Southern District of Ohio
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Three local men charged for unlawfully possessing firearmsRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Three Dayton men were charged today with gun-related crimes.
Davonte Hall, 27, and Demarque Demons, 27, were each charged by a federal grand jury in separate indictments. Hall was charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. Demons was charged with using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense and possessing heroin with intent to distribute.
Edward Clark, 33, was also charged by criminal information with unlawfully possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon.
They are among more than 20 area men charged federally with gun crimes in Dayton in the past 90 days.
“We’ve recently seen historic levels of gun violence in our cities,” said David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. “The year has also brought unique challenges to police and prosecutors who combat this violence. It is vital that we work together and with the community to target the extremely small population of violent offenders who create such a huge and horrific impact on our communities.”
Hall allegedly caused a high-speed chase with local law enforcement after striking a Montgomery County deputy cruiser on Sept. 16, 2020. Prior to being disabled by marked police cruisers, Hall drove on a rim of a tire for several miles into oncoming traffic in an attempt to elude law enforcement. Hall’s vehicle was eventually boxed in by law enforcement, and Hall was found to be in custody of pistol with an extended magazine. Hall was previously convicted in Montgomery County of assaulting a police officer.
A criminal complaint details that Demons allegedly fled from law enforcement at a high rate of speed after an attempted traffic stop. When subsequently arrested, officers recovered a firearm, as well as heroinand a digital scale.
According to court documents in Clark’s case, investigators with the Regional Agencies Narcotics and Gun Enforcement (RANGE) Task Force found a handgun between a mattress and box spring in Clark’s bedroom while executing a search warrant. The handgun, which had been previously reported stolen, had an extended magazine and was loaded with 22 rounds. Clark has prior convictions in Montgomery County for aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon and kidnapping.
Others charged federally in Dayton in the past 90 days for gun crimes include:
Defendant
Age
From
Date Charged
Offense(s)
Lemanuel Booker
32
Dayton
7/14/2020
Unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; Possession of fentanyl and heroin with intent to distribute
Dustin VanWey
32
Dayton
7/28/2020
Unlawful possession of ammunition by a convicted felon
Jack Clarence Elson II
42
Dayton
7/28/2020
Unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; Unlawful possession of ammunition by a convicted felon; Possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute
Kalani Grier
21
Dayton
7/28/2020
Brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime
Anthony McGlothan
40
Dayton
8/11/2020
Unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Diondray Beal
35
Springfield
8/11/2020
Unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; Use and Carrying of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime; Possession of fentanyl and methamphetamine with intent to distribute
Joshua Payne
36
Dayton
8/25/2020
Unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; Possession of methamphetamine and cocaine with intent to distribute
Joshua Ryan Fuller
31
Dayton
8/26/2020
Unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Antwaun Smith
43
Dayton
9/8/2020
Unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; Possession of valeryl fentanyl with intent to distribute
Robert Gilmore
40
Dayton
9/8/2020
Unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; Unlawful possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence; Receipt of a firearm by a person under indictment; Possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute
Samuel Hayes
61
Dayton
9/8/2020
Armed bank robbery; Brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; Unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon
Brent Shropshire Jr.
36
Dayton
9/10/2020
Unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Charles Scott Cooper
53
Moraine
9/21/2020
Unlawful possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence
Stephon Jones
23
Dayton
9/22/2020
Brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime
Brandon Harrison
31
Dayton
9/22/2020
Unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
George Lail
26
Dayton
10/1/2020
Unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Ronald Howe, Jr.
42
Dayton
10/1/2020
Unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Tevin D. Brown
25
Dayton
10/2/2020
Unlawful possession of ammunition by a user of, or person addicted to, a controlled substance
Indictments, criminal complaints and bills of information merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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U.S. Attorney DeVillers announces federal firearm prosecution ‘hot zones’Read the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Today, United States Attorney David M. DeVillers announced a surge in enforcement to address gun crimes in two Columbus neighborhoods.
As part of the “hot zone” firearms initiative, federal and local law enforcement agencies and prosecuting authorities will jointly identify dangerous offenders for federal prosecution in the Hilltop and Linden neighborhoods.
According to local crime statistics, 20 homicides were committed from January to mid-September 2020 in Columbus Division of Police zone 3, which includes the Hilltop. There were 11 homicides during that time in precinct 10 alone. Precinct 10 makes up a quarter of zone 3 and is located south of Broad Street, straddling I-270. The Hilltop police zone reported 35 non-fatal shootings this summer.
Columbus police zone 4 encompasses Linden. During the first eight and a half months of 2020, 24 homicides were committed in zone 4. There were 36 non-fatal shootings in zone 4 during summer 2020.
Linden precincts 2 and 5, located along Cleveland Ave. east of I-71 and north of I-670, accounted for 23 of the zone’s 24 homicides and 30 of the zone’s 36 non-fatal shootings.
City wide, the Columbus Division of Police seized more than 1,500 illegal firearms via search warrants and misdemeanor and felony investigations from January through September 2020. In September alone, 244 firearms were seized via the same means.
Under federal law, it is illegal to possess a firearm if you fall into one of nine prohibited categories, including being a felon, convicted of a misdemeanor domestic violence offense or under a court authorized restraining order. These crimes can be punished by up to 10 years in federal prison.
Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. Defendants convicted of these crimes face a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison.
DeVillers announced he is shifting resources within his office in order to handle the anticipated increase in federal firearms prosecutions. He plans to pivot some Assistant United States Attorneys from other types of cases to handle violent crime.
City and county prosecutors are also dedicating resources through Special Assistant United States Attorneys who will prosecute at the federal level.
Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien has assigned Assistant County Prosecutors James Lowe and Jason Manning, who are current Special Assistant United States Attorneys (SAUSA), to prosecute federal firearms offenses and has committed Assistant County Prosecutors John Gripshover and Amy Van Culin, to be designated SAUSAs.
Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein has dedicated current SASUAs Melanie Tobias and Joe Gibson to prosecute federal firearms offenses.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Roland Herndon, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Columbus Police Chief Thomas Quinlan; Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien and Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein announced the initiative today.
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Southern District of Ohio charges 205 defendants with firearms-related crimes in FY20Read the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Today, U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio filed charges against more than 200 new defendants with firearms-related crimes in Fiscal Year 2020. The district also prosecuted* 23 defendants for murder during this timeframe, with the vast majority involving firearms.
The number of firearms matters received by the office, as well as the number of defendants charged, increased by approximately 26 percent compared to the district’s past four-year average.
The cases are a result of the partnership between federal and local law enforcement in Cincinnati, Columbus and Dayton. In Fiscal Year 2020, city and county prosecuting attorneys have dedicated more manpower to taking firearms cases federally by assigning Special Assistant United States Attorneys from their offices.
The following local offices have dedicated Special Assistant United States Attorneys to prosecute federal firearms offenses:
- Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien (three SAUSAs)
- Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein (two SAUSAs)
- Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley (one full-time SAUSA)
- Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters (one full-time SAUSA)
Under federal law, it is illegal to possess a firearm if you fall into one of nine prohibited categories, including being a felon, convicted of a misdemeanor domestic violence offense or under a court authorized restraining order. These crimes can be punished by up to 10 years in federal prison.
Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. Defendants convicted of these crimes face a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison.
Individuals with domestic violence misdemeanor and felony convictions, as well as individuals subject to domestic violence protective orders, are prohibited from possessing firearms. The data shows that offenders with domestic violence in their past pose a high risk of homicide. In fact, domestic violence abusers with a gun in the home are five times more likely to kill their partners.
“If you’re prohibited from possessing a gun and you get caught with a firearm in this district, you’re going to federal prison,” the U.S. Attorney said. “You’re going to prison for years, not months. You’re not getting probation and you are going out of the state to a Bureau of Prisons facility.”
In Columbus, DeVillers announced today that he designated two parts of the city as “hot zones” and committed to increasing the number of federal prosecutions for gun offenses committed in the Hilltop and Linden neighborhoods of Columbus.
DeVillers announced federal charges against 16 defendants at the end of September in Cincinnati as part of a Cincinnati gun violence initiative with ATF, Cincinnati Police and the Hamilton County Sheriff.
In August, a Huber Heights man was sentenced in federal court in Dayton to the statutory maximum 10 years in prison for illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
“This office has a long history of prosecuting the worst of the worst when it comes to homicide cases, the vast majority of which involve cold case murders committed by repeat violent offenders who have threatened, intimidated and even killed witnesses,” DeVillers said. “Holding these criminals accountable can only be done with the help and cooperation of our county and city prosecutors and local law enforcement.”
The Dayton office charged three men in November 2019 in the murder of Dayton Police Detective and DEA Task Force Officer Jorge DelRio.
The Columbus Office prosecuted defendants for murder in the Trevitt and Atcheson crips gang case that involves five murders charged, including the murder of a seven-year-old bystander. Also in Columbus, Antwan Hutchinson was sentenced to life in prison for murdering two potential witnesses. Additionally, six MS-13 defendants were prosecuted in Fiscal Year 2020 for murder involving a firearm.
The Cincinnati office indicted its first-ever federal murder case in July 2020.
DeVillers added, “2020 has brought historic levels of gun violence to our cities. The year has also brought unique challenges to police and prosecutors who combat this violence. It is vital that we work together and with the community to target the extremely small population of violent offenders who create such a huge and horrific impact on our communities.”
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*Prosecuted includes case proceedings such as indictments, pleas and sentencings that occurred during FY 2020
Dayton man pleads guilty for role in string of convenience store armed robberiesRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Kavonte Knolton, 21, pleaded guilty to two crimes related to armed robbery today in federal court. Knolton will face at least seven years and up to life in prison for brandishing a firearm during a crime violence, and up to 20 years in prison for robbery. Any sentence imposed for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence must be served consecutively to any other punishment.
Knolton and Jamaal Murphy, 19, were charged in June 2020 with working together to rob at gunpoint several businesses in the Dayton area.
Knolton and Murphy were arrested June 29 by Dayton Police and agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
As part of his plea, Knolton admitted he helped rob a UDF on Woodman Avenue on Valentine’s Day 2020. According to court documents, Knolton pointed an inoperable firearm at the store clerk while Murphy stole approximately $80 in cash and various tobacco products.
Knolton admitted he helped Murphy rob the Circle in Kettering, Ohio in February 2020 and the Wyoming Mini-Mart in Dayton during March 2020. He is scheduled for sentencing on Jan. 14, 2021.
Charges against Murphy remain pending.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Roland Herndon, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Dayton Police Chief Rick Biehl announced the plea entered into today before Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Rose. Assistant United States Attorney Brent G. Tabacchi and Deputy Criminal Chief Dominick S. Gerace are representing the United States in this case.
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11 charged in conspiracy to steal account information, money from bank customersRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has charged 11 Cincinnatians in a conspiracy to steal bank customers’ information in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky in an indictment unsealed here today.
According to the indictment, five of the defendants were employed as customer service representatives at Fifth Third Bank in Cincinnati, and in conspiracy with the other defendants, stole customer account information from 2018 until August 2020.
“Fifth Third had protective measures and a culture in place to help identify potential misuse of customer information and should be commended for coming forward to work together with law enforcement to hold these alleged fraudsters accountable,” said U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers.
It is alleged the bank employees were recruited into the scheme through social media. The employees were allegedly paid by other co-conspirators to identify bank customers with high cash balances, and steal and provide the customer information to the other co-conspirators.
Other individuals known as “runners” were recruited to enter Fifth Third bank branches to withdraw money from the compromised accounts. These runners were often homeless or drug-addicted. It is alleged they were given false ID cards with their picture and the name of the account theft victim. The indictment details that runners were sometimes taken to thrift stores and bought clothing to more appropriately match the victims’ identities. Co-conspirators drove the runners to and from the bank branches. After withdrawing $3,000 to $8,000, the runners would receive a small payment.
Those charged include:
Name
Also Known As
Age
Keyonte Bronson
Dom
25
Juan Leonard
Tim
27
Duane Grigsby
34
Marcus Knox
Sleepy
28
Patrick H. Walker
Sin Wolf
46
Gregory Palmer
Cook LaFlare
28
Diamond Brocks
25
Kenisha Cavitt
29
Kellielle Berry
25
Jalen Rowe
25
Sharnese Davis
26
Each of the defendants is charged with conspiring to commit bank fraud, a crime punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Bronson, Grigsby, Knox, Palmer and Walker are also charged with aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory penalty of two years in prison.
Bronson was arrested Thursday evening and is scheduled to appear at 2:30pm today in federal court in Cincinnati.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Yvonne DiCristoforo, Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service, announced the charges. They also commended the investigative coordination of the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, Springfield Police Department, Drug Abuse Reduction Taskforce (DART) and Cincinnati Police Department. Assistant Deputy Criminal Chief 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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U.S. Attorney DeVillers appoints district election officersRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – United States Attorney David M. DeVillers announced today that he has designated Election Officers in each of the district’s three offices to serve as points of contact for the upcoming general elections.
DeVillers appointed:
-
- Assistant United States Attorney Jessica W. Knight district wide,
- Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate in Columbus,
- Deputy Criminal Chief Emily N. Glatfelter in Cincinnati, and
- Deputy Criminal Chief Dominick S. Gerace in Dayton.
As District Election Officers, they are responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with the Justice Department in Washington.
“The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur,” said U.S. Attorney DeVillers. “We seek to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open.”
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them.
DeVillers added, “Voting is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice.”
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
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Hamilton pain clinic owner sentenced to 7 years in prisonRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – The owner and operator of a Hamilton pain clinic was sentenced in U.S. District Court today for illegally distributing controlled substances, committing health care fraud and violating the anti-kickback statute.
Nilesh Jobalia, 55, of Cincinnati, was sentenced to 84 months in prison and ordered to pay nearly $2.2 million in restitution to Medicaid, Medicare and the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.
According to court documents, Jobalia owned and operated Cincinnati Centers for Pain Relief in Hamilton, Ohio from March 2013 through December 2017. Although the practice was not licensed as such, it operated almost exclusively as a pain clinic.
Patients were prescribed fentanyl, oxycodone, methadone, morphine and other controlled substances on many occasions without actually being seen by the doctor.
“Prescribing controlled substances outside the usual course of professional practice and for illegitimate medical purposes is illegal,” said Lamont Pugh III, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General – Chicago Region. “This defendant’s actions put the health and safety of his patients at risk and further exacerbated the ongoing opioid epidemic. The OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that individuals who that engage in this illegal behavior are held accountable.”
“He was a dope dealer with a white coat and a license, and now he has neither,” Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said. “He shares responsibility for the misery of addiction and death that we call by the clinical name of the opiate crisis, and I am glad to support the work of the United States Attorney in bringing him to justice.”
Jobalia’s practice also billed Medicare, Medicaid and the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation for medically unnecessary prescriptions and services not rendered.
For example, prescriptions to one customer alone caused the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation to pay more than $450,000 for medically unnecessary drugs. In total, Jobalia caused more than $2 million in false claims.
Jobalia also received more than $103,000 from a pharmaceutical company for purported speaking engagements about a fentanyl spray, a medication intended for breakthrough cancer pain.
The speaking engagements were actually sham programs, though, in which many attendees were not medical professionals permitted to prescribe the fentanyl spray. Usually, Jobalia, some of his staff and the pharmaceutical sales representative were the only people present at the engagements, which were held at fine dining restaurants in the Cincinnati area.
Jobalia was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2018 and pleaded guilty in September 2019.
Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence. Sentencing of the defendant is determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Lamont Pugh III, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost; Anthony Groeber, Executive Director, State Medical Board of Ohio; Steven Schierholt, Executive Director, State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy; and Stephanie B. McCloud, Administrator, Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Susan J. Dlott. Assistant United States Attorney Salvador A. Dominguez is representing the United States in this case.
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Court of Appeals affirms conviction against entertainment industry business manager who defrauded celebrity clientsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed the conviction of a New Jersey entertainment industry business manager who was convicted at trial in federal court in Columbus.
A jury convicted Kevin Foster, 44, of Montclair, N.J., in August 2018 of 16 counts for his role in an investment scam involving the product “OXYwater”. The court sentenced Foster to 89 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay nearly $8 million in restitution.
Foster appealed, contending that the evidence supporting one of his convictions was insufficient and challenging the sentence imposed.
The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the United States and affirmed Foster’s convictions and sentence in an opinion filed Oct. 1.
Foster’s case stemmed from the prior prosecution of Thomas E. Jackson and Preston J. Harrison, who collected approximately $9 million from investors under false pretenses to start and market the sports beverage OXYwater through their company, Imperial Integrative Health Research and Development (“Imperial”). The two were convicted by a federal jury in March 2015 of multiple wire fraud, money laundering and tax fraud charges. Jackson and Harrison were both sentenced to 83 months’ imprisonment. Lovena Harrison, Preston Harrison’s spouse, was convicted of various offenses as well and sentenced to 12 months and a day in prison.
In 2015, Jackson and Preston and Lovena Harrison also appealed their convictions, and, in 2016, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed in favor of the United States.
Foster was the principal of his management/accounting firm, Foster & Firm, Inc., and as business manager for Shaffer Smith (“Ne-Yo”), induced Smith to invest $2 million into OXYwater under false representations. Unbeknownst to Smith, Foster also invested additional funds belonging to Smith into the product without his consent and fraudulently took out lines of credit under Smith’s name.
Foster also defrauded a second celebrity client, Brian McKnight, as a way to secure money to help keep Imperial solvent.
Foster stole millions of dollars from Smith and McKnight’s bank accounts in order to fund the operations of OXYwater as well as his own lavish lifestyle, including multiple luxury vehicles, a personal driver, designer watches, and season tickets to the New York Giants and New York Knicks.
In his appeal, Foster challenged the sufficiency of the evidence to sustain his bankruptcy-fraud conviction. Foster attempted to contend that the government did not sufficiently prove a false statement was material to a bankruptcy proceeding; however, the Court of Appeals ruled to uphold the bankruptcy-fraud conviction.
Foster also unsuccessfully contended that the District Court had erred in allowing certain testimony during his trial and had erroneously calculated the amount of loss to victims and the $7.9 million restitution attributable to him. The Court of Appeals affirmed in favor of the government on these points as well.
Appellate Chief Mary Beth Young and Assistant United States Attorney David J. Twombly represented the United States during the various appeals, and Assistant United States Attorney Jessica H. Kim prosecuted the original cases at trial.
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Cin-Air ordered to pay $90k fine for jet fuel spillRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Cin-Air LP pleaded guilty and was sentenced in U.S. District Court today for violating the Clean Water Act by causing and mishandling a jet fuel leak in March 2019 at Lunken Airport.
The company was sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay a $90,000 fine. As part of its probation, the company will provide training to all employees on spill prevention and cleanup. It will also publish a full-page acknowledgment of its conduct in Business Air’s FBO Today.
According to the plea document, on March 21, 2019, Cin-Air’s fuel pump at the Lunken Airport airplane hangar was inadvertently left running overnight after a mechanic refueled an airplane.
A safety switch called the “dead man switch” had been previously altered with a zip tie, causing the switch to permanently stay in the open position.
When Cin-Air employees reported to work the morning of March 22, they discovered the fuel pump had been running all night and leaking. It was estimated that more than 3,000 gallons of fuel had spilled from the pump during the night.
Cin-Air never notified to the National Response Center and waited approximately six hours before notifying the Cincinnati Fire Department. Before calling the fire department, company employees washed down the spill area with water into a nearby storm sewer.
Emergency crews traced the fuel spill to a cove of the Little Miami River. No jet fuel was observed in the main river channel.
Efforts were made to contain and clean up the spill, and it is estimated 1,700 gallons of fuel were recovered. Cin-Air contributed approximately $220,000 toward nearly $440,000 in cleanup costs.
“The defendant’s negligence resulted in a fuel spill that contaminated the Little Miami River, a tributary of the Ohio River,” said Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Lynn of EPA’s criminal enforcement program in Ohio. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates that EPA and our law enforcement partners are committed to enforcing laws designed to protect the health of our communities and our natural resources.”
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jennifer Lynn, Special Agent in Charge, United States EPA criminal enforcement program; Laurie A. Stevenson, Director, Ohio EPA; Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Cincinnati Fire Chief Roy E. Winston announced the sentence imposed by U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie K. Bowman. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle J. Healey and Department of Justice Environmental and Natural Resources Division Trial Attorney Adam Cullman are representing the United States in this case.
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Market owners who redeemed more than $10M in food stamp, WIC benefits plead guilty to fraud conspiracyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Hassan and Abdurahim Nuriso, owners of the Somali specialty market Towfiq Market on Sullivant Avenue, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to conspiring to commit food stamp and WIC fraud. The brothers redeemed more than $10 million in SNAP and WIC benefits at their store between 2010 and 2019.
A federal grand jury charged the pair in February 2020.
As part of the conspiracy, brothers Hassan, 40, and Abdurahim Nuriso, 47, converted illegally obtained food stamp benefits, WIC coupons and WIC electronic benefits into money, in order to use the money for other purposes.
The defendants allowed SNAP and WIC beneficiaries to purchase items that were not redeemable through the food stamp or WIC programs.
In total, Hassan and Abdurahim Nuriso redeemed in excess of $8 million of SNAP benefits and nearly $2.1 million in WIC benefits at Towfiq Market between 2010 and November 2019.
As part of their pleas, the Nurisos will forfeit nearly $245,000. Approximately $18,650 in cash was seized during a federal search and seizure warrant at one of the Nuriso brother’s homes in Grove City in November 2018. More than $10,000 was seized during during the execution of a federal search and seizure warrant at Towfiq Market.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Chris Hoffman, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI),Cincinnati Division; and Anthony V. Mohatt, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, announced the pleas entered into today before Chief U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Brenda S. Shoemaker is representing the United States in this case.
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Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Paying Co-Conspirator to Illegally Dump Drums of Hazardous WasteRead the Press Release
An Ohio man pleaded guilty in the Southern District of Ohio before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus Jr. to conspiring to illegally transport and dispose of hazardous waste at several area apartment complexes.
According to court documents, in October 2018, Khaled Ebrigit, 54, of Columbus, Ohio, paid and directed Martin Eldridge, 41, of Williamsport, Ohio, to dump drums of hazardous waste near dumpsters at several apartment complexes throughout Columbus.
Ebrigit knew the material was hazardous and did not have a permit to dispose of it.
In total, six 55-gallon drums and 64 10-gallon drums were dumped at six residential apartment complexes in Columbus. Many of the drums were labeled with brightly colored warning labels with symbols and written statements indicating “flammable” and “irritating,” and with a detailed listing of hazards and precautions including but not limited to “[h]ighly flammable,” “[i]rritating to eyes,” and “[t]ake precautionary measures against static discharges.” Many of the drums were leaking.
As a result of the dumping, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Columbus Fire Department and Columbus Division of Police responded to reports of illegal dumping and cleaned the various sites.
As part of his plea, Ebrigit agreed to pay at least $30,000 in restitution.
Specifically, Ebrigit pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiring to illegally transport hazardous material, transporting hazardous material and disposing of hazardous material.
Eldridge pleaded guilty in December 2019 to the same three crimes.
The U.S. EPA Criminal Enforcement Program, Ohio EPA, and Franklin County Sheriff’s office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Adam C. Cullman of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Michael Marous of the Southern District of Ohio, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Robinson from Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien’s office are representing the United States in this case.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Justice Department settles sexual harassment lawsuit against Cincinnati landlordRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers announced today that landlord John Klosterman and his wife, Susan Klosterman, will pay $177,500 total to resolve a Fair Housing Act lawsuit alleging that John Klosterman sexually harassed female tenants since at least 2013 at the 55 residential properties the couple owned in Sedamsville.
“In this settlement, Klosterman acknowledges that the United States has evidence he sexually harassed tenants on multiple occasions,” said U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers. “He’s being held accountable under the Fair Housing Act and will pay more than $167,000 to victims of his heinous conduct.”
The defendants acknowledged in the settlement that, if this case had gone to trial, the United States was prepared to introduce the following evidence:
- sworn deposition testimony from John Klosterman acknowledging that, on multiple occasions, he engaged in inappropriate sexual communications with his female tenants and prospective tenants, made comments about the physical appearances of his female tenants and prospective tenants, sent pictures of a naked male statue to his female tenants, and offered to send to his female tenants, and requested that his female tenants send to him, sexual photographs;
- sworn deposition testimony from John Klosterman admitting that he offered to pay an “allowance” to a female tenant in exchange for engaging in a sexual relationship with him; and
- text messages and recordings of phone calls in which John Klosterman made sexual comments to female tenants and prospective female tenants.
According to the complaint filed in 2018, Klosterman engaged in unwanted sexual touching, offered to reduce rent and overlook or excuse late or unpaid rent in exchange for sex. He evicted or threatened to evict female tenants who objected to or refused sexual advances. Klosterman also entered the homes of female tenants without their consent and otherwise monitored their daily activities with cameras directed at their units.
Under the settlement, which still must be approved by the court, the Klostermans will pay $167,125 in damages to former tenants who were harmed by John Klosterman’s harassment, $7,875 to another plaintiff in the lawsuit, and a $2,500 civil penalty to the United States. The consent order also bars the defendants from participating in the rental or management of residential properties in the future.
The United States’ lawsuit was pursued jointly with the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. The Civil Rights Division enforces the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color religion, national origin, sex disability and familial status. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at http://www.justice.gov/crt.
Individuals can report sexual harassment or other forms of housing discrimination by calling the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743, e-mailing the Justice Department at [email protected], or submitting a report online.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division announced the settlement agreement filed in federal court today. Deputy Civil Chief Matthew Horwitz is representing the United States in this case.
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Justice Department Settles Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Cincinnati, Ohio LandlordRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced that landlord John Klosterman and his wife, Susan Klosterman, will pay $177,500 to resolve a Fair Housing Act lawsuit alleging that John Klosterman sexually harassed female tenants since at least 2013 at residential properties the couple owned in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Under the settlement, which still must be approved by the court, the Klostermans will pay $167,125 in damages to former tenants who were harmed by John Klosterman’s harassment, $7,875 to another plaintiff in the lawsuit, and a $2,500 civil penalty to the United States. The consent order also bars the defendants from participating in the rental or management of residential properties in the future.
“Sexual harassment of women in their homes is indecent, destructive, and illegal,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. “The Fair Housing Act protects the right of women and their families to live in peace and security and without the fear that deviant people will intimidate and bully them for sexual favors. This department will continue tirelessly to pursue landlords and others who abuse their authority by preying upon vulnerable women.”
“In this settlement, Klosterman acknowledges that the United States has evidence he sexually harassed tenants on multiple occasions,” said U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers for the Southern District of Ohio. “He’s being held accountable under the Fair Housing Act and will pay more than $167,000 to victims of his heinous conduct.”
The complaint, filed in 2018, alleged that John Klosterman sexually harassed female tenants at the rental properties since at least 2013. According to the complaint, he engaged in harassment that included, among other things, making unwelcome sexual advances and comments, sending unwanted sexual text messages and photos, engaging in unwanted sexual touching, offering to reduce rent and overlooking or excusing late or unpaid rent in exchange for sex, evicting or threatening to evict female tenants who objected to or refused sexual advances, and entering the homes of female tenants without their consent and otherwise monitoring their daily activities with cameras directed at their units.
The defendants acknowledged in the settlement that, if this case had gone to trial, the United States was prepared to introduce the following evidence: (a) sworn deposition testimony from John Klosterman acknowledging that, on multiple occasions, he engaged in inappropriate sexual communications with his female tenants and prospective tenants, made comments about the physical appearances of his female tenants and prospective tenants, sent pictures of a naked male statue to his female tenants, and offered to send to his female tenants, and requested that his female tenants send to him, sexual photographs; (b) sworn deposition testimony from John Klosterman admitting that he offered to pay an “allowance” to a female tenant in exchange for engaging in a sexual relationship with him; and (c) text messages and recordings of phone calls in which John Klosterman made sexual comments to female tenants and prospective female tenants.
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 Attorney General recently reaffirmed this commitment by directing the Justice Department to deploy all available enforcement tools against anyone who tries to capitalize on the COVID-19 crisis by sexually harassing people in need of housing. The goal of the department’s initiative is to address sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers, or other people who have control over housing. As part of the initiative, the Justice Department developed a public service announcement and formed a joint task force with HUD to combat sexual harassment in housing. Since launching the Initiative in October 2017, the Department of Justice has filed 18 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing. Since January 2017, the Justice Department has filed or settled 23 cases alleging sexual harassment in housing and has recovered over $2.9 million for victims of such harassment.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division enforces the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex disability and familial status. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at http://www.justice.gov/crt. Individuals can report sexual harassment or other forms of housing discrimination by calling the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743, e-mailing the Justice Department at [email protected], or submitting a report online. Individuals can also report such discrimination by contacting HUD at 1-800-669-9777 or filing a complaint online.
Sixteen men charged federally as part of Cincinnati gun violence initiativeRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has charged 15 Cincinnati men and one Chicago man with crimes related to Cincinnati gun violence in separate indictments unsealed here today. Six defendants were arrested late last week, and 10 were already in state custody.
U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers, ATF Special Agent in Charge Roland Herndon, Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot K. Isaac and Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Neil announced the cases as part of a 2020 Summer Gun Violence Initiative.
The aim of the initiative is to identify repeat and dangerous offenders for federal prosecution.
The cases include multiple incidents of shots fired, defendants who allegedly threatened children with firearms at a school and an apartment complex, and a handful of individuals fighting in the street with weapons.
Each defendant is a convicted felon charged with illegally possessing a firearm, which is a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Those charged include:
Name
Age
Daniel Ambrose
25
Ricardo Boyd
32
Kenneth Davis
22
Traevon Edwards
27
Willie Goldsmith
27
Darryl Johnson
28
Greg McIntosh
27
Richard Williams-Moore
23
Jeff Napier
34
Rashan Robinson
31
Jerome Rucker
22
Recardo Sims
26
Andreqio Stevens
41
Darren Thomas
32
Demetrius Williams
24
Terrance White, of Chicago,
26
Ambrose, Boyd, Goldsmith, Johnson, McIntosh and Sims were arrested on Friday.
The Cincinnati Police Gang Squad has been investigating Daniel Ambrose for his alleged responsibility in several shooting incidents in the Avondale neighborhood this August. Ambrose was arrested early Friday morning by ATF SWAT.
In February 2020, Ricardo Boyd was arrested on local domestic violence charges after assaulting a woman and a child. It is alleged that Boyd illegally possessed a firearm in his pants pocket at the time of the assault.
It is alleged that in September 2020, Recardo Sims and multiple other individuals were fighting on Bowling Green Court in Cincinnati. 911 calls indicate that at least four firearms were seen.
In the case pending against Andreqio Stevens, at least six people called 911 on May 12, 2020, to report that Stevens was allegedly standing in the parking lot of Eatondale Apartment Complex waving a gun and threatening to “kill everybody.” In some 911 calls, you can hear individuals screaming and warning others to “get in the house.” Callers describe being terrified, running away from Stevens and having children with them.
In January 2020, Daryl Johnson reportedly waved a gun at students at the School for Creative and Performing Arts in downtown Cincinnati.
U.S. Attorney DeVillers said federal investigations into Cincinnati gun violence will continue, and he anticipates more charges to come.
Criminal Chief Karl P. Kadon, OCDETF Deputy Criminal Chief Christy L. Muncy, Assistant United States Attorneys Ashley N. Brucato, Kenneth L. Parker, Timothy D. Oakley, Jennifer Weinhold, Anthony Springer, and Special Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly K. Rossi, Zach Kessler and Jackie Stachowiak are representing the United States in these cases.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Former University of Cincinnati basketball player ordered to pay more than quarter of a million dollars for failing to file taxesRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A former prominent college basketball player, who currently plays professionally overseas, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today for failing to file tax returns in the United States.
Yancy D. Gates, 31, of Cincinnati, was sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay nearly $270,000 in restitution to the IRS for failing to pay his taxes.
According to court documents, since 2012, Gates has played professional basketball for teams in Lithuania, Israel, China Germany and France.
Gates earned anywhere from $80,000 for his first season to $80,000 per month during the season he played in China. In addition to his salary, Gates’ employer teams provided him with all of his needs while living abroad, including his apartment, utilities, a car, health insurance, transportation, and several round trip flights he could use for himself or for family and friends.
During the offseason, Gates would return to the Southern District of Ohio to live.
Gates knew he was required to report his foreign earned income on a U.S. tax return, but has never filed a return nor reported any of his income from playing professional basketball.
Gates was charged by a bill of information in August 2019 pleaded guilty in January 2020 to two counts of willfully failing to file tax returns. His case was unsealed today.
Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence. Sentencing of the defendant is determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS-Criminal Investigation Cincinnati Field Office, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen L. Litkovitz. Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Springer is representing the United States in this case.
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U.S. Attorney DeVillers announces results in fight against opioid crisis 2 years after launch of operation S.O.S.Read the Press Release
DAYTON – In July 2018, the Department of Justice announced the launch of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S), a program aimed at reducing the supply of synthetic opioids in 10 high impact areas, including the Southern District of Ohio, and identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers.
Under Operation SOS, the United States Attorneys in 10 districts with some of the highest drug overdose death rates in the country each designated a county where they would focus on prosecuting every readily available case involving fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, and other synthetic opioids, regardless of the drug quantity.
“The Justice Department’s commitment to fighting the opioids epidemic is stronger than ever, and we are using every tool in our arsenal to disrupt the supply of these drugs on our streets,” said Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen. “Operation SOS has had a significant positive impact on the communities where it is being employed. The Department will continue to build on these successes and work to stop the drug traffickers who so callously wreck lives.”
In Dayton, 106 defendants have been charged in federal court since the initiative started, including approximately 50 defendants charged in FY2020.
One Dayton case – U.S. v. Marco Villa et al. – involved the lead defendant arranging for bulk amounts of fentanyl to be shipped from Mexico to his grandmother’s house in Dayton where it was picked up and kept at various places around the city. When federal agents questioned him on June 26, 2019, they seized 483 grams of fentanyl at his house. The defendant intended to accept another 256 grams that day.
Villa was sentenced on Sept. 9 to 150 months in prison.
U.S. v. Anthony Franklin, et al. involves an individual who had previously served a nine-year state prison sentence for drug trafficking. On Oct. 22, 2019, after law enforcement observed activity consistent with drug transactions, including the delivery of what appeared to be a kilogram of narcotics by a courier, members of the FBI Safe Streets Task Force executed a search warrant at a residence in Dayton, where they located three firearms, 1,205 grams of methamphetamine, 1,716 grams of fentanyl, 305 grams of heroin, drug processing equipment and 12 cell phones.
One of the recovered cell phones contained photographs of multiple kilograms of fentanyl and communications with a narcotics supplier. Through subsequent investigation, law enforcement recovered an additional 19.5 kilograms of fentanyl/carfentanil.
Another case involved defendant Robert Cartwright. On Oct. 9, 2019, members of the Dayton -based Regional Agencies Narcotics and Gun Enforcement Task Force (RANGE), working in conjunction with DEA Ft. Wayne, watched an Indiana-based distributor of heroin/fentanyl purchase approximately 100 grams of fentanyl from Cartwright in Dayton. On Oct. 17, 2019, RANGE executed a search warrant at Cartwright’s residence, and located 673.73 grams of fentanyl, a Glock 19, a Bushmaster AR-15 rifle, $42,424 in cash, and drug processing equipment, including a hydraulic press and press parts, and five digital scales.
Cartwright has pleaded guilty and is currently awaiting sentencing.
“Street drug dealers often mix or ‘cut’ their dope with fentanyl, a drug 50 times more powerful than pure heroin and so potent that a few grains the size of salt can kill a person,” said U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers. “More than 230 people in Montgomery County have died from accidental illegal drug overdoses so far this year and statistically, it’s likely that many of the deaths can be tied to fentanyl.”
U.S. Attorney DeVillers commended the Assistant United States Attorneys and supporting staff of the Dayton U.S. Attorney’s Office for their efforts in prosecuting more than 100 fentanyl cases over the past two years.
Nationally, since 2018, Operation SOS has resulted in approximately 750 defendants being charged in federal court, with 384 of those defendants charged thus far in FY 20. Most importantly, the districts participating in the program have seen a decline in opioid overdoses. From 2017 to 2019, most SOS counties reported a decline of 14% to 24%. One notable success was in the Western District of Pennsylvania, where the opioid overdose rates declined by nearly 45%.
The nine other participating districts and some of their successes include:
- The Eastern District of California has reported 60 active Operation S.O.S. investigations. Recently, the USAO charged one sentence-enhanced “death resulting” prosecution. In February 2020, another investigation resulted in the seizure of over 20,000 fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills.
- The Eastern District of Kentucky reported that an SOS investigation led to a residential search warrant and seizure of more than 1,300 grams of fentanyl, more than 500 grams of methamphetamine, $15,000 cash, two firearms, and paraphernalia used to traffic narcotics including a device for pressing fentanyl into a brick-like shape
- The District of Maine reported a July 2020 arrest of a defendant on charges of distributing counterfeit fentanyl pills marked as Percocet, in connection with a fatal fentanyl overdose that occurred in May 2020. In addition, a Maine man was sentenced in February 2020 to five years in prison for two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, in connection with an incident where the defendant was found in possession of fentanyl less than 24 hours after he was released on a state summons for possession of fentanyl.
- The District of New Hampshire reported the October 2019 arrest of a man on a warrant for distributing fentanyl. Manchester Police Detectives executed a search warrant on a local drug-house, where they located approximately 850 grams of methamphetamine and 56 grams of fentanyl, several assault-style rifles, a handgun, ammunition, scales, safes, cash, and cellphones.
- The Northern District of Ohio reported a 10-defendant wire case involving a drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating out of Elyria and Sandusky, Ohio. The DTO purchased kilogram quantities of cocaine and oxycodone pills. Co-conspirators would later cook the cocaine and sell it as crack to local dealers in Elyria. During the conspiracy, agents seized approximately ½ kilo of cocaine, 100 grams of crack, oxycodone pills, and five firearms.
- The Western District of Pennsylvania prosecuted 98 SOS cases thus far in FY 2020. Particularly noteworthy among them is the prosecution of Lynell Guyton. Guyton was convicted by a jury of conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of cyclopropyl fentanyl and other charges, including firearms and money laundering violations. Guyton, who had been receiving shipments of fentanyl analogues from China, is both a Career Offender and an Armed Career Criminal. The case gained media attention when, during the execution of a search warrant in connection with the charges, the conspirators tipped over a table, sending cyclopropyl fentanyl into the air, sickening several law enforcement officers on the scene.
- The Eastern District of Tennessee reported multiple cases arising out of a single investigation involving a drug trafficking organization responsible for trafficking heroin and fentanyl from Michigan to various communities in the Eastern District of Tennessee. 29 defendants have been indicted on various charges, including drug trafficking conspiracy, overdose death enhancements, money-laundering conspiracy, and various firearms offenses. More than 5.5 kilograms of heroin and/or fentanyl and 11 firearms were seized during the investigation.
- The Northern District of West Virginia reported a July 21, 2020, 44- count indictment against 12 defendants. During the nearly yearlong investigation, law enforcement officers seized more than 280 grams of cocaine base and more than 40 grams of fentanyl from one of the defendant’s residences in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Throughout the investigation, officers seized more than 280 grams of fentanyl, acetyl fentanyl, and heroin; more than 350 grams of cocaine base; more than one kilogram of liquid PCP; various amounts of cocaine; five firearms; and over $28,000.
- The Southern District of West Virginia reported that after a three-day trial, a jury convicted Steven McCallister of distribution of fentanyl, possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Officers conducted a 50-gram purchase of heroin from McCallister, which then led to the execution of a search warrant at McCallister’s home. Officers seized over one kilogram of fentanyl and a firearm.
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MS-13 member who stabbed a victim to death, attacked another murder victim with machete, participated in shooting homicide of third victim pleads guiltyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A local man pleaded guilty in federal court in Columbus last evening to participating in a racketeering conspiracy in Columbus on behalf of the transnational criminal organization MS-13.
In his plea, Pedro Alfonso Osorio-Flores, 41, of Columbus, accepts responsibility for his role in the mid-2015 murder of Carlos Serrano-Ramos, the November 2015 murder of 17-year-old high school student Wilson Villeda, and the December 2016 murder of Salvador Martinez-Diaz.
Parties involved in Osorio-Flores’ case have recommended a sentence of 40 to 45 years in prison.
The defendant, also known as “Smokey,” is one of 23 members and associates of MS-13 in Columbus charged in a February 2018 second superseding indictment. He is the nineteenth defendant to plead guilty.
The defendants are charged in a racketeering conspiracy, which includes five murders as well as attempted murder, extortion, money laundering, drug trafficking, assault, obstruction of justice, witness intimidation, weapons offenses and immigration-related violations.
According to court documents, in summer 2015, Osorio-Flores and other conspirators beat and stabbed Serrano-Ramos to death before placing his body in a shallow grave in the woods in Innis Park.
In the murder of Wilson Villeda, Osorio-Flores and others attacked and killed the victim with a machete and buried his body in a shallow grave near Serrano-Ramos’s remains in Innis Park.
In December 2016, Osorio-Flores surveilled murder victim Martinez-Diaz at the Resolute Athletic Complex before following him home. He provided location updates to fellow MS-13 members so that they could shoot and kill the victim upon his arrival home.
Osorio-Flores pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit racketeering.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Chris Hoffman, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Rebecca Adducci, Detroit Field Office Director, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations; Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin; and Columbus Police Chief Thomas Quinlan announced the guilty plea entered before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.
Deputy Criminal Chief Brian J. Martinez and Assistant United States Attorney Noah R. Litton are representing the United States in this case.
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MS-13 defendant sentenced to more than 39 years in prison for involvement in two local murdersRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Jose Salvador Gonzalez-Campos, 30, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 472 months in prison for participating in murders on behalf of an MS-13 racketeering conspiracy.
According to court documents, Gonzalez-Campos, also known as “Danger,” took part in the November 2015 murder of Wilson Villeda near Innis Road in Columbus and the December 2016 murder of Salvador Martinez-Diaz, a suspected rival gang member, on Melroy Avenue in Columbus.
The government also presented evidence that Gonzalez-Campos directed MS-13 members in Houston to shoot and kill a 15-year-old girl.
In the early morning hours of February 16, 2017, three MS-13 members took Genesis Cornejo to a quiet street in Houston after telling her they were going to buy marijuana. While the victim stood on the side of the road, two of the gang members shot her in the head and chest and left her on the side of the road.
Law enforcement interviews and social media messages state Gonzalez-Campos ordered the murder, saying the girl “had to disappear” because she had been in a relationship with a rival 18th Street gang member.
In his own Facebook messages, Gonzalez-Campos said, “I told him to hit her, for him to send word on the line…For real, dog, they had two days to kill her.”
“This defendant and others butchered a 17-year-old victim with a machete, causing at least 92 traumatic fractures,” U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers said. “Gonzalez-Campos also participated in the year-long planning of a second Columbus murder, in which the victim’s body was riddled with bullets. Finally, this defendant used his authority in the transnational criminal organization to direct fellow MS-13 members in Houston to kill a 15-year-old girl whom they believed had dated a rival gang member.”
Gonzalez-Campos is one of 23 individuals charged in a second superseding indictment in February 2018 who are alleged to be members and associates of MS-13 in Columbus.
The defendants are charged in a racketeering conspiracy, which includes five murders as well as attempted murder, extortion, money laundering, drug trafficking, assault, obstruction of justice, witness intimidation, weapons offenses and immigration-related violations.
Gonzalez-Campos distributed, and possessed with the intent to distribute, street-level quantities of cocaine and marijuana.
He and others conspired to commit extortion by obtaining money from various individuals through the use of threats of violence against the victims and their families. The co-conspirators used national and international wire transfer services to send money that they generated to individuals in El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and the United States. The funds were used to purchase weapons and other items used in criminal activity, provide assistance to MS-13 members who had been incarcerated or deported, aid the families of gang members who had been killed, and otherwise support MS-13’s operations in Central America and the United States.
Gonzalez-Campos pleaded guilty in Sept. 2019 to one count of participating in a racketeering conspiracy and one count of murder through the use of a firearm during a crime of violence.
Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence. Sentencing of the defendant is determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Chris Hoffman, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Rebecca Adducci, Detroit Field Office Director, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations; Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin and Columbus Police Chief Thomas Quinlan announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Court Judge Edmund A Sargus, Jr.
U.S. Attorney DeVillers also recognized the assistance of the Harris County, Texas District Attorney’s Office.
Deputy Criminal Chief Brian J. Martinez and Assistant United States Attorney Noah R. Litton are representing the United States in this case.
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Co-owner of Cincinnati Findlay Market butcher shop sentenced to prison for food stamp fraudRead the Press Release
DAYTON – A husband and wife and their Findlay Market vendor, Busch’s Country Corner, Inc., were all sentenced in U.S. District Court today for food stamp fraud.
Michael D. Busch was sentenced to 12 months in prison and ordered to pay a $50,000 fine. His wife, Amanda Jo Busch, was sentenced to five years of probation with eight months in home confinement, and 200 hours of community service.
Both of the Busches and the corporation were also ordered to pay $87,192 in restitution.
The Busches were convicted by a jury in Dayton following a two-week trial in June 2019.
According to court documents and trial testimony, from April 2010 until May 2018, Busch’s Country Corner co-owner Michael Busch, his wife, Amanda Jo Busch, and his brother, Randall S. Busch, illegally exchanged cash for SNAP benefits.
The defendants caused more than 195,000 individual SNAP Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) transactions to be completed by Busch’s Country Corner, totaling more than $5.4 million. According to witness testimony at trial, approximately 64 percent, or $3.4 million, of those SNAP transactions were fraudulent.
Co-conspirators used an electronic point of sale device in order to process EBT transactions for cash. For example, one transaction included a beginning EBT balance of $1,300 and an ending balance of $11.
Michael, Amanda Busch and Busch’s Country Corner were each convicted on all counts, including conspiracy to steal government funds, SNAP fraud and wire fraud.
Randall Busch, the brother of Michael Busch, previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years of probation.
Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence. Sentencing of the defendant is determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Anthony V. Mohatt, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General Investigations, Midwest Region; Yvonne DiCristoforo, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service; and Michelle Thourot, Agent-in-Charge, Ohio Investigative Unit, announced the sentence imposed by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Thomas M. Rose. Assistant United States Attorney Dwight Keller and Assistant Deputy Criminal Chief Laura Clemmens represented the United States in this case.
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Convicted felon sentenced for illegally possessing firearmRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Perry County man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today for illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
John William Shade III, 39, of Thornville, Ohio, was sentenced to 24 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, the FBI received reports of Shade making multiple comments of a threatening nature on Twitter towards the President of the United States, as well as one comment directly towards a local Secret Service agent.
Shade’s comments about the agent on Twitter came several weeks after the agent attempted to speak with Shade at his residence regarding an incident at an event where the Vice President of the United States was a speaker.
Shade has a history of traveling within and out of state to attend political events and protests. On several occasions, his conduct at these events has resulted in charges related to trespassing, obstructing, invasion of privacy and carrying weapons.
For example, in April 2018, Shade and others traveled to Georgia to counter-protest a rally by the National Socialist Movement (NSM). Shade used a GoPro camera to record himself. In his videos, Shade discusses a Glock19 present in the vehicle and how he would shoot NSM leaders.
The same month, Shade traveled to the American Renaissance Conference in Tennessee and recorded himself on his GoPro and in conversations with others. In his recordings, he mentions serving as armed security for his group and leaving weapons at a camp to avoid law enforcement detection at a checkpoint.
During a court-authorized law enforcement search of Shade’s home, items were found that the FBI Laboratory later concluded may be readily assembled into an improvised incendiary device, also known as a firebomb or Molotov cocktail.
Shade admitted that he possessed firearms and ammunition after being convicted in Guernsey County Court of Common Pleas to robbery, a second-degree felony. He pleaded guilty to the federal charge in November 2019.
Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence. Sentencing of the defendant is determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Chris Hoffman, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Edmund A Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica W. Knight is representing the United States in this case. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.
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Wife sentenced to prison in chop shop conspiracy involving the theft of more than 35 vehiclesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus woman was sentenced in U.S. District Court today for conspiring with her husband and others to steal at least 35 vehicles, earning more than half a million dollars by selling their parts.
Tina Imes, 41, was sentenced to 36 months in prison. In July 2019, her husband James A. Imes, 51, was sentenced to 120 months in prison.
According to court documents, from January 2013 until April 2014, defendants stole at least 35 vehicles to dismantle them and sell their parts throughout the Midwest, earning $10,000 to $15,000 per week. Co-conspirators operated chop shops in three locations on the West side of Columbus to traffic the car parts.
For example, one vehicle – a truck stolen from Buckeye Ford in London, Ohio – was registered in the name of the couple’s minor son and had a fraudulent VIN and title assigned to it after the theft.
Most of the vehicles were sold as parts or scrap to salvage yards. More valuable parts were sold on Craigslist through posts advertised in cities across Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Michigan and West Virginia.
During the destruction of the vehicles, HCFC refrigerant chemicals were released into the atmosphere when vehicle air conditioning tubes were cut.
As part of this investigation, agents spoke with Imes in October and November 2018 about a felony arrest warrant for her husband. Imes told U.S. Marshals that the couple planned to divorce, and that her husband had fled to Kentucky. In reality, Imes was delivering food and other supplies to her husband at an apartment on Plumway Drive in Columbus.
Imes pleaded guilty in February 2019.
Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence. Sentencing of the defendant is determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Director Laurie A. Stevenson announced the sentence handed down today by Senior U.S. District Judge James L. Graham. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan J.C. Grey and J. Michael Marous are representing the United States in this case.
The case was investigated by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and Ohio EPA Special Investigations Unit, as well as the assistance from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Columbus Division of Police Auto Theft Unit and Ohio State Highway Patrol Theft and Fraud Unit.
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3 Florida men charged with stealing credit, tax refunds, COVID-19 stimulus checks in bank fraud conspiracy involving more than $1 million in lossesRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has charged three Florida men in a financial fraud conspiracy that allegedly involved stealing identities in order to fraudulently obtain credit, tax refunds, and COVID-19 stimulus checks. Several of the victims of their alleged scheme resided in the Southern District of Ohio.
Adesh Alvin Bissoon, 41, of Miami Beach, Fla.; Michael Jacques Joseph, 37, of Miami Beach, Fla.; and Victor Torres, 38, of Apollo Beach, Fla.; are charged with defrauding at least 11 banks.
According to the indictment, from 2012 through August 2020, the co-conspirators used the Dark Web to obtain personally identifiable information (PII) on individuals, including victims who at the time lived in the Southern District of Ohio.
As part of the conspiracy, the three defendants allegedly used the IRS’s eAuthentication service to verify that the stolen PII was accurate and therefore useful in furtherance of the fraud. After verifying the PII, the defendants allegedly filed fraudulent tax returns in the names of some of the victims, causing those victims’ tax refunds and COVID-19 stimulus checks to be deposited into bank accounts controlled by the defendants.
It is also alleged that the defendants used the victims’ information to create fraudulent Social Security cards and driver’s licenses, which they then used to open financial accounts in the victims’ names. The conspirators allegedly profited from the scheme by requesting convenience checks in high dollar amounts from the fraudulently opened accounts. Bissoon, Joseph and Torres also registered LLCs with states and the IRS in order to obtain business credit cards with higher credit limits, according to the five-count indictment.
Bissoon was initially charged by criminal complaint and released on bond in the Florida. The government later moved to revoke Bissoon’s pretrial release, alleging he had committed new crimes. On Aug. 28, United States Magistrate Judge Karen L. Litkovitz revoked Bissoon’s pretrial release after finding probable cause to believe that Bissoon had attempted to steal another $150,000 from a bank while on release by falsely claiming to be the victim of unauthorized bank transfers.
To date, agents have identified more than $1 million in suspected criminal proceeds flowing through accounts associated with Bissoon alone.
Each of the three defendants has now been arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud (up to 30 years in prison), two counts of mail fraud affecting a financial institution (up to 30 years in prison) and two counts of aggravated identity theft (additional two years in prison).
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and J. Russell George, the United States Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorneys Julie D. Garcia and Ebunoluwa A. Taiwo are 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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Ohio Tax Attorney Sentenced to Prison for Obstructing the IRSRead the Press Release
A Columbus, Ohio, attorney was sentenced to 18 months in prison today, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney David DeVillers for the Southern District of Ohio.
According to documents and information provided to the court, Marcus “Marc” Dunn was a licensed attorney in Ohio. From 2007 until his client Dr. Kevin Lake died, Dunn advised and assisted Dr. Lake in legal matters relating to the operation of his clinics, including Columbus Southern Medical Clinic in Columbus, Ohio. At the time, Dunn specialized in tax law.
Around 2010, the IRS audited Dr. Lake’s entities. In response to an IRS revenue officer’s request for documentation supporting the entities’ claimed clinical equipment depreciation deductions, Dunn provided false “bills of sale” purporting to support the deductions, but which in fact falsely inflated the value of the equipment. At the same time that Dunn provided these inflated values to the IRS, he provided contradictory valuation information to third parties.
In 2011, Dunn filed petitions in U.S. Tax Court challenging the IRS’s determination that some of the audited entities owed additional taxes. The case was ultimately settled with an agreement that approximately $608,583 was due. When the IRS revenue officer attempted to collect the settlement amount in 2014, Dunn frustrated the IRS’s collection efforts by falsely representing that the relevant entities were defunct with no assets. In all, Dunn caused a tax loss of $513,960 to the United States.
On Nov. 26, 2018, Dunn pleaded guilty to corruptly endeavoring to impede and obstruct the IRS and the Supreme Court of Ohio suspended Dunn’s license to practice law in March 2019.
In January 2017, Dr. Lake pleaded guilty to drug, tax, and fraud charges, but died before sentencing in that case.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson ordered Dunn to serve 3 years of supervised release. Restitution to the government has already been paid using funds seized from Dr. Lake.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney DeVillers commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorneys Richard M. Rolwing and Carl F. Brooker of the Tax Division, who prosecuted the case.
10 Central Ohio men, 1 Canadian charged with conspiring to illegally smuggle guns to Canada for profitRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Federal agents arrested seven men today in connection with a conspiracy to illegally traffic firearms to Canada.
A federal grand jury charged the co-conspirators in an indictment returned on Aug. 19 and unsealed this afternoon.
According to the indictment, the defendants acquired firearms both legally and illegally, stockpiled the firearms, and smuggled them to Canada in order to re-sell them for a profit.
It is alleged the group bought guns both through private sales and through straw purchases at gun shows.
For example, in April 2019, co-conspirators allegedly caused two individuals to conduct straw purchases of four firearms at the C&E Gun Show at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus.
Defendants would allegedly recruit female drivers to smuggle firearms across the border or to bring money back from Canada through promises of a free trip to Canada, payment, and access to drugs and alcohol.
In July 2018, more than $11,000 was seized by law enforcement from two of the defendants on one trip back to Ohio from Canada. Two months later, according to the indictment, more than $25,000 in cash was seized from two other defendants at the John Glenn International Airport.
The indictment details that on various occasions in 2019, individuals related to the conspiracy attempted to travel to Canada and were stopped by law enforcement. During each incident, multiple firearms were discovered in the vehicles.
In total, it is believed that the defendants conspired to smuggle more than 30 guns from Ohio to Canada from approximately July of 2018 through about the middle of 2019.
Those charged in the conspiracy include:
Name
Also Known As
Age
City of Residence
Omar Sharif Mohamed Hassan
O-Bandz
25
Columbus, Ohio
Jamil Jamal Abdalla
21
Columbus, Ohio
Mohamed Abdulkadir Mohamud
Bash
22
Columbus, Ohio
*Mohamed Abdi Hirad
Mo Trippin’, Trippin’
20
Columbus, Ohio
Abdirahim Mahmoud Dualeh
A.D.
24
Columbus, Ohio
*Shamarke Igal
Marke
24
Columbus, Ohio
Ahmed Ahmed
Seven
21
Columbus, Ohio
Abdiaziz Said Ahmed
Breezy
25
Columbus, Ohio
Ibrahim Ali
Ebey
24
Columbus, Ohio
*Mohamed Sharif Ali Mohamed
MoMo
22
Columbus, Ohio
Hussein Ahmed
23
Toronto, Canada
* Currently a fugitive
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Roland Herndon, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Columbus Police Chief Thomas Quinlan; United States Marshal Pete Tobin; Ohio Highway Patrol Superintendent Lt. Col. Richard Fambro; and Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorneys S. Courter Shimeall and Kelly A. Norris are 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.
The United States Marshals Service asks anyone with information regarding the location of the fugitives to submit an anonymous tip via text message to the USMS Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team. Text keyword “SOFAST” along with your tip to 847411.
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Pair allegedly involved in deadly police chase indicted on federal drug, gun chargesRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has charged the two individuals allegedly involved in an Aug. 7 chase through Cincinnati that resulted in the deaths of two bystanders in Newport, Ky. The indictment was returned Aug. 26 and unsealed today.
Mason Meyer, 28, and Kirsten Johnson, 22, both of Cincinnati, are charged federally with possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Meyer is also charged with illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. In Campbell County, Ky., Meyer is charged with two counts of murder, endangerment, and fleeing and evading.
According to court documents, officials with the ATF, Cincinnati Police and the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force were surveilling Meyer in Cincinnati on Aug. 7 when Meyer drove away.
Cincinnati Police officers attempted to stop Meyer when he fled, causing a police chase through Cincinnati and into Covington and Newport, Ky.
Local court documents detail that Meyer’s vehicle struck and killed a couple dining on the patio of Press on Monmouth in Newport, Ky. Two other pedestrians were struck and suffered minor injuries.
At the time of the chase, the federal indictment alleges Meyer and Johnson possessed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, two loaded handguns and a loaded rifle.
The methamphetamine charge in this case is punishable by five to 40 years in prison. Possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime is punishable by a minimum of five years in prison. Possessing a firearm as a convicted felon carries a potential maximum punishment of 10 years in prison.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Roland Herndon, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot K. Isaac and agencies with the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy D. Oakley and Jennifer K. Weinhold are 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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Driving Park man charged with dealing fentanyl that resulted in overdose deathRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal grand jury has charged Diamondo Valdez Butler, 39, of Columbus, with dealing fentanyl that resulted in an overdose death. Butler was arrested last night by authorities with the DEA and Gahanna Division of Police.
According to the indictment, on April 1, 2020, Butler distributed fentanyl that resulted in the death of a Gahanna man.
Butler, also known as “Yellow,” allegedly sold $70 worth of fentanyl to a friend of the deceased at a gas station on Cleveland Ave. The friend and the deceased traveled to the gas station together and each contributed $35 towards the purchase. The fentanyl was divided half to the deceased and half to the friend. The deceased used the fentanyl at his home in Gahanna and was discovered unresponsive the next morning. The coroner’s report indicates the cause of death was fentanyl intoxication.
Butler allegedly distributed fentanyl multiple other times in April and August.
He is charged in a nine-count indictment that was returned on Aug. 25.
“Fentanyl trafficking is like playing Russian Roulette,” said U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers. Any given dose can kill someone, and if it does, that trafficker will face a minimum of 20 years in prison.”
Distributing narcotics that result in death or serious bodily injury is a federal crime punishable by 20 years up to life in prison.
“These charges are a reminder of the lethality of fentanyl,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Keith Martin. “The DEA continues to prioritize investigating drug dealing that results in death.”
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Keith Martin, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); and Gahanna Division of Police Chief Jeffrey Spence announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Prichard is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Dayton man sentenced to prison for role in Texas-to-Ohio heroin distribution ringRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Gene Talley, 48 of Dayton, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Dayton today to to 100 months in prison as the lead defendant in a Texas-to-Ohio heroin operation. He pleaded guilty in February to conspiring to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin.
According to court documents, beginning in or about 2007, Talley met with another individual in Austin, Texas who agreed to provide controlled substances, including heroin, to Talley for distribution in the Southern District of Ohio.
As part of the scheme, Talley arranged for other individuals to collect the drugs and bring them to Ohio, and sent money back to the supplier through couriers. On three occasions, law enforcement intercepted the money, including: approximately $99,000 seized by police in Austin, Texas in December 2012; approximately $230,000 seized by police in Chicago in June 2015; and approximately $240,000 seized by police in Winfield, Texas. The seized money was Talley’s payment for multiple kilograms of heroin.
Four others charged as part of the scheme include Brianna Reid, Adriauna Smith, Syreeta Scruggs and Kenneth Patterson.
Congress sets the minimum and maximum statutory sentence. Sentencing of the defendant is determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); Keith Martin, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the DEA’s Drug Task Force announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Walter H. Rice. Assistant United States Attorneys Amy M. Smith and Andrew J. Hunt represented the United States in this case.
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Six arrested, charged in multi-state narcotics conspiracy responsible for supplying fentanyl & cocaine to DaytonRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Two brothers originally from Dayton and four others were arrested in North Carolina today for their alleged participation in a narcotics conspiracy responsible for distributing bulk amounts of fentanyl and cocaine to Dayton.
Law enforcement authorities have seized narcotics, cash, and firearms from the drug trafficking organization on multiple occasions – including fentanyl, cocaine, cash and firearms seized from a search warrant executed at 1454 Ruskin Road on Nov. 4, 2019. It was during the execution of this search warrant that Dayton Detective and DEA Task Force Officer Detective Jorge Del Rio was shot and killed. The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation was later named “Operation Never Forget.”
“This indictment alleges the group of men charged were responsible for providing local dealers with thousands of doses of fentanyl and cocaine,” said U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will not rest until we have traced every source of drug supply and held accountable every individual involved in this alleged conspiracy.”
According to the indictment, from 2014 through August 2020, members of the conspiracy acquired bulk amounts of cocaine and fentanyl from suppliers in Los Angeles and Houston. The co-conspirators transported the cocaine and fentanyl to Charlotte, N.C., where they processed and repackaged the cocaine and fentanyl for resale in southern Ohio and North Carolina.
Local distributors in southern Ohio allegedly purchased kilogram quantities of the cocaine and fentanyl for resale, and thousands of unit dosages of the drugs were distributed throughout southern Ohio.
The indictment further alleges that the members of the conspiracy collected hundreds of thousands of dollars in narcotics proceeds. The Government seeks to forfeit more than $686,000 in cash seized during the investigation.
The defendants are all charged with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine and fentanyl. Those charged include:
Name
Also Known As
Age
City of Residence
Roger Earl Walton, Jr.
Mike
41
Concord, N.C. (formerly of Dayton)
Shawn Dwayne Walton
Swoop
46
Charlotte, N.C. (formerly of Dayton)
Noah Alexander Sherrill
704 Noah
33
Charlotte, N.C. (formerly of Dayton)
Rauland Pollard, III
Saki, Sockey
35
Dayton
Glynn Sewell
Frezzy
39
Charlotte, N.C. (formerly of Dayton)
Louis Walton
22
Charlotte, N.C.
If convicted, the defendants face at least 10 years and up to life in prison.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Keith Martin, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Chris Hoffman, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Roland Herndon, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Dayton Police Chief Richard S. Biehl announced the charges.
The case is the result of the cooperative efforts of the DEA, led by the Dayton Resident Office and including DEA offices in Charlotte, N.C., Greensboro, N.C., Beaumont, Texas, Cincinnati, Detroit, Houston, Atlanta, Annandale, Va., and the Special Operations Division; as well as FBI and ATF. These federal agencies worked closely with the Dayton, Charlotte-Mecklenburg and Beaumont police departments, and the Central Oklahoma Metro Interdiction Team (COMIT).
Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth R. Rabe and Amy M. Smith are 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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Warren County man sentenced to 10 years in prison for possessing hundreds of images of child rapeRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Garry Weatherbie, 65, of Franklin, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 10 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release for possessing child pornography after being convicted of prior sex offenses.
According to court documents, on Feb. 6, 2019, Weatherbie possessed more than 600 images of child sexual abuse on his tablet.
At the time, Weatherbie was on parole after being released from the Chillicothe Correctional Institution, where he served an eight-year sentence for pandering sexual material involving a minor. Weatherbie was previously convicted in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court.
A federal complaint affidavit details that investigators took Weatherbie into custody in February 2019 on allegations of sexual assault. While searching the defendant’s residence, they discovered the child pornography on his tablet.
Weatherbie pleaded guilty to the federal charge in February 2020.
“This case is a reminder that possessing child pornography is not a victimless crime,” U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers said. “Even if you do not create the child pornography, you can face significant time in federal prison.”
“Today’s significant sentencing removes from the community a repeat child predator, who shockingly continued his predatory behavior while on parole for similar crimes,” said Vance Callender, HSI special agent in charge for Michigan and Ohio. “There is no place in our society for those who prey on children. HSI and its partners will continue to aggressively target those who exploit children.”
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Vance Callender, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Franklin, Ohio Police Chief Russ Whitman announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Court Judge Walter H. Rice. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Hunt is representing the United States in this case.
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Former Mount Vernon couple plead guilty to defrauding mortgage assistance programRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former Mount Vernon couple pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to accepting federal mortgage assistance in Ohio while living in another state and renting the Ohio property to a tenant.
Christopher Lee Horn, 58, and Sondra Horn, 57, both of Richville, Minn., pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States Treasury Department’s Troubled Asset Relief Program.
Part of the relief programs funds targeted aid to families in states hit hard by the 2008 economic and housing market downturn. The program provided state housing finance agencies funding to develop locally tailored foreclosure prevention solutions. In Ohio, the housing finance agency created “Save the Dream Ohio,” a statewide program focused on unemployed and underemployed homeowners at risk of mortgage loan default or foreclosure.
According to court documents, the Horns admitted to receiving more than $14,000 in Save the Dream Ohio mortgage assistance funds to which they were not entitled.
In September 2014, the couple received more than $2,800 in rescue payment assistance and was approved to receive 18 monthly mortgage assistance payments of $692 each for their property at 18 Marion Street in Mount Vernon.
Also in September 2014, Christopher and Sondra Horn negotiated to rent their Marion Street residence to a tenant for $655 per month. In later months, the amount increased. The couple requested the tenant pay his monthly rent in cash or personal check to a third party, who then deposited the money into a joint credit union account controlled by the Horns.
Each pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit theft of government property, a crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
“Today the defendants join 388 defendants convicted of crimes the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief (SIGTARP) investigated,” said Special Inspector General Christy Goldsmith Romero. “Christopher and Sondra Horn knowingly defrauded a TARP program that helps unemployed homeowners stay in their primary home. The Special Inspector General commends the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio for standing with SIGTARP to combat rescue fraud.”
Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence. Sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Special Inspector General Christy Goldsmith Romero, Troubled Asset Relief Program; announced the plea offered today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Norah McCann King. Assistant United States Attorney Sheila G. Lafferty is representing the United States in this case.
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Dublin man sentenced to more than 22 years in prison for dealing fentanyl in Dayton regionRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Juwan Chino Dillard, of Dublin, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 270 months in prison for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl.
According to court documents, Dillard participated in a drug trafficking organization that used residences and storage units in Dublin and Columbus to maintain a fentanyl distribution conspiracy.
In November 2018, investigators searched the properties and discovered 59 grams of fentanyl, a hydraulic press commonly used by drug traffickers to press kilogram quantities of narcotics, kilogram press plates and molds, models of Gucci and Louis Vuitton brand emblems for pressing into the narcotics and a written ledger indicated prices per kilogram of different narcotics.
Several bags of bulk cash were discovered in the storage facility on Old Avery Road in Dublin.
The court determined that the conspiracy was responsible for more than eight kilograms of fentanyl. In addition, law enforcement authorities seized more than $360,000 in this case.
Dillard pleaded guilty in the narcotics conspiracy in July 2019.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Keith Martin, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); and Columbus Police Chief Thomas Quinlan announced the sentence imposed on Aug. 18 by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Thomas M. Rose. Assistant United States Attorney Dwight K. Keller is representing the United States in this case.
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Hamilton physician who was convicted at trial of illegally dealing opioids sentenced to 20 years in prisonRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Dr. Saad Sakkal, 72, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 240 months in prison for illegally distributing and dispensing controlled substances to multiple patients, including drugs that led to the death of one victim in 2016. Sakkal was practicing at Lindenwald Medical Association, Inc. in Hamilton.
At the conclusion of a trial in April 2019, a jury convicted Sakkal of 30 counts of illegal distribution of controlled substances outside the scope of a medical practice and with no legitimate medical purpose, and six counts of use of a registration number that was issued to someone else.
During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence gathered by investigators that Sakkal performed inadequate physical exams to identify and verify patient’s complaints of pain, and that he issued prescription combinations that were particularly dangerous and addictive. Pharmacists testified that they warned Sakkal of the risks and eventually refused to fill prescriptions issued by Sakkal. Investigators also testified that Sakkal received repeated notice of addiction, overdoses and deaths, but continued his practices.
“Sakkal issued deadly drug cocktails without regard for the repeated warnings he received from employees, patients, pharmacists, another doctor, and the electronic records system,” said U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers. “This doctor dealer even ignored overdoses by his patients. Instead of helping his patients, he caused more harm, and as a result, he earned spending the next few decades in federal prison.”
A federal grand jury indicted Sakkal in June, 2018. Agents arrested him in Florida after he was indicted. He has been held without bond since his arrest.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Lamont Pugh III, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; Keith Martin, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Anthony Groeber, Executive Director, State Medical Board of Ohio; Steven Schierholt, Executive Director, State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy; Stephanie B. McCloud, Administrator, Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation; announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett. Assistant Deputy Criminal Chief Timothy S. Mangan and Assistant United States attorney Timothy D. Oakley represented the United States in this case.
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Dayton man sentenced to 10 years in prison for shooting mail carrierRead the Press Release
DAYTON – A Dayton man was sentenced via video conference in federal court today to 120 months in prison for shooting a United States Postal Service mail carrier.
Christopher O. Gibson, 47, pleaded guilty in May to using a firearm during a crime of violence.
Gibson shot the postal worker as the worker delivered mail near Gibson’s home on Arlene Avenue in Dayton.
According to court documents, on Jan. 3, Gibson fired at the letter carrier three times, striking him once in the leg.
The Dayton Police Department recovered video of the incident from a Ring doorbell camera located near the area of the shooting.
“This defendant pulled a firearm on a federal worker and then fired it at him,” U.S. Attorney DeVillers said. “After shooting the weapon, Gibson fled from the scene, destroying evidence of his crime along the way. All of this resulted from the defendant’s apparent dissatisfaction with his mail service. He deserves this prison time.”
Tosha Dennis, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Pittsburgh Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service stated, “This investigation was an excellent example of a great partnership between the Dayton Police Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. I fully commend the hard work and countless hours put forth by both agencies, which led to Gibson being arrested and convicted.”
Gibson was charged by federal criminal complaint on Jan. 8 and indicted by a federal grand jury on Jan. 14. He has remained in custody since his arrest.
Congress sets the minimum and maximum statutory sentence. Sentencing of the defendant is determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Tosha Dennis, Acting Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service; and Dayton Police Chief Richard S. Biehl announced the sentence imposed today by Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Rose. Assistant United States Attorney Brent G. Tabacchi is representing the United States in this case.
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Man who bought tiger skin for $3,000 pleads guilty to violating Endangered Species ActRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Cincinnati man who paid $3,000 for a tiger skin rug pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to violating the Endangered Species Act.
According to court documents, in August 2018, Ryan J. Gibbs, 44, of Cincinnati, contacted a man in the United Kingdom about buying a tiger skin rug. The man told Gibbs he could not legally ship a tiger skin to the United States, but knew someone in Minnesota who had tiger skins.
Gibbs started emailing and calling the person, who was actually an undercover Special Agent with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and said he wanted to buy a tiger skin and a mounted flamingo. Gibbs and the agent discussed the illegality of buying and selling tiger parts across state lines. Gibbs and the agent met near Jeffersonville, Ohio in December 2018 where Gibbs bought three mounted birds – a tufted puffin, a horned puffin and a flamingo for a total of $1,200.
Over the next several months, Gibbs and the agent communicated intermittently about the tiger skin. Gibbs and the agent met again near Jeffersonville in August 2019 where Gibbs paid $3,000 for the tiger skin.
The plea agreement requires Gibbs to serve one year of probation and perform 80 hours of community service. If possible, the community service should be directed toward assistant a non-profit or governmental organization in Ohio working on wildlife conservation. The agreement also calls for Gibbs to pay $100,000 to the Lacey Act Reward Account. Gibbs also agreed to abandon a stuffed lion, two stuffed puffins, a panther skin and a sawfish rostrum which he owns.
The Code of Federal Regulations lists tigers (panthera tigris) as endangered wherever they are found.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jeffrey Bossert Clark, Assistant Attorney General, Department of Justice Environmental and Natural Resources Division; Erryl Wolgemuth, Supervisor with the US Fish and Wildlife Service; and Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien announced the plea entered today before Senior U.S. District Judge James L. Graham.
Special Assistant United States Attorney J. Michael Marous and Adam C. Cullman, Trial Attorney with the Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division, are representing the United States in this case.
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Grand jury charges two men in fentanyl conspiracy involving $500k cash seizureRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has charged two men in a narcotics conspiracy that involved the seizure of more than half a million dollars and one kilogram of fentanyl.
Derrick Ferris, 44, of Cincinnati, and Jose Antonio Garcia, 22, of Lynwood, Calif., have been charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and smuggling bulk cash. The narcotics conspiracy is punishable by 10 years up to life in prison.
As part of an ongoing investigation, authorities with the Miami Valley Bulk Smuggling Task Force and Southern Ohio Bulk Smuggling-Major Drug Interdiction Task Force seized 1 kilogram of fentanyl and more than $500,000 in U.S. currency. The task forces are part of the Ohio Attorney General’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission.
According to the indictment, between May 7 and Aug. 5, 2020, Ferris (who is also known as Kelvin Croom) and Garcia smuggled bulk cash out of the United States with the intent to evade a currency reporting legal requirement.
If convicted, the United States seeks to forfeit the more than half a million dollars in cash, along with two gold Rolex watches, two gold chains, three handguns and ammunition.
Bulk cash smuggling is a federal crime punishable by up to five years in prison.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Vance Callender, FBI Special Agent in Charge Chris Hoffman, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck and Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Neil announced the charges. OCDETF Deputy Criminal Chief Christy L. Muncy is representing the United States in this case.
The Miami Valley Bulk Smuggling Task Force is made up of officers from the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, Miami Township Police Department, Butler Township Police Department, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations and Montgomery County Prosecutor's Office.
The Southwestern Ohio Bulk Smuggling-Major Drug Interdiction Task Force is made up of members of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office’s Regional Narcotics Unit along with partners from the Cincinnati Police Department, Green Township Police Department and Cheviot Police Department.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Dayton woman arrested for impersonating elderly victim and stealing his pension benefitsRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Melody Hudson, 38, of Dayton, appeared in U.S. District Court today to face charges in an indictment alleging that she stole the identity of a 72-year old retired man and redirected his $919 monthly pension benefits to a bank account she controlled.
The indictment alleges that Hudson used the victim’s personal information to divert his pension benefits from his bank account into an account she controlled and withdrew money for her personal use. The alleged crimes took place between April and November 2019. On one occasion, she allegedly called the agency that was paying the pension, identified herself as a relative of the victim, and had someone impersonate the victim on the phone call with the agency.
The indictment charges Hudson with one count of bank fraud, which is punishable by up to 30 years in prison, one count of aggravated identity theft that carries a mandatory two-year prison term which must be served consecutive to any other prison time, and one count of use of another person’s Social Security number, a crime punishable by up to five years in prison.
Michigan State Police arrested Hudson in Lansing, Mich. on July 30. The U.S. Marshals Service transported her to Dayton to face the charges against her.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, along with the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, Office of Inspector General announced the indictment unsealed today following Hudson’s initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Newman.
Hudson is scheduled to appear in court again tomorrow for a detention hearing.
U.S. Attorney DeVillers also gratefully acknowledged the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service and the Michigan State Police in apprehending Hudson. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Landry is representing the United States in this case.
The case is being prosecuted as part of the Justice Department’s Elder Fraud initiative. The Department launched a National Elder Fraud Hotline in March to provide services to seniors who may be victims of financial fraud. The Hotline’s toll free number is 833-FRAUD-11. Statements contained in indictments are allegations only. Defendants should be presumed innocent unless convicted in a court of law.
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Virginia man who participated in Columbus murder pleads guilty to participating in MS-13 racketeering conspiracyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Virginia man pleaded guilty in federal court in Columbus today to participating in a racketeering conspiracy in Columbus on behalf of the transnational gang MS-13.
In his plea, Jose Daniel Gonzalez-Campos (a/k/a Flaco), 31, accepts responsibility for his role in the November 2015 murder of 17-year-old high school student Wilson Villeda.
Parties involved in Gonzalez-Campos’ case have recommended a sentence of 30 years in prison.
Gonzalez-Campos is one of 23 members and associates of MS-13 in Columbus charged in a February 2018 second superseding indictment. He is the eighteenth defendant to plead guilty.
The defendants are charged in a racketeering conspiracy, which includes five murders as well as attempted murder, extortion, money laundering, drug trafficking, assault, obstruction of justice, witness intimidation, weapons offenses and immigration-related violations.
Court documents detail that the defendants committed a host of overt acts in furtherance of the conspiracy, including: 1) the December 2006 murder of Jose Mendez, a suspected confidential informant, in Perry County; 2) the November 2008 murder of Ramon Ramos on Lockbourne Road in Columbus; 3) the mid-2015 murder of Carlos Serrano-Ramos, a suspected rival gang member, near Innis Road in Columbus; 4) the November 2015 murder of Wilson Villeda near Innis Road in Columbus; and 5) the December 2016 murder of Salvador Martinez-Diaz, a suspected rival gang member, on Melroy Avenue in Columbus.
The murders sometimes involved defendants using weapons like machetes, knives and hammers to attack and beat their victims to death.
In the murder of Wilson Villeda, MS-13 members and associates attacked and killed the victim with bladed weapons and buried his body in a shallow grave in the woods in Innis Park.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Chris Hoffman, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Rebecca Adducci, Detroit Field Office Director, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations; Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin; and Columbus Police Chief Thomas Quinlan announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.
Deputy Criminal Chief Brian J. Martinez and Assistant United States Attorney Noah R. Litton are representing the United States in this case.
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Federal grand jury indicts Hamilton man with sexually trafficking, exploiting teenRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has charged Malikai Willis, 24, of Hamilton, Ohio, with sexually trafficking and exploiting a child in an indictment returned here.
Malikai appeared in federal court today on the four-count indictment.
According to the indictment, from September 2019 through January 2020, Willis trafficked a 16-year-old female and caused her to engage in commercial sex acts.
Additionally, in November 2019 and January 2020, Willis allegedly created child pornography when he created three sexually explicit videos of the victim.
Sex trafficking a minor is punishable by 10 years up to life in prison. Producing child pornography carries a potential prison sentence of 15 to 30 years.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Chris Hoffman, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Neil and Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle J. Healey is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Local man sentenced to 10 years in prison for possessing firearm as convicted felonRead the Press Release
DAYTON – A Huber Heights man was sentenced in federal court to the statutory maximum 10 years in prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
William Prigmore, 37, was convicted by a jury in July 2019 of one count of illegally possessing a firearm and two counts of illegally possessing ammunition as a convicted felon.
According to court documents, law enforcement throughout Ohio and in West Virginia encountered Prigmore throughout 2016 and 2017 at various incidents involving controlled substances and firearms.
Law enforcement responded to a complaint on Deer Creek Drive in Xenia in October 2017, where Prigmore was located in a vehicle with a handgun. The handgun was loaded with seven rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber.
Due to multiple past drug convictions, Prigmore is prohibited from possessing firearms. Prigmore was on parole with the State of Ohio when he committed the federal offense.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Chris Hoffman, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Xenia Police Chief Donald R. Person announced the sentence imposed on July 31 by U.S. District Court Judge Walter H. Rice. Assistant United States Attorneys Brent G. Tabacchi and Rob Painter represented the United States in this case.
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Fifteenth person charged with theft in ongoing Social Security benefits fraud investigationRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Napoleon Crawford, 52, of Mason, was arrested and appeared in U.S. District Court here on July 30 to face charges in a two-count indictment alleging that Crawford has stolen more than $80,000 in Social Security and Department of Defense benefits earned by his father, a retired Navy officer who died in 2016.
Crawford is the fifteenth person charged this year in the 48-county Southern District of Ohio based on results of a large audit conducted by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, which found that dozens of Ohioans are illegally collecting a deceased relative’s federal retirement, Social Security or Veterans’ Administration benefits.
Ten of the fifteen people have pleaded guilty to charges of theft of public funds, a felony that is punishable by up to ten years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The fifteen charged allegedly received more than $898,000 in benefits.
One person has been sentenced so far. Debra Edwards, 57, of South Lebanon was sentenced July 28. Edwards was ordered to repay $49,575 in benefits she received illegally and serve three years’ probation with the first 90 days to be served in home detention.
“We will prosecute people who stick their hands in the pockets of taxpayers to steal benefits earned by their relatives,” said David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. “The investigation is continuing and others could be charged.”
In addition to Crawford and Edwards, the following individuals have been charged:
Name Age City Amount Status
Lori Barker
51
Hamilton
$53,406
Awaiting sentencing
Kinnard Asher
60
South Lebanon
$33,308
Awaiting sentencing
Billy Gray
44
Mt. Orab
$43,998
Awaiting sentencing
Laverne Harrison
60
Cincinnati
$40,079
Awaiting sentencing
Linda Daniels
62
Mt. Orab
$62,336
Awaiting sentencing
Wayne Coulter II
33
Cincinnati
$28,742
Charges pending
Ronald Lewis
43
Hamilton
$55,508
Awaiting sentencing
Douglas Dible
68
Richwood
$153,962
Awaiting sentencing
Gloria Funk
65
New Lexington
$55,920
Awaiting sentencing
Victor Warren
52
Marietta
$36,090
Charges pending
Donald Hawkins Jr.
47
Columbus
$27,120
Charges pending
Christina Saldana
41
West Carrollton
$103,042
Charges pending
Nathaniel Carruth
64
Dayton
$75,077
Awaiting sentencing
The cases are part of the national Social Security Administration (SSA) Fraud Prosecution Project, a collaboration with SSA’s Office of the General Counsel, Office of the Inspector General and the Department of Justice.
For more information on SSA’s Fraud Prosecution Project and the agency’s other anti-fraud efforts, please visit https://www.ssa.gov/antifraudfacts/.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, along with the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General, Office of Audit; the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General; The Veterans’ Administration Office of Inspector General; the United States Office of Personnel Management Office of Inspector General and the United States Secret Service announced the results of the ongoing initiative. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Landry is representing the United States in this initiative.
Statements contained in indictments or bills of information are allegations only. Defendants should be presumed innocent unless convicted in a court of law.
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Butler County man pleads guilty to lying on federal form for firearm later used in murder of DEA task force officerRead the Press Release
DAYTON – A Butler County man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to making a false statement in connection with the acquisition of the firearm used in killing Dayton Police Detective and DEA Task Force Officer Jorge DelRio on Nov. 4, 2019, during the execution of a search warrant on Ruskin Road in Dayton.
Delano Wells, 50, of Trenton, was charged by criminal complaint on Nov. 5, 2019, with making false statements on a federal firearms form.
According to court documents, three firearms were recovered from the scene on Ruskin Road on Nov. 4: two pistols with extended magazines and an AR-style weapon.
ATF was called to assist with tracing the three firearms and an urgent trace was requested for all three firearms recovered in the shooting.
Wells purchased all three firearms recovered from the scene, and at least six others in August and September 2019.
As part of his plea, Wells admitted that he purchased firearms on behalf of another individual, which had been selected by the other individual. Once Wells purchased the firearms, he would provide them to the other individual.
Wells lied on ATF Form 4473 by indicating “yes” he was purchasing the firearm for himself and not for anyone else. In reality, he purchased the firearms on behalf of another individual.
Wells faces up to 10 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for 1:30pm on November 13.
David M. DeVillers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jonathan McPherson, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Dayton Police Chief Richard S. Biehl; Keith Martin, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Chris Hoffman, Special in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Montgomery County Prosecutor Mathias H. Heck, Jr. announced the plea entered into today before Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Rose. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew J. Hunt and Amy M. Smith are representing the United States in this case.
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Woman who worked at local research institute for 10 years pleads guilty to conspiring to steal trade secrets, sell them in ChinaRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former Dublin, Ohio woman pleaded guilty via video conference in U.S. District Court today to conspiring to steal exosome-related trade secrets concerning the research, identification and treatment of a range of pediatric medical conditions.
Li Chen, 47, also pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud.
Chen admitted to stealing scientific trade secrets related to exosomes and exosome isolation from Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Research Institute for her own personal financial gain.
Chen and her husband, alleged co-conspirator Yu Zhou, 50, worked in separate medical research labs at the Research Institute for 10 years each (Zhou from 2007 until 2017 and Chen from 2008 until 2018). They are charged with conspiring to steal at least five trade secrets related to exosome research from Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
Exosomes play a key role in the research, identification and treatment of a range of medical conditions, including necrotizing enterocolitis (a condition found in premature babies), liver fibrosis and liver cancer.
According to her plea agreement, Chen conspired to steal and then monetize one of the trade secrets by creating and selling exosome “isolation kits.” Chen admitted to starting a company in China to sell the kits. Chen received benefits from the Chinese government, including the State Administration of Foreign Expert Affairs and the National Natural Science Foundation of China. Chen also applied to multiple Chinese government talent plans, a method used by China to transfer foreign research and technology to the Chinese government.
“Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Research Institute took reasonable measures to protect its cutting-edge intellectual property and trade secrets regarding exosomes, and I commend the cooperation of Nationwide Children’s throughout this investigation,” U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers said. “Chen betrayed her employer of 10 years by stealing trade secrets from this American institution and transferring them to China after receiving payments from the Chinese government.”
“Li Chen was a trusted researcher at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, conducting cutting-edge U.S. government-funded research,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Chris Hoffman. “With her guilty plea, she admits that she abused this trust to establish a company in China for her own financial gain. The FBI is committed to working closely with partners such as Nationwide Children’s Hospital to protect the innovations that make America a world leader in science and technology.”
As part of her plea, Chen has agreed to forfeit approximately $1.4 million, 500,000 shares of common stock of Avalon GloboCare Corp. and 400 shares of common stock of GenExosome Technologies, Inc.
Chen and Zhou were arrested in California in July 2019 and their case was unsealed in August 2019 when they appeared in federal court in Columbus.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; and Chris Hoffman, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the plea entered into today before U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorneys S. Courter Shimeall, Peter K. Glenn-Applegate, Special Assistant United States Attorney J. Michael Marous and National Security Division Trial Attorney Matthew J. McKenzie, are representing the United States in this case.
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Researcher Pleaded Guilty to Conspiring to Steal Scientific Trade Secrets from Ohio Children’s Hospital to Sell in ChinaRead the Press Release
Former Ohio woman Li Chen, 46, pleaded guilty today via video conference in U.S. District Court today to conspiring to steal scientific trade secrets and conspiring to commit wire fraud concerning the research, identification and treatment of a range of pediatric medical conditions.
“Once again we see the People’s Republic of China (PRC) facilitating the theft of our nation’s ingenuity and hard work as part of their quest to rob, replicate and replace any product they don’t have the ability to develop themselves,” said John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security. “Far from being an isolated incident, we see the PRC implicated in around 60 percent of all trade secret theft cases. This continued economic belligerence runs contrary to the values and norms that facilitate the success of our industries and countering it remains among our highest priorities.”
“Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Research Institute took reasonable measures to protect its cutting-edge intellectual property and trade secrets regarding exosomes, and I commend the cooperation of Nationwide Children’s throughout this investigation,” U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers said. “Chen betrayed her employer of 10 years by stealing trade secrets from this American institution and transferring them to China after receiving payments from the Chinese government.”
“Li Chen was a trusted researcher at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, conducting cutting-edge U.S. government-funded research,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Chris Hoffman. “With her guilty plea, she admits that she abused this trust to establish a company in China for her own financial gain. The FBI is committed to working closely with partners such as Nationwide Children’s Hospital to protect the innovations that make America a world leader in science and technology.”
Chen admitted to stealing scientific trade secrets related to exosomes and exosome isolation from Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Research Institute for her own personal financial gain.
Chen and her husband, alleged co-conspirator Yu Zhou, 49, worked in separate medical research labs at the Research Institute for 10 years each (Zhou from 2007 until 2017 and Chen from 2008 until 2018). They are charged with conspiring to steal at least five trade secrets related to exosome research from Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
Exosomes play a key role in the research, identification and treatment of a range of medical conditions, including necrotizing enterocolitis (a condition found in premature babies), liver fibrosis and liver cancer.
According to her plea agreement, Chen conspired to steal and then monetize one of the trade secrets by creating and selling exosome “isolation kits.” Chen admitted to starting a company in China to sell the kits. Chen received benefits from the Chinese government, including the State Administration of Foreign Expert Affairs and the National Natural Science Foundation of China. Chen also applied to multiple Chinese government talent plans, a method used by China to transfer foreign research and technology to the Chinese government.
As part of her plea, Chen has agreed to forfeit approximately $1.4 million, 500,000 shares of common stock of Avalon GloboCare Corp. and 400 shares of common stock of GenExosome Technologies Inc.
Chen and Zhou were arrested in California in July 2019 and their case was unsealed in August 2019 when they appeared in federal court in Columbus.
John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security;David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Chris Hoffman, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the plea entered into today before U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant U.S. Attorneys S. Courter Shimeall, Peter K. Glenn-Applegate, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Michael Marous and National Security Division Trial Attorney Matthew J. McKenzie, are representing the United States in this case.
Five Central Ohioans charged in conspiracy to kidnap Hilliard couple, impersonate law enforcementRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal grand jury has indicted a victim’s ex-girlfriend and four of her associates for conspiring and attempting to kidnap her ex-boyfriend and his girlfriend. The indictment was filed today.
Denia I. Avila, 37, of Columbus, and co-conspirators allegedly impersonated federal law enforcement officers and used a Taser while attempting to kidnap the victims.
The four others charged include, Jessica E. Wise, 38, of Columbus; Ellis L. Ray, II, 19, of Canal Winchester; Michael K. Ousley, 43, of Columbus; and Jerry E. McCallister, Jr, 27, of Columbus.
According to court documents, the co-conspirators attempted to kidnap the two individuals on Nov. 25, 2019, and Dec. 4, 2019, near the victims’ residence in Hilliard.
An affidavit details that during the first attempt, two males wearing all black with black face masks approached the victims as they entered a vehicle around 5:30am. They Tased the male victim’s neck and attempted to remove him from his vehicle. The female victim screamed and the male victim was able to push the attacker back, causing both men to flee on foot.
In the second incident, also before 5:30 a.m., the female victim attempted to leave their residence in the male’s vehicle but was blocked in by the suspect’s vehicle.
It is alleged that two males – wearing black jackets with “Police” jacket patches and holding a photograph of the male victim – approached the truck yelling “Police, open the door.” They attempted to open the truck door, but the victim began honking her horn and drove over a curb to escape the area.
Detectives discovered two videos in which Avila and Wise discuss plans for kidnapping and injuring the victims. A Taser and leg shackles are shown in the videos. Throughout the videos, the two women allegedly discuss disposing of the victims’ vehicles, locking the male victim in a hotel room, leaving the female victim beaten in a remote location, and various ways to evade law enforcement.
In the videos, Avila allegedly 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.
Receipts show the co-conspirators also purchased “Immigration” patches. Avila’s work cell phone had a screenshot on “how ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) makes arrests” and searches including “ICE Federal Agent Halloween Costume.”
“In what some might think is a plot line for a movie, these individuals allegedly devised an elaborate scheme involving the impersonation of federal law enforcement agents to kidnap someone,” said Vance Callender, HSI special agent in charge for Michigan and Ohio.
“Not only did the alleged perpetrators try and fail to kidnap the victim, they tried a second time and failed,” said Keith Barwick, ICE Office of Professional Responsibility special agent in charge. “The suspects left a wide trail of evidence that agents and detectives were able to collect, follow, and use to arrest multiple coconspirators.”
The five defendants were charged by criminal complaint on July 15.
Conspiracy to commit kidnapping is a federal crime punishable by up to life in prison. Attempted kidnapping is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Conspiring to impersonate an Officer of the United States carries a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Vance Callender, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Keith Barwick, Special Agent in Charge, ICE Office of Professional Responsibility; and Hilliard Division of Police Chief Robert Fisher announced the charges. The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General and ICE Office of Professional Responsibility also assisted in the case.
“The outcome of this case could have been very tragic without the exhaustive initial investigation by our detectives, and the ongoing and thorough collaboration with federal agencies,” said Hilliard Chief of Police Robert Fisher. “Hilliard citizens can feel reassured knowing the individuals who put this disturbing plan in place will be held accountable for their actions.”
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.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Federal grand jury indicts Ohio House Speaker enterprise in federal public corruption racketeering conspiracy involving $60 millionRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal grand jury has indicted the Ohio Speaker of the House in a federal racketeering conspiracy involving approximately $60 million paid to a 501(c)(4) entity to pass and uphold a billion-dollar nuclear plant bailout. The 43-page indictment was returned on July 29 and filed today.
Larry Householder, 61, of Glenford, Ohio, four other individuals and 501(c)(4) entity Generation Now were previously charged by a criminal complaint that was unsealed on July 21.
It is alleged that the enterprise conspired to violate the racketeering statute through honest services wire fraud, receipt of millions of dollars in bribes and money laundering.
The four other individuals indicted include:
- Mathew Borges, 48, of Bexley, a lobbyist who previously served as chair of the Ohio Republican Party;
- Jeffrey Longstreth, 44, of Columbus, Householder’s longtime campaign and political strategist;
- Neil Clark, 67, of Columbus, a lobbyist who owns and operates Grant Street Consultants and previously served as budget director for the Ohio Republican Caucus; and
- Juan Cespedes, 40, of Columbus, a multi-client lobbyist.
Generation Now, a corporate entity registered as a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization, was also charged.
According to court documents, from March 2017 to March 2020, the enterprise received millions of dollars in exchange for Householder’s and the enterprise’s help in passing House Bill 6, a billion-dollar bailout that saved two failing, Ohio nuclear power plants from closing.
The defendants then also allegedly worked to corruptly ensure that HB 6 went into effect by defeating a ballot initiative to overturn the legislation. The Enterprise received approximately $60 million into Generation Now from an energy company and its affiliates during the relevant period.
As alleged, in February 2017, Longstreth incorporated Generation Now as a 501(c)(4) social welfare entity purporting to promote energy independence and economic development; however, the entity was secretly controlled by Householder. As Clark stated in a recorded conversation, “Generation Now is the Speaker’s (c)(4).” Pursuant to federal law, the names and addresses of contributors to 501(c)(4)s are not made available for public inspection.
In March 2017, Householder began receiving quarterly $250,000 payments from the related-energy companies into the bank account of Generation Now. The defendants allegedly spent millions of the company’s dollars to support Householder’s political bid to become Speaker, to support House candidates they believed would back Householder, and for their own personal benefit. When asked how much money was in Generation Now, Clark said, “it’s unlimited.”
The affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint also alleges:
- In 2018, the enterprise spent energy company-to-Generation Now money on approximately 21 different state candidates – 15 (including Householder) in the primary, and six additional candidates in the general election. The Enterprise spent more than one million in fall 2018 alone to flood the airways with negative ads against enterprise opponents. Most of these candidates won the 2018 general election. All who won voted for Householder as Speaker.
- Money passed from the energy company through Generation Now was used to pay for Householder campaign staff, which would otherwise have been paid by Householder’s candidate committee, Friends of Larry Householder.
- Householder received more than $400,000 in personal benefits as a result of the payments into Generation Now, including funds to settle a personal lawsuit, to pay for costs associated with his residence in Florida, and to pay off thousands of dollars of credit card debt.
- The enterprise paid $15,000 to an individual to provide insider information about the ballot initiative and offered to pay signature collectors for the ballot initiative $2,500 cash and plane fare to stop gathering signatures.
“Dark money is a breeding ground for corruption. This investigation continues,” U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers said.
The racketeering conspiracy as charged in this case is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
The case is being investigated by the FBI. Deputy Criminal Chief Emily N. Glatfelter, Assistant United States Attorney Matthew C. Singer, as well as Assistant Deputy Criminal Chief Timothy Mangan and Assistant United States Attorney Megan Gaffney Painter, are representing the United States in this case.
If you have information related to the public corruption alleged in this case, please contact the FBI at 614-849-1777.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Former Dayton agency director sentenced to prison for accepted cash bribesRead the Press Release
DAYTON – The former director of Dayton’s Minority Business Assistance Center was sentenced via videoconference in U.S. District Court today to six months in prison and two years of supervised release for accepting a thing of value in connection with a local government.
According to court documents, RoShawn Winburn, 46, disclosed internal information regarding minority-owned, woman-owned and small disadvantaged business contracts to a local business owner who hoped to obtain contracts with the City of Dayton.
Between July 2015 and July 2016, Winburn accepted cash payments totaling more than $6,500 from the individual in exchange for internal City of Dayton documents with restricted public access.
Winburn met the individual at a downtown Dayton bar to provide information regarding contracts and receive cash.
Winburn pleaded guilty in February 2020.
Clayton Luckie, Brian Higgins, Steve Rauch, Joyce Cameron and James Cameron have also been charged in connection to this case. Luckie was sentenced in November 2019 to four months in prison for mail fraud. Williams was sentenced in January 2020 to 12 months in prison.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Chris Hoffman, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Ohio Auditor of State Keith Faber announced the sentence imposed today by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Thomas M. Rose. Assistant United States Attorney Brent G. Tabacchi is representing the United States in this case.
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West Carrolton man sentenced to 16 years in prison for receiving images of sexual abuse of childrenRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Robert L. Hudson, 36, of West Carrolton, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 192 months in prison for receiving child pornography.
According to court documents, Hudson used a Kik messenger account to receive and distribute child pornography files from others.
Hudson also used the online account to communicate with other users about child sexual exploitation.
In one such conversation, Hudson stated he had viewed child pornography with babies as young as six months old. Hudson also indicated in the conversation that he had engaged in sexual activities with a 12-year-old boy.
Hudson and the other user discussed options for finding and abusing young boys, including ways to “lure them in.”
Hudson was charged by criminal complaint in March 2019 and pleaded guilty in February 2020.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Chris Hoffman, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Walter H. Rice. Assistant Deputy Criminal Chief Laura Clemmens is representing the United States in this case.
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Spectro Scientific agrees to pay $1M to settle allegations related to Air Force’s Small Business Innovation and Research programRead the Press Release
DAYTON – The United States entered into a $1 million Settlement Agreement with a global oil and fuel analysis instruments company that was awarded three contracts through the United States Air Force Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.
Spectro Scientific (Spectro) will pay $1,050,957 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act through its participation in the United States Air Force SBIR program based at Wright-Patterson AFB.
SBIR seeks to ensure that small businesses without access to capital receive an opportunity to develop new technology through federally-funded research and development. SBIR funding fosters small businesses with innovative ideas and provides the chance to grow their technology for future commercialization.
The SBIR program is reserved for small businesses with less than 500 employees and must not be majority owned by a single venture capital company.
Spectro repeatedly self-certified that it met the small business size requirements for eligibility to receive SBIR funding. Based on certain disclosures that Spectro later made about its ownership, the government conducted an investigation led by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) into Spectro’s eligibility for its SBIR award.
The United States contends that Spectro became ineligible to participate in the SBIR program by virtue of an acquisition where it became majority owned by a single venture capital company at the time it was awarded and performed certain phases of the SBIR contract.
Specifically, Spectro was awarded contracts in 2012, 2014 and 2017 while the company was ineligible. The Massachusetts-based entity received funding from the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson AFB for exploratory applications of advanced oil analysis technology for use in the field.
“This office is committed to protecting taxpayer dollars and safeguarding the integrity of these programs so eligible companies receive a fair opportunity to contract with the Air Force,” said U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers.
“One of the top investigative priorities of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations is to ensure the integrity of the Department of the Air Force’s procurement system, to include research and development programs,” said Paul W. Wachsmuth, Director, OSI Office of Procurement Fraud Investigations. “Any small business who seeks to participate in the SBIR program must do so with integrity.”
DeVillers was joined by the AFOSI Procurement Fraud Detachment 4 at Wright-Patterson AFB, and the Procurement Fraud Division of the Air Force Material Command Law Office, in announcing the settlement. Assistant United States Attorneys Brandi M. Stewart and Andrew M. Malek represented the United States in this matter.
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Justice Department Settles Disability-Based Housing Discrimination Lawsuit with Owners and Developers of 82 Apartment Complexes in 13 StatesRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio announced today that the owners, developers and builders of 82 multi-family housing complexes have agreed to make extensive modifications to their properties and pay $475,000 to resolve claims that they violated the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act by designing and constructing apartment complexes that are inaccessible to persons with disabilities.
This agreement resolves one of the largest housing accessibility lawsuits that the Justice Department has filed. The housing complexes at issue are located in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia, and contain more than 3,000 units that are required to have accessible features.
Today’s settlement, which must still be approved by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, resolves the government’s lawsuit, filed in May 2019, against Ohio-based Miller-Valentine Operations Inc. and its affiliated companies. Under the terms of the settlement, the defendants must take extensive corrective actions to make the complexes accessible to persons with disabilities. These include replacing excessively sloped portions of sidewalks, installing properly sloped curb ramps and walkways to allow persons with disabilities to access units from sidewalks and parking areas, providing sufficient room for wheelchair users in bathrooms and kitchens, and removing accessibility barriers in public and common use areas at the complexes. The defendants will pay $400,000 to establish a settlement fund to compensate individuals with disabilities who were harmed by the accessibility violations and $75,000 in civil penalties to the government to vindicate the public interest.
The settlement also requires the defendants to receive training about the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, to take steps to ensure that their future multifamily housing construction complies with these laws, and to provide periodic reports to the Justice Department.
“For nearly three decades, federal law has mandated that new multifamily housing be accessible to people with disabilities,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “And yet, after all these years, some in the housing industry continue to ignore their legal obligations by building inaccessible properties that deny individuals with disabilities the opportunity to live in and enjoy housing on equal terms with non-disabled tenants. There simply is no excuse for these violations of longstanding federal law. This lawsuit and its resolution should send an unmistakable message that this Department will work tirelessly to pursue those who deny individuals with disabilities their federally protected right to accessible housing.”
“Today’s settlement, if approved by the court, will achieve two major goals,” said David M. DeVillers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. “It will correct actions taken in the past that limited access to housing for people with disabilities and at the same time put steps in place to prevent this from happening in the future.”
The complexes at issue, many of which were built with financial assistance from the federal government’s Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program or other federal programs, are:
Illinois
- Twin Lakes Senior Villas, Rantoul, IL
Indiana
- Honey Creek, Greenwood, IN
- Mill Pond, Muncie, IN
- Summit Pointe, Lawrenceburg, IN
- Waterbury Apartments, Decatur, IN
Iowa
- Meadow Vista Senior Villas, Altoona, IA
Kansas
- Galena Estates, Galena, KS
Kentucky
- Weaver Farm Apartments, Florence, KY
Missouri
- Hampshire Landing, Joplin, MO
North Carolina
- Madison Place Senior, Gastonia, NC
- Pinecrest Apartments, Walkertown, NC
- River Crossing, Charlotte, NC
- The Enclave at Winston-Salem, Winston-Salem, NC
- The Landings at Steele Creek I, Charlotte, NC
- The Landings at Steele Creek II, Charlotte, NC
- Twin Cedars I, Hickory, NC
- Twin Cedars II, Hickory, NC
- Villas at Twin Cedars, Hickory, NC
Ohio
- Aspen Grove Apartments, Middletown, OH
- Bent Tree Apartments I, Piqua, OH
- Bent Tree Apartments II, Piqua, OH
- Breckenridge Apartments, Findlay, OH
- Bridge Street Landing, Chillicothe, OH
- Brookdale Trillium Crossing, Columbus, OH
- Brookstone Apartments, Bellefontaine, OH
- Carriage Trails Senior Villas, Huber Heights, OH
- Cedar Trail, Bellbrook, OH
- Cedar Wood Apartments, Mansfield, OH
- Cobblegate Square Apartments, Moraine, OH
- Deerfield Crossing, Lebanon, OH
- Eagles Point Apartments, Kenton, OH
- Faith Community Housing, Crestline, OH
- Fox Run, Trotwood, OH
- Glen Arbors Apartments, Napoleon, OH
- Harbour Cove Apartments, Cincinnati, OH
- Harmony Senior Village, Williamsburg, OH
- Holly Hills Apartments, Jackson, OH
- Hoover Place, Dayton, OH
- Hunter’s Oak Apartments, Greenville, OH
- Indian Trace I, Oxford, OH
- Indian Trace II, Oxford, OH
- Lake Towne Senior, Walbridge, OH
- Lofts at Hoover, Dayton, OH
- Lofts at One West High Street, Oxford, OH
- Lyons Place I, Dayton, OH
- Lyons Place II, Dayton, OH
- Mallard Glen, Amelia, OH
- Mallard Landing, Marion, OH
- Meadow Creek Apartments, Bryan, OH
- Meadow View South, Springboro, OH
- Oak Wood Apartments, Lexington, OH
- Pheasant Run Senior, Dayton, OH
- Pine Ridge, Logan, OH
- Quail Run Apartments, Van Wert, OH
- Queen Esther’s Village, Canton, OH
- Riverside Landing at Delaware Place, Delaware, OH
- Riverview Bluffs, New Richmond, OH
- Sandhurst, Zanesville, OH
- Scioto Woods I, Chillicothe, OH
- Scioto Woods II, Chillicothe, OH
- Siena Village Senior Living, Dayton, OH
- St. Bernard Commons, St. Bernard, OH
- St. Rita’s Senior Housing, Garfield Heights, OH
- Stone Creek Apartments, Moraine, OH
- Sycamore Creek Apartments, Sidney, OH
- Timber Glen II, Batavia, OH
- Timber Ridge Apartments, Dayton, OH
- Timberlake Apartments, Vandalia, OH
- Walnut Run Senior Villas, Cortland, OH
- Waterstone Landing, Perrysburg, OH
- Whitehouse Square Senior Villas, Whitehouse, OH
- Wind Ridge Apartments, Tipp City, OH
- Windsor Place, Beavercreek, OH
- Wright Place Apartments, Xenia, OH
Oklahoma
- Fairway Breeze Apartments, El Reno, OK
- Reserve at Spencer, Spencer, OK
Pennsylvania
- Allegheny Pointe, Apollo, PA
- Walkers Ridge Apartments, Greensburg, PA
Texas
- Gallatin Park Apartments, Gallatin, TX
- Oak Ridge Apartments, Nolanville, TX
- Silversage Point at Western Center, Fort Worth, TX
West Virginia
- Reserve at Oak Spring, Clarksburg, WV
Persons who believe they or someone they know may have been harmed by the inaccessible conditions at any of these properties, either when they or someone associated with them lived there or considered living there, should contact the Justice Department toll-free at 1-833-591-0295 or by e-mail at [email protected].
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on disability, race, color, religion, national origin, sex and familial status. Among other things, the Fair Housing Act requires all multifamily housing constructed after March 13, 1991, to have basic accessibility features, including accessible routes without steps to all ground floor units, and units accessible to wheelchair users and others with disabilities. Enacted in 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act requires, among other things, that places of public accommodation, such as rental offices at multifamily housing complexes designed and constructed for first occupancy after Jan. 26, 1993, be accessible to persons with disabilities. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at http://www.justice.gov/crt.
Dayton-area drug dealer charged with murderRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has charged Joshua Cordell Lee Williams, 19, of Xenia, Ohio, with murder in relation to firearms and drugs charges stemming from a January 2020 homicide in Wilmington in an indictment returned here today.
Specifically, Williams is charged with firearms-related murder and possessing with the intent to distribute a controlled substance.
According to court documents, on Jan. 21, 2020, Williams met with four individuals in Wilmington to sell them marijuana. The individuals had intended to meet Williams and take the marijuana without paying.
A struggle ensued between the individuals and Williams, who was armed with a firearm during the transaction. Williams fired the weapon, shooting the victim, Layne Hall, in the chest and fatally injuring him.
“Far too often, the combination of drug transactions and firearms results in death. As alleged, this case involves a fatal shooting over a few pounds of marijuana,” U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers said. “This case – the first ever federal murder case in Cincinnati – highlights this office’s emphasis on combatting violent crime.”
“This office, in partnership with Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters' office, has initiated a multipronged attack on violent crime. We are concentrating on long-term historical investigations into violent organized crime and at the same time devoting resources to current, ongoing crimes perpetrated by the most violent in our community. Expect more to come.”
If convicted, Williams faces up to life in prison.
“The violence associated with the illegal drug trade is a scourge on our communities,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Chris Hoffman. “When law enforcement agencies partner together in a task force environment, as in this case, we can better attack these issues and remove dangerous criminals from the streets.”
Williams was ordered to remain in custody pending trial.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Chris Hoffman, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Wilmington Police Chief Ron Cravens, Xenia Police Chief Donald R. Person, the Greater Warren County Drug Task Force and Clinton County Prosecutor Richard W. Moyer announced the charges. OCDETF Chief Christy L. Muncy and Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Oakley are representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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