footage captured her pulling on her husband’s shirt as he tried to use his cellphone. She wrestled with him and eventually knocked the phone out of his hand. She then pulled on his back to bring him to the ground, holding him around the neck until his body went limp and he became unresponsive, lying on the driveway. Hovanec stood up, picked up her husband’s cellphone, removed his smart watch, and turned off his vehicle’s engine, at which point the dash camera stopped recording.
After first attempting to cover up her crimes, Hovanec later confessed to investigators that she injected her husband in the shoulder with “poison” that she understood would kill him within minutes. She also admitted to disposing of his car in Dayton, and burying his body in a wooded area not far from her home. Theodorou was in Ohio at the time of the incident. He not only obtained the substance used to kill the victim, but also helped Hovanec bury her husband’s body. Green, who both Hovanec and Theodorou confirmed knew about the plan to murder the victim in advance, was charged as an accessory after the fact. She agreed to drive them and the victim’s body to the grave site, which was dug in advance of the murder.
The investigation determined that the victim was injected with M-99, also known as Etorphine, a Schedule I controlled substance approximately 1000 times more potent than morphine. It is used in veterinary medicine for zoo and wildlife anesthesia.
According to court records, Hovanec considered killing her husband for at least a year before the murder and had considered alternate means to do so, including hiring a hitman, before settling on injecting him with M-99.
“Hovanec’s violent and intentional actions were cold-blooded, calculated, and cruel. Her extreme malevolence toward her husband and complete disregard for how his murder would affect their innocent children is incomprehensible and unforgiveable,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “We know that no amount of time served can bring back a family’s loved one. But our hope is that the victim’s family may find some sense of closure as they painstakingly work to heal from this unimaginable and horrific tragedy.”
Theodorou was sentenced to 18 years in prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to import, importation and distribution of a controlled substance that resulted in death. He was also ordered to pay $2,108,559.36 in restitution, of which a part will be paid jointly and severally with Hovanec and Green. Anita Green was sentenced to 10 years in prison and two years of supervised release after pleading guilty to being an accessory to the crimes committed by Amanda Hovanec and Anthony Theodorou.
This case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division, Lima Resident Agency, the Auglaize County Sheriff’s Office, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), and the Lucas County Coroner’s Office.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alissa Sterling and Michelle Baeppler for the Northern District of Ohio.
Justice Department and EPA Announce Settlement to Reduce Benzene and Volatile Organic Compounds from Wastewater at Lima Refining Company’s Refinery in OhioRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a settlement with the Lima Refining Company (LRC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Canadian-based Cenovus Energy, to address violations of the Clean Air Act at its refinery in Lima, Ohio.
Under the settlement, LRC must pay a civil penalty of $19 million and implement an estimated $150 million in capital investments, including control technology expected to reduce emissions of benzene by an estimated 4.34 tons per year, other hazardous air pollutants (HAP) by 16.26 tons per year, and other volatile organic compound emissions (VOC) by 219 tons per year. The Lima Refinery is surrounded by a community with environmental justice concerns.
“This settlement is part of an ongoing initiative to curtail illegal benzene and VOC emissions at refineries that have failed to allocate the necessary personnel and capital investments to ensure compliance with rules they have long been subject to,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Under the settlement, the refinery will implement controls that will greatly improve air quality and reduce health impacts on the overburdened community that surrounds the refinery.”
“Lima Refining unlawfully exposed the surrounding community to toxic benzene emissions and other hazardous pollutants,” said Assistant Administrator David Uhlmann of the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Today’s settlement demonstrates how monitoring can help protect overburdened communities from harmful emissions from refineries. Lima will pay a substantial penalty for its violations and install $150 million in emissions controls that will provide cleaner air to a community that deserves nothing less.” *
“Environmental justice is a core priority of our Office and of the Department. Through its illegal emissions of benzene, VOCs and other pollutants from its facility, the LRC impermissibly violated the Clean Air Act and jeopardized the health of Ohio’s residents,” said U.S Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “We will continue to be vigilant and strictly enforce environmental laws and regulations to protect our district’s residents from toxic pollutants. Ohioans should not have to worry about living and working in an area where air pollution from local industry could make them sick.”
As part of the settlement, LRC will install one or more flash columns to reduce benzene in wastewater streams leading to its wastewater treatment plant and will cease operating, replace or upgrade other units at the refinery. LRC will also install six air pollutant monitoring stations to monitor air quality outside of the refinery fence line and make the results publicly available.
The United States’ complaint, filed simultaneously with the settlement, alleges that LRC violated federal regulations limiting benzene in refinery wastewater streams, and HAP and VOC emissions at its Lima Refinery, as well as the general requirement to use good air pollution control practices.
Benzene is known to cause cancer in humans. Short-term inhalation exposure to benzene also may cause drowsiness, dizziness, headaches, as well as eye, skin and respiratory tract irritation, and, at high levels, unconsciousness. Long-term inhalation exposure can cause various disorders in the blood, including reduced numbers of red blood cells and anemia in occupational settings. Reproductive effects have been reported for women exposed by inhalation to high levels, and adverse effects on the developing fetus have been observed in animal tests.
VOCs, along with nitrous oxide, play a major role in the atmospheric reactions that produce ozone, which is the primary constituent of smog. Ground-level ozone exposure is linked to a variety of short- and long-term health problems, including difficulty breathing, aggravated asthma, reduced lung capacity and increased susceptibility to respiratory illnesses like pneumonia and bronchitis.
This settlement is part of EPA’s and the Justice Department’s ongoing focus to assist communities that have been historically marginalized and disproportionately exposed to pollution.
For more information about the settlement, please visit www.epa.gov/enforcement/2024-lima-refining-clean-air-act-benzene-waste-neshap-and-volatile-organic-compounds.
The proposed consent decree, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, is subject to a public comment period and final court approval. Information on submitting comment and access to the settlement agreement is available at: www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
The EPA investigated the case.
Attorneys with the Environment and Natural Resources Division's Environmental Enforcement Section are handling the case.
*Editor's note: this quote has been updated for accuracy to remove "fence line," “the oil and gas sector” and “healthier water.”
U.S. Attorney’s Office Continues Gun Safety Initiative with Oct. 3 Program in LakewoodRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – To help keep children, teens, and communities safe, the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the Northern District of Ohio has launched an awareness and education initiative to inform the public about the importance of securing firearms and storing them safely. As part of this initiative, the USAO is partnering with the City of Lakewood to present an information session, “Safe Gun Storage Saves Lives,” Thursday, Oct. 3, from 6:30 - 8 p.m., at the Cove Community Center, 12525 Lake Avenue, Lakewood, OH 44107.
The City of Lakewood will host the program, but residents of all communities are invited to attend. Topics include data and trends regarding firearms-related accidents and self-imposed harm, focusing on children and teens in particular; the connection between these tragedies and unsafe firearms-storage practices; the effects that such tragedies have on both individual families and the broader public; a gun lock demonstration and distribution; and steps to help prevent firearms-related tragedies by following and encouraging safe firearms-storage practices.
The program features several speakers: U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio; firearms safety advocate and YMCA of Greater Cleveland Behavioral Health Manager Marlon Johnson, LPCC; MetroHealth Injury Prevention and Outreach Coordinator Anthony Zalewski, RN; Lakewood Police Chief Kevin Fischer; and Lakewood Mayor Meghan George.
As part of the program, local police officers will distribute free gun locks; attendees will not need to provide any personal information to receive one. Officers will also exhibit other types of safe storage devices, demonstrate how to use them, and individually discuss safe storage options with attendees.
“When you make the choice to own a firearm, you owe it to your neighbors to do so responsibly. As a whole, our community must do a better job to ensure that we store firearms in a safe manner, where a curious child or a despondent adolescent cannot readily access them. In April, a three-year-old child in Brunswick died from a gunshot wound after he found a gun in his own home, and accidentally discharged it while playing with it. Just a month later, in May, a two-year-old toddler in Euclid similarly died when he accidentally shot himself after he found a firearm in his home. More recently, a five-year-old boy in Utah died after—once again—finding his parent’s gun and accidentally shooting himself. Every one of these tragedies could have been prevented,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “Instead, these children—and the thousands of people of all ages who use firearms to take their own lives each year—are gone, and their families’ lives are irrevocably changed. In launching this initiative, our goal is to protect children, at-risk teens, and young adults from grave danger in homes where firearms are present. Our kids’ safety is everyone’s joint responsibility.”
The USAO’s Safe Storage campaign’s message kicked off in September with a similar program held in Richmond Heights. September is National Suicide Prevention Month, recognized annually by the National Institute of Mental Health. The number of firearm-related suicides rose nationally by 20% across the population from 2012 to 2022. The highest increases were found among younger people, according to fatal injury data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
The risk of accidents also increases when firearms are easy to find and access. From 2003 to 2021, 85% of children fatally injured were located at a house or apartment, and 56% of incidents occurred in their own homes, according to the CDC report “Unintentional Firearm Injury Deaths Among Children and Adolescents Aged 0-17 Years.” More than 70% of firearms used were stored loaded, and nearly 80% of firearms were stored unlocked and easily found on a bed, under a pillow, under a mattress, or inside or on top of a nightstand, according to the report.
“We’re calling on our community partners and the public to help us spread awareness of these largely preventable accidents and instances of self-harm,” said U.S. Attorney Lutzko. “Much like seatbelt education helps to save lives of those involved in car accidents, spreading the word about safe storage will save lives—many times, the lives of our children and teens who we have a special duty to protect. Our goal is to amplify the message of responsible firearm ownership through this community-centered, public-safety strategy.”
The USAO has posted on its website a host of free community resources discussing safe storage practices and providing tools for community members to spread the word about safe storage practices and help encourage them. Among the items included are bulletin board flyers, adult and child’s safety pledge certificates, and owners’ firearms safety manuals. Visit justice.gov/usao-ndoh/safe-gun-storage to view them. The public is also encouraged to follow the USAO on Facebook (@usaondoh) and X (@NDOHnews) to reshare safe gun storage tips and information.
Additional safe storage community programs are slated to be announced.
Former Ohio Municipal Prosecutor and Former Criminal Defendant Charged with Bribery ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND - An indictment was unsealed charging two Ohio men with a bribery scheme in which a municipal prosecutor agreed to help a criminal defendant with his pending cases in exchange for auto repair work.
According to the indictment, Nicholas Graham, 52, of Warren, was a prosecutor who represented the City of Warren in Warren Municipal Court. Brian Votino, 52, of Niles, had two criminal cases pending in the same court. The indictment alleges that in October 2019, Graham and Votino agreed that Graham would take action to benefit Votino with respect to Votino’s criminal cases in return for Votino performing repairs to Graham’s truck. To cover up the bribery arrangement, Graham instructed Votino through an intermediary to falsify a bill for the repair services and not to tell Votino’s criminal defense lawyer. According to the indictment, Graham and Votino ultimately carried out their agreement. In exchange for the repair work by Votino, Graham took official action to reduce the charges against Votino and advocated for a lenient sentence.
Graham and Votino are charged with one count of conspiracy, one count of honest services wire fraud, and one count of Hobbs Act extortion. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 45 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio; and Special Agent in Charge Gregory D. Nelsen of the FBI Cleveland Division made the announcement.
The FBI Cleveland Division is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Blake J. Ellison of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Morrison for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Case update Nov. 20, 2025:
Both defendants pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge in summer 2025. Judge Solomon Oliver Jr. imposed the following sentences:
- Nov. 19, 2025 – Graham was sentenced to 3 years of probation with the first 5 months to be served on home detention with electronic monitoring. He was also ordered to complete 120 hours of community service. Graham pleaded guilty on August 13, 2025.
- Nov. 14, 2025 – Votino was sentenced to 3 years of probation with the first 60 days to be served on home detention with electronic monitoring. He was also ordered to complete 160 hours of community service. Votino pleaded guilty on July 16, 2025.
20 Charged in Sandusky Drug Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio - Federal, state, and local law enforcement officials announced the unsealing of a superseding indictment that charged 20 members of a Drug Trafficking Operation (DTO) operating in Sandusky, Ohio. The Sandusky DTO is alleged to be responsible for trafficking distribution quantities of controlled substances in the Greater Sandusky area, including fentanyl and fentanyl analogues in both powder and counterfeit pill form, as well as methamphetamine and cocaine.
The investigation that led to the indictment took place earlier this spring and summer. Individuals were apprehended in a series of coordinated arrests, and agents have seized large quantities of fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, cocaine, and methamphetamine, including thousands of fentanyl pills masquerading as legitimate prescription medication. Agents also seized cash proceeds and numerous illegally possessed firearms during the investigation. This announcement was made by United States Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio, DEA Special Agent in Charge Orville Greene, and Sandusky Police Chief Jared Oliver.
“The indictment alleges a coordinated effort by the members of this Drug Trafficking Operation to fuel and profit from the region’s drug trade, and the widespread opioid and other drug addictions that accompany it,” said United States Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko. “These charges and arrests will significantly reduce in the Greater Sandusky area the distribution of these poisons, which are crippling our communities. We applaud our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners who have worked tirelessly to bring this criminal organization’s operations to a halt. Sandusky’s streets are safer today as a result.”
The following defendants were charged in the 63-count superseding indictment:
Danny Lee Johnson, aka, Uncle Danny, 39, Elyria, Ohio
Shon Alexander, aka Lil Man, 33, Sandusky, Ohio
Mark Milten Castile, aka Castile Jr., aka Little Mark, 27, Sandusky, Ohio
Mark Milton Castile, aka Castile Sr., aka MC, 50, Sandusky, Ohio
Markier Castile, 22, Sandusky, Ohio
Johnny Diego Desounyez Cherry, 41, Sandusky
Marquez Clinton, aka, Quez, 38, Sandusky, Ohio
Alycia Cross, 33, Sandusky, Ohio
Anrico Cunningham, aka, Suave, 40, Sandusky, Ohio
Marvin Cunningham, aka Marv, 62, Sandusky, Ohio
Brian Giving, aka, Hurt, 43, Sandusky, Ohio
Brent Hanson, 25, Sandusky, Ohio
Brent Hanson, 25, Sandusky, Ohio
Salei Harris, aka Bernard, 38, Sandusky, Ohio
Eric Irby, 30, Sandusky, Ohio
Bryonia Myers, 35, Sandusky, Ohio,
Tremar Pearson, 24, Sandusky, Ohio
Jarvis Pool, aka Shorty J, 42, Sandusky, Ohio
Kendrick Scott, aka Cheese, 51, Sandusky, Ohio
Dashour Smith, 28, Sandusky, Ohio
Dean Swain, aka Dino, 42, Sandusky, Ohio
The superseding indictment alleges that from about April 2023 to August 2024, the defendants did unlawfully, knowingly, and intentionally combine, conspire, confederate, and agree with each other to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, mixtures and substances containing detectable amounts of cocaine, cocaine base (crack), fentanyl, and methamphetamine, all Schedule II controlled substances, and fentanyl analogues, a Schedule I controlled substance.
According to court documents, Johnson, an Elyria based cocaine source of supply, arranged delivery of bulk cocaine to purchasers in Sandusky, using a network of associates and stash houses to store, break-down, package and redistribute narcotics and profits resulting from the illegal drug trafficking. Some associates would receive bulk cocaine and fentanyl pills stamped to appear as prescription Oxycodone pills and repackage to distribute. Others transported, or assisted in transporting cocaine, drug proceeds, and firearms. Several associates conducted their operations out of the Chill Palace, a bar in Sandusky, where they distributed fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, crack cocaine, and other related drugs to customers throughout the region. Other associates received bulk methamphetamine sent through the mail, and one maintained an unlicensed gambling house at a residence in Sandusky, which was used as a distribution center.
“This was a highly organized, poly-drug distribution organization, supplying our communities with bulk quantities of controlled substances including fentanyl in both powder and counterfeit pill form. These quantities had the potential to kill hundreds of thousands of people. Today’s enforcement action demonstrates the strength of our partnerships and our commitment to keeping our communities safe” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Orville Greene.
“The Sandusky Police Department is proud to have such a great partnership with both the DEA and Ohio BCI. It is because of these partnerships that this investigation resulted in the arrests of several individuals and the seizure of substantial amounts of fentanyl, fentanyl pills, methamphetamine, and cocaine. I echo US Attorney Lutzko’s statement, our community is safer today because of the tireless efforts of our Detectives, the BCI Agents and the DEA in dismantling this drug trafficking operation,” said Sandusky Police Chief Jarod Oliver.
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.
If convicted, each 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 investigation preceding the superseding indictment was conducted by the DEA, Sandusky Police Department, and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Identification (BCI).
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Melching and Frank Spryszak for the Northern District of Ohio.
Cleveland Woman Sentenced to 2½ years in Prison for Forging Power of Attorney to Steal More than $46k from Elderly VictimRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND - Tanya Alahmad, 46, of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced by U.S. Judge David A. Ruiz to 30 months of imprisonment and ordered to pay $46,064.30 in restitution. Alahmad pleaded guilty in March 2024 to one count of mail fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft for forging a power of attorney to steal more than $46,000 from an elderly victim.
According to court documents, from November 2019, through February 2022, Alahmad befriended the victim and stayed at their residence a few days week. Alahmad assisted the victim by cleaning the house and running errands. Alahmad also created a fraudulent Power of Attorney (POA) that named her as POA by forging the victim’s signature and then used the POA to obtain credit and debit cards in the victim’s name. Alahmad used the fraudulently obtained credit and debit cards to conduct unauthorized purchases and withdrawals. At times, the victim was hospitalized and in a rehabilitation facility while Alahmad continued to write checks from the victim’s bank account without lawful authority. As a result of Alahmad’s conduct, the victim and the bank lost more than $46,000.
This investigation was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. McDonough. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio would like to acknowledge and thank the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office and the Cleveland Police Department for their cooperation with this matter.
The investigation and prosecution of this case is in response to the Elder Justice Initiative Program originating from the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act of 2017 (EAPPA). The mission of the EAPPA and Elder Justice Initiative is to support and coordinate the Department of Justice’s enforcement efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect, financial fraud, and scams that target the nation’s elderly population.
If you observe something that you believe might be fraudulent conduct involving an older adult, contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 or 1-833-372-8311 and visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center at IC3.gov to report it.
Ohio Man Sentenced for Tax Fraud Conspiracy Related to Illegal Gambling BusinessesRead the Press Release
An Ohio man was sentenced to 20 months in prison for conspiring to defraud the IRS by not reporting income he earned from his ownership and operation of illegal gambling businesses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2010 through 2018, Jason Kachner, 48, of Canton, along with Christos Karasarides Jr., 59, of Canton, and other co-conspirators, owned and operated two illegal gambling businesses, Skilled Shamrock and Redemption.
From 2012 through 2017, patrons at Skilled Shamrock wagered a total of more than $34 million, which resulted in more than $4 million in income for the owners of the gambling business. Kachner conspired with his co-owners to defraud the IRS by using a nominee owner to conceal their ownership of the businesses and by filing false tax returns that omitted most of the income he received from the businesses.
Overall, Kachner caused a loss to the IRS of $844,692.
In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent for the Northern District of Ohio ordered Kachner to serve three years of supervised release and pay $1,393,024 in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation, the Stark County Prosecutor’s Office, the U.S. Department of Treasury Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, the Ohio Casino Control Commission, and Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission-Major Crimes Task Force investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Sam Bean and Hayter Whitman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio prosecuted the case.