Southern District of Ohio
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
U.S. Attorney announces more than $5.1 million in funding to Southern District of Ohio during Domestic Violence Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – As part of its monthlong observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio is proud to announce that the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) awarded more than $5.1 million in the district to bolster coordinated community responses aimed at bringing an end to domestic violence, as well as sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.
“This is a time to center the experiences of survivors, honor those who lost their lives to domestic violence; express gratitude to the countless individuals in the movement to end violence; and raise awareness on the issues of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker.
Data from the most recent National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey indicate about 41% of women and 26% of men experienced contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner and reported an intimate partner violence-related impact during their lifetime. Domestic violence rates are even higher for Black individuals, people of color, people with disabilities, and LGBTQI+ individuals.
The announced grants will reach historically marginalized communities, underserved communities, college and university campuses, rural towns, culturally specific communities, and more. The funding prioritizes increasing access to justice, improving survivor safety, holding perpetrators accountable, and offering training and technical support to professionals addressing these crimes.
Specifically, the Southern District of Ohio received the following approximate funds for the 2023 fiscal year:
- State and Territory Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions Program
Ohio Domestic Violence Network: $108,000
Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence: $232,500
This program enhances the coordination between courts, child protective services agencies, advocates, law enforcement, and community programs to encourage trauma-informed, survivor-centered responses to domestic violence and sexual assault.
- Improving Criminal Justice Responses to Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking Grant Program
City of Columbus: $800,000
Ohio Supreme Court: $1 million
Funding from this grant is used to promote coordinated community responses among law enforcement agencies, courts, victim service providers, and other system partners.
- Grants to Enhance Culturally Specific Services for Victims of Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence and Stalking Program (Culturally Specific Program)
Ohio Hispanic Coalition: $400,000
These dollars are designated to help community-based organizations develop culturally relevant programs specific to American Indian and Alaska Native populations, Black, Asian-American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, Hispanic, and Tribal communities to support survivors.
- Rural Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking Assistance Program (Rural Program)
Ohio Hispanic Coalition: $500,000
Survivor Advocacy Outreach Program: $750,000
This funding supports programs by local government, community-based organizations, and medical providers in rural areas to improve the safety of survivors.
- Grants to Reduce Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking on Campus Program (Campus Program)
Otterbein $400,000
Central State University $494,600
This funds colleges and universities to develop and strengthen effective security and investigation strategies for such crimes and to develop prevention education and awareness programs. In addition, OVW awarded to Central State University under the new Strengthening Culturally Specific Campus’ Approaches to Address Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Initiative to support new programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs).
- Research and Evaluation Initiative
University of Cincinnati: $499,900
This money supports researcher-practitioner partnerships and a broad range of research and evaluation methods to generate more knowledge about effective strategies to combat domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, and hold offenders accountable.
“Every day, a vast network of dedicated individuals helps domestic violence survivors access multiple pathways to safety, justice, and healing,” said OVW Director Rosie Hidalgo. “OVW understands that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to addressing domestic violence. These funds will enable communities to increase capacity and strengthen a coordinated community approach to prevent and address violence in more comprehensive ways tailored to their communities. Together, with our grantees, we are building a future where individuals and families can live and thrive without the threat of intimate partner violence.”
OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through implementing VAWA and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities nationwide that are developing programs, policies, and practices to end domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw.
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Cincinnati man pleads guilty to possessing Glock switchRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Elhanan Omar Pittman, 28, of Cincinnati, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to possessing a Glock switch.
Possessing any weapon or machine gun that can readily shoot more than one shot without manual reloading is against federal law.
Parties involved in Pittman’s case have recommended a sentence of 78 months in prison.
According to his plea agreement, on June 8, a Wyoming, Ohio, police officer attempted to stop Pittman’s vehicle for a traffic violation. Pittman fled from the vehicle carrying a backpack.
After a foot pursuit, Pittman was captured when he was found hiding behind Wyoming Middle School.
Pittman had an automatic weapon in the backpack, namely, a handgun with a Glock switch.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Wyoming Police Chief Brooke Brady announced the guilty plea entered Oct. 25 before U.S. District Judge Jeffery P. Hopkins. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Oakley is representing the United States in this case.
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Disbarred attorney arrested on charges related to using false identity to obtain jobs at law firmsRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A disbarred attorney who previously practiced law in the Cincinnati area was arrested today by federal agents for allegedly using a false identity to obtain employment with at least three law firms.
Richard Louis Crosby III, 36, of Mason, Ohio, is charged by criminal complaint with wire fraud, Social Security number fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, the Cincinnati Bar Association filed a complaint against Crosby in November 2020. In April 2021, he indicated his intent to resign from the practice of law.
In both June and November 2021, Crosby was indicted and charged in Hamilton County with crimes related to stealing client funds. After his indictments, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio entered an order disbarring Crosby.
In May 2022, Crosby was arrested in both of his Hamilton County cases. He was sentenced to probation in both cases in June 2023.
According to the federal charging document filed on Oct. 24, while Crosby’s local cases were pending, he created an email account using “richardcwilliamsesq.” Crosby used the email address and the alias Richard Williams to communicate with a law firm in Washington D.C. in June 2021. The firm briefly employed Williams.
In September 2022 – at which point Crosby had been disbarred in Ohio and arrested on the Hamilton County charges – Crosby used his alias to apply for an attorney position with a law firm based in Miami, Florida. Crosby met with a recruiter via Zoom, and represented himself as Richard Williams, a licensed attorney admitted to the bar in New York and D.C.
It is alleged Crosby then met with one of the firm’s hiring managers in Florida and was ultimately offered employment in October 2022. His starting salary was $185,000 per year with a $5,000 signing bonus. Crosby allegedly used another individual’s Social Security number, passport number and banking information to complete his onboarding paperwork at the law firm.
In April 2023, the firm received an inquiry from an investigator with the Clermont County Child Support Enforcement Office, making the firm aware of Crosby’s true identity. He was subsequently fired.
In July 2023, Crosby again used the alias to attempt to obtain employment. He allegedly interviewed over Zoom with senior management of a law firm located in Coral Gables, Florida. It is alleged that Crosby doctored a “screen shot” of the name Richard Coleman Williams Jr. in the online D.C. bar membership directory to attach with his resume.
The firm offered Crosby a starting salary of $195,000 per year with a $10,000 signing bonus, but eventually determined Crosby was using a false identity and did not hire him.
Crosby was arrested this morning in Mason and will make his initial appearance in federal court in Cincinnati at 1:30pm.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio announced the charges. The case is being investigated by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office, Clermont County Department of Job and Family Services, United States Marshals Service, and Diplomatic Security Service. Special Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Landry is representing the United States in this case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
If you have information related to this alleged conduct, please contact the Social Security OIG tip line at 1-800-269-0271.
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Cincinnati man pleads guilty to sex trafficking missing teenRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati man pleaded guilty in federal court here today to sex trafficking a missing teen girl.
As part of his plea, Payton Jamar Brown, 26, will forfeit his home on Niagara Street in Cincinnati. Proceeds of the sale of the home will be given to Brown’s victim.
According to court documents, from June until October 2022 and again in February 2023, Brown sex trafficked the teenaged girl.
Brown met the victim online and began a relationship with her. The victim began to reside with Brown, who created prostitution advertisements of her. Brown would transport the victim to hotels for prostitution dates that he had arranged. Brown arranged at least 40 prostitution dates in this timeframe and collected the proceeds from the victim.
In October 2022, Colerain police officers responded to Brown’s residence and recovered the victim, who was subsequently taken to a juvenile facility in another state.
In February 2023, the juvenile escaped the facility and messaged Brown on Instagram to pick her up. Brown drove interstate to pick up the victim and her friend and bring them to his residence. Brown again created a prostitution advertisement of the victim and arranged sexual encounters with other men for money.
Throughout his time with the victim, Brown would regularly engage in sex acts with the minor and record those acts with a cell phone. He would then sell the photos and videos to others online.
Brown was arrested by the FBI in February 2023.
Parties involved have recommended a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court at a future hearing.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Colerain Township Police Chief Edwin C. Cordie III; and members of the Regional Electronics and Computer Investigations (RECI) task force announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle J. Healey is representing the United States in this case.
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Madison County man sentenced to 20 years in prison for exploiting minor victims, distributing child pornographyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Donald Adams, 52, of Mount Sterling, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 240 months in prison for exploiting children online and sharing child sexual abuse material.
Adams pleaded guilty in May 2023 to two counts of sexually exploiting a minor and two counts of distributing child pornography.
According to court documents, between May and September 2021, Adams exploited two teenage victims. Specifically, Adams used Snapchat and Google Duo to coerce the victims into sending him images and videos of themselves engaged in sexual conduct. Adams made the minors believe they were in a legitimate romantic relationship with him.
Adams also exploited at least one of the minor victims by directing them to send the sexual content to other online predators.
The defendant drove to another state to pick up one of the victims in person and took her to a hotel room for three hours.
In September 2021, Adams sent an online undercover FBI agent videos of children 3 to 7 years old engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Upon Adams’s arrest, law enforcement recovered more than 1,500 images and 2,000 videos of child sexual abuse material. Adams possessed images and videos of victims as young as infants and toddlers being sexually abused by adults.
As part of his sentence, Adams will pay restitution to the minor victims he directly exploited, and eight other victims identified in Adams’s pornography collection through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Pakiz and S. Courter Shimeall are representing the United States in this case.
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U.S. Attorney Parker honors citizen & law enforcement efforts to reduce crime, build stronger communities in second annual awards ceremonyRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, presented Law Enforcement and Community Service Awards, honoring individuals and groups for their work to reduce gun violence, provide alternatives to armed responses to mental health crises, improve school safety, volunteer to support crime prevention programs, aggressively investigate child exploitation, and help restored citizens return to the community after serving time behind bars.
“Building safe communities requires a mosaic of people and groups who look out for each other and bring their own individual skills and abilities to work together for a greater good,” U.S. Attorney Parker said. “Our office wants to call attention to these dedicated agents, officers, volunteers, and citizens for their accomplishments. We work together, we stand together, and at times we may suffer together, but we make positive change together.”
The awards include:
Kaia Grant Badge of Bravery and Sacrifice Award
Cincinnati Police Sergeant Donald Elsaesser, Cincinnati Police Officers Joshua Jordan, Rachel White, Jeremy Randolph and Lilgenia Wharton
This group of Cincinnati police officials put themselves in harm’s way and risked serious injury to themselves to disarm an individual who was repeatedly stabbing himself as he was going through a mental health crisis on July 6, 2023.
“The bravery, quick response, and teamwork of these officers allowed the man to receive the medical treatment he desperately needed, saving his life,” Parker said.
Law Enforcement Excellence Award
Cincinnati Police Officer Jeremy Burroughs
Officer Burroughs is a 22-year veteran who is currently a third shift uniformed patrol officer in an area that generates some of the most calls for service in the city.
“Throughout his career, Officer Burroughs has demonstrated exemplary patrol strategies that aid in achieving the mission of the Cincinnati Police department. He is consistent in his dedication to solving crimes in progress,” Parker said, noting that Officer Burroughs has also served as a field training officer, helping sculpt the next generation of law enforcement officers to operate with the same high values and sense of community that he holds.
Project Safe Neighborhood’s Guardian Award
Dayton Police Detectives Dustin J. Phillips, Geoffery T. Orndorff and Lucas A. Rose
The Dayton police detectives received this year’s Project Safe Neighborhood’s Guardian Award for their efforts to reduce gun violence as members of the FBI Safe Streets Task Force.
They have been directly responsible for the recovery of 93 firearms in the last 12 months, leading to federal firearms charges against 37 individuals. Detective Phillips has worked for the Dayton Police Department for 16 years and has been a Task Force Officer with the FBI for eight years. Detective Orndorff has worked for the Dayton Police Department for 10 years and has been a Task Force Officer with the FBI for one year. Detective Rose has worked for the Dayton Police Department for 10 years and has been a Task Force Officer with the FBI for one year.
The Project Safe Childhood Shield of Innocence Award
FBI Special Agent Andrea Kinzig
Over the course of her 18-year career with the FBI, Special Agent Kinzig has set an almost impossible standard of excellence while pursuing justice for children who have been the victims of sexual abuse or exploitation. Special Agent Kinzig has built cases that have resulted in the successful prosecution of dozens of now-convicted sex offenders, investigating all manner of crimes against children, from production, distribution, receipt and possession of child pornography to coercion and enticement.
“Special Agent Kinzig has chosen a particularly noble and difficult path,” Parker said. “She focuses on protecting the public from predators and on making sure that child victims are heard, vindicated and cared for.”
Polaris Community Service Award
Coordinator Raven Cruz-Loiaza
Dayton Mediation Response Unit (MRU)
The City of Dayton created the MRU in May 2022 to provide an alternative response to armed uniformed responders to calls for service when an armed response was not necessary. Since it was established, the MRU has handled more than 3,500 calls for service and received closure and positive outcomes in 74 percent of its interaction with citizens.
“Thanks to the MRU, people are getting connected to health care, mental health and addiction services, mediation and other services, instead of facing negative outcomes such as incarceration or criminal charges,” Parker said.
Serve Thy Neighbor Award (Dayton)
Centerville Safe
Shortly after the Oregon District mass shooting in 2019, seven Centerville City School students’ parents put their fears and concerns to use and organized Centerville Safe, a non-profit organization, to focus on raising funds to support implementation of safety and security best practices within the City of Centerville school district. They’ve worked with first responders and Dayton Children’s Hospital to present seminars on safety, equipped every classroom with safety kits, and helped schools upgrade their safety systems.
“I join the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and the Centerville Police Department in commending Centerville Safe for providing invaluable crime prevention support among the community’s youth by partnering with local law enforcement and the school district,” Parker said. “They are fulfilling their worthy mission.”
Serve Thy Neighbor Award (Cincinnati)
Mr. Bob Weidlich
Mr. Weidlich went through the first Springdale Police Citizen’s Police Academy class in 2011 and was quick to give back on the opportunity. He has volunteered more than 2,080 hours to work with the police on crime prevention and community safety programs.
“In addition, Bob has been a participant in the Honor Flight Program, served honorably in active duty in Vietnam and is active within Springdale beyond his service through the police department,” Parker said.
Serve Thy Neighbor Award (Columbus)
U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus Jr., Pastor Donald Fitzgerald, former Chief of U.S. Probation John Dierna, and Alfred Young
Restored Citizens
After speaking on several occasions during the sentencing of individuals in the federal courthouse, Pastor Fitzgerald and U.S. District Judge Sargus established The Restored Citizens program. The program involves meeting with former inmates at the Pastor’s church to discuss positive ways to transition from a life of imprisonment back into the communities they left. The group also discuss the means and resources available to assist them in overcoming systemic barriers to their transition home.
The men paired up with then Chief of U.S. Probation Dierna and Mr. Young, and together, the group provided resources related to topics like housing, employment, transportation and mental health.
“When an individual is calling for another chance, the Restored Citizens program is answering that call. These many men and women of the Restored Citizens program are an instrumental part of the fabric of our community. They represent resiliency and positive change,” said Parker.
U.S. Attorney’s Special Commendation
Ms. Hope L. Harvey Dudley
Ms. Dudley “embodies the spirit of everything we would want in a fighter for law enforcement, victims and the community as a whole,” said Parker.
After gun violence killed her son, Daniel Chaz Dudley, in September 2007, Dudley founded UCanSpeakForMe, a place where families suffering in anguish know they are not alone, and that there are others who are working tirelessly to solve the crimes committed against their loved one and bring accountability to the forefront.
Ms. Dudley has hosted countless vigils and community events, and created playing cards that hold the information and faces of loved ones who were victims of unsolved homicides. These cards have been distributed throughout the community and placed in jails to give prisoners and others the understanding that they can come forward to provide information to law enforcement regarding the crime.
For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s annual law enforcement awards, please contact Law Enforcement Coordinator Mitchell Seckman at 614-469-5715.
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Columbus man pleads guilty to crimes related to armed robberies, I-70 shootoutRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man pleaded guilty in federal court here today to crimes related to the July 6 shooting of a Columbus police officer. Parties involved have recommended a sentence of 20 to 30 years in prison.
Faisal M. Darod, 23, pleaded guilty to all nine counts charged against him in a superseding indictment that was returned in September 2023. The crimes include aiding and abetting robberies and aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during the robberies.
His co-defendant, Aden Abdullahi Jama, 20, of Reynoldsburg, Ohio, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court on Oct. 11.
The two central Ohio men were involved in the July 6 shooting of a Columbus police officer. Jama admitted in court today to participating in related crimes on July 5 and July 6.
According to his plea agreement, on June 21, Darod aided in the robbery of a GameStop store on Hilliard-Rome Road in Hilliard. Darod and another man initially planned to rob a bank that day, but mistakenly thought the bank would be open until 6pm. When they realized the bank was closed, they shifted focus to the GameStop instead, and, at approximately 6:15pm, robbed the store at gunpoint using a handgun with an extended magazine.
Darod helped the other man obtain the firearm, extended magazine and ammunition, and served as a lookout during the robbery.
On July 3, Darod drove the other man to the Auto Gallery on Westerville Road in Minerva Park, where the man robbed the car dealership owner at gunpoint. The man stole a 2016 Corvette Stingray. Over the next two days, Darod had others record several videos of him driving the Corvette around the parking lot of the Baymont Inn and Suites at Morse Road, where he had rented a room.
On July 5, Darod arranged for Jama to pick up him and another individual after they robbed at gunpoint the Fifth Third Bank on Fishinger Road in Upper Arlington. Following the bank robbery, Darod texted Jama and instructed him to meet up with them on West Sixth Avenue in Columbus and drive them to the Baymont Inn and Suites.
While at the hotel, Darod and Jama recorded a video on Darod’s cell phone showing Darod lying on the bed surrounded by the recently stolen cash. In the video, Darod raps about “cheese” – i.e., money, being in the air and everywhere.
The next day, on July 6, Darod aided and abetted an armed robbery at Byers Imports in Whitehall. He and Jama drove a third individual to the car dealership to commit the robbery.
Shortly after the robbery, Darod and Jama met up with the car thief at townhomes on the southeast side of Columbus. The three men then drove the stolen Porsche Cayenne, sometimes exceeding 100 miles per hour, to Hilliard to commit another armed bank robbery.
Darod and Jama again served as the lookout and aided and abetted the armed robbery and the use of a firearm during that robbery at Fifth Third Bank on Hilliard-Rome Road in Hilliard.
Unbeknownst to the three men, Whitehall police detectives had been tracking their movements using the Porsche Cayenne’s onboard GPS system. The detectives surrounded the stolen car at Fifth Third Bank and ordered the men to stop the vehicle. The now-deceased driver drove the stolen Porsche through a gap in the detectives’ cars and fled over a grass embankment onto Hilliard-Rome Road, and, eventually, out to Roberts Road and the freeway.
Columbus police officers then located the stolen vehicle on I-70 traveling eastbound. The men reached speeds more than 125 miles per hour near rush hour while attempting to flee law enforcement.
The vehicle became damaged and came to an abrupt stop before Darod and Jama both fled on foot. The third man used a handgun with an extended magazine to ambush the responding officers. He opened fire from close range and struck one officer. That officer suffered life-threatening injuries. The driver of the stolen vehicle was struck several times and died of his gunshot wounds soon after.
Following the gun battle on I-70, a coordinated manhunt ensued for Jama and Darod. Darod was arrested in Columbus on the evening of July 7. By then, he had conducted several internet searches for flights out of Columbus to Somalia. U.S. Marshals and Homeland Security Investigation agents arrested Jama at Chicago O’Hare International Airport on July 8, bound for Turkey, with an ultimate destination of Somalia.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant; the United States Marshals in Columbus and Chicago; ICE and HSI Chicago; the Whitehall, Minerva Parka and Upper Arlington police departments; and Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin announced the guilty plea entered this afternoon before U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorney Noah R. Litton is representing the United States in this case.
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New defendant pleads guilty in conspiracy involving $44 million in drug proceeds laundered to Mexico through local cell phone store frontsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A ninth federal defendant pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to money laundering and conspiring to possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin. The defendant orchestrated teams of drug dealers in central Ohio and laundered the proceeds to Mexico.
In the fall of 2020 and spring 2021, eight original, federal defendants were sentenced to prison for the same conspiracy, in which they laundered $44 million in drug proceeds to Mexico through local cell phone store fronts. The stores sold few, if any, cell phones, and they conducted little, if any, legitimate business otherwise. The defendants received sentences ranging from five to 18 years in prison.
In his guilty plea today, Cruz Alberto Perez-Nunez, 36, admitted to being a drug trafficker and regular “customer” of the cell phone store fronts who laundered his drug proceeds from Columbus to Nayarit, Mexico.
Perez-Nunez oversaw the narcotics-distribution operation of multiple teams of drug dealers in the Southern District of Ohio. In 2018, he oversaw the supply chain of heroin and directed and controlled drug-trafficking and money-laundering activities of individuals in and around Columbus. Perez-Nunez also set up living arrangements for the teams of drug traffickers.
Perez-Nunez and others coordinated with the owners of Los Rosales on Shady Lane Road, Los Rosales 2 on East Main Street and Express Cellular on Eastland Square Drive to send bulk money transfers to lists of names in Mexico. Thousands of illicit wire transfers were completed per year. Drug dealers from multiple narcotics-trafficking cells would drop large amounts of narcotics money at the stores, after which the store owners would falsify money sender names, addresses and phone numbers on the wire transfers to Mexico to conceal the nature of the proceeds.
In total, the joint state–federal efforts led to the prosecution of nine defendants federally and 35 defendants by the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office. The investigation and prosecution of these defendants removed approximately 34 kilograms of heroin, 516 grams of cocaine, 76 grams of fentanyl and 250 pounds of marijuana from Central Ohio streets. Additionally, investigators seized $458,500 in U.S. currency and a home valued at nearly $248,000 as part of the investigation and prosecution of these cases.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Cincinnati Field Office; Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Detroit Division; Franklin County Prosecutor Gary Tyack; Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant and officials with the Ohio HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Commission announced the guilty plea entered today before Chief U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley.
Assistant United States Attorneys S. Courter Shimeall and Jessica W. Knight are representing the United States in this case. Daniel J. Stanley, formerly with the office of Franklin County Prosecutor Gary Tyack, also represented the United States in this case as a Special Assistant United States Attorney.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, and gangs that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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Fairfield County man pleads guilty to child pornography and sextortion crimesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Fairfield County, Ohio man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to crimes related to child pornography and sextortion.
Devin Bailey, 27, of Millersport, Ohio, admitted to distributing child pornography of a minor victim and using those images, in addition to others, in interstate communications to extort an adult victim for images of herself.
According to his plea agreement, Bailey used multiple personas online to solicit sexually explicit photographs of the adult victim and then used the images he obtained to threaten and extort her for more explicit photographs of herself.
Bailey also sent additional messages to the adult victim that depicted pornographic images of nude minor females exposing their genitalia to the camera or engaged in acts of masturbation. After receiving these images from Bailey, the adult victim recognized one of the minor females depicted in the images she received. That minor female was approximately 12 years old at the time the images and videos were created. The minor child believed she had sent the explicit images and videos to a female in Florida, who in reality was another persona of Bailey’s. These photos of the nude minor were then kept by Bailey for over five years and sent to the adult victim to coerce her into taking sexually explicit photographs of herself for Bailey.
Bailey also threatened to distribute the child pornography of the known minor female to family members of the adult victim and across the internet if the adult victim did not comply with his demands.
In May and June 2022, Bailey also used numerous email addresses, cell phone numbers and Snapchat accounts to harass the adult victim, threatening to share pornographic images of her as well. He said if the victim did not send him new explicit photos or videos, he would use the older materials against her.
Bailey’s threats persisted for weeks. He consistently and aggressively messaged the adult victim and, when she indicated she would involve law enforcement, Bailey responded, “Go ahead, they are untraceable numbers, and I can get hundreds more lol.”
A forensic review of Bailey’s electronic devices revealed that they contained approximately 200 images and 20 videos of child sexual abuse material.
Distributing child pornography is a federal crime punishable by a range of five to 20 years in prison. Interstate communications with the intent to extort carries a potential penalty of up to two years in prison. Congress sets statutory sentences, and sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court at a later hearing based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Lancaster Police Chief Nicholas H. Snyder announced the guilty plea entered on October 11 before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case.
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2 leaders of $2.8 million dark web drug trafficking, money laundering conspiracy sentenced to 16 & 18 years in prisonRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Two leaders of a prolific online drug trafficking organization were sentenced in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati to 16 and 18 years in prison.
Khlari Sirotkin, 39, of Colorado, was sentenced on Oct. 11 to 192 months in prison. Sean Deaver, 39, of Nevada, was sentenced in August 2023 to 216 months in prison.
The two men are leaders of five defendants charged in 2020 for using several Dark Web marketplace accounts – including one named Pill Cosby – and encrypted messaging apps to sell illegal drugs online.
The defendants specialized in the manufacturing and distribution of more than one million fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills and laundered approximately $2.8 million from 2013 until 2020. The pressed fentanyl pills, along with heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine, were shipped to the Southern District of Ohio and throughout the country. Co-conspirators also disguised fentanyl as authentic, pharmaceutical opioids.
The investigation was coordinated out of the Cincinnati Field Office of the FBI and is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) joint investigation conducted by the Southern Ohio Digitized Organized Crime Group. The investigation was significantly aided by the Department of Justice’s multi-agency Special Operations Division (SOD).
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Charles L. Grinstead, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), Kansas City Field Office; Lesley C. Allison, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Angie Salazar, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost; Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge; and the Ohio National Guard Counterdrug Task Force announced the sentences imposed by U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole. Criminal Chief Karl P. Kadon is representing the United States in this case.
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Reynoldsburg man pleads guilty to crimes related to robberies, I-70 shootoutRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Aden Abdullahi Jama, 20, of Reynoldsburg, Ohio, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to being an accessory after the fact to bank robbery, two counts of aiding and abetting robberies and two counts of aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during the robberies.
Jama and Faisal M. Darod, 23, of Columbus, were charged by a federal grand jury in a 10-count superseding indictment on Sept. 27.
The two central Ohio men were allegedly involved in the July 6 shooting of a Columbus police officer. Jama admitted in court today to participating in related crimes on July 5 and July 6.
According to his plea agreement, on July 5, Jama aided and abetted Darod and another individual after they robbed at gunpoint the Fifth Third Bank on Fishinger Road in Upper Arlington. Specifically, Jama met up with the men on West Sixth Avenue in Columbus and drove them to the Baymont Inn and Suites on Morse Road. This allowed Darod and the other individual to abandon a stolen Corvette they used during the robbery.
While at the hotel, Darod and Jama recorded a video on Darod’s cell phone showing Darod lying on the bed surrounded by the recently stolen cash. In the video, Darod raps about “cheese” – i.e., money, being in the air and everywhere.
The next day, on July 6, Jama served as a driver and/or lookout both before and after an armed robbery at Byers Imports in Whitehall.
Shortly after the robbery, Jama and Darod met up with the car thief at townhomes on the southeast side of Columbus. The three men then drove the stolen Porsche Cayenne, sometimes exceeding 100 miles per hour, to Hilliard to commit another armed bank robbery.
Jama again served as the lookout and aided and abetted the armed robbery and the use of a firearm during that robbery at Fifth Third Bank on Hilliard-Rome Road in Hilliard.
Unbeknownst to the three men, Whitehall police detectives had been tracking their movements using the Porsche Cayenne’s onboard GPS system. The detectives surrounded the stolen car at Fifth Third Bank and ordered the men to stop the vehicle. The now-deceased driver drove the stolen Porsche through a gap in the detectives’ cars and fled over a grass embankment onto Hilliard-Rome Road, and, eventually, out to Roberts Road and the freeway.
Columbus police officers then located the stolen vehicle on I-70 traveling eastbound. The men reached speeds more than 125 miles per hour near rush hour while attempting to flee law enforcement.
The vehicle became damaged and came to an abrupt stop before Jama and Darod both fled on foot. The third man used a handgun with an extended magazine to ambush the responding officers. He opened fire from close range and struck one officer. That officer suffered life-threatening injuries. The driver of the stolen vehicle was struck several times and died of his gunshot wounds soon after.
Following the gun battle on I-70, a coordinated manhunt ensued for Jama and Darod. Darod was arrested in Columbus on the evening of July 7. By then, he had conducted several internet searches for flights out of Columbus to Somalia. U.S. Marshals and Homeland Security Investigation agents arrested Jama at Chicago O’Hare International Airport on July 8, bound for Turkey, with an ultimate destination of Somalia.
Aiding and abetting a bank robbery is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during a crime of violence carries a potential penalty of at least five years and up to life in prison. Being an accessory after the fact of bank robbery is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court at a later hearing based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Charges remain pending against Darod.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant; the United States Marshals in Columbus and Chicago; ICE and HSI Chicago; the Whitehall, Minerva Parka and Upper Arlington police departments; and Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin announced the guilty plea entered this morning before U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorney Noah R. Litton is representing the United States in this case.
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Cincinnati man sentenced to prison for Covid relief fraudRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI– A man who filed for relief under the Paycheck Protection Program and fraudulently claimed that he was running a business during the time he was incarcerated was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 12 months and one day in prison.
Willie Boyce, 42, pleaded guilty in April 2023 to one count of wire fraud. As part of his sentence, he will pay $41,040 in restitution.
According to court documents, Boyce was incarcerated in Hamilton County from March 2018 until September 2020, when he was released to a halfway house.
Boyce acknowledged that he applied electronically for two PPP loans in April 2021, claiming he owned a business that provided taxi and ridesharing services.
In his applications, Boyce fraudulently claimed a gross income of $98,500 for 2019 even though he was in prison for the entirety of that year. Boyce used his halfway house address as the business address and submitted a forged bank statement.
Boyce claimed the money was for payroll for his company, and received payments on April 20 and May 5, 2021, but withdrew or spent all the money by the end of May 2021, on non-business-related transactions including payments to Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Expedia, Hampton Inn and Delta Airlines.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the sentence imposed today by Senior U.S. District Judge Susan J. Dlott. The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, in coordination with U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Secret Service, Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles Investigations and Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Landry and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ebunoluwa Taiwo are representing the United States in this case.
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Former Cincinnati City Council member sentenced to 16 months in prison for bribery, attempted extortionRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Former Cincinnati City Council member Alexander “P.G.” Sittenfeld, 39, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 16 months in prison for bribery and attempted extortion by a government official.
Sittenfeld was convicted following a jury trial in June and July 2022.
“Sittenfeld earned today’s prison sentence,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “A jury of his peers reviewed the evidence against him and found him guilty. Now, he must be accountable for his actions. Not only did he break the law, but he also violated the public’s trust. Public service is just that: public service, not self service.”
According to court documents and trial testimony, Sittenfeld accepted $20,000 in bribe payments to his political action committee (PAC) from undercover FBI agents posing as corrupt businessmen working with a real estate developer.
Sittenfeld knowingly received the $20,000 in bribe payments in return for guaranteeing votes for a development project at 435 Elm St. Sittenfeld told the undercover agents he could “deliver the votes.”
Trial testimony detailed that Sittenfeld’s typical fundraising strategy was to use his power over city business to extract campaign contributions from individuals who regularly conducted business with the city. Sittenfeld instructed his staff to create a list and track individuals with business before the city so he could identify and target donors.
For example, Sittenfeld solicited the real estate developer to collect $10,000 in contributions to the former council member for Sittenfeld’s support of the developer’s efforts.
In total, Sittenfeld accepted eight $5,000 checks in 2018 and 2019 from the undercover FBI agents. The latter $20,000 was received from the undercover agents for help with their sports book.
Sittenfeld’s PAC records do not list the undercover agents as the source of the $40,000 total that he received directly from them, and his ethics disclosures failed to list expensive gifts and dinners he received from the undercover agents.
Sittenfeld was indicted in November 2020.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Court Judge Douglas R. Cole. Deputy Criminal Chief Emily N. Glatfelter and Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew C. Singer and Megan Gaffney Painter represented the United States in this case.
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U.S. Attorney Parker appointed to serve on Attorney General Merrick B. Garland’s Advisory CommitteeRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland today announced the appointment of U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio and six other U.S. Attorneys to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC).
Created in 1973, the AGAC advises the Attorney General on matters of policy, procedure, and management impacting the Offices of the U.S. Attorneys and elevates the voices of U.S. Attorneys in Department policies.
“I sincerely appreciate this appointment to the advisory committee and look forward to continuing my commitment to fairness and accountability in upholding the law,” said U.S. Attorney Parker.
Parker added that as a member of the committee, he will reinforce the Southern District of Ohio’s law enforcement and community outreach efforts in order to strengthen the collaborative work of his office with the entire Department of Justice to promote safer communities nationwide.
The AGAC appointees also include Alexander M.M. Uballez for the District of New Mexico, Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York, Natalie K. Wright for the District of Oregon, Eric G. Olshan for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Alamdar Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas, and Christopher R. Kavanaugh for the Western District of Virginia.
“United States Attorneys work every day throughout the country to advance our mission of upholding the rule of law, keeping our country safe, and protecting civil rights,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “I am grateful for the perspective the newest members of the Committee will provide on behalf of federal prosecutors across the country and the communities they serve.”
The bios of all U.S. Attorneys are available here.
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U.S. Attorney Parker announces more than $105 million in grants to support community safety in Southern District of OhioRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced today that the U.S. Department of Justice has awarded 31 grants totaling $17 million to cities, counties, local law enforcement agencies, colleges and universities, and social service agencies in the 48-county Southern District of Ohio. Additionally, the Justice Department awarded more than $88.4 million to state agencies and elected offices in Ohio.
“The grants will promote safety and strengthen trust, helping communities tackle the proliferation of gun violence and restore bonds of trust between community residents and the justice system,” U.S. Attorney Parker said. “These grants are also going to accelerate justice system reforms, improve the fairness and effectiveness of the juvenile justice system, expand access to victim services, and advance science and innovation to strengthen the knowledge base that policy makers and practitioners can use to develop better strategies to improve community safety.”
Parker said the Bureau of Justice Assistance awarded 25 grants totaling $14 million to cities, counties, and non-profit agencies in the district. The funds will support community response to the opioid epidemic, improve reentry education, increase mental health services for those charged with crimes and support investigations into crimes against children.
Grants from the Office for Victims of Crime include:
Adult Advocacy Center $747,917
OhioHealth Research Institute $400,000
Ohio University $323,000
Women Helping Women $764,000
The National Institute of Justice awarded the University of Cincinnati $105,000 for a graduate research fellowship. Other grants were awarded by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the Sex Offender Monitoring, Apprehending Registering and Tracking (SMART) Office, and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
Nine state agencies and elected offices received grants from the Department of Justice to support increasing community safety statewide.
In total, the Justice Department awarded more than $4.4 billion nationwide to support community safety efforts. Visit the OJP website for the complete list of grantees as well as more information on the programs.
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Maryland man sentenced to 18 years in prison for sexually exploiting Ohio teensRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A 72-year-old Annapolis, Maryland, man was sentenced in federal court here to 18 years in prison for numerous child exploitation and pornography crimes.
A federal jury found Bernhard Jakits guilty on all eight counts following a trial in May 2023. The jury deliberated for approximately 45 minutes before reaching their verdict.
According to court documents and trial testimony, in January 2019, the Belmont County Sheriff’s Office received information relating to two potential exploitation victims. Forensic examination of cell phones and other electronic devices revealed that Jakits had communicated via text message with two teenaged victims and coerced them to send nude photographs of themselves.
In December 2018 and January 2019, Jakits sexually exploited a 15-year-old female to create child pornography. Jakits also attempted to exploit a 13-year-old female in January 2019.
The defendant coerced the two teenaged victims and used the chat app TextNow to obtain pornographic images of the minors in exchange for money. Jakits sought to video chat with the victims and offered them thousands of dollars, but the minors declined.
Jakits met the minor victims based on his relationship with their mother, during which he paid the mother to engage in sex acts via video chats.
Jakits owned homes in both Maryland and California. He traveled extensively around the world on his yacht after running and selling a yacht brokerage business.
The defendant was indicted in a superseding indictment by a federal grand jury in January 2023.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Belmont County Sheriff David M. Lucas announced the sentence imposed on Oct. 5 by U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Senior Litigation Counsel Heather A. Hill and Assistant United States Attorneys Emily K. Czerniejewski and Kevin A. Koller are representing the United States in this case.
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Middletown man arrested for coercing, exploiting children onlineRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Federal agents arrested a Middletown man this morning on charges alleging he exploited and coerced child victims online.
William Scott Elam, 52, allegedly connected with an estimated 20 minor females on sites and apps like Omegle and Discord and pretended to be a 14-year-old.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, in July 2023, the FBI in Milwaukee was made aware of a potential child victim through a report to law enforcement that originated with a mandated reporter. The report involved a 12-year-old victim.
It is alleged the victim met Elam on Omegle, a free online chat website that allows users to socialize without the need to register. The service randomly pairs users in one-on-one chat sessions where they chat anonymously using the names “you” and “stranger.”
Elam and the victim allegedly exchanged Discord contact information and began chatting on the app.
Elam allegedly pretended to be a 14-year-old male and coerced the child victim to send him live sexual material by telling her that he would log off Discord and cut himself if she did not comply.
It is alleged that Elam also pretended to be a 14-year-old cousin to his other persona. Using the second persona, he allegedly coerced the victim into sending new live sexual content by threatening to show “his cousin’s mom” her previous encounters with Elam.
A search of Elam’s Discord account revealed similar sexual encounters with at least three other minor victims between October and December 2022.
It is alleged that Elam also instructed one victim to self-harm via cutting on live video in addition to coercing the victim to perform sex acts live on camera.
Elam appeared in federal court in 1:30pm today. His detention hearing is scheduled for 1:30pm tomorrow before Chief Magistrate Judge Karen L. Litkovitz.
Sexually exploiting children is a federal crime punishable by a prison range of 15 to 30 years in prison. Coercion and enticement carries a potential penalty of at least 10 years and up to life in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle J. Healey is representing the United States in this case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Lead defendant in nationwide foreclosure rescue scam sentenced to 10 years in prisonRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Hamilton, Ohio, man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 120 months in prison for his role in a foreclosure rescue scheme that defrauded at least 780 financially distressed homeowners throughout the United States, including more than 100 individuals in the Southern District of Ohio.
Lorin Kal Buckner, 67, preyed on homeowners who had defaulted on their mortgages and convinced the victims to pay to take part in fraudulent programs on the promise it would save their homes.
Buckner was convicted of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud and conspiracy to commit bankruptcy fraud following a jury trial in November 2022. He is one of 11 individuals charged in the scheme.
According to court documents and trial testimony, from 2013 through 2018, the defendants took advantage of homeowners’ desperation to save their homes and used money from homeowner victims to personally enrich themselves.
Co-conspirators promised affiliates commissions by recruiting distressed homeowners to companies including:
- MVP Home Solutions, LLC, also known as
- Stay In or Walk Away;
- Bolden Pinnacle Group Corp., also known as
- Home Advisory Services Network
- Home Advisory Services Group Inc.; and
- Silverstein & Wolf Corp.
Affiliates were encouraged to be aggressive in recruiting homeowners. Affiliates used online databases and court records to identify vulnerable, financially distressed homeowners who had recently received notice of foreclosure on their home.
Buckner and his co-conspirators mailed more than 56,000 postcards in the Southern District of Ohio and elsewhere promising that they could “stop foreclosure” or “stop the sheriff sale” for a fixed fee. Buckner and his co-conspirators also reached out to homeowners using Craigslist ads, websites, email and social media platforms.
On the promise of reducing or eliminating mortgage obligations in exchange for a fee, recruiters like Buckner would collect payments from homeowners and refer the victims to the co-conspirator companies.
Among other things, the defendants promised:
- to negotiate with mortgage lenders on the homeowners’ behalf for the purchase of the mortgage notes at a discount;
- to negotiate the sale of their home and release of their mortgage loans through a short sale and/or deed in lieu of foreclosure sale;
- to stop an imminent foreclosure sale;
- to remove the mortgage lien via a tender offer; and
- achieve short sale prices at a fraction of the value of the outstanding lien/note.
Further, defendants represented that they had “proprietary” methods or “legal tactics” to help homeowners stall or completely avoid foreclosure. In actuality, the defendants persuaded homeowners to file chapter 13 bankruptcies to delay foreclosure actions.
Defendants filed skeletal bankruptcy petitions that they called “pump fakes” or “missiles,” These petitions intentionally failed to disclose the defendants as preparers giving the appearance that the homeowners had filed the petitions pro se. Any relief from foreclosure delay was temporary until the bankruptcy court dismissed the proceeding. As a result of the defendants’ scheme, victims lost thousands of dollars and in many cases lost their homes.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Robert Manchak, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Housing Finance Agency - Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG), Northeast Region; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Lesley C. Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Pittsburgh Division; and Philip R. Bartlett, Inspector in Charge, USPIS, New York Division, announced the sentence imposed today by Senior U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett. Assistant United States Attorneys Ebunoluwa A. Taiwo and Timothy S. Mangan are representing the United States in this case.
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- MVP Home Solutions, LLC, also known as
Grand jury indicts 2 local men in drug conspiracy involving more than 5 kilograms of methamphetamine, 1 kilogram of fentanylRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – A federal grand jury has indicted two area men with crimes related to running a drug trafficking operation out of a local home and business property.
Kevin Darnell Byrd, Jr., 38, of Dayton, and David Minor, 36, of Englewood, are charged in a narcotics conspiracy that is punishable by at least 10 years and up to life in prison and possessing firearms in furtherance of the drug conspiracy, which is punishable by at least five years and up to life in prison.
According to the 15-count indictment, Minor was using his home on Southview Drive in Englewood as a drug premises and Byrd was using a business on Webster Street in Dayton as a drug premises. The defendants allegedly conspired to distribute and possessed with the intent to distribute bulk amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl.
On Sept. 14, the FBI Southern Ohio Safe Streets Task Force and the Regional Agencies Narcotics and Gun Enforcement Task Force conducted a buy-bust operation and purchased a pound of methamphetamine from Minor. Task force members attempted to initiate a traffic stop of Minor following the narcotics sale and Minor allegedly fled in his Chevrolet Impala and then attempted to flee on foot before ultimately being apprehended.
A search warrant of Minor’s residence on Southview Drive in Englewood revealed four firearms and bulk amounts of cash, along with methamphetamine, fentanyl and synthetic opioids in a vehicle at the property.
Agents and officers executed a related search warrant at a business on Webster Street in Dayton and discovered more than five kilograms of methamphetamine, approximately one kilogram of fentanyl, a loaded handgun and bulk amounts of cash.
Minor and Byrd are both prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior felony convictions.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Cincinnati Division; and Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck announced the indictment returned on Sept. 26. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Saunders is representing the United States in this case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, and gangs that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Grand jury adds new robberies, gun crimes to charges against 2 central Ohio men in July I-70 shootoutRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment that adds new charges against the two central Ohio men allegedly involved in the July 6 shooting of a Columbus police officer.
The 10-count superseding indictment now charges Faisal M. Darod, 23, of Columbus, with aiding and abetting four other robberies in addition to the originally charged robbery of Fifth Third bank in Hilliard on July 6. Darod is also charged with four counts of aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during the robberies.
Aden Abdullahi Jama, 20, of Reynoldsburg, is charged with being an accessory after the fact to bank robbery, two counts of aiding and abetting robberies and two counts of aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during the robberies.
The robberies to which the defendants allegedly aided and abetted include:
Date
Location
Defendant Charged
June 21, 2023
GameStop on Hilliard-Rome Road in Hilliard
Darod
July 3, 2023
Auto Gallery on Westerville Road in Minerva Park
Darod
July 5, 2023
Fifth Third Bank on Fishinger Road in Upper Arlington
Darod & *Jama
*accessory after the fact
July 6, 2023
Byers Imports on North Hamilton Road in Whitehall
Darod & Jama
July 6, 2023
Fifth Third Bank on Hilliard-Rome Road in Hilliard
Darod & Jama
The superseding indictment alleges Darod helped steal a 2016 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray from Auto Gallery, more than $75,000 from the Fifth Third in Upper Arlington, and multiple PlayStation gaming consoles.
Both men allegedly aided and abetted the theft of a 2020 Porsche Cayenne SUV from Byers Imports and more than $85,000 from the Fifth Third in Hilliard.
Columbus Police and other law enforcement officers encountered Darod and Jama on I-70 near downtown Columbus after the July 6 Fifth Third Bank robbery in Hilliard. A shootout followed during which a Columbus Police officer was severely injured and a third person in the car with Darod and Jama was killed.
The United States Marshals’ Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team arrested Darod in the early morning hours of July 7 outside his Columbus residence. U.S. Marshals and Homeland Security Investigation agents arrested Jama at Chicago O’Hare International Airport on July 8. The two remain in custody.
Aiding and abetting a bank robbery is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during a crime of violence carries a potential penalty of at least five years and up to life in prison. Being an accessory after the fact of bank robbery is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant; the United States Marshals in Columbus and Chicago; ICE and HSI Chicago; the Whitehall, Minerva Parka and Upper Arlington police departments; and Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin announced the superseding indictment returned today. Assistant United States Attorney Noah R. Litton is representing the United States in this case.
A superseding indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Illegal alien sentenced to 4 years in prison for possessing dozens of gunsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Guadalupe Sanchez-Cruz, 50, of Indianapolis, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 48 months in prison for possessing 45 guns as an illegal alien.
According to court documents, Sanchez-Cruz is an illegal alien and therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Sanchez-Cruz, who is originally from Mexico, was the passenger in a truck transporting 45 firearms from Indiana to New Jersey. The defendant was stopped by law enforcement in Ohio on Jan. 20.
Sanchez-Cruz told law enforcement officials he was paid to help transport parcels and knew the items contained within were “likely illegal.” The 45 firearms included handguns and rifles, some with high-capacity magazines. They were heavily wrapped in plastic and contained in two boxes on the truck.
Sanchez-Cruz was indicted in February 2023 and pleaded guilty in April 2023.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; and Ohio State Highway Patrol Superintendent Col. Charles A. Jones; announced the sentence imposed on Sept. 21 by U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Watson. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth A. Geraghty is representing the United States in this case.
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Federal grand jury indicts local attorney on child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A resident of Grandview Heights was arrested today on federal charges including transporting, receiving, and possessing child pornography.
Stephen Chinn, 39, of Columbus, turned himself in at U.S. District Court this morning to be arrested by federal agents. Chinn then made his initial appearance in federal court this afternoon, and his charges were unsealed at that time.
According to the three-count federal indictment returned yesterday, Chinn uploaded child pornography to the internet that depicted prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct including sex acts with adults and animals.
Chinn allegedly downloaded and saved other child sexual abuse material between Aug. 11 and Aug. 13. The material further depicted prepubescent children engaged in bestiality and sexual intercourse with adults, as well as minor victims subjected to sadistic and masochistic abuse.
On Aug. 16, a search warrant was executed at Chinn’s residence. It is alleged that Chinn possessed a desktop computer containing more than 4,000 child sexual abuse images. At the time, Chinn was employed as a public defender in Franklin County.
Chinn was initially arrested on Aug. 16 and charged locally with Pandering Sexually Oriented Matter Involving a Minor and Pandering Obscenity. Chinn was released on bond in that matter. The federal indictment will supersede any charges on his local case.
Chinn is scheduled to appear again in U.S. District Court at 1:30pm on Sept. 25 for a detention hearing.
Transporting and receiving child pornography are federal crimes punishable by a mandatory minimum of five years in prison. Both charges also carry a statutory maximum punishment of 20 years in prison, which is the same statutory maximum for possessing child pornography of a prepubescent minor.
The case is being investigated by the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Angie Salazar, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Grandview Heights Police Chief Ryan Starns; Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin; and Franklin County Prosecutor Gary Tyack announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Pain Management Physician Convicted of Unlawfully Distributing OpioidsRead the Press Release
A federal jury in the Southern District of Ohio convicted an Ohio physician today for unlawfully distributing opioids from his clinic.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Thomas Romano, 73, of Wheeling, West Virginia, owned and operated a self-named pain management clinic in Martin’s Ferry to which individuals traveled hundreds of miles to obtain prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances. Romano charged $750 for an initial visit and $120 for subsequent monthly visits. The prescriptions Romano issued for opioids and other controlled substances greatly exceeded recommended dosages and were in dangerous, life-threatening combinations that fueled the addiction of the individuals to whom he prescribed. Between October 2014 and September 2019, Romano prescribed over 137,000 pills, including opioids, benzodiazepines, and muscle relaxants, to nine individuals.
The jury convicted Romano of 24 counts of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, outside the usual course of professional practice, and not for a legitimate medical purpose to nine individuals. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each charge. A sentencing date has not yet been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio, Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Detroit Division, Special Agent in Charge J. William Rivers of the FBI Cincinnati Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto of the Department of Health and Human Service Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.
The DEA, FBI, and HHS-OIG, as well as the Ohio Bureau of Worker’s Compensation and Ohio Board of Pharmacy, investigated this case.
Assistant Chief Alexis Gregorian and Trial Attorneys Devon Helfmeyer and Danielle Sakowski of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid (ARPO) Strike Force. Since its inception in late 2018, ARPO has partnered with federal and state law enforcement agencies and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout Alabama, Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia, Tennessee, and West Virginia to prosecute medical professionals and others involved in the illegal prescription and distribution of opioids. Over the past four years, ARPO has charged over 115 defendants, collectively responsible for issuing prescriptions for over 115 million controlled substance pills. To date, more than 60 ARPO defendants have been convicted. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Vandalia man pleads guilty to possessing bulk amounts of fentanyl within elementary school zoneRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – A Vandalia man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today for possessing drugs in a school zone.
Jason Glanton, 34, of Vandalia, possessed with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl within 1,000 feet of Helke Elementary School on Randler Avenue in Vandalia.
According to court documents, in the fall of 2022, the FBI and Dayton Police Department began investigating Glanton for fentanyl trafficking. Law enforcement observed Glanton sell fentanyl on at least three occasions in January and February 2023.
While executing a search warrant in February 2023, agents discovered more than 136 grams of fentanyl, $9,000 in cash, five semiautomatic handguns and more than 300 rounds of ammunition in a basement office at Glanton’s home on Pool Avenue. Investigators also discovered three loaded handguns in the primary bedroom.
In Glanton’s Chevrolet Silverado, officials discovered $10,000 in cash in the trunk and a loaded handgun in a hidden compartment inside the vehicle.
When Glanton was arrested in March 2023, he had more than $1,700 in cash on him and nearly 75 grams of fentanyl in his Chrysler 300.
Glanton faces a prison sentence of five to 80 years. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court at a future hearing based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, and gangs that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Dayton Police Chief Kamran Afzal announced the guilty plea entered today before Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Rose. Assistant United States Attorney Kelly K. Rossi is representing the United States in this case.
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19-year-old pleads guilty to possessing firearm on local middle school groundsRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – A 19-year-old Dayton man pleaded guilty in federal court here today to possessing a gun in the parking lot of an area middle school.
Jacob Ruff, Jr. admitted he possessed a firearm on the grounds of Edwin Joel Brown Middle School on May 12, 2023.
According to court documents, ballistics were collected from the scene and sent to the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) when Dayton police officers responded to a shots fired call in the parking lot of the school. Security footage of the school implicated Ruff in the crime.
On May 31, 2023, Ruff was arrested after fleeing from law enforcement at the site of a loud block party in a public roadway. Once he was apprehended, officers discovered a gun in his fanny pack.
Agents with the ATF test fired the weapon and submitted shell casings to NIBIN, which matched the shell casings collected at Edwin Joel Brown Middle School.
Ruff was charged federally in June 2023.
Possessing a firearm in a school zone is a federal crime punishable by up to five years in prison. Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence, and sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court at a future hearing based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Through the violent-crime reduction program, stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; John Nokes, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Dayton Police Chief Kamran Afzal announced the guilty plea offered today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Caroline H. Gentry. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Saunders is representing the United States in this case.
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Second Texas men pleads guilty in case involving faulty military partsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Two Texas men are convicted of crimes related to providing faulty parts to the U.S. military.
Philip R. Huddleston, 58, of Ft. Worth, Texas, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court here today.
Since 2013, Huddleston was a civilian employed as a quality assurance specialist at the Defense Contract Management Agency. Since 2018, Huddleston also co-owned WM Industries, a DoD contractor in Beaumont, Texas, who sold and supplied a variety of military parts to the DoD.
Huddleston co-owned the DoD parts business with Gregory Gotreaux, 56, of Beaumont, Texas, who is also convicted in this scheme.
According to court documents, Huddleston and Gotreaux conspired to supply the United States with unapproved and substituted parts on 41 orders totaling at least $704,000.
Specifically, from November 2019 through September 2021, Huddleston and Gotreaux provided nonconforming parts used in various U.S. military defense and weapons systems. The defendants were paid by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) located in Columbus.
The two men pleaded guilty to wire fraud and engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property.
Parties involved with Huddleston’s plea agreement have recommended a sentence of 24 to 37 months in prison.
The defendants have agreed to pay $706,000 in restitution, which includes approximately $2,100 for testing costs to the Department of Defense.
Sentencing of the defendants take place at future hearings and will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Patrick Hegarty, Special Agent in Charge, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS); Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); announced the guilty pleas. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica W. Knight and Special Assistant United States Attorney J. Michael Marous are representing the United States in this case.
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Justice Department Sues Ohio Landlord for Sexually Harassing TenantsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit against Joseph Earl Lucas of Amesville, Ohio, for sexually harassing female tenants and housing applicants in violation of the Fair Housing Act. Lucas has owned and managed more than 70 residential rental properties in and around Athens County, Ohio.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, alleges that since at least 2004, Lucas requested sex acts from female tenants and applicants; subjected female tenants to unwelcome sexual touching; made unwelcome sexual comments and advances to female tenants and their female guests; repeatedly drove by and entered female tenants’ homes without their permission; demanded that female tenants engage in sex acts with him in order not to lose housing; and offered to reduce rent or excuse late or unpaid rent in exchange for sex acts. The lawsuit also alleges that Lucas initiated evictions or threatened to evict female tenants who refused his sexual advances.
“No one should have to experience sexual harassment in their home or their community,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will vigorously enforce fair housing laws to hold accountable landlords who prey on vulnerable tenants and housing applicants.”
“This lawsuit sends a message that this deplorable behavior has no place in our communities and that the U.S. Attorney’s Office will vigorously enforce federal civil rights laws to stop this conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio. “No one should be forced to endure any form of sexual harassment, let alone in their efforts to maintain housing.”
The lawsuit, which is the result of a joint investigative effort with the Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General (HUD-OIG), seeks monetary damages to compensate persons harmed by the alleged harassment, a civil penalty to vindicate the public interest and a court order barring future discrimination.
“Every person deserves to feel safe in housing without facing the threat of being sexually harassed or abused by a landlord,” said HUD Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis. “Victims should not hesitate to report such harassment and abuse to law enforcement authorities. HUD OIG will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to hold housing providers accountable for this type of horrible conduct.”
The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and familial status. It also prohibits sexual harassment, a form of sex discrimination. Individuals who believe they may have been victims of sexual harassment or other types of housing discrimination at rental properties owned or managed by Joseph Lucas, or who have information that may be relevant to this case, may contact the Justice Department by calling the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Rights Tipline 513 684-2055, emailing [email protected] or completing a Civil Rights referral form at www.justice.gov/usao-sdoh/file/1513341/download.
The Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative is led by the Civil Rights Division, in coordination with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country. The initiative seeks to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers and other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative in October 2017, the department has filed 35 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered over $10.8 million for victims of such harassment.
Canal Winchester man convicted of making interstate threats to law enforcement, court officials & businesses, calling in bomb threats to local schoolsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal jury has convicted a local man of making interstate threats to local law enforcement, court officials, businesses and schools.
Yousif Mubarak, 27, of Canal Winchester, was convicted of seven counts of making interstate threats.
The verdict was announced today following a trial that began on Aug. 28 before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.
According to court documents and trial testimony, in September 2021, Mubarak made at least 87 threatening phone calls from the state of Washington, where he resided for a short time, to a Franklin County Municipal Court Judge who previously presided over his court case.
Mubarak told the Judge that he would find her, that he had private investigators following her and that she should watch for cars following her. Mubarak said, “I will find you even if that means I die,” and threatened to kill the Judge himself.
Beginning on Sept. 12, 2021, and continuing until the early morning hours of Sept. 13, 2021, Mubarak also placed numerous threatening calls to businesses and schools in the Canal Winchester and Pickerington areas.
He called to make threats to employees at the Brew Dog, Home Depot and Best Western businesses in Canal Winchester.
On Sept. 12, 2021, at about 10pm, officers and agents with the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office, Columbus Division of Police and FBI visited the last known address of Mubarak in Canal Winchester. Mubarak observed the officers in his Ring doorbell camera and taunted the officers throughout the interaction.
Twenty minutes later, Mubarak called a dispatcher in Fairfield County and told her, in part, “you can die” and “she would get two bullets in the head.”
Around 7am on the morning of Sept. 13, 2021, Mubarak called in a bomb threat to Canal Winchester Middle School. He told a school employee: “I have placed several bombs in your building” and “I would get your women and children out now.”
Approximately 20 minutes later, Mubarak called Pickerington North High School and said there were two suicide bombers inside the school.
Mubarak was charged federally and arrested on Sept. 22, 2021. A federal grand jury indicted him in November 2021 and that indictment was superseded in June 2022.
Making interstate threats is punishable by up to five years in prison. Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Fairfield County Sheriff Alex Lape; and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced today’s verdict. Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica W. Knight and Jennifer M. Rausch are representing the United States in this case.
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Furniture company employee pleads guilty to embezzling more than $26 million from employerRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Central Ohio man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to embezzling more than $26 million from his Columbus employer.
Yi He, 35, of Powell, admitted to committing wire fraud and filing a false tax return.
According to court documents, Yi was a long-time and trusted employee of a furniture company that provides furniture to retailers like Wayfair, Overstock, Kohls, Walmart and Ashley. Yi was solely responsible for payroll and payroll tax-related duties for the company.
From 2018 until 2022, Yi embezzled money from the company’s bank account into his own personal and financial investment accounts. Yi submitted false and fraudulent bank and financial statements to the company’s leadership to remain undetected.
For example, in one wire transfer in February 2022, Yi wired himself $100,000. Yi falsified that month’s bank account statement by removing the transaction entirely.
In total, Yi stole $26.5 million from the company.
Yi also helped oversee an employee incentive LLC that rewarded company employees with 10 or more years of service. The LLC offered employees a way to earn more and supplement retirement. Yi similarly embezzled from the LLC’s bank accounts. For example, in one wire transfer in April 2022, he paid himself $200,000 by falsely categorizing the transfer as “Rent.” In total, he stole $635,000 from the LLC.
Yi failed to accurately report his income to the IRS for tax years 2018 through 2021, causing a total tax loss of approximately $6.8 million.
As part of his guilty plea, Yi will pay more than $27 million in restitution to the furniture company and LLC, and he will forfeit two homes in Reynoldsburg and one home in Columbus.
Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Filing a false tax return carries a potential penalty of up to three years in prison. Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence, and sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); announced the guilty plea entered on Aug. 29 before U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica W. Knight is representing the United States in this case.
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2 Central Ohio women charged federally for $2.8 million in covid-relief fraudRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Two Central Ohio women are charged federally with crimes related to fraudulently receiving more than $2.8 million total in covid-relief funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
“As Attorney General Merrick Garland recently made clear, while the COVID-19 public health emergency may have ended, our work to identify and hold accountable those who stole pandemic relief funds is far from over,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “Working alongside our law enforcement partners, we will continue to prosecute the individuals who engaged in these illegal activities.”
Lorie A. Schaefer, 62, of Westerville, allegedly received nearly $1.9 million in covid-relief funds by fraudulently claiming an affiliation with an Ohio pizza company.
According to court documents, Schaefer opened new bank accounts in December 2020 prior to registering a fictitious business name with the State of Ohio in March 2021.
It is alleged that Schaefer fraudulently claimed affiliation with the Flying Pizza restaurants in Dayton, Centerville and Fairborn. When notified that a PPP loan for nearly $1.9 million had been filed in the name of Flying Pizza, individuals at the family-owned business said their restaurants could not justify such a large loan.
Schaefer claimed to have 98 employees and allegedly submitted altered bank records as part of her application. Schaefer also claimed the business was established in March 2021, even though the original Flying Pizza was established in 1984. Additionally, she claimed not to be under indictment despite having pending theft charges in Meigs County. Schaefer allegedly attached multiple fraudulent documents to her PPP application, including a bank statement, tax records, and a letter from the IRS.
Bank records indicate Schaefer improperly used PPP funds for personal expenses, for example, nearly $26,000 on liposuction, a $10,000 check for a “newborn baby gift,” and more than $900,000 to purchase and renovate a condominium in Westerville. Schaefer also allegedly made purchases at Wayfair, Lamps Plus, Kroger, KFC, Burger King, Arby’s, McDonald’s and Olive Garden. Evidence also suggests Schaefer used the fraud proceeds to purchase vehicles in Ohio and property in Australia for her personal use.
Schaefer allegedly assisted co-defendant Latisha C. Holloway, 42, of Reynoldsburg, in fraudulently receiving more than $980,000 in PPP loans.
Holloway allegedly claimed to own a business called Jaguar Logistics, LLC. Holloway stated on loan application documents that she had 76 employees and had a total gross income of $4.9 million. Her loan application was submitted within a month of Schaefer receiving PPP loans and records indicate Holloway wired Schaefer $180,000 after receiving her own loan money. According to court records, Holloway similarly attached fraudulent documents to her PPP loan, including a bank statement and tax records.
Both defendants allegedly collected unemployment benefits after receiving federal covid-relief funds.
Finally, it is alleged that Schaefer used another individual’s Social Security Number to apply for and receive an additional $20,800 in PPP funds for “LS Associates,” a corporation established by Schaefer.
Schaefer was arrested on Aug. 25 and Holloway was arrested today.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the case, which was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Cincinnati Division and the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General as part of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney David J. Twombly is representing the United States in this case.
Criminal complaints merely contain allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Cincinnati man sentenced to 17 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl, cocaineRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati man who was convicted at trial in December 2021 of trafficking narcotics was sentenced in federal court here today to 204 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release.
Lelon Campbell, 30, distributed and possessed with the intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine.
According to court documents and trial testimony, from June through October 2018, Campbell possessed more than 130 grams of fentanyl and approximately 27 grams of cocaine.
As a career criminal, Campbell was either on bond or under community control when he committed the offenses in his federal case.
Campbell was charged federally in 2019. At the time of his arrest, he attempted to get to two handguns before being stopped by SWAT officers. Campbell also had a large number of high capacity, high powered weapons in two “go-bags” in his basement.
In video surveillance, Campbell threatened to shoot a witness. The video played at trial shows Campbell directing a drug buyer to pull up his shirt so Campbell could check for a wire. He told the witness that he would shoot him if he was working for the police.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; John Nokes, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Oakley and Special Assistant United States Attorney John Zachary Kessler from the Cincinnati City Solicitor’s Office represented the United States in this case.
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Cincinnati man pleads guilty to murder of convenience store owner, 5 armed robberiesRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati man pleaded guilty in federal court here today to using a firearm to commit murder and other crimes of violence. The parties involved have recommended a sentence of up to 45 years in prison for the defendant, who shot and killed the owner of Madeira Beverage in February 2021.
“Gun violence is never ok, and is especially tragic when a life is lost,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “One shooting death is one too many, and my office remains committed to holding trigger pullers accountable.”
“Today's guilty plea is a step in the right direction, and it will hopefully provide some small amount of closure for Mr. Gupta's family,” stated John Nokes, Acting Special Agent in Charge for ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “Mr. Gupta's life ended tragically at the hands of the defendant. That heinous act altered the course of many lives, and it robbed Mr. Gupta, his family, and our community of future opportunities that so many of us take for granted.”
Willie James Attaway, 32, admitted to murdering Roop C. Gupta and committing or attempting four other armed robberies on Feb. 8 and Feb. 9, 2021.
During the two-day crime spree, Attaway brandished a firearm to rob or attempt to rob:
- Feb. 8 – Shell on S. Mason Montgomery Road in Deerfield Township,
- Feb. 8 – Shell on Dixie Highway in Hamilton, Ohio,
- Feb. 9 – Madeira Beverage on Kenwood Road in Madeira, Ohio,
- Feb. 9 – Sunoco on Kenwood Road in Blue Ash, Ohio, and
- Feb. 9 – Marathon on North Broadway in Lebanon, Ohio.
At the first robbery, Attaway brandished a firearm at the two clerks and demanded that they empty the cash registers, which they did.
Later that night, at a second Shell gas station, Attaway brandished a firearm and said he was not afraid to shoot the clerk. The clerk gave Attaway money from the cash register.
The next day, Feb. 9, 2021, Attaway entered Madeira Beverage and confronted the store’s owner, Roop Gupta, who was working behind the counter. Attaway pointed a firearm at Gupta, and during the ensuing struggle he shot Gupta one time in the left abdomen. Gupta was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Later that evening, Attaway entered the Sunoco in Blue Ash, brandished a firearm, and demanded that the clerk give up the money in the cash register, which the clerk did.
During the final robbery on Feb. 9, Attaway pointed a firearm at the Marathon clerk and said, “Give me what you got.” The clerk reached under the counter, pretending he had a firearm, causing Attaway to flee.
A second defendant, Lamond Johnson, 37, is charged in this case. He is charged in all 14 counts of the indictment, and those charges remain pending.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and John Nokes, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); announced the guilty plea entered today before Senior U.S. District Judge Susan J. Dlott. Assistant United States Attorneys Julie D. Garcia and Kyle J. Healey are representing the United States in this case.
The investigation was jointly conducted by ATF and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Madeira Police Department, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, the Cincinnati, Lebanon, Blue Ash, and Hamilton police departments, and the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office.
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Grand jury indicts local man for submitting false PPP loan applicationRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati man is charged with wire fraud as part of a scheme to fraudulently obtain a Covid relief loan.
Kelton McClarrin, 32, allegedly received nearly $21,000 from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) under false pretenses and used the money for personal expenditures including jail commissary services, CashApp, Grubhub, DoorDash, Facebook purchases and hotels.
McClarrin was brought into federal custody today.
According to the indictment, McClarrin applied for a Covid relief loan on May 16, 2021, falsely claiming in the application that he was the sole owner of a business named “Kelton McClarrin.” McClarrin claimed his business was established in 2019 and had a gross income of $100,000 for that year. It is alleged that McClarrin also submitted a forged bank statement in support of the loan application.
McClarrin was sentenced to two years in prison in a Hamilton County case on May 7, 2019. He remained incarcerated until Nov. 17, 2020, when he was paroled to a halfway house. He used the address of the halfway house as his business address on the loan application.
In April 2022, McClarrin applied for loan forgiveness for the $21,000 PPP loan. He stated on the application forms that he had 20 employees and had spent $20,000 of the loan on payroll costs.
Wire fraud is punishable by up to 30 years in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the charges. The case was investigated by the Social Security’s Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Marshals, and the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections. Special Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Landry is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Jury finds former Pike County deputy guilty of excessive use of forceRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal jury has convicted a Piketon man of committing civil rights violations while employed as a Pike County deputy.
Jeremy C. Mooney, 48, violated a victim’s constitutional rights on Nov.18, 2019, while the victim was in the custody of the Pike County Sheriff’s Office.
The verdict was announced today following a trial that began on Aug. 16 before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.
According to court documents and trial testimony, Mooney repeatedly used pepper spray and struck the victim while the victim was restrained and not posing a threat.
Mooney was working the night shift that spanned Nov. 17 to 18, 2019. He transported the victim from the jail to the Pike County Sheriff’s Office headquarters and placed the victim in a “violent prisoner restraint chair.”
For more than an hour, Mooney unlawfully used force against the victim on several occasions. For example, Mooney dragged the victim – who was in the restraint chair with his hands secured behind his back – outside, before spraying him directly in the face with pepper spray.
The victim writhed in pain and tipped the chair back off the curb, landing on his back. Mooney again deployed the pepper spray directly into the victim’s face.
After bringing the victim back inside, Mooney returned to the restrained victim on three more occasions and punched the victim in the head 11 times. Mooney punched the victim with enough force to break his own hand.
All these unlawful uses of force occurred while the victim posed no threat to himself or others.
A former Pike County Sheriff’s Office supervisor, William Stansberry, Jr., 47, of Chillicothe, was also charged in this case. Stansberry violated the victim’s constitutional rights by willfully failing to intervene to prevent Mooney’s conduct.
Stansberry pleaded guilty in July 2023 to deprivation of civil rights under color of law. Mooney was convicted today of three counts of the same crime, which is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division; and J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the verdict. Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate and Trial Attorney Cameron A. Bell from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are representing the United States in this case.
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Cincinnati woman charged with crimes related to making false racial discrimination claims against landlordRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati tenant is charged with federal crimes related to making false statements accusing her landlord of violating the Fair Housing Act.
Dermisha Pickett, 33, allegedly fabricated messages from her landlord stating the landlord did not want Black tenants. Pickett appeared in federal court in Cincinnati yesterday after self-surrendering. Her case was unsealed today.
“False reports to law enforcement, as alleged in this case, undermine legitimate reports of racial discrimination and could discourage victims from coming forward for fear that they will not be believed,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “This office will continue to do its due diligence when presented with any potential civil rights violations.”
“Making false reports of racial discrimination is unacceptable and can have tangible effects on other tenants who rely on HUD-assisted housing,” said Special Agent in Charge Shawn Rice with the HUD Office of Inspector General. “In this case, if the landlord had violated the Fair Housing Act, his participation in HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher program may have been revoked, causing the displacement of approximately 50 families who rely on the Housing Choice Voucher program. These families would have been forced to uproot their families to find new homes, incurring non-reimbursable expenses.”
According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, on Feb. 27, the U.S. Attorney’s Office was forwarded several text messages purportedly from the Cincinnati-area landlord as part of a civil rights report. The U.S. Attorney’s Office referred the matter to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General (HUD OIG) to investigate the claims.
The investigation revealed that the landlord owns over 100 properties, including 56 properties rented through HUD’s housing choice voucher program. Many of his tenants appear to be African American.
On March 14, Pickett met with HUD agents and provided the agents with numerous discriminatory messages purportedly made by Pickett’s landlord. Pickett allegedly claimed to receive a call from the landlord as she arrived at the meeting with HUD OIG and placed the call on speaker phone.
Pickett allegedly told agents that she had attempted to pay her portion of the rent but that her landlord returned it, stating he did not want to rent to Black individuals.
According to court documents, in a later interview with the landlord, the landlord told agents he did not want to continue to rent to Pickett because she was causing extensive damage to the property.
Phone records and forensic analysis indicate that no text messages were exchanged during the time periods Pickett claimed. It is alleged that Pickett used mobile applications to fabricate text messages and phone numbers.
Making a false statement to federal officers is punishable by up to five years in prison. Destroying, altering, or falsifying records in a federal investigation carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Shawn Rice, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, Mid-Atlantic Region; announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Ebunoluwa A. Taiwo is representing the United States in this case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Jury convicts Columbus man of committing six robberiesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal jury has convicted a Columbus man for committing six robberies in Columbus in September and October 2020.
Ronald Lee Jacobs, 46, was convicted of six counts of robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
The verdict was announced Monday afternoon following a trial that began on Aug. 7 before Chief U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley.
According to court documents and trial testimony, Jacobs committed 6 robberies, including:
- Hampton Inn on South Hamilton Road on Sept. 5, 2020,
- Wing Snob on North High Street on Sept. 12, 2020,
- United Dairy Farmers on North High Street on Sept. 24, 2020,
- Shell Gas Station on South Hamilton Road on Sept. 30, 2020,
- Wing Snob on North High Street on Oct. 8, 2020, and
- Walgreens on East Livingston Avenue on Oct. 12, 2020.
During the robberies, Jacobs typically wore either an inside-out gray sweatshirt or a dark sweatshirt, dark pants and used a blue bandana. Jacobs was employed at a glue factory and, during multiple robberies, had visible glue splatters on his clothing. He called off work for one robbery and left during his shift to commit another one of the robberies.
In jail calls, Jacobs discussed the firearms he used and said he committed the robberies because he was “broke” and needed to pay child support.
Jacobs was charged by criminal complaint and arrested in November 2020. In March 2021, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Jacobs and that indictment was superseded in September 2021.
Jacobs’ six robbery counts carry a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison. Brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence is punishable by at least seven years in prison. Congress sets minimum and maximum statutory sentences. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced today’s verdict. Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth A. Geraghty and S. Courter Shimeall are representing the United States in this case.
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Grand jury indicts 2 more Central Ohio men for 4 new armed robberies of Postal carriersRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A grand jury has indicted two more Central Ohio men for crimes related to four new, separate armed robberies against U.S. Postal carriers.
Cameron D. Newton, 19, of Westerville, and Thierno S. Bah, 20, of Columbus, were each charged in a superseding indictment returned on Aug. 10.
Their case is the most recent of a handful of similar prosecutions in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Columbus. In August 2022, Brandon J. Campbell was sentenced to 78 months in prison for two previous armed Postal carrier robberies. Mahad S. Jama, Da’Mon D. May and Cody N. Beasley have charges pending against them for an April 2023 armed Postal robbery in Dublin.
According to the superseding indictment in this case, Newton and Bah used firearms and robbed Postal carriers of their U.S. Postal Service keys on four occasions between December 2022 and May 2023.
The alleged thefts occurred in Central Ohio on:
- Dec. 29, 2022
- Jan. 3, 2023 (two separate robberies on this date)
- May 11, 2023
When federal agents executed a search warrant at Newton’s residence in May 2023, they discovered the USPS key that had been stolen on May 11. During that robbery, the Postal employee was pistol-whipped with a handgun.
Investigators also discovered more than 100 pieces of mail, several Visa money cards in different names, a scanner and small printer with printed checks next to it, a large box containing more than 100 checks, numerous checks stuffed inside bathroom toilet bowls, and a handgun.
Bah, who is also known as “Wopo” and “Wopoonese,” was arrested today.
Newton was originally charged by criminal complaint in May 2023. If convicted, Newton will forfeit approximately $22,000 in proceeds from the alleged miscreant conduct.
Robbery is punishable by up to 25 years in prison. Using a firearm during a crime of violence carries a penalty of at least five years and up to life in prison. Possessing a stolen Postal Service key is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant; Westerville Police Chief Charles Chandler; and Whitehall Police Chief Mike Crispen announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Noah R. Litton is representing the United States in this case.
Charging documents merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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California man pleads guilty to sexually exploiting minor, possessing child pornography after traveling to Ohio to engage in sex acts with a 14-year-oldRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A California man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Columbus today to sexually exploiting a minor and possessing child pornography.
Kameron E. Tolbert, 28, of Suisin City, California, admitted to traveling from California to Ohio to engage in sex acts with a 14-year-old female he met online.
According to court documents, on Aug. 22, 2022, law enforcement was dispatched to a home in Jackson, Ohio. Tolbert had jumped through the minor victim’s bedroom window when he was discovered in the bedroom with the victim. He fled on foot and then by vehicle.
The next day, the principal at the victim’s local high school identified Tolbert’s vehicle in the school parking lot and notified a school resource officer who detained Tolbert at the school.
Tolbert had first met the victim online six months prior and began chatting with her via different social media applications, including Discord. He admitted to flying from Sacramento, California, to Columbus, Ohio, on Aug. 20, 2022, to meet the victim at her home in Jackson. Tolbert parked nearby and snuck into the victim’s home through her bedroom window on August 21 and August 22 to engage in sexual intercourse with her.
A forensic examination of Tolbert’s digital devices revealed more than 500 images and 1,100 videos depicting child sexual abuse of both prepubescent and pubescent minors. Images and videos of the 14-year-old minor victim engaged in sex acts with Tolbert were also recovered.
As part of the plea, the parties involved have recommended a sentence of 15 to 20 years in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati division; and Jackson County Sheriff Tedd Frazier announced the guilty plea entered today before Chief U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski and Jennifer M. Rausch are representing the United States in this case.
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Former Islamic center director sentenced to prison for embezzling funds, committing fraudRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The former director of a local Islamic center was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to four months in prison then four months in a halfway house followed by 12 months of home confinement for embezzling funds from the mosque, defrauding public housing, and filing for fraudulent COVID assistance funds.
Ahmed A. Sh. Ahmed, 44, of Gahanna, pleaded guilty in October 2022 to committing wire fraud, submitting a false statement and making a false statement as part of his three separate schemes to defraud. As part of his sentence, Ahmed will pay more than $82,000 in total restitution.
According to court documents, from at least 2009 until March 2019, Ahmed was employed as the Director of the Ibn Taymiyah Masjid and Islamic Center (ITMIC) on Mock Road in Columbus.
During his tenure as director, Ahmed used his position of trust to embezzle funds from the religious organization. Specifically, Ahmed wrote unauthorized checks from ITMIC’s accounts to himself. Each year from 2015 through 2018, Ahmed increased the amount he embezzled, writing himself $4,500 in checks in 2015; approximately $11,000 in checks in 2016; $12,900 in checks in 2017; and approximately $21,000 in checks in 2018.
Ahmed spent thousands of dollars of ITMIC funds to pay his own personal credit card bill and towards the purchase of his own personal vehicle.
Ahmed also defrauded the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority’s housing choice voucher program. From 2014 until at least 2020, Ahmed submitted false claims to obtain housing subsidies he would not otherwise qualify for given his true income and assets.
“Safeguarding taxpayer-funded programs and resources that are intended to benefit vulnerable families in our communities is vital to HUD’s success,” said HUD OIG Special Agent in Charge, Shawn Rice. “HUD OIG remains steadfast in its commitment to work closely with Federal prosecutors and law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate those who like Mr. Ahmed defraud HUD programs.”
The defendant falsely claimed his personal income was $18,000 annually and did not report any household assets. In reality, Ahmed and his wife deposited more than $235,000 into their bank accounts from 2014 through 2018.
Finally, Ahmed fraudulently applied for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance nine times from August until October 2020. During that same time frame, Ahmed generated at least $4,000 in revenue by producing and posting approximately 126 YouTube videos to his YouTube channel.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati division; and Shawn Rice, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, Mid-Atlantic Region; announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica W. Knight is representing the United States in this case.
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Former local bakery owner sentenced to 6 years in prison for stealing identity of deceased baby & committing $1.5M in pandemic relief fraudRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former Columbus woman was sentenced in federal court today to 72 months in prison for committing 16 counts of wire and passport fraud. The defendant stole the identity of a baby who died as an infant and used the infant’s identity to obtain a passport, a student pilot license, a job as a flight attendant, and pandemic relief loans.
As part of her sentence, Ava Misseldine, 50, will pay more than $1.5 million in restitution and forfeit her Utah home and profits from the recent sale of her Michigan home, both of which she bought with stolen government money.
According to court documents, Misseldine stole the identity of a baby who died in 1979 and is buried in a Columbus cemetery.
In 2003, Misseldine applied for an Ohio ID and later a Social Security card and driver’s license using the stolen identity.
In 2007, Misseldine posed as the stolen identity to obtain a student pilot certificate and U.S. Passport. Misseldine submitted paperwork claiming she needed the passport to travel internationally in her occupation as a flight attendant for JetSelect. She was employed under the false identity.
Over the next 13 years, Misseldine continued to obtain identity documents in both her real and fake names. An investigation was launched in 2021 when she tried to renew the fraudulent passport.
Misseldine obtained approximately $1.5 million in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loans in 2020 using both her real and fake identities. Her loan applications list her businesses as various bakeries and catering companies, including her former bakeries Sugar Inc. Cupcakes & Tea Salon in Dublin and Koko Tea Salon & Bakery in New Albany and at Easton. She submitted forged documents to support her loan applications.
Misseldine used the pandemic relief loan money to purchase a home for $647,500 adjacent to Zion National Park in Utah and a home for $327,500 in Michigan.
In August and September 2021, Misseldine, after relocating to Utah, obtained driver’s licenses in both names.
Misseldine was arrested in Utah in June 2022. She pleaded guilty in the Southern District of Ohio in October 2022.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson and commended the investigation by the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service and Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, assisted by the U.S. Marshals, the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, and the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Special Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Landry is representing the United States in this case.
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Additional defendant charged in case involving armed robbery of mail carrierRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A third defendant has been arrested on charges relating to an April 2023 armed robbery of a mail carrier.
Cody N. Beasley, also known as “Drose,” 22, of Columbus, was included in a superseding indictment returned in federal court on Aug. 3. Beasley remains in federal custody.
Mahad S. Jama, 21, of Westerville, and Da’mon D. May, 18, of Columbus, were charged in April 2023, 10 days after they allegedly robbed a mail carrier at gunpoint.
According to court documents, on April 4 at 3:20pm, Jama and May robbed at gunpoint a USPS letter carrier who was sitting in his work vehicle on Sawmill Road in Dublin.
Jama allegedly approached the USPS vehicle, brandished a handgun that May provided him, and demanded the carrier’s U.S. Postal Service key. Beasley is alleged to have aided and abetted them in that robbery.
The defendants allegedly robbed the worker of an “arrow key” that gives access to mail collection boxes. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and partner law enforcement agencies continue to investigate a network of individuals involved in robbing or stealing U.S. Postal Service keys for the purpose of stealing checks from collection boxes.
The three defendants are charged with robbery of mail, a federal crime punishable by up to 25 years in prison, and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, which carries a penalty of at least seven years in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Lesley C. Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Pittsburgh Division; announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorneys Noah R. Litton and Elizabeth A. Geraghty are representing the United States in this case.
A superseding indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Columbus man sentenced to 5 years in prison for laundering more than $2 million from online romance fraud scamsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 60 months in prison for laundering $2.3 million of proceeds generated by online romance fraud scams.
Maximus Okwudili Adiele, 49, of Columbus, was born in Nigeria and immigrated to the United States in 2010. He became a naturalized citizen in 2015.
According to court documents, from January 2017 until 2020, Adiele participated in a money laundering conspiracy, laundering $2.3 million for online romance fraud scammers into 12 different bank accounts that he controlled.
Adiele used his international car dealing business to conduct financial and wire transactions to individuals in Nigeria.
The conspiracy involved unidentified perpetrators who fabricated online relationships with men and women throughout the United States to manipulate the victims into sending money to one of Adiele’s bank accounts. Many of the victims of the scam were elderly individuals who lost their life savings. In total, Adiele laundered the money from at least 17 victims.
Adiele wired to Nigeria nearly $1.2 million of the $2.3 million he received. The defendant failed to report additional income to the IRS for tax years 2017, 2018 and 2019, causing a loss to the IRS in the amount of $64,242.
As part of his sentence, Adiele was ordered to pay $967,669.98 in restitution to the individual victims and $64, 242 to the IRS.
Adiele was charged by a bill of information and pleaded guilty in November 2022 to money laundering and submitting a false tax return.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); and Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) announced the sentence imposed by Senior U.S. District Court Judge James L. Graham. Assistant United States Attorneys Brenda S. Shoemaker and David J. Twombly are representing the United States in this case.
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U.S. Attorney urges religious leaders to remain vigilant against attacks on places of worship & their congregantsRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, is urging religious leaders to watch for signs of extremism and learn how to report violent threats or incidents against places of worship and their members.
In recent months, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has prosecuted a man who set fire to a church in Baltimore, Ohio, and a man who made antisemitic and violent statements online while employed to provide security services at Columbus synagogues and Jewish schools.
Parker and members of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies recently met with church, mosque, temple and synagogue leaders in Columbus and Cincinnati to discuss best practices for protecting places of worship and their congregants, and how federal and state laws are used to prosecute people who threaten or damage those institutions and engage in other acts of religious violence.
“We want to assist the communities we serve by providing information about best practices for preventing targeted violence and guidance for how houses of worship can protect themselves against acts of vandalism and arson,” Parker told the assembled religious leaders.
Parker was joined at the outreach events by J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cincinnati Division, Darryck Dean with the U.S. Department of Justice Community Relations Service, and investigators with the U.S. Secret Service at both meetings. Hamilton County Prosecutor Melissa Powers and Anthony Pierson with the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office, as well as intelligence officers with the police departments in Cincinnati and Columbus participated.
If you have information about a possible threat to a place of worship or believe you are a victim of or a witness to a hate crime, you can contact your local law enforcement agency, call the FBI at 1-800-CALL FBI- or submit a tip to [email protected]. You can also report these or any other potential civil rights violations directly to the U.S. Attorney’s Office using a referral form available at the office’s main website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdoh, or by leaving a voicemail on our Civil Rights Tip Line at 513-684-2055.
“I will continue to meet with groups concerned about hate-motivated attacks and am dedicated to providing faith-based leaders and congregations with resources like threat assessments and safety plans to help protect our places of sanctuary and blessedness from unjust and unprovoked attacks,” said Parker.
Additional resources:
- Safety for faith-based events and houses of worship resource guide
- DHS security self-assessment
- FBI active shooter resources
- Protecting Places of Worship Forum Facilitator Guide for Community Leaders
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Columbus man sentenced to 10 years in prison for armed robberyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A local man was sentenced in U.S. District Court here today to 120 months in prison for a January 2019 armed robbery.
Michael John Smith, 29, of Columbus, pointed a pistol at two store clerks at the Circle K on Hall Road in Columbus on Jan. 27, 2019. Smith demanded money from the register and threatened to kill both women if they moved. Smith fled the store on foot with $280 in cash.
According to court documents, Smith was also involved in another armed robbery in March 2019 at a Dollar General. The same gun used in both robberies was recovered in a car that was involved in a shooting on the highway near Circleville that same month. Smith and several individuals – including a 1-year-old child – had been in the vehicle on the highway.
In its sentencing memorandum, the United States noted Smith’s extensive criminal history with multiple convictions beginning in 2014. In prior crimes, Smith shot two individuals in the head.
“While all threats of violence should be taken seriously, there is an elevated sense of danger inherent in someone who brandishes a gun and threatens to kill people, and whose past actions demonstrate no reluctance in pulling the trigger,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “A significant term of imprisonment is warranted in this case.”
Smith was charged by criminal complaint and arrested in January 2019. He pleaded guilty in March 2023 to committing robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant; Fairfield County Sheriff Alex Lape; and Col. Charles A. Jones, Superintendent, Ohio State Highway Patrol announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Pakiz is representing the United States in this case.
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Defense contractor sentenced to prison for providing fraudulent parts to militaryRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A California man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Columbus today to three months in prison for committing crimes related to supplying the military with faulty parts.
Timothy W. Foley, 72, was also ordered to pay restitution of more than $1.3 million.
According to court documents, Foley was the operator and co-owner of Parts Source International Inc. in Goleta, California. Parts Source was a Department of Defense contractor who sold and supplied a variety of military parts to the DoD for use on military weapons systems, and some of which were critical application items, and invoiced the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) in Columbus, Ohio, for payment.
Foley admitted that from 2012 through 2019, he conspired to supply non-conforming parts to the DoD. Foley submitted 131 quotes for purchase orders that stated he would provide the exact product as required by the government. Rather, as testing and documents revealed, Foley provided unapproved substitutions in fraudulent packaging rendering them unacceptable for use by the military.
Parts Source received a total of approximately $1.36 million in payments for the parts. Foley pleaded guilty in November 2022 to conspiring to commit wire fraud and to money laundering.
Foley’s co-defendant, Jimmy Daryl Thomas, 52, of White House, Tennessee, was sentenced in May 2023 to two months in prison and three years of supervised release for participating in the wire fraud conspiracy. Thomas assisted Foley in procuring cheaper, non-conforming parts on at least 29 contracts. He also helped provide false packaging and invoices. As part of his sentence, Thomas was ordered to pay more than $219,000 in restitution.
“Behavior such as this, from individuals putting profit over the safety of the dedicated men and women in our military, will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “When we find individuals supplying fraudulent items to the U.S. military, we will address these illegal acts as the serious crimes they are.”
“Protecting the integrity of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) supply chain is a priority for the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the law enforcement arm of the DoD Office of Inspector General,” said Patrick J. Hegarty, Special Agent in Charge of the DCIS Northeast Field Office. “The introduction of defective parts into the DoD supply chain endangers the lives of American service members and threatens our military readiness. The DCIS is committed to working with the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Ohio, the Defense Logistics Agency, and our law enforcement partners to ensure that individuals who engage in fraudulent activity, at the expense of the U.S. military, are investigated and prosecuted.”
U.S. Attorney Parker and Special Agent in Charge Hegarty were joined by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS), and Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), in announcing the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica W. Knight and Special Assistant United States Attorney J. Michael Marous are representing the United States in this case.
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Ohio Man Indicted for Threatening a Reproductive Health Services FacilityRead the Press Release
An Ohio man was indicted by a federal grand jury for threatening a reproductive health services facility.
According to court documents, Mohamed Farah Waes, of Columbus, made telephonic threats to a health services clinic operated by Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio. The first count charges Waes with a violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, which makes it a federal crime to threaten the use of force to intimidate anyone receiving or providing reproductive health services. The second count charges Waes with making threatening statements through interstate communications and the third count charges Waes with threatening to unlawfully damage and destroy a building by means of fire and explosive.
The charges stem from a phone call that Waes made to the health services facility on July 5, 2022, in which Waes threatened to burn down the facility and everyone inside of it.
If convicted of the felony offenses, Waes faces up to a maximum of 10 years in prison on each felony count, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio and Special Agent in Charge J. William Rivers of the FBI Cincinnati Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Cincinnati Field Office, Columbus Resident Agency investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Rausch for the Southern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Daniel Grunert of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section 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.
Grand jury indicts Central Ohio man for threatening to blow up reproductive health clinicRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A federal grand jury has indicted a Reynoldsburg man for threatening a reproductive health services facility.
Court documents allege that Mohamed Farah Waes, 33, made telephone threats to a clinic operated by Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio. He was indicted on July 11 and arrested today.
According to the indictment, on July 5, 2022, Waes allegedly called the clinic and threatened to burn down the facility and everyone inside it.
The indictment charges Waes with violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, which makes it a federal crime to threaten the use of force to intimidate anyone receiving or providing reproductive health services. He is also charged with making threatening statements through interstate communications, a crime punishable by up to five years in prison, and threatening to unlawfully damage and destroy a building by means of fire and explosive, which is a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
“Threatening the life of anyone who seeks any type of health service is a heinous act that is unacceptable in a civilized society,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth Parker. “People must handle their disagreements with services provided by clinics in a more civil way than using the threat of force or any kind of intimidation.”
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio, and FBI Special Agent in Charge J. William Rivers for the Cincinnati Field Office announced the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Rausch for the Southern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Daniel Grunert of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Former Columbus School Employees Association treasurer pleads guilty to misappropriating funds, agrees to pay restitutionRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The former treasurer of the Columbus School Employees Association (CSEA) pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court here today to misappropriating $60,685.92 in CSEA funds.
Phelton Woods, 72, of Reynoldsburg, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud. Court documents say Woods wrote 359 unauthorized checks from the CSEA checking account to himself, which included forged signatures; wrote 16 unauthorized checks to a relative, who has no relation to the CSEA; and made 38 unauthorized cash withdrawals. The fraud took place between December 2009 and June 2016.
Woods agreed to pay restitution to CSEA’s insurance company. CSEA is a bargaining unit that is combined from 12 local unions within the Columbus City School District, which includes approximately 3,300 members.
A federal grand jury indicted Woods in April 2022. Bank fraud is punishable by up to 30 years in prison, but the Court will determine a sentence based on federal sentencing guidelines and the results of a pre-sentence investigation conducted by the court.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the plea entered before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus Jr. The United States Department of Labor Office of Labor Management Standards investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brenda Shoemaker is representing the United States.
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Nine-time felon sentenced to more than 17 years in prison for illegal possession of firearm, drugsRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati man with nine prior felony convictions was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 210 months in prison for committing additional crimes involving firearms and illegal drugs.
On May 22, 2019, a Cincinnati Police Officer attempted to stop a car being driven by Terry Willis, 52. Willis fled on foot and attempted to climb over a barbed-wire fence. When the officer caught him, Willis tried to wrestle away and repeatedly reached toward his waistband. The officer told Willis not to reach, and shortly a second officer arrived and helped subdue Willis.
While handcuffing Willis, officers found in his waistband a 9mm handgun with a round in the chamber and an extended magazine holding 30 rounds of ammunition. Officers also found on Willis’s person a bag containing more than 25 grams of cocaine, another bag with more than six grams of marijuana and more than $1,600 in cash.
A federal grand jury indicted Willis three months later, charging him with possession with intent to distribute illegal drugs, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. He pleaded guilty in August 2021 to all three charges.
Willis has a prior felony conviction for possessing a firearm as a felon and several other felonies relating to distributing and possessing controlled substances. As a previously convicted felon, Willis is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Willis was also sentenced to serve 10 years on supervised release after he completes his prison term.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa A. Theetge announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Douglas R. Cole. Assistant United States Attorneys Julie Garcia and Kelly Rossi represented the United States in this case.
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Leader of drug trafficking organization faces 27-30 years in prison following guilty plea to drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and money launderingRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A leader of a large-scale conspiracy involving narcotics distribution, sex trafficking, fraud, and money laundering pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today. The plea agreement includes an agreed sentencing range of 27-30 years in prison.
Patrick M. Saultz, 45, a/k/a/ “White Boy Pat” of Columbus, pleaded guilty to three violations of federal law - conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances within 1,000 feet of an elementary school, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, and concealment money laundering.
According to court documents, between January 2008 and 2022, the organization brought large quantities of illegal narcotics into Columbus, Ohio, and sold them in and around the Columbus area while simultaneously coercing individuals to engage in sexual activity for profit, from which the organization benefited. Members of the organization trafficked various controlled substances - including fentanyl, cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, marijuana, oxycodone, and alprazolam - to individuals in northern Ohio, Columbus, and West Virginia.
“This organization flooded our streets with staggering amounts of illegal drugs,” said Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. “Investigators calculated that the organization was selling approximately 40 grams of fentanyl per day out of each drug house they oversaw, and a conservative estimate concludes that, in addition, the organization dealt kilogram quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine during the course of its operation as well.”
Saultz acknowledged that he and a co-conspirator co-owned and operated multiple pieces of real estate on the west side. They used money from their illegal activities to buy property, launder the drug proceeds and to further their illegal activities. One of the houses they bought and used for drug-dealing was across the street from Burroughs Elementary School in Columbus.
Court documents also detail how Saultz and numerous other members of the organization ran a sex trafficking operation, coercing women with illegal drugs to engage in prostitution. The women were required to turn the money they received from their prostitution activities over to him and other organization members in return for places to stay, and for more drugs, fueling their addictions further.
The plea agreement requires Saultz to pay restitution to the victims of sex trafficking, and to forfeit his rights to all property seized during the investigation including two cars, a motorcycle, dozens of firearms, a Rolex watch and more than $1.7 million in cash in addition to the real estate.
A federal grand jury initially indicted Saultz along with 10 others in July 2022. A superseding indictment in October 2022 added 13 defendants and added 28 new charges to the narcotics conspiracy, including firearms offenses and an overdose causing serious bodily injury. Charges against the others are still pending.
U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker commended the investigation coordinated by The Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force, formed under the Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission, which includes Columbus Division of Police Chief Elaine Bryant; Angie Salazar, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations; and Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Other agencies that have assisted the task force with the investigation include the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, HIDTA Task Force, IRS-Criminal Investigation, FBI, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI), Ohio National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, Pickerington Police Department, New Albany Police Department, and the Fairfield County Sheriff's Office SWAT Team. They joined Parker in announcing the pleas entered before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus Jr.
Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy Prichard and Emily Czerniejewski are representing the United States in this case.
This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about OCDETF can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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