Southern District of Ohio
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Centerville cocaine dealer sentenced to 57 months in prisonRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – Jermaine Treadwell, 31, of Centerville was sentenced in U.S. District Court here to 57 months in prison for possessing cocaine with intent to distribute it. FBI's Southern Ohio Safe Streets Task Force, a multi-jurisdiction agency which includes FBI, Dayton Police Department, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, and Trotwood Police Department, investigated Treadwell.
According to court documents, in May 2021 law enforcement conducted a court authorized search of Treadwell’s residence in Centerville—a residence he shared with his girlfriend and three children. Agents found more than 13 grams of cocaine, a scale, drug cutting agents, approximately $17,000, ammunition, and multiple loaded firearms as well as a key to a storage unit. Law enforcement searched the storage unit and discovered $60,000, a scale with drug residue, cutting agents, and a kilogram hydraulic press with metal molds containing fentanyl residue.
“His actions helped continue the cycle of addiction in his own community,” said Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. “The presence of children in this environment exposes another generation to the specter of addiction.”
Treadwell pleaded guilty on October 14, 2021, to possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
Joining Mr. Parker in announcing the sentence was J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck, Dayton Police Chief Kamran Afzal, and Trotwood Police Chief Erik Wilson. Senior U.S. District Judge Walter H. Rice imposed the sentence on July 14. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Saunders represented the United States in this case.
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Gallia County man pleads guilty to dealing fentanylRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio - A 39-year old Bidwell, Ohio man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court here today to dealing and possessing hundreds of grams of deadly fentanyl on a rural property in southern Ohio.
Michael D. Valentine pleaded guilty to all five counts contained in an indictment returned against him in April following a six-month investigation by law enforcement agencies in West Virginia and Ohio. Investigators found that he dealt approximately 141 grams of fentanyl from the rural property and had stored approximately 677 grams more for the purpose of distribution.
Valentine pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, a crime punishable by at least ten years and up to life in prison. Valentine also entered guilty pleas to two counts of dealing 40 grams or more of fentanyl, crimes that carry a penalty of at least five and up to 40 years in prison, distribution of a detectable amount of fentanyl (up to 20 years) and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl (also punishable by at least ten years and up to life in prison). Penalties are listed for reference only.
Valentine entered the guilty pleas before U.S. Magistrate Judge Norah McCann King. Senior U.S. District Judge Michael Watson, who is presiding over the case, will determine Valentine’s sentence under federal sentencing guidelines.
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 said that the charges stemmed from an investigation begun by the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) in Charleston, West Virginia who worked with the FBI and Gallia County Sheriff Matt Champlin to build the case. Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Pakiz is representing the United States in this case.
This investigation was conducted as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Attorney General Garland honors team that investigated Dayton mass shootingRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio -- U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland honored the team of individuals who successfully investigated and prosecuted the person who illegally possessed and supplied the firearm used by the mass shooter in Dayton’s Oregon District on August 4, 2019.
In the hours and weeks after the shooting, people in the U.S. Attorney’s Office and a team of federal and local law enforcement agencies worked tirelessly to determine whether the shooter had acted alone, how he had acquired the weapons and what his motive was. Through hundreds of warrants, subpoenas, and interviews, the team gathered and analyzed mounds of forensic, electronic, and physical evidence to provide answers to the community. While the investigation ultimately concluded that the shooter had acted alone, it resulted in the successful prosecution of Ethan Kollie, an associate of the shooter’s, who had lied on ATF forms to obtain firearms from a licensed gun dealer. Kollie received 32 months of federal imprisonment.
“This award recognizes that the substantial information the team gathered concerning the shooter’s motivations and methods gives us a key tool in preventing similar domestic attacks in the future,” said Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. “The team worked hard to provide answers to the community and that resulted in a participant being held accountable for his role in the attack.”
Attorney General Garland presented an Attorney General’s Award for Outstanding Work in the Investigation and Response to a Domestic Terrorist Attack in Dayton, Ohio at a ceremony in Washington on July 12.
The prosecution team included:
Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace,
Former First Assistant U.S. Attorney Vipal J. Patel,
Paralegal Catherine Robillard,
Victim Witness Specialist Acquanette Lindsey,
Justin Sher, Trial Attorney with the Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division;
Christina Conrad and Linda James, FBI Victim-Witness Specialists in Cincinnati Field Division;
Michael Herwig and Morgan Spurlock, FBI Supervisory Special Agents;
Patrick Gragan and T.A. Staderman, FBI Special Agents; and Charles Balaj (Oakwood Public Safety), Brad Meeker (Dayton Police Department), Kyle Metz (Greene County Sheriff’s Office) and A.J. Schweier (recently retired from West Chester Police), FBI Task Force Officers, Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Here is a link to the Attorney General’s complete awards announcement.
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Newark, Ohio woman sentenced for stealing Social Security and pension fundsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Cindy S. Hardway stole more than $250,000 over 15 years by continuing to claim her father’s pension and Social Security benefits after he passed away.
The 62-year-old Newark woman was sentenced in U.S. District Court here today to pay restitution of $254,115.74, serve six months in federal prison, and spend three years under supervised release.
According to court documents, Hardway used some of the money for a trip to Las Vegas soon after her father’s death in 2005 then continued stealing the money for another 15 years.
“This money was intended for some of our nation’s most vulnerable people: retirees, widows and people with disabilities, among others,” said Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. “I commend the Social Security’s Administration’s Office of the Inspector General and the Department of Labor for continuing to audit its programs and identify inappropriate distributions and theft. People should know they can be identified and held accountable.”
“This sentence holds Ms. Hardway accountable for accessing her deceased father’s account to steal taxpayer funds. I am gratified that a review by our audit office identified this case and alerted our investigators of this fraud,” said Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General for the Social Security Administration. “These efforts are critical to maintaining the public’s trust in Social Security. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Landry for prosecuting this case.”
Hardway pleaded guilty in April 2021 to one count of theft of public money and one count of theft or embezzlement from an employee benefit plan. Both crimes are felonies.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the sentence imposed by Senior U.S. District Court Judge James L. Graham and commended the investigation by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration. Special Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Landry is representing the United States in this case.
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Jury convicts former Cincinnati Council member Sittenfeld of bribery and attempted extortionRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI - A U.S. District Court jury here found former Cincinnati City Council member P.G. Sittenfeld, 37, of Cincinnati, guilty of accepting $40,000 in campaign contributions in exchange for votes on a development project pending before the council.
The jury returned guilty verdicts on one count of bribery (up to 10 years) and one count of attempted extortion by a government official (up to 20 years).
Testimony in the trial which began June 21 included audio and video recordings of Sittenfeld telling undercover agents posing as developers that he could “deliver the votes” in exchange for contributions to a political action committee he controlled. He accepted eight $5,000 checks in 2018 and 2019. A federal grand jury indicted him in November 2020.
“We truly appreciate the jurors’ time and serious consideration of this matter,” said Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. “Democracy requires politicians to uphold their oath with the highest standards of integrity and respect. In this case, we worked alongside the FBI to hold Mr. Sittenfeld accountable for abusing his oath and, ultimately, the trust that the citizens of Cincinnati placed in him.”
“When elected officials choose to commit illegal acts, they greatly damage the relationship between government and the public they were elected to serve,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge J. William Rivers. “The FBI prioritizes efforts to expose corruption in order to help maintain the integrity of our democracy and the trust citizens have in our government institutions.”
U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole will set a date for Sittenfeld’s sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Parker and J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division announced the verdict. Deputy Criminal Chief Emily N. Glatfelter and Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew C. Singer and Megan Gaffney Painter are representing the United States in this case.
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Life sentence for Dayton man who fatally shot girlfriend’s ex-husband in front of victim’s childrenRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – Sterling H. Roberts, 39, of Dayton was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to life in prison for fatally shooting his girlfriend’s ex-husband in front of the victim’s children.
A jury convicted Roberts in March 2022 of traveling interstate in August 2017 to murder Robert Caldwell, the former husband of his then-girlfriend after cyberstalking the victim.
According to court documents and trial testimony, around 6pm on Aug. 15, 2017, Caldwell and his three minor children left a counseling appointment in Riverside, Ohio. While crossing the parking lot, According to court documents and trial testimony, around 6pm on Aug. 15, 2017, Caldwell and his three minor children left a counseling appointment in Riverside, Ohio. While crossing the parking lot, Roberts executed Robert Caldwell by shooting him multiple times in front of his children. Caldwell died at the scene.
Roberts’ girlfriend at the time, co-defendant Tawnney Caldwell, and the murder victim had an ongoing dispute regarding the custody of their children. The two, along with four other co-defendants, collaborated to plan, execute and cover-up the murder.
“This heinous crime continues the American tragedy of children seeing loved ones shot down in front of them,” said Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. “Our justice system must work hardest to protect our society’s children by ensuring their physical safety and mental well-being.”
“Killing a father in front of his children is a cold and ruthless act that deserves a lengthy prison sentence,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge J. William Rivers. “I applaud the local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies that investigated this homicide and the prosecutors who pursued justice for the victim’s family.”
Judge Thomas M. Rose ordered Roberts to serve the life sentence consecutive to undischarged time from sentences in the U.S. District Court in South Carolina and to undischarged time in Montgomery County.
Sterling Roberts’ brothers, Chance Deakin and Christopher Roberts; Chandra Harmon (Tawnney’s mother); and James Harmon (Tawnney’s step-father) were each charged in March 2018 and have been convicted of crimes related to the cyberstalking and murder.
Tawnney Caldwell was sentenced in July 2021 to 35 years in prison for interstate stalking resulting in death.
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; Riverside Police Chief Frank Robinson and Sugarcreek Township Police Chief Michael A. Brown announced the sentence imposed today. Assistant United States Attorneys Amy M. Smith, Sheila G. Lafferty and Kevin Koller represented the United States in this case
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Fentanyl, meth dealer who hid drugs in teddy bear sentenced to 230 months in prisonRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Bryce Montrea Hodges, 34, of Cincinnati has been sentenced in U.S. District Court to 230 months in prison for dealing drugs out of an apartment where children lived. He also illegally possessed firearms.
The FBI, Warren County Drug Task Force, the DEA, and the Northeast Hamilton County Drug Task Force began investigating Hodges in January 2021. Agents made five controlled buys of methamphetamine and fentanyl over a matter of weeks. Investigators arranged a sixth purchase and arrested Hodges without incident when he showed up for the deal at a location on Springdale Pike in March 2021.
Investigators found a stuffed teddy bear in his car. Inside the teddy bear was a hidden compartment containing a plastic bag with approximately 72.5 grams of acetylfentanyl.
Investigators searched Hodges’ apartment in Springdale. Several people, including children, lived there. Agents found a hidden compartment in a bathroom. Hodges had stored a loaded handgun, more fentanyl and drug paraphernalia in the compartment. Agents also found a blender used to “cut” fentanyl when they searched a child’s bedroom closet.
A federal grand jury returned a nine-count indictment against Hodges in May 2021, charging him with five counts of illegal distribution of a controlled substance, two counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and one count each of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug offense and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Hodges pleaded guilty on October 12, 2021, to all counts charged in the indictment.
“Courts reserve their most severe punishments for those whose crimes can have a devastating impact on children,” said Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. “Crimes involving illegal drugs and firearms threaten the safety of our entire community.”
Joining Mr. Parker in announcing the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Michael Barrett are J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, members of the Warren County Drug Task Force, the Northeast Hamilton County Drug Task Force, and DEA Detroit Field Division Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene. Assistant United States Attorney Kelly K. Rossi represented the United States in this case.
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Armed robbery and illegal possession of firearm brings 102-month sentence for Columbus manRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Kamar L. Cox, 23, of Columbus was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 102 months in prison for armed robbery and illegal possession of a firearm.
A jury convicted Cox of the crimes of robbery and illegal possession of a firearm following a trial in March. According to court documents and trial testimony, on Aug. 21, 2020, an individual working with the ATF attempted to conduct a controlled purchase of a machine gun from Cox for $500. Cox was in possession of a Glock handgun and demanded the $500. Agents later recovered the handgun while executing a search warrant at Cox’s apartment.
Cox’s sentence includes restitution in the amount of $500 and three years of supervised release after his prison term.
As a previously convicted felon, Cox was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), Columbus Field Division, announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Sarah Morrison. Assistant United States Attorneys Noah R. Litton and Kevin W. Kelley represented the United States in this case.
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11 arrested as part of narcotics distribution ring bringing bulk amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine into central OhioRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A multi-agency law enforcement task force today announced the arrests of eight men and three women indicted by a federal grand jury here for distributing bulk amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine in central Ohio. The charges include dealing drugs within 1,000 feet of a school. Local, state, and federal law enforcement officers executed 14 search warrants at various locations throughout Central Ohio and made the arrests between June 29 and July 1.
Those charged are:
Name
Age
City of Residence
Cordell A. Washington, aka Corey, Dub, Bro
35
Columbus
Patrick M. Saultz, aka White Boy Pat
44
Columbus
David E. Price, aka DP
53
Columbus
Allison E. Smith, aka Alli
27
Columbus
Tavaryyuan Johnson, aka Gucci
22
Columbus
Tyler N. Bourdo
28
Columbus
Alexis C. Lewis
30
Columbus
Michael Fowler
45
Canton
Carmela Brooks
48
Canton
Dustin A. Speakman, aka Dawg
32
Columbus
Danny G. Mullins
53
Columbus
All are charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine base, which is punishable by at least ten years and up to life in prison. The 12-count indictment alleges that some of the dealing over the past two years took place within 1000 feet of Burroughs Elementary School in Columbus. As part of the conspiracy, defendants created Limited Liability Companies in order to create bank accounts to deposit their drug proceeds.
The indictment alleges that the drug trafficking organization sold drugs out of local residences to customers and distributed larger amounts to regional drug traffickers.
“We’ve reached this milestone in this ongoing two-year investigation through meticulous and determined work by federal, local and state law enforcement agencies working together,” said Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. “In this case, it appears the perpetrators of this offense had no regard for the children in the community as they allegedly dealt drugs within 1,000 feet of an elementary school.”
Parker announced that the indictment grew from an investigation coordinated by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission task force which includes Columbus Division of Police Chief Elaine Bryant; Angie Salazar, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations; and Orville 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, Internal Revenue Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations, Ohio National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, Pickerington Police Department, New Albany Police Department, and the Fairfield County Sheriff's Office SWAT Team. 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 the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Indictments merely contain allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Columbus woman sentenced to eight years in prison for conspiring to kidnap Hilliard coupleRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Denia I. Avila, 39, of Columbus was sentenced to 96 months in prison for leading a failed conspiracy that attempted twice to kidnap her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend.
Court documents say Avila recruited seven co-conspirators to plan and carry out her plan to kidnap the couple near their Hilliard residence. Two conspirators dressed in black facemasks approached the victims as they entered their vehicle about 5:30 a.m. on November 25, 2019, while two others were nearby to assist if the victims tried to run back to the residence. One of the conspirators used a stun-gun against the male victim’s neck. The woman victim screamed. The victims fought off the two would-be kidnappers and fled.
During the second kidnapping attempt a week later, Avila blocked in the victims’ vehicle in the early morning hours to try and keep them from leaving the residence. Two co-conspirators dressed as law-enforcement officers approached the victims and presented a fake arrest warrant, demanding that they exit their vehicle. The victim drove over a curb and escaped.
Detectives discovered two videos in which Avila and one of the conspirators discuss plans for kidnapping and injuring the victims. A Taser and leg shackles are shown in the videos. In the videos, Avila states she knows the victims would be too fearful to go to the authorities because she helped smuggle the male victim back into the United States after he was deported, and therefore she knew he was here illegally. After a federal grand jury indicted Avila, she conspired with another person to tamper with a witness by having the victim she had paid to have smuggled into the country deported.
Avila pleaded guilty on October 29, 2021 to conspiracy to commit kidnapping. Her sentence includes three years under court supervision after she’s released from prison, and payment of $1,396 in restitution. Others charged with participating in the conspiracy have also pleaded guilty and been sentenced.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; James C. Harris, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Jennifer Huerta, Special Agent in Charge, ICE Office of Professional Responsibility, and Hilliard Division of Police Chief Mike Woods announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Chief Judge Algenon L. Marbley. The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General assisted in the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Jessica W. Knight and Special Assistant United States Attorney Christopher N. St. Pierre are representing the United States in this case.
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Greene County man who shot ODNR officer sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison for illegal gun possessionRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Greene County man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to nine years and 364 days in prison for illegally possessing the gun he used to shoot an Ohio wildlife officer.
Brian R. Liming, 45, of Jamestown, Ohio, was indicted by a federal grand jury and arrested by ATF agents in April 2021. He pleaded guilty in August 2021.
According to court documents, on Dec. 20, 2020, Liming illegally possessed a loaded 20-gauge shotgun. On that date, an officer with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources was shot while investigating illegal deer hunting near Martinsville, Ohio.
Liming was previously convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, which prohibited him from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
Liming was convicted locally in Clinton County Common Pleas Court of felony assault and misdemeanor hunting charges related to the shooting and sentenced to 54 months of incarceration. Liming’s federal sentence will run consecutively to his local one.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), announced the sentence imposed today by Senior U.S. District Judge Susan J. Dlott. Assistant United States Attorney Ashley N. Brucato and Adam Cullman, Department of Justice Trial Attorney from the Environment and Natural Resources Division are representing the United States in this case.
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Federal agents arrest former Ohio National Guard member for making and selling ‘ghost guns’Read the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Federal agents arrested a former member of the Ohio National Guard this morning on charges related to making and selling “ghost guns,” untraceable homemade weapons made in whole or in part with a 3D printer.
Thomas Develin, 24, of Columbus, also allegedly made antisemitic and violent statements while employed to provide security services at local synagogues and Jewish schools.
It is alleged that Develin created ghost guns to sell for profit. It also alleged that Develin possessed homemade conversion devices to convert semi-automatic AR-15 rifles and Glock-type pistols into fully automatic machine guns.
Agents discovered more than 25 firearms in Develin’s residence and vehicle while executing a search warrant in March 2022.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Develin’s Discord and Snapchat activity online revealed a large quantity of antisemitic, white nationalist, racist and misogynistic content. Develin used the fictional name “Patrick Bateman” online.
For example:
- In September 2021, it is alleged Develin posted a picture of the synagogue where he was working at the time and stated, in part, “Having an inner debate that if an active shooter comes in I might just join him.”
- In November 2021, Develin allegedly posted a video of himself sniffing a rifle. In the video, Develin says, “This one smells like dead Jews.”
- In a December 2021 Discord post, Develin allegedly wrote, “Ight, time to turn wright pat airbase into Fort hood in 2009.”
- In January 2022, Develin allegedly posted a picture of a New Albany synagogue with the text, “The holocaust didn’t happen” and “If anything I’ll scream 6 million wasn’t enough.”
- A Snapchat video in March 2022 shows Develin displaying a firearm at a Jewish school in Columbus.
- Develin also allegedly posted multiple times advocating the rape of women.
- Additional messages Develin posted online discussed committing terrorist attacks at John Glenn International Airport and at the Budweiser manufacturing facility in Columbus, and killing a Morgan County Sheriff’s deputy and the deputy’s entire family.
The defendant has been charged in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas with various crimes, including making terroristic threats. Those charges remain pending.
Develin will appear in U.S. District Court this afternoon regarding his federal charges.
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 the charges. The agencies were assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant United States Attorneys Peter K. Glenn-Applegate and Jessica W. Knight are 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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Columbus man sentenced to prison for threatening local reproductive health services facility and an individual patientRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man was sentenced in federal court this morning to one year and one day in prison for threatening to bring a bomb to a local reproductive health services facility.
Carlos Manuel Rodriguez Brime, 26, also threatened to kill a patient whom he believed was seeking reproductive health services, specifically an abortion, at the clinic.
On April 11, 2021, Brime made two separate telephone calls to the local reproductive health care clinic. In the first, he made a death threat relating to the prospective patient and in the second, he made a bomb threat directly to the clinic, telling the clinic staff “my organization will be bringing a bomb to your facility. I suggest you close your doors.”
Specifically, Brime violated 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 also transmitted a threat in interstate commerce.
“Reproductive health providers and people seeking access to these services must be able to do so free from violence and threats of violence,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke. “This sentencing should send a strong message that the Justice Department will continue to aggressively enforce the FACE Act and hold those accountable who violate the law. We stand ready to ensure that healthcare providers and people seeking reproductive health services are safe, secure and free from violence and threats of violence.”
“Threatening the life of anyone who seeks any type of health service is a heinous act that should not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth Parker. “People must handle their disagreements to positions that are contrary to theirs in a more civil way than using the threat of force or any kind of intimidation.”
Brime was indicted by a grand jury and arrested in September 2021. He pleaded guilty in February 2022.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Czerniejewski and S. Courter Shimeall and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Sanjay Patel are representing the United States in this case.
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10 charged with distributing bulk amounts of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, meth, marijuanaRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – This morning federal agents arrested individuals charged as part of a national narcotics distribution operation bringing drugs into Central Ohio from California.
They have been charged by criminal complaints for allegedly participating in a polydrug trafficking organization involving 76 kilograms of fentanyl including 115,500 fentanyl-laced pills, nine kilograms each of methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana, and distributable amounts of heroin and crack cocaine.
“In what is believed to be the largest single fentanyl seizure ever in the Southern District of Ohio, the government has removed approximately $4.5 million worth of fentanyl and fentanyl pills from our streets,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “Today’s cooperative law enforcement operation has the potential to save lives.”
This investigation stems from the early-June arrest of Isabel Odir Castellanos, of Los Angeles.
Those charged today include:
Name
Age
City of residence
Darrell Enrico Maurice Peterman Sr.
60
Youngstown, Ohio
Susana Maria Orellana
39
Columbus, Ohio
Martel D. Owens
38
Springfield, Ohio
Dwayne Stanley Childs
33
Columbus, Ohio
Justin M. Berrien
42
Springfield, Ohio
Kelvin R. Battle
47
Springfield, Ohio
Jermaine Anthony Peterson
37
Springfield, Ohio
Linda Laura Marie Houle
47
Springfield, Ohio
Carl Dewayne Jenkins
53
Wadestown, West Virginia
James Ian Sheets
49
Fairview, West Virginia
According to the charging documents, Castellanos transported narcotics from Los Angeles to Columbus via semi-truck. Castellanos is a business owner of a transportation company and a semi-truck driver who frequently travels across the United States.
It is alleged Castellanos delivered the narcotics to Susana Orellana’s residence in Columbus, which served as a stash house. Orellana then allegedly delivered the drugs to mid-level retail distributors. Those mid-level retailers then allegedly sold the drugs in Central Ohio, Youngstown, Ohio, Springfield, Ohio and in West Virginia.
Orellana allegedly collected the drug proceeds and provided them to Castellanos before he returned to California.
Many of the individual drug transactions charged involve tens of thousands of dollars. For example, one drug transaction detailed in an affidavit describes Orellana transporting 5,000 fentanyl pills to Childs’ home in Columbus in exchange for $36,000.
To date, law enforcement officials have seized from the defendants more than $478,000 in cash, a semi-truck, a Porsche Panamera, a BMW X5 and a GMC Terrain.
Defendants are making their initials appearances in federal court in Columbus today.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Orville Greene, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced the charges and commended the cooperative investigation including the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center, Ohio State Highway Patrol and Springfield Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Hunter is 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 the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Criminal complaints merely contain allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Serial rapist sentenced to 35 years in prison for sexually assaulting 7-year-oldRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to a total of 420 months in prison for transporting a young child in the bunk of his semi-truck across multiple states for the purpose of sexually assaulting the victim.
Joseph C. Gaines, 42, pleaded guilty in November 2021 to transporting a minor interstate with the intention of sexually abusing the victim, and committing a new offense against a minor as a registered sex offender.
According to court documents, during July and August of 2019, Gaines transported a minor who was approximately 7 years old from Ohio to numerous other states. While in those other states, Gaines sexually assaulted the child repeatedly and in a variety of ways.
Gaines was on parole when he committed the sexual assaults. He was convicted in Stark County Common Pleas Court in 2005 of raping a 13-year-old in 1998.
In 2000, Gaines was convicted in Florida of kidnapping and attempted aggravated assault after approaching a woman on the beach, placing a knife to her throat, and saying, “you’re coming with me.”
Gaines’ DNA also linked him to two other rapes. Around the time of the 1998 rape, the defendant approached a 15-year-old on the street in Canton, Ohio, and threatened her with a box cutter before taking her into the woods and raping her. Gaines’ DNA was found in the victim’s underwear. In 2002, a married couple was walking on the beach in Florida when the defendant approached them with a weapon covered by a towel and forced them to an abandoned building. Gaines raped the wife and forced the husband to watch.
“A multi-decade sentence is warranted for this defendant, whose ongoing actions reveal him to be a true predator,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “Gaines spent much of the past 20 plus years – other than the times he was incarcerated – perpetrating dangerous sexual assaults. Now, he’ll spend the next 35 years in federal prison. This is the type of incorrigible conduct that prison walls are made for.”
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; Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost; Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant and members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Senior Litigation Counsel Heather A. Hill and Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Rausch are representing the United States in this case.
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2 Cincinnati men sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for armed carjackingRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Two Cincinnati men were sentenced in U.S. District Court to more than 11 years in prison each for their roles in an armed carjacking.
Eric Lang, 32, was sentenced to 137 months in prison, and Garry Holmes, 38, was sentenced to 180 months in prison.
According to court documents, Lang and Holmes conspired to commit the carjacking after Lang saw their victim at a convenience store in the Northside neighborhood of Cincinnati. Lang and the victim knew each other from prison and talked about meeting up for a future drug transaction.
Lang and Holmes created a plan to steal the victim’s car at the drug meetup. On Jan. 10, 2020, the defendants, along with others, instructed the victim to drive to a parking lot away from main roadways. The co-conspirators pointed guns at the victim and had the victim lie face down on the ground while they stole the victim’s 2008 Mercedes Benz.
As the assailants drove away, individuals shot at the victim, striking him several times. The victim was shot in the head and legs, causing serious bodily injury, including permanent nerve damage in the legs and blindness in one eye.
Law enforcement officers recovered multiple shell casings at the scene and those casings were entered into the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN). Agents learned via NIBIN that two firearms were fired at the carjacking on January 10 and that one of the firearms had been used in multiple shootings in January 2020. Law enforcement officers recovered that firearm from Holmes on March 3, 2020, after NIBIN showed the firearm was used in a shots fired incident the night before in Avondale.
As a convicted felon, Holmes was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
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 Interim Police Chief Teresa A. Theetge announced the sentences imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Douglas R. Cole. Assistant United States Attorney Ashley N. Brucato and Special Assistant United States Attorneys Meagan W. Myers and John Zachary Kessler of the Cincinnati City Solicitor’s Office are representing the United States in this case.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office hosts roundtable to combat sexual harassment in housingRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio and the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division hosted a roundtable today for community organizations to discuss the problem of sexual harassment in housing, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker.
U.S. Attorney Parker is asking anyone in the public who has witnessed or experienced sexual harassment by a landlord, property manager, maintenance worker, or anyone with control over housing to report that conduct to the Department of Justice.
The roundtable event included state and local fair housing agencies and numerous community organizations. Assistant United States Attorneys Ebunoluwa Taiwo (Criminal Division) and Michael Downey (Civil Division) and Trial Attorney Lauren Marks (Civil Rights Division, Housing and Civil Enforcement Section) outlined for the audience the unique roles the Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney’s Office play in enforcing the Fair Housing Act.
The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin and disability. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination prohibited by the Act. For example, it is illegal for landlords to request sexual favors in exchange for reduced rents or making necessary repairs, to make unrelenting and unwanted sexual advances to tenants, or to evict tenants who resist their sexual overtures.
“My office is working closely with the Civil Rights Division to ensure that victims experiencing sexual harassment or who have previously experienced sexual harassment in housing in the past know how to connect with federal resources,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “Sexual harassment in housing is illegal, and we stand ready to investigate such allegations and pursue enforcement actions where appropriate.”
The Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative is an effort to combat sexual harassment in housing led by the Civil Rights Division, in coordination with U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country.
The Initiative has resulted in lawsuits filed across the country alleging a pattern or practice of sexual harassment in housing and recovered millions of dollars in damages for harassment victims.
U.S. Attorney Parker encourages anyone who has experienced sexual harassment in housing, or knows someone who has, to contact the Civil Rights Division by calling 844-380-6178 or emailing [email protected].
Individuals who believe they may have been victims of discrimination may also provide information to the U.S. Attorney’s Office using the referral form at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdoh.
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U.S. Attorney Parker affirms commitment to uphold civil rights of Ohioans in Southern DistrictRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – United States Attorney Kenneth L. Parker announced today the creation of a civil rights referral initiative for the Southern District of Ohio.
Members of the public may now report potential civil rights violations directly to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. A referral form is now available at the office’s main website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdoh.
“My office – in coordination with the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice – is charged with enforcing federal civil rights laws throughout the Southern District of Ohio,” U.S. Attorney Parker said. “We are strongly committed to upholding the civil rights of the residents of our District. We welcome any information from the public that brings to our attention possible violations of our Nation’s civil rights laws.”
Potential civil rights violations may involve topics such as access to reproductive health, disability rights, hate crimes, housing discrimination (including sexual harassment by landlords, property managers or other housing providers), voting rights, law enforcement misconduct, and religious liberties.
“Hate and discrimination have never had a place in our society. They have no place today,” added U.S. Attorney Parker. “People should be able to practice their faith and worship, go grocery shopping, vote, find housing, and celebrate their heritage without any worry of instances of hate or discrimination being committed toward them.”
Mr. Parker noted that the U.S. Attorney’s Office is primarily a litigating office and not an investigative agency. Information provided on the civil rights referrals may be forwarded by the U.S. Attorney’s Office to the appropriate law enforcement or administrative agency.
Assistant United States Attorneys Ebunoluwa Taiwo (Criminal Division) and Michael Downey (Civil Division) will serve as the points of contact for this initiative. Inquiries can be sent to [email protected].
To view the referral form, visit: /media/1227446/dl?inline.
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Dublin man pleads guilty to producing and possessing child pornographyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Dublin, Ohio, man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to sexually exploiting at least five minors and possessing child pornography.
Timothy W. Wright, 50, faces a minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison.
Wright admitted to placing a hidden camera in the bathroom of his home, thereby producing pornographic images of two minors via that hidden camera. To save videos or images of the minors from the hidden camera to his phone, Wright admitted that he would watch the video feed live. Investigators discovered approximately 27 videos and 152 images from the hidden camera on Wright’s phone.
In addition, Wright admitted he paid three additional minor victims at least $300 on numerous occasions in exchange for those minors lying nude on Wright’s bed while Wright engaged in sex acts or acts of masturbation with the minors. The defendant also admitting to paying for nude images from these three minors and those images were also recovered on Wright’s phone.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio announced the plea entered today before Chief U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case.
The case was being primarily investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with the assistance and cooperation of the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force, which operates under Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission, and, Columbus Division of Police, Dublin Police Department, Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Delaware County Sheriff’s Office Tactical Unit, Delaware County Drug Task Force, and the United States Marshals Service.
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Columbus man pleads guilty to murder resulting from drug robberyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man pleaded guilty in federal court here today for his role in a 2018 murder and robbery.
Kyle Castle, 29, was one of five Columbus men indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2021 with crimes involving three murders and a related narcotics ring.
In 2018, defendants conspired to rob a local marijuana dealer of drugs and cash in his residence. That robbery resulted in the shooting death of another individual within the house who was unrelated to the marijuana. To cover up for this first murder, it is alleged lead defendant Larry Williams then murdered a man and a woman with knowledge of the first murder.
Castle admitted to driving with others to the 800 block of East North Broadway in Columbus during the early morning hours of June 27, 2018, to rob a residence they knew to contain large amounts of marijuana and cash. Each of the co-conspirators was armed, including Castle who was in possession of a pistol.
Upon entering the living room of the residence, an individual was shot and killed by an AK-47 style rifle. The co-conspirators also shot numerous dogs within the residence. The men stole 20 to 30 pounds of marijuana from the residence.
In total, 13 individuals have been charged federally for their alleged involvement in either the murders, the cover-up of the murders, or the related narcotics conspiracy. The cover-up involved defendants dismembering and burying the bodies of two murder victims.
Castle faces up to life in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; James C. Harris III, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson.
The joint investigation includes assistance from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), Franklin County Coroner’s Office, Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center (ONIC), U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the Columbus Division of Fire and the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy D. Prichard and Elizabeth A. Geraghty are representing the United States in the cases.
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Former federal probation officer pleads guilty to extorting individuals under her supervisionRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former federal probation officer pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today for extortion. During her time as a probation officer, she accepted cash, pills, goods and services from individuals under her supervision.
Helwa H. Qasem, 44, of Bexley, Ohio, pleaded guilty to a bill of information charging her with extortion under color of official right, a federal crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
According to court documents, from 2016 through 2018, Qasem accepted Xanax, cash, a sweater, a bag and below-market personal services in exchange for official actions as a probation officer.
In her role as a U.S. Probation Officer, Qasem supervised offenders who had been sentenced to terms of probation by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio or who were serving terms of supervised release after release from prison. It was part of her duties to report individuals who violated their terms of probation or supervised release.
As part of her plea, Qasem admitted she extorted property from at least four individuals under her supervision and, in return, did not report violations committed by those individuals. For example, at least two individuals under supervision and the spouse of a third provided Xanax to Qasem for her personal use.
Qasem also unlawfully received several personal services, including moving services to help her relocate to a new home, and repairs to blinds, a dryer, a dishwasher, a washing machine and a vehicle. A person under Qasem’s supervision arranged for workers to provide these personal services for her.
Finally, Qasem admitted to sharing confidential information she received from a Columbus police officer to an individual under her supervision. Qasem had received a police report from the officer. The report stated that the officer had met with a person who was attempting to become a confidential informant and who had provided information that a person under Qasem’s supervision was a drug trafficker. The report contained a photograph of the potential informant. Qasem showed that photograph to the person under her supervision and told him to stay away from the potential informant.
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; Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI); Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant and other members of the FBI’s Southern Ohio Public Corruption Task Force announced the plea entered into today before U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorneys Peter K. Glenn-Applegate and Elizabeth A. Geraghty are representing the United States in this case.
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Former local bakery owner arrested for stealing identity of deceased baby, $1.5M pandemic relief fraudRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus woman was arrested in Utah on federal charges related to stealing the identity of a baby who died as an infant. The woman allegedly used the infant’s identity to obtain a passport, a student pilot license, a job as a flight attendant, admission into The Ohio State University and pandemic relief loans.
Ava Misseldine, 49, formerly of Columbus, Ohio, was charged by a criminal complaint with passport fraud, Social Security number fraud, aggravated identity theft and fraud in connection with an emergency.
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 allegedly applied for an Ohio ID and later a Social Security card and driver’s license using the stolen identity.
In 2007, Misseldine allegedly 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 allegedly 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.
Court documents allege 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, allegedly obtained driver’s licenses in both names.
If convicted, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum of two years and up to 30 years in prison. She will be transported to the Southern District of Ohio to face her charges in federal court.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the charges 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.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Grand jury charges 2 New York men in $1 million, California-to-Cincinnati narcotics conspiracyRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has charged two New York men in a narcotics conspiracy involving more than 66 pounds of cocaine and at least 10 pounds of heroin.
Maximo Pena Herrera, 40, and Joel Serrata Rosario, 27, were each charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute at least one kilogram of heroin and five kilograms or more of cocaine.
Rosario was charged with a second count of possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine.
According to court documents, on May 11, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop in El Reno, Oklahoma on a commercial truck driver traveling from California to Cincinnati. The DEA Dallas-Oklahoma District Office assisted agents from the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) and Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics (OBN) on the traffic stop.
A drug-detecting canine alerted to an SUV being transported by the hauler truck. Law enforcement officials discovered 29 kilograms of cocaine and five kilograms of heroin in a hidden compartment within the SUV. The amount of narcotics seized has a street value of more than $1 million.
Court documents detail that law enforcement tracked the vehicle to the Cincinnati area where Herrera and Rosario allegedly picked up the vehicle and paid the commercial truck driver $1,900 in cash. It is alleged the defendants were instructed by an inmate in a New York jail to obtain the narcotics in Harrison, Ohio, and deliver them to a specific location in Cincinnati.
A subsequent search of Rosario’s Cincinnati hotel room led agents to discover an additional three kilograms of cocaine.
The narcotics conspiracy charged in this case carries a penalty of at least 10 years and up to life in prison. Possessing with intent to distribute cocaine, as charged against Rosario, is punishable by five to 40 years in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Kent Kleinschmidt, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); and other members of the DEA’s drug task force announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Kelly K. Rossi 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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Former insurance agent arrested for defrauding customers, COVID fraudRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A former insurance agent was arrested this morning on federal charges alleging he defrauded dozens of victims in the Cincinnati and Dayton area and fraudulently obtained two COVID Paycheck Protection Program loans.
Seneca Birchmore, 44, of Cincinnati, lost his license as an insurance agent in 2019 because he was writing insurance policies for people who did not want them so that he could collect the commissions.
According to court documents, after losing his license, Birchmore then stole the identities of two other insurance agents and used those identities to write more life insurance policies for customers who did not want them. It is alleged Birchmore had the commissions from dozens of local customer victims deposited into his own bank accounts.
Local law enforcement departments received complaints from victims that money was being automatically withdrawn from their bank accounts for insurance policies they never ordered. Many of the victims are senior citizens, and most reside in Dayton, Englewood, Middletown and Cincinnati.
The commissions for Birchmore’s original fraudulent insurance policies under his own name as an agent totaled more than $8,000. The commissions for policies created under the stolen identities of other agents totaled more than $80,000.
It is also alleged that, in a separate scheme, Birchmore fraudulently obtained two COVID Paycheck Protection Program loans totaling more than $40,000. Birchmore allegedly claimed on both loan applications that he owned a business in his name and stated his gross income for 2019 was more than $13 million. It is alleged that no such business exists.
Fraud in connection with emergency benefits is a federal crime punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Social security fraud carries a potential maximum penalty of five years in prison and aggravated identity theft includes a mandatory two years of imprisonment.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, was joined by the Social Security Office of Inspector General, U.S. Secret Service, Ohio Department of Insurance, Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, U.S. Marshals Service, Butler County Sheriff’s Office and Cincinnati Police Department in announcing the charges. 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.
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T&A Crips defendant sentenced to 40 years in prisonRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The last of 19 defendants to be convicted in a Columbus gang-related racketeering conspiracy was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 40 years in prison.
Shawn Nelms, 29, pleaded guilty in September 2021 to his part in furthering the violence of the local Crips gang known as T&A. The racketeering conspiracy first charged in 2018 includes five murders, at least 26 attempted murders, and other violent and drug-trafficking crimes.
Nelms participated in the 2013 murder of William Moore. Nelms and others spotted Moore, a rival Poindexter Thug Life Bloods gang member, walking on Mount Vernon Ave. and agreed to kill the man for the purpose of maintaining and increasing their positions within T&A.
Nelms also participated in the 2012 gang-related murder of Franky Tention on Ellison Street in Columbus.
According to his plea, in 2011, Nelms shot a separate victim in the chest, and the man survived. During a robbery in 2011, one of several rounds shot by Nelms went into a nearby house and struck a young girl, who also survived.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Travis S. Riddle, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant; and United States Marshal Pete Tobin announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin W. Kelley and Noah R. Litton are representing the United States in this case.
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Jury finds Canal Winchester man guilty on all counts in romance scam money laundering conspiracyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal jury has convicted a Canal Winchester man of 35 counts of money laundering crimes related to an online romance fraud scheme.
The verdict was announced yesterday following a trial that began on May 16 before Chief U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley.
According to court documents and trial testimony, Seth Nyamekye, 39, laundered the proceeds of online romance scams that generated millions of dollars of loss.
The perpetrators of the romance scams created several profiles on online dating sites and then contacted men and women throughout the United States and elsewhere. The scammers cultivated a sense of affection and, often, romance, with the victims they met online before requesting money for investment or need-based reasons. The romance scam perpetrators then provided victims with bank account information where the money should be sent. Nyamekye controlled one of these accounts and received more than $1.3 million in romance fraud proceeds from victims.
The government proved beyond a reasonable doubt at trial that Nyamekye laundered the victims’ money on behalf of the conspiracy. The defendant conspired with others from at least June 2016 until February 2018 to commit money laundering in multiple transactions of more than $10,000 with the purpose of concealing the fraudulent nature of the proceeds.
At least eight victims sent their money directly to Nyamekye’s bank account, which was in the name of Gloseth Ventures LLC. For example, one victim was defrauded by a purported member of the military and sent a $170,000 wire transfer to Nyamekye’s bank account. Another victim fell in love with a man he met online who also claimed to be in the military overseas and sent two wire transfers to Nyamekye totaling $73,000. A separate victim believed she was engaged to the man who was scamming her and sent $50,000 to the defendant’s bank account.
After the funds were deposited into Nyamekye’s bank account, Nyamekye took a cut of the victims’ money and then conducted financial transactions to move the funds where the perpetrators of the romance fraud could enjoy the criminal proceeds.
Nyamekye was charged by a criminal complaint in October 2020 and was later indicted in May 2021. He faces up to 20 years in prison on each of 18 counts, and up to 10 years in prison on each of 17 other counts.
“If you believe you are the victim of an online romance scam, I urge you to file a complaint at ic3.gov,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office, announced the verdict. Assistant United States Attorneys Peter K. Glenn-Applegate and David J. Twombly are representing the United States in this case.
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Dayton businessman convicted of fraud at trial sentenced to 3 years in prisonRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – A Dayton businessman was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 36 months in prison for crimes related to a fraudulent insurance claim.
Following a trial in January 2022, the jury found Brian Higgins, 50, guilty of three counts of mail fraud and two counts of tampering with a witness with intent to retaliate.
According to court documents and trial testimony, in 2014 and 2015, Higgins filed a fraudulent insurance claim in connection with water damage to the Meeker Residence, an 8,000 square-foot house in Dayton. Higgins received more than $100,000 in insurance claims that he used for his personal benefit rather than to repair water damage that occurred from a 600-gallon fish tank.
Higgins used money disbursed on the claim to pay for personal expenditures, such as funding a new restaurant space, paying telephone bills, spending money at a casino, and other personal expenses, rather than paying for bona fide repairs and restoration of the home.
The defendant submitted invoices and repair cost estimates from a construction vendor to the insurance company in order to obtain money. The vendor documents were false and misrepresented the status of repair work at the Meeker Residence.
Higgins then diverted the money to himself and paid for travel, hotels and dining out, among other personal expenses. Higgins had the company keep a small amount of the money to complete small, cosmetic repairs in an attempt to cover up his scheme.
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 Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Rose. Deputy Criminal Chief Brent G. Tabacchi and Assistant United States Attorney Rob Painter are representing the United States in this case.
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United States enters into settlement agreement with Mason methadone clinicRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI –A Mason, Ohio, methadone clinic has agreed to pay the government $37,500 following a DEA inspection of the clinic.
“This settlement shows that companies operating methadone clinics have a duty to do so with diligence,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “While it is important work, sloppiness in this area can lead to the improper diversion of drugs onto the streets, which would defeat the very purpose of these clinics’ existence: to provide those with opioid addictions a safe way to heal and recover. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to ensure clinics operate appropriately; no one is above the law.”
The Craig and Frances Lindner Center of HOPE operated a methadone clinic in Mason, Ohio, known as HOPE Center North. Methadone is a Schedule II controlled substance.
According to the settlement, the DEA conducted an inspection of HOPE Center North on July 15, 2020. The inspection included a review of the methadone clinic’s physical and operational security measures, required controlled substance recordkeeping, records of receipt and dispensation of methadone, and a recordkeeping accountability audit of methadone.
The settlement details that the DEA noted seven potential recordkeeping violations at HOPE Center North.
For example, the DEA noted that the clinic failed to provide the DEA with a biennial inventory of its controlled substances and did not keep complete and accurate inventory records. HOPE Center North also failed to keep accurate DEA forms evidencing the shipment and disposal of methadone from the facility.
As part of the settlement, HOPE Center North agrees to comply with all controlled substance recordkeeping standards as required by law.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Kent Kleinschmidt, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced the settlement. Deputy Civil Chief Brandi Stewart is representing the United States in this matter.
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Ohio man charged with aiding and abetting plot to murder former PresidentRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – An Iraqi citizen living in Columbus, Ohio, has been charged federally with an immigration crime and with aiding and abetting a plot to murder former United States President George W. Bush.
Shihab Ahmed Shihab Shihab, 52, was arrested by FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force agents this morning and appeared in federal court here at 2:30pm. His case was unsealed at that time.
Shihab originally entered the United States in September 2020 on a visitor visa, and in March 2021, he filed a claim for asylum with United States citizenship, which is pending review. He lived in both Columbus, Ohio, and Indianapolis and worked at markets and restaurants in both cities.
It is alleged that Shihab exchanged money with others in an attempt to illegally bring foreign nationals to the United States.
For example, in August 2021, Shihab allegedly intended to help who he thought was another Iraqi citizen enter the United States for a fee of $40,000. Shihab provided specific instructions on how he would smuggle the person into the United States after 60 days. In October and December 2021, Shihab accepted tens of thousands of dollars for the purported smuggling. In reality, the individual was fictitious, and the interaction was coordinated under the direction of the FBI.
The charging document also alleges that Shihab planned to smuggle four additional Iraqi foreign nationals into the United States for the purpose of killing former President George W. Bush in retaliation of Iraqi deaths during “Operation Iraqi Freedom.” Shihab then allegedly planned to smuggle the four out of the United States via the United States/Mexico border after they carried out the assassination.
In furtherance of the assassination plot, Shihab allegedly traveled to Dallas in February 2022 to conduct surveillance of locations associated with the former President. In March 2022, it is alleged Shihab met with others in a hotel room in Columbus, Ohio, to look at sample firearms and law enforcement uniforms.
Attempting to illegally bring an individual into the United States is a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Aiding and abetting the attempted murder of a former United States Official carries a potential prison sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General, Department of Justice, National Security Division; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Jaime Carazo, Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service, announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica W. Knight and Trial Attorney Frank Russo from the Department of Justice’s National Security Division are 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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Columbus man sentenced to more than 15 years in federal prison for role in drug ring involving 75 pounds of fentanylRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Lucio Manuel Munoz, 29, of Columbus, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 188 months in prison for his role in a drug conspiracy involving more than 75 pounds of fentanyl.
According to court documents, in February 2021, law enforcement officials seized approximately 30 kilograms of fentanyl from Munoz’s vehicle. Munoz and two other men, Maximus Alberto Dominguez, 20, and Rene Bernal Gaytan, 23, were charged by federal criminal complaint and arrested on Feb. 3, 2021.
The defendants were conducting illicit narcotics operations from the Red Roof Inn on South State Street in Westerville and from a residence on Chesford Road in Columbus.
Law enforcement officials were conducting surveillance on both locations on Feb. 2, 2021, and subsequently stopped Dominguez for a traffic stop on Interstate 270 South. A narcotics K9 alerted to the presence of drugs and officers discovered approximately 978 grams of fentanyl in the BMW Dominguez was driving.
Munoz attempted to flee the residence on Chesford Road later that evening with bulk amounts of narcotics in his vehicle. A traffic stop was initiated on Munoz, but he failed to yield. A vehicle pursuit was initiated and ended in a foot pursuit. Munoz was apprehended and officers secured the Jeep he was driving. The Jeep contained approximately 30 kilograms of fentanyl.
Court records detail that agents also found approximately eight kilograms of fentanyl with Gaytan in a room at the Red Roof Inn. They also discovered a storage locker in Columbus where a duffel bag of vacuum-sealed bulk currency was located.
Munoz pleaded guilty in June 2021 to conspiring to possess and possessing with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; James C. Harris III, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Kent Kleinschmidt, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Ohio State Highway Patrol Superintendent Col. Richard S. Fambro and Westerville Police Chief Charles Chandler announced the sentence imposed by Senior U.S. District Judge James L. Graham. OCDETF Deputy Criminal Chief Kelly A. Norris is representing the United States in this case.
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U.S. Attorney Parker announces summer camp ADA compliance initiativeRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker announced today a civil rights initiative aimed at ensuring that summer camps located within in the Southern District of Ohio are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
“As summer approaches and parents make arrangements to send their children to camps, we want to make sure that children with disabilities receive an equal opportunity to attend and experience summer camp,” U.S. Attorney Parker said. “Reasonable accommodations are a requirement under the law.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio has mailed the attached flyer to dozens of summer camps located in the southern half of the state.
Under the ADA, summer camps, both private and those run by municipalities, must make reasonable modifications to enable campers with disabilities to participate fully in all camp programs and activities.
Children with disabilities are generally entitled to attend any camp or activity, camps must evaluate each child on an individual basis, and camps must train their staff in the requirements of the ADA.
Camps are obligated to pay for the cost of any reasonable modifications necessary for children with disabilities to participate in camp activities, and parents should not be charged any additional fee beyond standard camp enrollment costs.
Additional information about the ADA can be found by visiting www.ada.gov, calling the Department of Justice ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (voice) or 800-514-0383 (TTY), or by emailing the U.S. Attorney’s Office at [email protected].
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District Court Enters Permanent Injunction Shutting Down Fake CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Card OperationRead the Press Release
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio entered a consent decree permanently enjoining a Columbus-area woman from producing and selling fake Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 vaccination cards.
In a civil complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, the government alleged that Tiffany Keller, 39, of Junction City, Ohio, produced and sold fake CDC COVID-19 vaccination cards in violation of Section 1140 of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1320b-10. The complaint alleged that Keller advertised her services on a blog that discussed how to make fake CDC COVID-19 vaccination cards and offered to print fake cards for $40 per card and ship them to paying customers via priority mail. Keller sold more than 77 fake cards.
“Printing, selling and distributing fake vaccine cards undermines important efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to working with our federal partners to root out this kind of unlawful activity.”
“During this time of a national emergency, individuals should not capitalize on the situation for their own greed,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio. “This type of fraud is particularly problematic as it could endanger the health of others.”
“Manufacturing and selling fake COVID-19 vaccination record cards can undermine critical public health measures and put the health of Americans at risk,” said Acting Chief Counsel Robert DeConti of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who attempt to illegally profit from the pandemic.”
It is a violation of federal law for individuals to reproduce, reprint, or distribute any item consisting of a form, application, or other publication of HHS for a fee without express authorization from HHS. HHS-OIG is authorized to impose a civil money penalty of up to $11,506 for each violation.
Under the terms of the consent decree and final judgement, Keller admitted that the allegations in the complaint are true and agreed to be permanently enjoined from, among other things, (1) engaging in prohibited acts related to the misuse of HHS departmental words, symbols, or emblems; (2) reproducing, reprinting, distributing, selling or offering for sale fake CDC COVID-19 vaccination cards; and (3) using any means, including but not limited to blogs and social media platforms to advertise or solicit the sale of fake COVID-19 vaccination cards. Should Keller violate the terms of the consent decree, the order also subjects her to the imposition of civil money penalties in the amount of $442,981 for her violations of 42 U.S.C. § 1320b-10(a)(2)(B), as specified in the complaint.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. Run out of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international actors committing civil or criminal fraud and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Information about fake CDC COVID-19 vaccination cards can be reported to HHS OIG by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS or 1-800-447-5477. Anyone with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The government is represented by Trial Attorneys Yolanda D. McCray Jones of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, Christopher Reimer of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J.T. Downey of the Southern District of Ohio. HHS-OIG provided substantial investigative support.
Defendant convicted in Arizona-to-Ohio drug conspiracy sentenced to more than 12 years in prisonRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man was sentenced in federal court here to 150 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy involving shipments of narcotics from Arizona to Ohio.
Dawit Mamay, 24, is one of four defendants charged federally in a narcotics conspiracy involving at least 17 kilograms of methamphetamine and fentanyl. As part of this case, law enforcement seized hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash from co-defendant Ermias Golla’s residence in the Short North.
According to court documents, from September 2020 through April 2021, Mamay and others shipped drugs via Priority Mail with false shipper and recipient names and/or addresses. Co-conspirators also shipped drug proceeds back to Arizona from Ohio. The defendants used the United States Postal Service tracking system.
For example, one package that Mamay mailed in early October 2020 that was intercepted by law enforcement contained more than 6,000 grams of fentanyl.
A second parcel mailed to Golla that month was also intercepted by law enforcement and contained more than 6,000 grams of methamphetamine that lab tested at 96 percent purity.
Mamay’s three co-defendants have each agreed to plead guilty to federal narcotics charges.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Kent Kleinschmidt, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Detroit division; and Jeffrey Krafels, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG), Mid-Atlantic Area Field Office, announced the sentence imposed on May 10 by U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Watson. Assistant United States Attorney Sheila G. Lafferty is representing the United States in this case.
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Local man on federal supervised release sentenced to 13 years in prison for new drug, gun crimesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A local man previously convicted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for federal narcotics crimes was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 156 months in prison for committing new narcotics and firearms crimes while on supervised release.
Larry K. Smith, 31, is also known as “Lil Larry” and “Big Larry.” He was sentenced in federal court for possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to court documents, Smith owns Larry’s Cleaning LLC and applied for CARES ACT aid for his business. During the same timeframe, Smith was observed on social media with high-end vehicles, jewelry, bags and stacks of money all while having no verified income.
Law enforcement surveillance revealed an increased amount of foot and vehicle traffic at Smith’s home in Columbus. Further surveillance revealed that Smith had another residence on Bay Ridge Drive in Lewis Center.
While executing simultaneous search warrants at Smith’s two residences, law enforcement officials discovered approximately 300 grams of fentanyl dispersed throughout the homes, including in Smith’s dog’s collar and in a Gucci bag hidden under the stairs. All told, Smith was found to have more than $50,000 in cash, including in a Louis Vuitton backpack and on his person, as well as a loaded firearm, marijuana and crack cocaine. The Government also seized a large diamond and gold Short North Posse medallion necklace from Smith.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Travis S. Riddle, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Watson. Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth A. Geraghty and S. Courter Shimeall are representing the United States in this case.
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Jury convicts local man of illegally possessing machine ‘ghost gun’Read the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal jury has convicted Jesse Carter, 31, of Cincinnati, with illegally possessing a machine gun and possessing a pistol and ammunition after previously being convicted of a felony.
The verdict was announced yesterday afternoon following a trial that began on May 2 before U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole.
According to court documents and trial testimony, in March 2020, Carter illegally possessed a pistol, a machine gun and more than 400 rounds of ammunition.
The machine gun was an AR-style “ghost gun” with no markings. Ghost guns are often assembled from kits, do not contain serial numbers, and are sold without background checks, making them difficult to trace. In April, the Department of Justice announced a new rule modernizing the definition of firearms to make ghost gun kits subject to the same regulations as traditional firearms.
The Government presented at trial that Carter referred to the machine gun as “the big one” in jail calls in which he described the location of the ghost gun which had been concealed behind the sub-woofer in his car.
As a previously convicted felon, Carter is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. He faces up to 10 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.
Carter was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2020.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio and Travis S. Riddle, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), announced today’s verdict. Assistant United States Attorney Ebunoluwa Taiwo and Special Assistant United States Attorney Meagan W. Myers of the Cincinnati City Solicitor’s Office are representing the United States in this case.
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Florida man who led nationwide moving company scam conspiracy sentenced to 78 months in prisonRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Miami, Fla. man was sentenced to 78 months in prison for conspiring in a racketeering enterprise to defraud individuals through moving companies located throughout the United States. Identified victims of the fraud lost more than $2.4 million total.
Andrey Shuklin, 33, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati today.
Shuklin was one of 12 defendants indicted in July 2018. According to court documents, the defendants operated and worked through several affiliated moving companies to enrich themselves by stealing from customers who hired them to move their household goods.
The enterprise executed their scheme through various moving companies in Florida, Ohio, Maryland, North Carolina, Illinois, Texas, California, Connecticut, Colorado and Missouri. More than 1,000 customers have been identified as victims.
Shuklin admitted to participating in the scheme from April 2013 through July 2018. The defendant was the owner of affiliated moving companies and worked out of the enterprise’s main business offices in Florida.
One of the enterprise’s warehouses was in West Chester, Ohio, and some of the identified victims reside in the Southern District of Ohio.
As part of the conspiracy, the defendants would provide customers with low binding estimates to do their move, promising to beat their competitor’s prices. After the customers agreed to hire the moving companies, employees of the moving companies would load the customers’ goods onto the truck and then the price of the move would be bumped. Co-conspirators would use an inflated cubic footage for the price of moving the customers’ goods.
Shuklin tracked the “actual” or “real” cubic footage for customers’ goods and charged customers based on the fraudulently inflated price.
Shuklin pleaded guilty in January 2021 to participating in the racketeering conspiracy.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Andrea M. Knopf, Regional Special Agent-in-Charge, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT); and J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole. Assistant United States Attorneys Megan Gaffney Painter and Matthew C. Singer are representing the United States in this case.
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Steubenville man sentenced to more than 7 years in federal prison for distributing fentanylRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Steubenville, Ohio, man was sentenced in federal court today to 90 months in prison for his involvement in fentanyl trafficking.
Llyod George Douglas, Jr., 39, pleaded guilty in November 2021 to conspiring to attempt to possess with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl.
According to court documents, in May 2021, law enforcement intercepted a package from Long Beach, California, addressed to Douglas’s residence that contained approximately 500 grams of fentanyl. Law enforcement then arranged for a controlled delivery of the package after removing the narcotics and inserting an electronic device that would signal when the package was opened.
Douglas transported the package to another residence in Steubenville where the mail was opened. Douglas ran outside shortly after the package was opened and was apprehended by law enforcement.
While searching both residences, investigators discovered firearms and nearly $15,000 in cash.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the sentence imposed today by Chief U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. U.S. Attorney Parker commended the cooperative investigation by the Cleveland Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Jefferson County Drug Task Force and Hancock Brooke Weirton Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Kevin W. Kelley and Jefferson County Prosecutor Jane Hanlin represented the United States in this case.
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Inmate sentenced to 9 years in prison for mailing threats to state & local government officials, judges, newspapersRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – An Ohio inmate was sentenced in federal court to 108 months in prison for writing at least 15 threatening letters containing powder. In some of the letters, he claimed the powder was anthrax or fentanyl or threatened the use of explosive devices.
Sean Heisa, 39, mailed threatening letters while incarcerated to various officials throughout the state of Ohio from July 2017 to July 2018.
Heisa mailed a letter to the city manager of Painesville in August 2017 and claimed powder contained within the envelope was anthrax. In the letter, Heisa described several things that were going to happen: “#1 – You are going to have trouble breathing; #2- You are going to die; #3 – You are going to become a martyr for a cause and an organization far bigger than yourself.”
Likewise, Heisa mailed a second letter that month to a magistrate judge in Whitehall, again claiming the powder contained within the letter was anthrax.
Heisa also threatened via letter officials within the Coshocton Municipal Courthouse, Franklin County Common Pleas Court and then-Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine through threatened exposure to anthrax and the use of explosive devices.
Other letters threatened to injure recipients – including the former Ohio prisons director, the Columbus Dispatch, the Circleville Herald and The Ohio State University – by exposure to purported fentanyl.
For example, one letter to a Fairfield County Common Pleas Court judge who had presided over several hearings involving Heisa (involving robbery charges for which Heisa is now serving a combined 37-year sentence) stated: “This is enough Fentanyl to kill you and multiple coworker [sic]. You deserve a more painful death but this will do”.
Heisa had access to what he believed to be fentanyl in prison and knew that if he could send enough fentanyl that it could kill someone, which is why he referenced it in many of his letters. Heisa chose to ingest the substance instead of mailing it.
Heisa was charged federally in December 2018 and pleaded guilty in October 2019 to making false information or hoaxes and mailing threatening communications.
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 Chief U.S. District Court Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica W. Knight is representing the United States in this case.
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Leader of local fentanyl conspiracy sentenced to 14 years in prisonRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – The lead of eight defendants convicted in a narcotics conspiracy was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 168 months in prison. The drug trafficking organization’s operations stretched from the Mexican border and the western United States to the Southern District of Ohio.
Clemente Quezada, 39, of Fairborn, Ohio, was one of eight individuals indicted in June 2021 in a narcotics conspiracy involving at least 14 kilograms of fentanyl destined for resale in Clark, Greene, Hamilton and Montgomery counties.
According to court documents, between December 2020 until June 2021, the defendants used a network of sellers in southern Ohio to distribute kilogram quantities of opioids from supply sources in Mexico and the western United States. The co-conspirators used a series of properties throughout southern Ohio to process, store, and distribute controlled substances and their resulting cash proceeds.
As part of the conspiracy, one defendant, under the guise of her profession as a truck driver, transported thousands of dollars in cash to sources of drug supply in Mexico and the western United States.
Co-defendant Edson Cruz-Medina was sentenced yesterday to 120 months in prison.
Kenneth L, Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Kent Kleinschmidt, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Ohio State Highway Patrol Superintendent Col. Richard S. Fambro; and Miami County Sheriff Dave Duchak announced the sentence imposed today by Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Rose. Deputy Criminal Chief Brent G. Tabacchi and Assistant United States Attorney Amy M. Smith are representing the United States in this case.
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Previously convicted felon sentenced to more than 8 years in prison for possessing firearm near Dayton barRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – Aaron Spencer Doakes, 33, of Dayton, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 100 months in prison for possessing firearms and ammunition after being convicted of a felony crime.
According to court documents, in February 2020, Dayton police officers were investigating the circumstances of a firearm visible in a vehicle that was running but not occupied near the Uptown Lounge on West Third Street in Dayton.
Doakes returned to the vehicle with the vehicle’s key fob in hand but fled on foot from law enforcement. As he ran, Doakes discarded a Glock 9mm magazine that was loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition.
Doakes was apprehended and detained. The magazine matched the firearm in the vehicle.
While executing subsequent search warrants, officers discovered four additional firearms and nearly $10,000 in cash that was in Doakes’s residence and on his person.
Doakes pleaded guilty in September 2021 to possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony crime. His prior convictions include various violent assaults, including with a deadly weapon.
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 Dayton Police Chief Kamran Afzal announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. Newman. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Saunders is representing the United States in this case.
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Previously convicted felon sentenced to 6 years in prison for possessing firearmsRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – Davon Andre Winn, 36, of Dayton, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 72 months in prison for possessing two loaded firearms after being convicted of a felony crime.
According to court documents, in November 2020, while Winn was on parole, Ohio Adult Parole Authority conducted a search of the residence in which Winn spent a majority of his time.
They discovered an assault rifle and a handgun. Both firearms were loaded.
Winn had prior felony convictions, including kidnapping, aggravated burglary with a deadly weapon, burglary and various other violent offenses. These convictions legally prohibited Winn from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
“We take felon-in-possession cases seriously, especially when they involve defendants using military-style weapons as street guns,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “These firearms, with their high-capacity magazines and ability to fire repeatedly without reloading, continue to exact a great cost in senseless bloodshed and tragedy in communities across the country.”
The defendant pleaded guilty in his federal case in October 2021.
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; Dayton Police Chief Kamran Afzal and other members of the Dayton Police Department’s Safe Streets Task Force announced the sentence imposed by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Thomas M. Rose. Assistant United States Attorney Laura I. Clemmens represented the United States at sentencing.
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2 defendants sentenced to prison for crimes connected to burying murder victims, narcotics traffickingRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Two local men were sentenced in federal court for their roles in crimes related to the 2018 murders of three victims and a related narcotics ring.
In September 2021, a federal grand jury charged five Columbus men with crimes related to the three murders. An alleged narcotics conspiracy in 2018 to rob a local marijuana dealer of drugs and cash in his residence allegedly resulted in the shooting death of another resident within that house. To cover up for this murder, it is alleged one defendant murdered a man and a woman with knowledge of the first murder.
The indictment also charges defendants with crimes related to trafficking cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl and heroin.
In total, 13 individuals have been charged federally for their alleged involvement in either the murders, the cover-up of the murders, or the related narcotics conspiracy.
Lashawn Lee White, 47, was one of four defendants charged with crimes related to the alleged narcotics conspiracy. White possessed fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, Oxycodone, three pistols, one sawed-off shotgun and $20,000 in cash at his residence.
He was sentenced on April 19 to 12 years in prison.
Charles Koon, 52, was one of four other defendants charged in February 2021 for their alleged involvement with moving, dismembering, relocating and then burying the bodies of murder victims Henry Watson and Tera Pennington. He was sentenced 63 months in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; James C. Harris III, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the sentences imposed by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson.
The joint investigation includes assistance from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), Franklin County Coroner’s Office, Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center (ONIC), U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the Columbus Division of Fire and the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy D. Prichard and Elizabeth A. Geraghty are representing the United States in the cases.
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8 defendants from Ohio, Nevada, California charged in methamphetamine conspiracyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal grand jury has charged eight individuals with conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, a crime punishable by at least 10 years and up to life in prison.
It is alleged the defendants shipped multiple pounds of methamphetamine to Columbus from California and Las Vegas via the United States Postal Service.
To date, the government has seized at least 50 kilograms, or approximately 110 pounds, of methamphetamine as part of this case. The quantity of narcotics seized has an approximate street value of $1.5 million.
Law enforcement officials have also seized three firearms, fentanyl and marijuana.
The indictment was returned on April 12 and the case was unsealed today.
Those charged include:
Name
Age
Residence
Wesley Durell Johnson
38
Las Vegas, Nevada
Deysuan Shalee Wells
39
Columbus, Ohio
Tiauna Christine Castro
32
Las Vegas, Nevada
Mohamed Ahmed Hussein
34
Moreno Valley, California
Ronnie Bert White
63
Columbus, Ohio
Autumn K. Jordan
40
Columbus, Ohio
Cierra Sade Stratton
33
Columbus, Ohio
Terrell D. Harris
59
Columbus, Ohio
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pittsburgh Division, announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Prichard 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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Clark County man sentenced to more than 15 years in prison for narcotics, gun crimesRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – Luis Garza, 32, of Springfield, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 188 months in prison for possessing methamphetamine, carfentanil and fentanyl, and for illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Through the violent-crime reduction program, a broad spectrum of stakeholders works 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.
According to court documents, in October 2019, Garza was stopped in Indiana for speeding when a canine alerted to marijuana in his car. At the time, Garza was on parole in Ohio for aggravated robbery.
During a subsequent search of Garza’s residence in Springfield, Ohio, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Adult Parole Authority discovered distributable amounts of fentanyl, carfentanil and methamphetamine, as well as a handgun.
Hancock County, Indiana Sheriff’s deputies searched Garza’s vehicle at a tow yard, where the vehicle was impounded on a police hold. Deputies discovered more than 800 grams of pure methamphetamine in vacuum sealed packages between the rear seats. The DEA conducted the substance testing.
“This case highlights good investigative coordination between local, state and federal agencies in both Ohio and Indiana,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “Thanks to their cooperation, we were able to take off the streets what would equal thousands of dosages of methamphetamine.”
Garza was indicted by a federal grand jury in Dayton, Ohio in June 2020. He pleaded guilty in January 2021.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Travis S. Riddle, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); Springfield Police Chief Lee Graf; and Hancock County, Indiana Sheriff Brad Burkhart announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. Newman. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Saunders is representing the United States in this case.
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Final defendant in meth conspiracy sentenced to more than 12 years in prisonRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The final of six defendants in a Columbus-to-West Virginia methamphetamine ring was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 154 months in prison.
Marvin C. Bozeman, II, 32, of Las Vegas, served as the group’s methamphetamine supplier.
According to court documents, in spring 2019, Columbus Division of Police officers received information from law enforcement in West Virginia that large amounts of methamphetamine were being transported from Columbus to be distributed in West Virginia.
Further investigation revealed the defendants were distributing large quantities of the drug and using various residences in Central Ohio to store and distribute the methamphetamine. Drug premises included residences on Rumsey Road, Lock Avenue and Esther Drive, among others.
Co-conspirators convicted in this case include: Joseph Brian Howard, Timothy D. Copley, Samantha Howard, Darin T. Copeland and Charlee Ann Blankenship. Howard and Copeland were each also sentenced to at least 10 years in prison.
Bozeman admitted to supplying Howard with packages containing pounds of methamphetamine from Las Vegas. Portions of the drugs were then redistributed amongst co-conspirators and throughout the region. Bozeman used the United States Postal Service to send nine-to-10-pound packages of methamphetamine in the mail. The local drug traffickers paid him approximately $1,000 per pound.
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 Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin W. Kelley and Elizabeth Geraghty are representing the United States in this case.
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Hocking County couple charged federally with producing child pornographyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Two Logan, Ohio, individuals have been transferred to federal custody on charges alleging they created child pornography of at least three minor children, one as young as three-to-four years of age.
Robert Gemienhardt, 36, and Carrie Daniels, 41, each appeared in U.S. District Court on April 8.
According to court documents, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a tip from Kik messenger regarding Gemienhardt’s alleged online child exploitation activities. The Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and the Hocking County Sheriff’s Office then began investigating the allegations.
Subsequent search warrants executed by the Hocking County Sherriff’s Office, in conjunction with the FBI, revealed that Gemienhardt and Daniels were acting together and allegedly produced child pornography through the grooming and sexual abuse of minor victims. It is alleged that Daniels also distributed images of the sexual abuse to Gemienhardt. In addition to the images Gemienhardt received from Daniels, Gemienhardt also possessed more than 1,100 images of child pornography.
Gemienhardt and Daniels were originally arrested on local charges in early March 2022.
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 Hocking County Sheriff Lanny E. North announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski 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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Previously convicted felon sentenced to prison for possessing firearm during rival neighborhood shootingsRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A previously convicted felon was sentenced in federal court here today to 70 months in prison for possessing a firearm.
Tevaughn Presley, 27, of Cincinnati, was on supervised release from a separate federal gun conviction when he was involved in a retaliatory shooting on April 17, 2020, at the Villages at Roll Hill in Cincinnati.
The shooting was one of four episodes of gun violence in early April 2020 between the Villages at Roll Hill and Cumminsville.
“The cost was grave to those involved in the series of shootings – two men lost their lives, and two others were seriously injured from gunshot wounds,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “The Cincinnati Police Department and the ATF expended significant resources to curb that surge of violence, and today’s sentence is one of many examples resulting from their joint law enforcement efforts.”
According to court documents, after the shooting, Presley disposed of the gun. However, Presley had taken a picture of himself with the firearm that day – including the weapon’s serial number – lying in his lap. Officers discovered the photo while executing a search warrant of Presley’s phone.
The ATF and Cincinnati Police Department matched two types of shell casings from the vehicle in which Presley was a passenger to the April 17 shooting scene using National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) technology.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Travis S. Riddle, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Cincinnati Interim Police Chief Teresa Theetge announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Michael R. Barrett. Assistant United States Attorney Ashley N. Brucato is representing the United States in this case.
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Previously convicted felon sentenced to prison for possessing firearm during rival neighborhood shootingsRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A previously convicted felon was sentenced in federal court here today to 70 months in prison for possessing a firearm.
Tevaughn Presley, 27, of Cincinnati, was on supervised release from a separate federal gun conviction when he was involved in a retaliatory shooting on April 17, 2020, at the Villages at Roll Hill in Cincinnati.
The shooting was one of four episodes of gun violence in early April 2020 between the Villages at Roll Hill and Cumminsville.
“The cost was grave to those involved in the series of shootings – two men lost their lives, and two others were seriously injured from gunshot wounds,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “The Cincinnati Police Department and the ATF expended significant resources to curb that surge of violence, and today’s sentence is one of many examples resulting from their joint law enforcement efforts.”
According to court documents, after the shooting, Presley disposed of the gun. However, Presley had taken a picture of himself with the firearm that day – including the weapon’s serial number – lying in his lap. Officers discovered the photo while executing a search warrant of Presley’s phone.
The ATF and Cincinnati Police Department matched two types of shell casings from the vehicle in which Presley was a passenger to the April 17 shooting scene using National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) technology.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Travis S. Riddle, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Cincinnati Interim Police Chief Teresa Theetge announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Michael R. Barrett. Assistant United States Attorney Ashley N. Brucato is representing the United States in this case.
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3 area residents from Turkey charged with conspiring to illegally bring individuals into United StatesRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has charged three individuals from Turkey who live in the Cincinnati region with conspiring to bring illegal Turkish immigrants into the United States via Mexico.
Comert Kurdistan (also known as Comert Ardic), 43, of Newtown, Ohio; Emma Brown (also known as Emma Nur), 35, of Cincinnati; and Ismail Altundag, 26, of Cincinnati have each been charged with federal immigration crimes.
According to the six-count indictment, the three defendants conspired in October and November 2021 to bring at least three undocumented immigrants into the United States.
Conspiring to bring in illegal immigrants is a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison and aiding or abetting in such conduct carries a potential maximum punishment of five 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; James C. Harris III, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Newtown Police Chief Thomas Synan Jr. and Miami Township Police Chief Mike Mills announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy S. Mangan 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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Prior sex offender sentenced to 18 years in prison for possessing child pornographyRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – A local photographer with a history of sex offenses was sentenced in federal court to 18 years in prison for possessing child pornography, including images of young children he photoshopped to be sexually explicit.
Henry Douglas Hitchcock, 61, of Covington, Ohio, was also sentenced to 15 years of supervised release following his imprisonment.
According to court documents, Hitchcock possessed at least 220,000 images and videos depicting child pornography, which he had collected over a span of 20 years.
The defendant morphed images of pre-pubescent children to make the children appear nude.
Hitchcock was convicted of local child exploitation crimes in 1998 and 2002.
“Hitchcock has repeatedly demonstrated that nothing short of this significant term of incarceration will stop him from continuing to sexually exploit children,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “This office is dedicated to protecting children – the most vulnerable victims in our communities.”
Hitchcock was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2021 and pleaded guilty in January 2022 to possessing child pornography.
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 Senior U.S. District Court Judge Thomas M. Rose. Assistant United States Attorney Christina E. Mahy is representing the United States in this case.
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