Southern District of Ohio
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Kettering man sentenced to more than 22 years in prison for raping toddlers & photographing the abuseRead the Press Release
DAYTON – A Kettering man was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 270 months in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for sexually abusing two toddlers and creating hundreds of images of the abuse.
According to court documents, in 2003 and 2009, Matthew Jones, 44, sexually abused three-year-old victims.
The defendant raped two toddler victims and created more than 100 images of each instance of abuse.
Jones was caught in the bedroom of one victim, causing the victim’s mother to contact law enforcement.
He also photographed two other minor females and at least six adult women while they were sleeping. Additionally, based on searches of Jones’ computers, the defendant engaged in peer-to-peer exchange of more than 100,000 images and videos of child pornography.
Jones pleaded guilty in December 2018 to producing child pornography.
Jones’ plea in federal court was the first part of a global resolution of charges involving the federal court, the Greene County Common Pleas Court and the Montgomery County Common Pleas Court. The global plea means Jones also accepts responsibility for one count of rape of a person under age 10 in Greene County and the same charge in Montgomery County, as well as two counts of sexual battery and one count of gross sexual imposition in Montgomery County.
As part of this global resolution, the Greene County Prosecutor’s Office will recommend Jones receive 15 years up to life in prison for the Greene County offense. The Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office will recommend Jones receive 20 years up to life in prison for the Montgomery County offenses. Also as part of the resolution, Jones will serve his sentences concurrently with each other.
“Jones is a serial sexual abuser who memorialized his abuse by taking pictures of his abhorrent conduct,” U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers said. “He has been sexually assaulting toddlers and adult women and engaging in online sharing of child pornography for more than 15 years. He deserves his lengthy stay in prison.”
DeVillers is joined by Joseph M. Deters, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, Greene County Prosecutor Stephen K. Haller, Montgomery County Prosecutor Mathias H. Heck, Jr., Kettering Police Chief Christopher N. Protsman, Xenia Police Chief Donald R. Person and members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force in announcing the sentence imposed on Nov. 27 by U.S. District Court Judge Walter H. Rice. Assistant United States Attorney Amy M. Smith and Deputy Criminal Chief Dominick S. Gerace are representing the United States in this case.
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Husband and wife sentenced to prison for health care fraudRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Hilliard couple were sentenced in U.S. District Court for conspiring to commit and committing health care fraud. The husband and wife owned and managed a pharmacy and Suboxone clinic in Dublin.
Darrell L. Bryant, 44, was sentenced to 84 months in prison and Gifty Kusi, 35, was sentenced to 24 months incarceration, including six months at a post-release facility and six months home confinement.
A jury convicted Bryant and Kusi following a two-week trial in December 2018.
Bryant and Kusi owned and managed Health and Wellness Pharmacy on Blazer Parkway in Dublin. Bryant, Kusi, and Dr. Jornell Rivera also owned and operated Health and Wellness Medical Center, a suboxone clinic, also located in Dublin. Rivera served as the Medical Director for the medical center.
According to court documents and testimony, Bryant, Kusi and their co-conspirators marketed prescription creams in low-income neighborhoods and mailed those creams to Medicaid customers. They also billed for counseling services that weren’t provided, and billed for individual counseling sessions that actually occurred in a group setting.
As part of the conspiracy, Medicaid was billed for compound creams to treat pain, scarring and acne. Health and Wellness Pharmacy billed Medicaid $2 million for the creams.
The pharmacy marketed the compound creams at Clinic 5 (a Suboxone clinic), Sav-a-Lot and through a mobile van unit. Patients with CareSource were targeted and told they were receiving free samples of pain cream. Then they began to receive more cream in the mail without requesting more. These were also billed to CareSource.
Customers at Sav-a-Lot and in low-income neighborhoods were asked to fill out a survey asking about any conditions that they suffered from. Then, they would receive the compound creams in the mail every month, even when customers directed the co-conspirators to stop sending them. Many of these customers never met with a doctor, nor did they know the prescribing physician.
“Exploiting the poor to cash in on the Medicaid program isn’t just immoral, it’s illegal,” Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said. “I’m proud of my team and grateful to all our partners for bringing this pair to justice.”
Also as part of the health care fraud scheme, Health and Wellness Medical Center submitted fraudulent claims to Medicaid for psychotherapy services that were never rendered to patients.
Specifically, patients indicated they would sit in a room with a timer. When the timer went off, they were allowed to leave and receive their Suboxone prescription. No counseling services were provided during this time. Some patients reported coloring in coloring books during the time they were in the room.
Co-conspirators Rivera and Dr. Michael Alexander have pleaded guilty to making false statements related to health care matters. Alexander also pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute controlled substances.
A jury convicted another co-conspirator, Dr. Bernard Oppong, 61, of Blacklick, Ohio, in May 2019. Oppong was convicted on five counts related to the health care fraud scheme.
“These defendants failed to provide quality care to their patients and used them to submit fraudulent claims to Medicaid in order steal taxpayer money” said Lamont Pugh III, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General - Chicago Region. “The OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who deceive patients and attack federally funded health care programs are held accountable.”
“Collaboration is essential for rooting out fraud and preserving the integrity of our health care system,” said State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy Executive Director Steven Schierholt. “I am grateful to our staff and our state and federal partners for bringing these individuals to justice.”
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; Joseph M. Deters, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Keith Martin, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost; and Steven W. Schierholt, Executive Director, State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy announced the sentences handed down yesterday evening by Chief U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorneys Kenneth F. Affeldt and Maritsa A. Flaherty are representing the United States in this case.
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Batavia man sentenced to 25 years in prison for bank robberiesRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Batavia man was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 300 months in prison for using a gun to rob the Cheviot Savings Bank and robbing Cincinnatus Savings and Loan.
Bruce Lee Felix, 52, was convicted by a jury in July 2019 following a two-and-a-half-week trial.
Court documents and trial testimony said that Felix, wearing a mask and brandishing a gun, surprised a maintenance man at the Cheviot Savings Bank on Stone Drive in Harrison, Ohio, at approximately 8am on June 17, 2015 when the maintenance man was entering the back door of the bank.
Felix placed his gun to the maintenance man’s temple and demanded that he open the vault. Once he realized only bank tellers could open the vault, he ordered the victim down on the floor of the break room, zip-tied his hands behind his back and his feet together, removed the victim’s boots and waited for the tellers to arrive. When the tellers arrived, Felix ordered them to open the vault and remove the money. He then fled the bank.
The jury also convicted Felix of robbing the Cincinnatus Savings and Loan on Springdale Road on Feb. 4, 2015 when he jumped out of the bushes as two employees were getting ready to enter the bank around 8am. He forced them to open the vault and remove the money before ordering them to lie on the ground and tying their hands behind their back.
Felix was arrested on Feb. 4, 2017 in Batavia.
The jury found Felix guilty of one count of bank robbery, one count of armed bank robbery and one count of use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Joseph M. Deters, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Colerain Township Police Chief Mark C. Denney; Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot K. Isaac; Harrison Police Chief Charles Lindsey; and Michael S. Masterson, Director of Enforcement, Ohio Casino Control Commission announced the sentence imposed yesterday afternoon by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Black. Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony Springer and Ebunoluwa Taiwo are representing the United States in this case.
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Kettering man sentenced to more than 5 years in prison for possessing child pornographyRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Stephen Lavery, 35, of Kettering, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 66 months in prison and five years of supervised release for possessing child pornography.
According to court documents, law enforcement received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that suspected child pornography files had been uploaded to Lavery’s Dropbox account. Likewise, Microsoft Corporation reported to NCMEC that Lavery’s IP address had been used to upload suspected child pornography files to the Bing Images search engine. Additionally, the video-sharing website Rabb.it reported Lavery, using the profile name “Jerkin Hard,” shared suspected child pornography on the website.
In May 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Lavery’s home in Kettering. Officers discovered more than 600 images and videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including visual depictions of prepubescent children.
Lavery pleaded guilty to in Dec. 2018.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Joseph M. Deters, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Kettering Police Chief Christopher N. Protsman announced the sentence imposed by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Thomas M. Rose. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Hunt is representing the United States in this case.
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Maryland man offers guilty plea for cyberstalking Ohio victimsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Maryland man offered a guilty plea today in U.S. District Court to cyberstalking victims in the Southern District of Ohio.
Vincent Brocoli, 32, of Essex, Md., was indicted by a federal grand jury in August.
According to court documents, from August 2016 until April 2019, Brocoli (also known as Matthew Dehart, BunchMedia and BunchMarketing), cyberstalked a female victim and her parents by creating social media accounts in their names, sending them threats, and using the Internet to cause substantial emotional distress to their family.
Brocoli created social media accounts like @xokirstylies1, @xokirstyslut1 and @killyourselfkirsty, among others.
The defendant used the Internet to post photos of the victim with a cross on her forehead and send messages like “I hope you get cancer and die UGLY SLLUT [sic],” and “Go away and die. Just put a gun in your mouth and get it over with.”
Court documents also details that, over the course of nearly three years, Brocoli used the Internet and multiple social media platforms to post threatening and sexually vulgar comments, calling the victim a “worthless lying slut” and a “whore.” Brocoli also used the Internet to post comments asserting that the victim and her husband had AIDS, like claiming that the victim “took [her husband]’s gay cum down her throat and now she has aids. Diseased whorebag.”
Brocoli posed as the victim’s father and mother online by creating multiple Instagram and Twitter handles using their names. He also used the Internet to post comments to the victim’s mother, calling her a “pedophile,” commenting that she needed “to be arrested for child abuse,” and telling her to “Shut up and die.” Brocoli further used the Internet to post to the victim’s father that he would “be the first to go to hell and answer to the real God when the time comes.”
Cyberstalking is a federal crime punishable by up to five years in prison. Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Joseph M. Deters, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the plea offered today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kimberly A. Jolson. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica H. Kim and Special Assistant United States Attorney Christopher N. St. Pierre are representing the United States in this case.
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Indiana livestock broker sentenced to prison for wire fraudRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Brian D. Jones, 40, of Vevay, Ind., was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 51 months in prison and ordered to pay nearly $750,000 in restitution to victims he defrauded.
According to court documents, Jones operated a business buying bull calves from dairy farms in Wisconsin and selling them to cattle ranches in Texas and Missouri. By the end of 2015, Jones had squandered funds from the cattle purchasers and was in debt with both his suppliers and purchasers.
Jones began soliciting investors in 2015, promising sizable returns for the investments. Rather than invest the funds, Jones used the money for his personal benefit, such as gambling at casinos. He used the investment funds to pay “returns” back to earlier investors as if the funds had actually generated income through investment in his business.
Jones fabricated bank documents to show that he had sizable business deposits that would soon be “released” by the bank. He also sent some checks to investors for investment returns only to have the checks bounce due to insufficient funds in his account.
Jones was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2017 and pleaded guilty to wire fraud in June 2018.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Joseph M. Deters, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Black. Assistant Deputy Criminal Chief Timothy S. Mangan is representing the United States in this case.
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Former corrections officer sentenced to prison for smuggling drugs into state prisonRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A longtime corrections officer at the Belmont Correctional Institution was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 30 months in prison for smuggling contraband into the prison.
Alfred M. Horvath, 59, of Shadyside, conspired with others to sneak illegal drugs and tobacco into the prison.
According to court documents, from 2015 through 2018, Horvath received cash from multiple inmates and their representatives in exchange for smuggling tobacco, oxycodone pills and Suboxone strips into the prison.
On several occasions, and for several years, Horvath was paid approximately $500 to $1,000 for each smuggling trip.
He would meet inmates’ representatives outside the prison in locations in the Southern District of Ohio and elsewhere. The individuals would provide him with the drugs and his cash profit. Horvath admitted to smuggling or agreeing to smuggle at least 300 30-milligram oxycodone pills and several thousand Suboxone strips.
Horvath pleaded guilty in January 2019 to conspiring to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Joseph M. Deters, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Annette Chambers-Smith, Director, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction; and officials with the Jefferson County Drug Task Force announced the sentence imposed by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate is representing the United States in this case.
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Pataskala couple plead guilty to defrauding federal student loan programs, Medicaid, SNAP, HUD, as well as committing tax fraudRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Pataskala couple have pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud multiple federal programs by committing student-aid fraud, tax-return fraud, and Medicaid and SNAP fraud. One defendant also pleaded guilty to making a false statement to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and witness tampering, while the other pleaded guilty to committing bank fraud. They caused a total loss of more than half a million dollars.
Damien M. Johnson, 39, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court this morning before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. to one count of conspiracy to commit student loan fraud and one count of bank fraud. Kisha C. Hollins-Johnson, 41, pleaded guilty in August to one count of conspiring to commit student loan fraud and theft of government funds, committing student loan fraud, making a false statement to HUD, witness tampering and two counts of theft of government money.
According to their pleas, from at least 2011 through 2017, the defendants recruited more than five people to provide their personal information to apply for college admissions at Columbus State Community College.
All of the students fraudulently enrolled in online classes at the college by lying on their financial aid forms. Hollins-Johnson completed coursework for all of the students. The students were enrolled in the same courses and chose the same or similar topics for their papers.
When Johnson was not making satisfactory academic progress, Hollins-Johnson created fake documents, including medical records, for use in an academic appeals process in order for Johnson to remain eligible to receive financial aid. She fabricated a letter purporting to be from a doctor that claimed Johnson had sickle cell anemia. The doctor did not write the note, and in fact was a gynecologist.
In total, the U.S. Department of Education issued nearly $220,000 to Columbus State and as refunds to the defendants. Any amount of student loan above the cost of tuition and fees was given to the defendants.
Johnson also committed bank fraud by obtaining seven checks totaling at least $73,000 from an 87-year-old victim who had dementia. Johnson used the money on a variety of personal transactions, including $7,150 at a pawnshop, $1,798 at Gucci, $1,558 at Louis Vuitton, $1,182 in payments to vehicle dealers and $2,500 at a law firm.
Hollins-Johnson submitted false tax returns by claiming fake defendants and educational credits. Johnson contacted the IRS pretending to be at least one of the other taxpayers and delivered portions of the tax refunds to other individuals.
The couple also fraudulently obtained SNAP food stamp benefits by claiming they were each single when they were married. As part of the conspiracy, Hollins-Johnson submitted false letters verifying Johnson’s employment for food stamp eligibility.
In 2014, Hollins-Johnson submitted an application for a $200,000 home loan insured by the FHA. When she submitted the loan application, she used fabricated employment documents that stated she worked for the State of Ohio. Additionally, she fabricated a form the mortgage company sent to a person they believed was a Human Relations Manager to verify employment.
After investigators searched Hollins-Johnson’s residence, she engaged in witness tampering. She engaged in a scheme that involved creating a fake Facebook account and using an app that allows users to change their caller ID and apply a voice changer feature to call a witness in the case. The scheme led to an in-person meeting, where Hollins-Johnson instructed the witness not to talk with law enforcement.
As part of their pleas, the defendants agree to pay more than $450,000 in restitution.
Bank fraud is punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Witness tampering is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Theft of government money is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Bryant Johnson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation; Brad Geary, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General; John F. Woolly, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General; and officials with the Fairfield County Job & Family Services Fraud and Benefit Recovery division announced the plea entered into today before U.S. District Judge U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate is representing the United States in this case.
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T&A Crips gang member sentenced to 20 years in prisonRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – One of 19 defendants charged in a gang-related racketeering conspiracy was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 240 months in prison.
Steve Henderson, Jr., 25, of Columbus, shot and attempted to murder rival Milo Bloods gang members in June 2014. He also opened fire on an individual after a dispute involving stolen narcotics in April 2015.
Henderson and others were indicted in September 2018 and charged in a racketeering conspiracy that includes five murders, multiple attempted murders and other violent and drug-trafficking crimes.
According to court documents, the defendants are members and associates of the Trevitt and Atcheson Crips gang known as T&A.
The gang derived its name from Trevitt and Atcheson streets in the King-Lincoln District of Columbus, where its members predominantly reside.
Beginning in June 2010, T&A members and associates conspired in a racketeering enterprise and engaged in murders, attempted murders, drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, witness tampering, robbery, assault and other crimes.
The gang controlled the neighborhood through intimidation, fear and violence. Gang members were expected to retaliate with acts of violence when their members and associates were disrespected, threatened, intimidated or subjected to acts of violence.
Specifically, co-conspirators are charged with five murders:
the murder of Franky Tention on July 1, 2012, in the area of 431 Ellison Street;
the murder of William Moore on March 15, 2013;
the murder of Marvin Ector on December 23, 2013, on East 5th Avenue;
the murder of Quincy Story on January 24, 2015; and
the murder of Deaonte Fisher on March 4, 2016.
T&A engaged in a long-term operation of consistent transportation of heroin and crack from Columbus to Portsmouth, Ohio, for sale in various “trap houses.” In the summer of 2015, T&A, under the leadership of Eric Henderson, Sr., began to deliver large amounts of heroin, crack, and oxycodone from Columbus to Portsmouth on a weekly basis. Female associates and drug-addicted “mules” transported the drugs at the direction of T&A members and associates. The drugs were then sold on a daily basis out of a number of “trap houses” controlled by T&A members.
“What made this violent gang particularly dangerous was their effectiveness at illegally acquiring massive amounts of firearms and bringing them to Columbus,” said U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers. “T&A Crips not only sold narcotics, but also took advantage of the vulnerability of drug addicts, who often had no felony convictions, to both purchase and steal firearms.”
Co-defendant Eric Henderson, Jr. was sentenced last week to 78 months in prison. He sold gram quantities of crack cocaine in Columbus and Chillicothe on behalf of the racketeering conspiracy.
Terrance Pyfrom, 21, was also sentenced last week. Pyfrom was sentenced to 78 months in prison for conspiring to distribute crack cocaine and shooting at members of the Easthaven Bloods gang on Aug. 8, 2014, after a drive-by shooting.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jonathan McPherson, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Joseph M. Deters, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Interim Columbus Police Chief Tom Quinlan; United States Marshal Pete Tobin and Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien announced the sentences imposed by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin W. Kelley and Noah R. Litton are representing the United States in this case.
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Friend of Dayton mass shooter pleads guilty to illegally possessing firearm, lying on federal firearms formRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Ethan Kollie, 24, of Kettering, a friend of the Dayton mass shooter Connor Betts, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to illegally possessing firearms and lying on federal firearms form 4473.
As part of his guilty plea, Kollie acknowledged lying on a United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tabacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Form 4473 when purchasing a micro Draco pistol, specifically while answering question 11e that asks, “Are you an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance?”
Kollie checked the “no” box, when in fact he knew he was an unlawful user of marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms. Kollie answered falsely because he knew he would not be able to obtain the micro Draco pistol if he answered truthfully.
During searches of Kollie and his residence following the Aug. 4 shooting, law enforcement officers recovered the micro Draco pistol, which was loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition, marijuana, psychedelic mushrooms, additional weapons, ammunition, drug paraphernalia and psychedelic mushroom grow equipment.
Kollie illegally possessed at various times four firearms in total, namely, the micro Draco pistol, a 9mm handgun, a 38 Special revolver, and an AR-15 rifle. The micro Draco pistol and the AR-15 are both semi-automatic weapons and could accept more than 15 rounds of ammunition.
Possessing a firearm as an unlawful user of a controlled substance is a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Making a false statement regarding firearms carries a potential maximum sentence of up to five years’ imprisonment. Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 20.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Joseph M. Deters, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Jonathan McPherson, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Dayton Police Chief Richard S. Biehl, announced the plea entered into today before Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Rose. First Assistant United States Attorney Vipal J. Patel and Deputy Criminal Chief Dominick S. Gerace are representing the United States in this case.
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General Manager of Columbus Home Health Care Agency Pleads Guilty to Tax FraudRead the Press Release
A Columbus businessman pleaded guilty today to aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers of the Southern District of Ohio.
According to information provided in court, Abdikarim Abdirahman, 57, was the general manager of Diversity Home Health Care (Diversity), a home health care agency operating in Columbus and Springfield, Ohio. After obtaining personal identifying information of several individuals, Abdirahman created and submitted to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) documentation fraudulently indicating that Diversity had hired and paid those individuals. From 2009 through 2012, Abdirahman provided this false information to Diversity’s tax return preparer, representing that Diversity paid those individuals hundreds of thousands of dollars in compensation and that these payments were deductible to Diversity as business expenses. In addition, Abdirahman caused these sham employees to falsely report on their individual tax returns that they had received income from Diversity, to claim credits, and to request refunds from the IRS. In total, Abdirahman’s conduct caused a tax loss of more than $540,000.
U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus will set sentencing at a later date. Abdirahman faces up to three years in prison and one year of supervised release, as well as monetary penalties and restitution.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney DeVillers thanked special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General, and Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, who investigated the case, and Trial Attorneys Thomas Voracek and William Guappone of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division’s enforcement efforts can be found on the Division’s website.
37 arrested in fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine conspiracyRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has charged 37 individuals with crimes related to narcotics and money laundering conspiracies in an indictment that was unsealed here today.
Those charged include 22 local individuals. Law enforcement agents arrested all 37 defendants late last week and over the weekend.
According to the indictment, beginning in March 2016 and continuing through October 2019, the defendants conspired to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and five kilograms or more of cocaine.
The indictment alleges two Cincinnati businesses were used to launder proceeds from the narcotics conspiracy: Tri-State Jeweler on Race Street and Nationwide Automotive on Vine Street. It is alleged that cash was kept stored at both locations. The cash was then allegedly concealed and packaged to be transported to and from the Cincinnati region.
According to the 15-count indictment, between December 2018 and April 2019, defendants stored, at least temporarily, approximately $2.5 million at Tri-State Jeweler.
For example, Tri-State Jeweler accepted $1,400 in cash for the purchase of a diamond pendant necklace in May 2019, $15,000 for the purchase of a diamond ring in June 2019 and $4,000 for the purchase of a diamond ring in July 2019.
Also in July 2019, Nationwide Automotive accepted $38,800 in alleged narcotics proceeds for the purchase of a vehicle.
It is alleged at least $800,000 was laundered at Nationwide Automotive between November 2018 and April 2019.
Co-conspirators are also charged with maintaining drug premises on Prosser and Glenmore avenues in Cincinnati.
The government has seized more than half a million dollars in cash, 19 pounds of fentanyl, three pounds of heroin, 100 pounds of cocaine, 42 pounds of methamphetamine, 47 weapons, 12 vehicles, the jewelry store inventory, assorted jewelry belonging to defendants and residences valued at approximately $1.1 million total thus far in this case.
Those charged include:
Name
Age
City
Jose Daniel Zazueta-Hernandez, aka Jesus Bojorquez, aka Dany
40
Wisconsin
Derrick Bryant
39
Cincinnati
Daniel Simons
45
Hamilton
William F. Graham, III
52
Cincinnati
Carlos Flores-Inzunza
31
Sinaloa, Mexico
Jose Toquillas-Felix
32
Cincinnati
Lashone Isom
42
Cincinnati
Maurice Jackson
50
Hamilton
Daniel Montez Blaine
50
Cincinnati
Francisco Casique
24
California
Raymond James Edwards, Jr.
53
Cincinnati
Christopher Engle
48
Cincinnati
Radee Garrett
39
Cincinnati
Carl Rena Gilbert
60
Cincinnati
Cardale A. Goens
32
Cincinnati
Ayman Anis Al Hajjeh
27
Wisconsin
Xingui Lin
39
Chicago
Frances Alexia Mercado
24
Atlanta
Kymyatta Oatis
50
Cincinnati
Ernesto Rincon
24
Wisconsin
Andre Robinson
37
Cincinnati
Joel Salcedo
23
Las Vegas
Robert Smith
60
Cincinnati
Christopher William Talley
36
Cincinnati
Donald Thompson
41
Cincinnati
Vilma Vidal-Flores
47
Las Vegas
Harold Lamar Walker
41
Cincinnati
Stefan Walker
42
Cincinnati
Min Wang
32
Chicago
Nicholas White
41
Cincinnati
Brandon Terrell Willis
43
Cincinnati
Maurice Ringwood
45
Cincinnati
Ivan Courtney Johnson
39
Cincinnati
Vyacheslav Minyalo, aka Slavik
46
Cincinnati
Dewayne Lamont Walker
47
Cincinnati
Yosi Ilouz
42
Mason
Brady Cunningham
53
Cincinnati
The narcotics conspiracy in this case is punishable by a mandatory minimum 10 years up to life in prison. The money laundering conspiracy is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Congress sets the minimum and maximum statutory sentence. Sentencing of the defendant 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; Keith Martin, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); and Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Criminal Investigations, announced the charges. Criminal Chief Karl P. Kadon and OCDETF Chief Christy L. Muncy are representing the United States in this case.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), United States Marshals Service, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) assisted in arrests.
Members of the DEA’s Task Force include: Cincinnati, Golf Manor, West Chester, Norwood, Montgomery, Colerain, Springfield Township, Delhi Township, Harrison, Kenton County, Covington, Florence and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport police departments, Hamilton County and Boone County sheriff’s offices, the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), Ohio National Guard, Butler County Undercover Regional Narcotics Task Force, Ohio State Highway Patrol and Kentucky State Police.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Business owner sentenced to 8 years in prison for crimes involving more than $2 million in Department of Defense contractsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Daniel Emerson Norton, 52, formerly of Arlington, Va. and the owner of Torrance, Calif.-based Emerson Company, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 96 months in prison. Norton fraudulently secured approximately $2.2 million in contracts to provide critical parts to the U.S. Department of Defense, which he then filled with defective parts made in China, in violation of the Buy American Act.
A trial against Norton began on April 8. He interrupted the trial after five days to enter pleas of guilty.
According to court documents and testimony at trial, the Department of Defense (DOD) barred Emerson Company from doing business with the U.S. Government in 2011. Between 2011 and 2013, Norton continued to recruit people who either already had companies or were willing to start companies to do his bidding on solicitations and contract with the military to provide parts for the U.S. military. When one of the companies was awarded a purchase order, Norton directed the company to send the purchase order to Emerson Company, which would buy and ship the part directly to DoD.
Norton bought the parts from manufacturers in China, even though the contracts required a large number of the parts to be made in the United States. The parts Norton provided had dimensional defects, material substitutions, incorrect or missing markings, incorrect finishes, improper shapes or styles, mislabeled packaging or poor workmanship and thus failed to conform to the contract requirements.
Additionally, when contracts called for an exact part from a specific domestic manufacturer, rather than obtaining these parts from the specified manufacturer (OEM), Norton supplied imitation parts obtained from China that were defective. They involved a variety of parts used on military aircraft, vessels, vehicles, weapons systems and nuclear reactor programs, including the F-16 Fighting Falcon, A-10 Thunderbolt, C-130 Hercules, B-52 Stratofortress, AH-64 Apache attack helicopter, the Paladin M109A6 155mm Artillery System, HMMWV “HUMVEE” vehicles and Nimitz Class CVN Aircraft Carriers. Emerson’s defective parts were recalled from military depots worldwide.
Once Norton realized he was under investigation in 2013 by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, he took several steps to mislead the government in its investigations.
For example, in an effort to avoid an extension of debarment for providing a non-conforming bolt used on a C-130 aircraft engine, Norton submitted false documents to the DoD deflecting blame from Emerson Company to one of the nine companies under his control. Norton knew, however, that he, personally, had ordered the bolts from a manufacturer in China and they were not supplied by the required OEM.
Norton also admitted to obstructing justice by falsely communicating information to his attorney, or allowing such information to be communicated, with the intent that it be communicated to the United States as it related to its grand jury investigation, thereby obstructing that investigation.
As part of his sentence, Norton was ordered to pay $2.38 million in restitution, and forfeit more than $333,000 in his bank account in the name of Emerson Manufacturing Inc. and a $725,000 residence held by Emerson Manufacturing Company in Kihei, Hawaii.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Leigh-Alistair Barzey, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Services (DCIS), Central Field Office; and Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson. Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica W. Knight and J. Michael Marous represented the United States in this case.
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Two sentenced to prison for conspiring to steal, cash stolen and fraudulent checksRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Two local men were sentenced in U.S. District Court for their roles in a bank fraud conspiracy which involved stealing checks from the mail and reprinting the checks in the name of new payees for cashing at financial institutions.
Stephano Henderson, 32, of Cincinnati, was sentenced on Nov. 8 to 87 months in prison. Laneal Henderson, 33, of Cincinnati, was sentenced today to 51 months in prison.
According to court documents, the Hendersons and others stole checks from the mail at residences and businesses. They then re-printed checks by inserting the names of new payees and caused the fraudulent checks to be presented for cash at financial institutions. Co-conspirators recruited “cashers” to serve as the new payees on the re-printed checks in exchange for part of the profit.
Stephano Henderson was primarily involved in re-printing checks for new payees to cash. Laneal Henderson primarily recruited individuals to cash fraudulent checks and provided the fraudulent checks to the cashers. The plea agreement set forth a loss amount of between $150,001 and $250,000.
Stephano Henderson pleaded guilty in July 2019 to one count of conspiring to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Laneal Henderson pleaded guilty in May 2019 to one count of conspiring to commit bank fraud.
Two others were charged and have pleaded guilty in this case: Eugene Clifford, 31, of Cincinnati, and Markalo Harris, 27, of Cincinnati. They have not yet been sentenced.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Pittsburgh Division, Yvonne DiCristoforo, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service, Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Neal, West Chester Police Chief Joel Herzog, Green Township Police Chief James Vetter, Greensburg, Ind. Interim Police Chief Brendan Bridges, Norwood Police Chief William Kramer and Madeira Police Chief Dave Schaefer announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Black. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew C. Singer is representing the United States in this case.
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Registered sex offender pleads guilty to enticing young men to produce child pornographyRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Brendan J. Eardly, 48, of Troy, Ohio pleaded guilty to producing child pornography by enticing at least seven juvenile males in Ohio and elsewhere to engage in explicit sexual conduct for the purpose of producing pornographic videos.
Eardly also pleaded guilty to committing a felony as a registered sex offender. He faces at least 15 years in prison for producing the child pornography and at least an additional ten years for committing a felony as a registered sex offender.
According to court documents, Eardly set up accounts on multiple social media platforms and communicated with more than 60 juveniles around the world, offering to provide them with advice about sex. Eardly sent some of them sexually explicit videos of himself and pornographic videos of other men engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Eardly pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Walter H. Rice on November 14. Eardly was ordered held in custody until sentencing, which is scheduled for March 16, 2020.
Terms of the plea agreement include a requirement that Eardly forfeit the computer, cell phones and computer storage media including 17 CD’s, an external hard drive and three thumb drives he used to commit the crimes.
At the time he committed the crimes, he was required to register as a sex offender due to a case in Miami County in 2004.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Joseph Deters, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Troy Police Chief Charles Phelps, and the Bureau of Criminal Investigation in Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s office announced the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney SaMee Harden is representing the United States in this case.
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Dayton businessman sentenced for mail fraudRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Dayton businessman Clayton Luckie was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to four months imprisonment followed by four months of home detention for his role in defrauding the City of Dayton’s disadvantaged business program.
Luckie, who pleaded guilty on July 2 to one count of mail fraud, was also ordered to serve three years under court supervision following his prison term, and perform 100 hours of community service.
According to court documents, Luckie agreed in 2016 to help create a fake paper trail indicating to Dayton that a company had performed work under a disadvantaged business component. In return he understood that he would receive a small portion of any funds received from the contract with the city.
Luckie ordered large magnetic signs emblazoned with the name of the company and intended to put them on the trucks of another company to make it appear that the first company was doing the work. Luckie also created fake invoices intended for submission to Dayton. Luckie received $2,000 for his role in the scheme.
Luckie is one of seven people charged as part of an ongoing public corruption investigation.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Joseph Deters, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Rose. Assistant United States Attorneys Brent Tabacchi, SaMee Harden and Dominick S. Gerace are representing the United States in this case.
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Grand jury indicts men allegedly involved in murder of DEA task force officerRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Three local men previously charged by criminal complaint in connection to the shooting death of Dayton Police Detective and DEA Task Force Officer Jorge Del Rio have now been indicted by a federal grand jury.
Nathan S. Goddard, Jr., 39, is charged with nine counts, including deliberately killing Det. Del Rio, conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and distribute fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana, assault of a federal officer by inflicting bodily injury through the use of a deadly weapon, brandishing and discharging a firearm resulting in death by murder during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
Cahke Cortner, 39, and Lionel Combs III, 40, are each charged with five counts, including conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and marijuana, andbrandishing and discharging a firearm resulting in death by murder during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
Combs is additionally charged with maintaining a drug premises at 1454 Ruskin Road in Dayton. Cortner is additionally charged with carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
The charges are a result of a shooting that took place during the execution of a federal search warrant during the evening of Nov. 4.
Between mid-July and late-October 2019, the DEA’s Dayton resident office conducted an investigation into a Dayton-based fentanyl operation.
As a result of that investigation, Goddard was named as an alleged source of supply of narcotics and a federal search warrant was subsequently authorized for 1454 Ruskin Road.
At approximately 6:50pm on Nov. 4, DEA and Dayton Police executed the search warrant. After announcing themselves, officers entered the home and Det. Del Rio descended the stairway to the basement of the residence. The officer immediately came under gunfire from the basement and was struck by the gunfire.
In the residence, authorities discovered three firearms. Approximately ten kilograms of fentanyl and cocaine were located in a duffel bag. Containers containing 50 to 60 pounds of marijuana were discovered in the basement. Approximately $11,000 in cash was spread out on a coffee table, and more than $40,000 in cash was located in a duffel bag in a storage area under the stairs.
Five counts pending against Goddard are potentially punishable by the death penalty.
“There are many crimes that, if committed, one forfeits his right to live in a free society. And then there are the rare, few crimes that are so abhorrent to a free society that one is subject to forfeiting his right to exist at all,” said U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers. “Goddard has been accused by a grand jury of the latter.”
The drug conspiracy in this case is punishable by a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison. The brandishing and discharge of a firearm resulting in death by murder during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime is punishable by an additional mandatory minimum of 10 years up to life in prison, and by death. Congress sets the minimum and maximum penalty ranges for all offenses charged.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio and Montgomery County Prosecutor Mathias H. Heck, Jr. have agreed to proceed federally at this time. Should it later be deemed appropriate, a state indictment could be sought. Mr. DeVillers and Mr. Heck agreed to commit both Assistant United States Attorneys and Assistant Montgomery County Prosecutors to the trial team regardless of jurisdiction.
They are joined by Dayton Police Chief Richard S. Biehl; Keith Martin, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Joseph M. Deters, Acting Special in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Jonathan McPherson, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in announcing the charges. Assistant United States Attorneys Dominick S. Gerace and Brent G. Tabacchi, and First Assistant United States Attorney Vipal J. Patel, are currently representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Scioto County doctor sentenced to 7 years in prison for role in pill millRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – The owner and physician at Unique Pain Management in Wheelersburg, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to serve 84 months in prison.
Margaret Temponeras, 55, of Portsmouth, Ohio, was sentenced for conspiring to distribute a controlled substance through the pain clinic and dispensary.
According to court documents, from June 2005 until May 2011, Temponeras and her father – John Temponeras, 84, who was also a doctor at the clinic – saw more than 20 patients per day, who paid cash payments starting at $200 for each medical examination. Many patients received monthly prescriptions for similar combinations of medications, namely, 120-150 pills of 15mg Oxycodone, 120-150 pills of 30mg Oxycodone and 90 pills of 2mg Xanax.
Patients were referred to Raymond Fankell, 64, of Wheelersburg, Ohio, who owned Prime Pharmacy, to fill their prescriptions.
Temponeras became aware that some pharmacies in the Scioto County area had declined to accept or fill her prescriptions from Unique Pain Management so she opened the dispensary Unique Relief LLC from the same location as her clinic in order to fill her own prescriptions.
John Temponeras and Fankell have also pleaded guilty. John Temponeras pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute controlled substances and and Fankell to conspiring to distribute Oxycodone. They have yet to be sentenced.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Keith Martin, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Joseph M. Deters, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Steven W. Schierholt, Executive Director, Ohio State Board of Pharmacy, announced the sentence imposed yesterday afternoon by U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Black. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy D. Oakley and Timothy S. Mangan are representing the United States in this case.
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Butler County man charged with illegally purchasing firearm used in murder of DEA task force officerRead the Press Release
DAYTON – A Butler County man has been charged with lying on ATF forms to illegally purchase the firearm used in killing Dayton Police Detective and DEA Task Force Officer Jorge DelRio on Nov. 4 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 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.
It is alleged Wells purchased all three firearms. ATF traced one alleged pistol purchase to Aug. 29, just 67 days prior to the shooting, and another alleged pistol purchase to Sept. 9, only 57 days prior.
Records indicate Wells purchased at least six other firearms in August and September.
According to the affidavit, Wells told ATF agents he purchased the weapons in Middletown for a friend. Wells allegedly received cash for the cost of the firearms with an additional profit of $25 to $30 per firearm.
Wells allegedly lied on ATF Form 4473 for each purchase he made, by indicating “yes” he was purchasing the firearm for himself and not for anyone else. In reality, it is alleged he purchased the firearms to sell to his friend.
“The message we want to make loud and clear is that if you provide firearms to drug dealers and convicted felons you will be held responsible for their actions,” said U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers. “There are significant sentencing enhancements for firearms provided by straw purchasers used to commit crimes and we will seek those enhancements to the fullest.”
Wells made his initial appearance on Nov, 6. No additional court dates are currently set. This investigation remains ongoing.
DeVillers; 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); Joseph M. Deters, Acting Special in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Montgomery County Prosecutor Mathias H. Heck, Jr. announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorneys Amy M. Smith and Andrew J. Hunt are representing the United States in this case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Charges amended against men allegedly involved in shooting of DEA task force officerRead the Press Release
DAYTON – The man previously charged with assaulting a law enforcement officer engaged in a federal investigation on Nov. 4 has now been charged with intentionally killing a law enforcement officer aiding a federal criminal investigation and causing death through the use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence or drug trafficking crime. The new charges are punishable by imprisonment up to life and by death.
The amended complaint against Nathan S. Goddard, Jr., 39, was filed in federal court this morning. Goddard is also charged with assaulting a federal law enforcement officer using a deadly or dangerous weapon, punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment, and conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, and marijuana.
Two others, Cahke Cortner, 39, and Lionel Combs III, 40, have also been charged in amended complaints. Both are charged with causing death through use of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime or crime of violence, punishable by imprisonment up to life and by death, and with the drug conspiracy
The charges are a result of a shooting that took place during the execution of a federal search warrant during the evening of Nov. 4.
Between mid-July and late-October 2019, the DEA’s Dayton resident office conducted an investigation into a Dayton-based fentanyl operation.
As a result of that investigation, Goddard was named as an alleged source of supply of narcotics and a federal search warrant was subsequently authorized for 1454 Ruskin Road.
At approximately 6:50pm on Nov. 4, DEA and Dayton Police executed the search warrant. After announcing themselves, officers entered the home and a task force officer descended the stairway to the basement of the residence. The officer immediately came under gunfire from the basement and was struck by the gunfire.
In the residence, authorities discovered three firearms. Approximately nine kilograms of fentanyl and cocaine were located in a duffel bag. Containers containing 50 to 60 pounds of marijuana were discovered in the basement. Approximately $11,000 in cash was spread out on a coffee table, and more than $40,000 in cash was located in a duffel bag in a storage area under the stairs.
The drug conspiracy charged against each of the defendants is punishable by a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison. Congress sets the minimum and maximum penalty ranges for all offenses charged.
The government is seeking that the defendants be detained pending trial. Each of the three defendants is scheduled for a detention hearing at 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 8 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sharon L. Ovington.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Dayton Police Chief Richard S. Biehl; Keith Martin, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Joseph M. Deters, Acting Special in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Jonathan McPherson, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Montgomery County Prosecutor Mathias H. Heck, Jr. announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Dominick S. Gerace and First Assistant United States Attorney Vipal J. Patel are representing the United States in this case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Two plead guilty to wrongdoing in connection to federal E-rate schools programRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former non-profit executive director and a former director of the Diocese of Columbus Office of Catholic Schools have pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to the federal E-Rate Program.
Shawn Clemmons, 56, of Piketon, pleaded guilty today to submitting false claims to the federal government. Kenneth Collura, 65, of Pickerington, pleaded guilty on July 1, 2019, to making false statements.
The Schools and Libraries Program (commonly referred to as the “E-Rate Program”) is a government program established by Congress and implemented and overseen by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that provides funds to, among others, economically disadvantaged schools and libraries.
Under the E-Rate Program, the government provides up to 90% funding to qualified schools to purchase eligible technology products and services for their students. Schools are required to pay the remaining amount. Federal law restricts how the funds must be used, and E-Rate funding can only be used for eligible equipment or services.
Clemmons was the executive director for the South Central Ohio Computer Association (SCOCA), an E-Rate Program service provider that provided internet and wireless access, and other services, to public and private schools. SCOCA was a council of governments under Ohio law, meaning it acted as an areawide agency for providing technology services to multiple Ohio public schools. At SCOCA, Clemmons was responsible for billing schools and the E-Rate Program and for performing SCOCA’s E-Rate Program certifications. Beginning in approximately 2004, SCOCA received funds from the E-Rate Program, some of which were pass-through reimbursements owed to its client schools. Federal law required SCOCA to provide these pass-through reimbursements to schools within 20 business days of receipt.
According to court documents, Clemmons unlawfully withheld reimbursements to schools. He would pay schools reimbursements one to two years later than was required, and would use the funds from one funding year to reimburse what was owed for previous funding years.
In one E-Rate Funding Year, Clemmons did not pay the reimbursements at all. He failed to reimburse public schools more than $2 million. To date, the schools have not received the E-Rate reimbursements. The schools were also obligated to pay additional fees to cover other outstanding debts of SCOCA, which totaled more than $1.2 million. The amount of lost reimbursements plus the amount the schools paid in additional fees totaled $3,230,974.40.
During this time, Clemmons made false claims on FCC forms, including false certifications that SCOCA was in compliance with the rules and orders governing the E-Rate Program.
In a related case, Collura pleaded guilty to making false statements in connection with the E-Rate Program. In 2014, the Diocese of Columbus Office of Catholic Schools entered a new five-year contract with its service provider, SCOCA, for internet access, which was an E-Rate-eligible service. The charges under the contract between the Diocese of Columbus Schools and SCOCA were inflated, in that they included undisclosed expenses that were not eligible for E-Rate funding.
Collura served as the Director of Communication and Instructional Technology for the Office of Catholic Schools, an arm of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus’s Department for Education, from 1994 until July 2014.
Collura negotiated the SCOCA contract knowing the fees were inflated and included funding for expenses that were not eligible for E-Rate funding. In documents he transmitted to the government, though, Collura falsely certified that he and the Diocese of Columbus Office of Catholic Schools had disclosed all ineligible services that were covered by the contract and that the contract covered no ineligible services. Over the course of the five-year contract, more than $700,000 was for undisclosed purposes. Most of these funds were not transferred from the service provider to the Diocese of Columbus Schools, however, because SCOCA became insolvent.
Submitting a false claim and making a false statement are each federal crimes punishable by up to five years in prison.
Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Joseph M. Deters, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; David Hunt, FCC Inspector General; Ohio Auditor of State Keith Faber and Sandra Bruce, Deputy Inspector General Delegated the Duties of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General, announced the plea entered into today before U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson. Assistant United States Attorneys Peter K. Glenn-Applegate and Jessica W. Knight are representing the United States in this case.
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Local men charged in drug conspiracy, shooting of federal task force officerRead the Press Release
DAYTON – A local man has been charged federally with assaulting a law enforcement officer engaged in a federal investigation with a deadly weapon. The charge is a result of a shooting that took place during the execution of a federal search warrant during the evening of Nov. 4. Two others have also been charged in a drug conspiracy.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Nathan S. Goddard Jr., 39, assaulted a federal officer using a deadly weapon. Goddard is also charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl, 500 grams or more of cocaine and marijuana.
Two others are charged with also conspiring to distribute the drugs. They include Cahke Cortner, 39, and Lionel Combs III, 40.
Between mid-July and late-October 2019, the DEA’s Dayton resident office conducted an investigation into a Dayton-based fentanyl operation.
As a result of that investigation, Goddard was named as an alleged source of supply of narcotics and a federal search warrant was subsequently authorized for 1454 Ruskin Road.
At approximately 6:50pm on Nov. 4, DEA and Dayton Police executed the search warrant. Officers entered the home and a task force officer descended the stairway to the basement of the residence. The officer immediately came under gunfire from the basement and was struck by the gunfire.
In the residence, authorities discovered two pistols with extended magazines, loaded with armor piercing ammunition.
Nine kilograms of suspected fentanyl were located in a duffel bag. A bag containing 50 to 60 pounds of marijuana was discovered on the floor of the basement, and approximately $11,000 in cash was spread out on a coffee table and more than $40,000 was in a duffel bag in a storage area under the stairs.
Assaulting a federal officer is punishable by up to 20 years in prison; using a firearm in doing so includes a mandatory additional 10 year prison term. The narcotics conspiracy in this case is punishable by a mandatory minimum 20 years and up to life in prison. Congress sets the minimum and maximum penalty ranges. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
The government is seeking that the defendants be detained pending trial. Each of the three defendants is scheduled for a detention hearing at 1:30pm on Nov. 8 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sharon L. Ovington.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Dayton Police Chief Richard S. Biehl; Keith Martin, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Joseph M. Deters, Acting Special in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Jonathan McPherson, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Montgomery County Prosecutor Mathias H. Heck, Jr. announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Dominick S. Gerace is representing the United States in this case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Columbus man sentenced to 20 years in prison for armed bank robbery in WhitehallRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS – A Columbus man was sentenced today for robbing a bank in Whitehall, pistol-whipping two of the bank’s employees while demanding money, and conspiring with his girlfriend to hide the gun he used in the robbery.
Robert K. Mason, 43, was sentenced to 240 months in prison.
According to court documents, Mason robbed the Huntington Bank at 4550 East Broad Street on Sept. 26, 2018. Mason walked in the bank, lifted his shirt to show that he had a gun, pulled the handgun and ordered customers to the floor. Mason vaulted the counter and demanded money from the tellers, hitting two of them with the gun when he became frustrated at the speed of the employees.
Mason ran out the front door and escaped in a car driven by his girlfriend, Bretta L. Nallen. Whitehall police arrested Mason on Oct. 31, 2018. While he was in custody, he called Nallen and told her to get rid of the gun. Nallen was charged with being an accessory to the crime and evidence tampering. She pleaded guilty to the accessory charge in August 2019.
Mason pleaded guilty in April 2019 to one count of bank robbery, one count of using a firearm during a crime of violence and one count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence.
“Mason is a career criminal who has committed a number of violent offenses,” U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers said. “That’s exactly the type of offender we prioritize prosecuting in this office. Mason earned his time in federal prison.”
DeVillers, Joseph Deters, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Columbus Division of Police Acting Chief Thomas Quinlan and Whitehall Police Chief Mike Crispen announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.
Assistant United States Attorney S. Courter Shimeall is representing the United States in this case.
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Dayton man pleads guilty to distributing opioids that caused overdose deathRead the Press Release
DAYTON – A Dayton man who was scheduled to stand trial today pleaded guilty to distributing carfentanil, fentanyl and heroin that resulted in at least one overdose death.
Myron D. Baker, 35, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to two counts related to distributing opioids. Baker will face a mandatory minimum of 20 years up to life in prison for one count and a mandatory minimum of 10 years up to life in prison for one count.
According to court documents, beginning in at least January 2017, Baker conspired with others to obtain and distribute opioids in Gallipolis and Dayton for personal profit.
Baker, also known as “Science,” “Capo” or “Sci,” maintained a residence on Lexington Avenue in Dayton to store, package and distribute the drugs. He also maintained a video surveillance system at the residence for the protection of his drugs and money.
Baker and others distributed drugs in the Dayton area that resulted in a number of overdoses, at least one of which was fatal.
Specifically, in March 2017, two individuals bought what they thought was heroin from Baker and others in Trotwood. The substance actually contained carfentanil. Upon purchasing the drugs, the individuals drove to the parking lot of a Dayton area restaurant to use them. One individual snorted the drugs and the other used a syringe to inject the drugs. Both overdosed, and the person who injected the drugs could not be resuscitated and was pronounced dead the following morning.
As part of his plea, Baker accepted responsibility for causing the death of one individual and serious bodily injury to at least two others who experienced nonfatal overdoses.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Joseph M. Deters, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, and Dayton Police Chief Richard S. Biehl announced the plea entered into today before Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Rose. Assistant United States Attorneys Sheila G. Lafferty and Amy M. Smith are representing the United States in this case.
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David M. DeVillers sworn in as U.S. AttorneyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – David M. DeVillers was sworn in today as United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. Chief U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley administered the oath of office. President Trump nominated DeVillers for U.S. Attorney on Sept. 9, and the United States Senate approved his confirmation on Oct. 28.
DeVillers has been an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio since July 2002.
Prior to that, he was an Assistant Franklin County Prosecutor for a decade, trying dozens of felony trials that resulted in more than 30 murder prosecutions. DeVillers also served as Director of the Organized Crime/Gang Unit for the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office.
Since 2002, DeVillers’ work as a federal prosecutor has included leading numerous task forces involving the FBI, ATF, DEA, IRS and Columbus Division of Police in investigating and prosecuting organized crime.
In 2016, DeVillers helped lead the prosecution team that prosecuted the largest federal murder case in Ohio’s history, charging 20 members of the Short North Posse in a racketeering conspiracy involving 14 separate murders. After a two-and-half month trial, each defendant was convicted of all counts. An additional 18 gang members were convicted of drug and firearm crimes.
In 2004, DeVillers brought about a federal death sentence for Daryl Lawrence, for the murder of Officer Bryan Hurst of the Columbus Division of Police.
DeVillers served as a Prosecutor Advisor to the Iraqi High Tribunal during the trial of Saddam Hussein and other members of the former Iraqi Regime in 2006 and 2007. He had also worked on behalf of the Department of Justice in Iraq in 2004, when he investigated a foreign terrorist organization.
DeVillers continued his work overseas, most notably as the Department of Justice’s Resident Legal Advisor to the Republic of Georgia, living in the capital city of Tbilisi from 2010 to 2012 to combat transnational crime, corruption and international money laundering. DeVillers completed similar work for the Department in the Ukraine, Albania, Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan and Romania.
Last year, DeVillers received the Mark Losey Distinguished Law Enforcement Service Award from then Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. DeVillers was awarded the J. Michael Bradford Memorial Award for the Nation’s Most Outstanding Assistant United States Attorney in 2008 and voted the Outstanding Assistant Prosecutor of the Year for 1999 by the Ohio Prosecuting Attorney’s Association.
DeVillers received his B.A. from the State University of New York, Oswego, and his J.D. from Capital University.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, with a staff of 115, represents more than five million people in 48 of Ohio’s 88 counties. The Southern District of Ohio includes the metropolitan areas of Cincinnati, Columbus and Dayton.
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Local man pleads guilty to sexually abusing toddlers while registered as sex offenderRead the Press Release
DAYTON – A Dayton registered sex offender has pleaded guilty to producing child pornography through the sexual abuse of two toddlers.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Joseph M. Deters, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Dayton Police Chief Richard S. Biehl and Montgomery County Prosecutor Mathias H. Heck, Jr. announced the plea entered into on Oct. 28 before U.S. District Judge Walter H. Rice.
According to court documents, Tyler Ulm, 24, created child pornography by sexually abusing a two-year-old boy and a three-year-old boy over the course of a year. He abused the two-year-old on at least five occasions at various locations in the Dayton area and the three-year-old at least twice at Ulm’s Dayton residence.
Ulm produced at least seven videos and 58 pictures of the sexual abuse.
The plea agreement contemplates a sentence of 50 years to life in prison. The plea is a global resolution that also involves state charges arising out of the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas.
Ulm pleaded guilty to two counts of producing and one count of distributing child pornography, as well as committing a felony offense involving a minor while being required to register as a sex offender. He also accepted responsibility of his state charges, including two counts of rape of a person under 10 years of age, two counts of rape of a person under 10 years of age by force and two counts of gross sexual imposition of a person under 13 years of age.
Ulm was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2018.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI and Dayton Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney SaMee Harden is prosecuting the federal case and Montgomery County Assistant Prosecuting Attorneys Kelly D. Madzey and Jonathan W. Sauline are handling the state charges.
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Inmate pleads guilty to mailing threats to former Ohio attorney general & prisons director, judges, newspapersRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – An Ohio inmate offered a guilty plea in federal court today to writing at least 15 threatening letters containing powder. In some of the letters, he claimed the powder was anthrax or fentanyl or threatened the use of explosive devices.
Sean Heisa, 36, was indicted by a grand jury in May 2019. He pleaded guilty today to making false information or hoaxes and mailing threatening communications.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Joseph M. Deters, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the plea offered before U.S. Magistrate Judge Norah McCann King.
According to court documents, from July 2017 to July 2018, Heisa mailed threatening letters while incarcerated to various officials throughout the state of Ohio.
Heisa mailed a letter to the city manager of Painesville in August 2017 and claimed powder contained within the envelope was anthrax.
In the letter, Heisa described several things that were going to happen: “#1 – You are going to have trouble breathing; #2- You are going to die; #3 – You are going to become a martyr for a cause and an organization far bigger than yourself.”
Likewise, Heisa mailed a second letter that month to a magistrate judge in Whitehall, again claiming the powder contained within the letter was anthrax.
Heisa also threatened via letter officials within the Coshocton Municipal Courthouse, Franklin County Common Pleas Court and then-Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine through threatened exposure to anthrax and the use of explosive devices.
Other letters threatened to injure recipients – including the former Ohio prisons director, the Columbus Dispatch, the Circleville Herald and The Ohio State University – by exposure to purported fentanyl.
For example, one letter to a Fairfield County Common Pleas Court judge who had presided over several hearings involving Heisa (involving robbery charges for which Heisa is now serving a combined 37-year sentence) stated: “This is enough Fentanyl to kill you and multiple coworker [sic]. You deserve a more painful death but this will do”
Heisa had access to what he believed to be fentanyl in prison and knew that if he could send enough fentanyl that it could kill someone, which is why he referenced it in many of his letters. Heisa chose to get high on the substance instead.
Heisa was charged by criminal complaint in December 2018 and arrested in January 2019.
Creating false information/hoaxes and mailing threatening communications are each federal crimes punishable by up to five years in prison
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI, and Assistant United States Attorney Jessica W. Knight, who is prosecuting the case.
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Former employee offers guilty plea for defrauding HondaRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Charles Michael Stratton, 62, of Fairborn, offered a guilty plea in U.S. District Court today to wire fraud and money laundering. Stratton defrauded his former employer, Honda, out of more than $750,000.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Joseph M. Deters, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the plea offered before U.S. Magistrate Judge Norah McCann King.
Stratton served as the Facilities Manager for Honda of America Manufacturing, Inc. in Marysville, from 2008 until March 2015. In his role, he oversaw various vendor contracts, including those for security services, janitorial services, food service and uniform/laundry on behalf of Honda.
Acrux Investigation Agency, located in Lakeview, provided physical and personal security services for Honda. Surmount, also located in Lakeview, was a subsidiary of Acrux and provided monitoring services to Honda.
Stratton executed a scheme to defraud Honda using Acrux and Surmount by creating multiple purchase orders for payments in amounts just under $100,000, a threshold in which additional oversight and approval is required.
Using these purchase orders, as well as the main labor contract, Stratton caused Acrux and Surmount to submit false invoices to Honda and instructed them to keep the money in a “future fund.” Money allocated to the future fund was then used, in part, to pay Stratton directly or through his organization, SAFE. Springfield Area Fastball Elites, Inc. (SAFE) was an Ohio non-profit created by Stratton to support local baseball teams; however, SAFE lost its classification as a 501(c)(3) in 2010.
Stratton also defrauded at least three other Honda vendors through the solicitation of donations for SAFE between 2012 and 2014, when it no longer held its tax-exempt status. Stratton received multiple donation checks, which he would either deposit in part to the SAFE bank account, while keeping a portion of the donation in cash for himself, or deposit the donation check entirely into his personal account. Only a fraction of the funds received through donations were actually spent in furtherance of SAFE’s mission.
Stratton was indicted by a grand jury in May 2018. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and money laundering carries a potential maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
As part of his plea, Stratton agrees to pay $750,635.95 in restitution to Honda and $10,000 in restitution to Scioto Industrial Services.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI, and Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica W. Knight and Peter K. Glenn-Applegate, who are prosecuting the case.
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Convicted felon sentenced for possessing firearmRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Michael J. Blair, 21, of Dayton, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 51 months in prison for possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony crime.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Dayton Police Chief Richard S. Biehl, Joseph M. Deters, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division announced the sentence handed down Oct. 29 by Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Rose.
According to court documents, in August 2018, law enforcement were conducting surveillance with the assistance of an airplane. During surveillance, those in the airplane observed Blair moving back and forth across a vacant field in Dayton conducting what appeared to be multiple hand-to-hand drug transactions with cars that pulled up in an alley.
Law enforcement searched an area of brush to the side the alley where they had observed Blair and discovered two firearms, an extended magazine loaded with a total of 27 live rounds, fentanyl, cocaine and $1,060. In addition to the handguns, drugs and money, officers found pieces of paper labeled “GEEK,” a term commonly used to refer to drug users. The papers included numerous phone numbers listed on the papers with some also indicating what kind of drug they normally purchase.
Blair pleaded guilty in May 2019. As part of his sentence, he forfeited two 9mm pistols. Blair had previously been convicted of burglary in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation by the Dayton Police Department and FBI, and the assistance of the Ohio State Highway Patrol and ATF, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Amy M. Smith, who is representing the United States in this case.
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U.S. Attorney and FBI to announce fraud charges arising from public corruption caseRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Today the government is unsealing charges against three individuals who are facing fraud charges in connection to a public corruption investigation in Dayton.
The briefing will be held:
TODAY: TUESDAY, OCT. 29, 2019
WHEN: 2:30 P.M.
WHERE: Walter H. Rice Federal Building
First floor conference room
200 West Second Street
Dayton, Ohio 45402
WHO: U.S. Attorney Benjamin C. Glassman
Joseph M. Deters, Acting Special Agent in Charge, FBI
Room available beginning at 2:15 P.M. No TV lighting provided. ID and valid media credential will be required for entrance at Security.
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Three charged with fraud in connection to Dayton public corruption caseRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Three individuals are facing fraud charges in relation to a public corruption investigation in Dayton.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio and Joseph Deters, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the charges, which were unsealed today.
In May, a federal grand jury indicted:
- Steve R. Rauch, 64, of Germantown, – owner, operator and president of a series of companies including Steve Rauch Inc., Rauch Trucking and SRI Inc. that perform demolition, trucking and landfill work;
- Joyce S. Cameron, 71, of Trotwood, – who owned, operated and served as president of Green Star Trucking, Inc., a business that hauls construction materials and demolition debris; and
- James Cameron, 80, of Trotwood, – Joyce Cameron’s husband and Green Star employee.
According to court documents, Rauch, with the assistance of Joyce and James Cameron, fraudulently convinced government entities to award and pay out hundreds of thousands of dollars in demolition contracts.
Rauch paid the Camerons a fee – usually either several thousand dollars or credits against debts owed to Rauch – in exchange for using Green Star’s name on contracts.
Green Star was qualified as a Disadvantaged Business and the Camerons allegedly allowed for Rauch to name Green Star on contracts even though it did not perform the work required of a Disadvantaged Business. In actuality, Rauch’s companies allegedly completed the work and Green Star received a cut of the proceeds.
Joyce or James Cameron allegedly signed paperwork fraudulently certifying that Green Star had performed all of the work consistent with the government contracts. Rauch also allegedly instructed James Cameron to be present at work locations to create the false appearance that Green Star was actually performing work, even though Cameron performed no work on site.
Rauch and Joyce and James Cameron are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and six counts of mail fraud. Both crimes are punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
In April, a federal grand jury returned indictments against a former Dayton city commissioner, a then current city official and two Dayton businessmen, charging them with fraud and public corruption.
Those charged in that round of indictments include former Dayton city commissioner Joey Williams, former director of Dayton’s Minority Business Assistance Center Roshawn Winburn, Clayton Luckie and Brian Higgins.
Luckie pleaded guilty in July to mail fraud and Williams pleaded guilty in September to accepting a thing of value in connection with a local government.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI, Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and the Ohio Auditor of State’s Office, as well as assistant United States Attorneys Brent G. Tabacchi, SaMee Harden and Dominick S. Gerace, who 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.
If you have any information related to the schemes alleged above, please contact the FBI’s Dayton Public Corruption Tip Line at 937-291-5222.
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Blacklick man sentenced to 25 years in prison for posing online as teenage internet start to coerce 10-year-old childRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Darren M. Kamnitzer, 45, of Blacklick, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 300 months in prison for producing child pornography.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Joseph M. Deters, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Westerville Police Chief Charles Chandler, and other members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force announced the sentence handed down today by U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison.
According to court documents, in September 2018, law enforcement in Switzerland received information that Kamnitzer, using the Twitter handle “jacobauditions,” had contacted a 10-year-old girl and convinced her to send him multiple sexually explicit photographs and videos of herself.
Kamnitzer was posing as the manager for Jacob Sartorious, an American teenage singer and internet personality. The defendant asked the girl if she wanted to audition to be in a music video with Sartorious and told her if she completed all the requirements of the audition, she and a parent would be flown to California, where the music video would be produced.
Kamnitzer initially requested photographs of the girl clothed, then instructed her to take photographs in a bikini, and eventually coerced her into sending him nude videos focused on her genitalia and anus. The defendant assured the girl that it was all part of the audition and that all the other participants had done it.
When Swiss authorities learned of the activity, they contacted Twitter, who shut down Kamnitzer’s account. Twitter also submitted a tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the FBI became involved in the case.
The FBI traced the IP address used to a computer at the Worthington Public Library. Kamnitzer was employed as the Network Administrator for the library and was at work on at least two occasions when he reached out to the victim via his Twitter account. A search warrant executed at Kamnitzer’s residence revealed evidence that he had communicated with other minors online.
In April 2019, Kamnitzer waived indictment and pleaded guilty to a bill of information.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Heather A. Hill, who is representing the United States in this case.
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Law enforcement to announce extradition of Guatemalan charged in cocaine conspiracyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Today the government will unseal charges against an individual who allegedly conspired to ship thousands of kilograms of cocaine from Colombia, via sea and land, through Central America and Mexico to the United States.
The briefing will be held:
TODAY: FRIDAY, OCT. 25, 2019
WHEN: 1 P.M.
WHERE: U.S. Attorney’s Office
Main Conference Room
303 Marconi Blvd. Suite 200
Columbus, Ohio 43215
WHO: U.S. Attorney Benjamin C. Glassman
Mauricio Jimenez, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, DEA
Lt. Col. Kevin Teaford, Ohio State Highway Patrol
Room available beginning at 12:45 P.M. No TV lighting provided. ID and valid media credential will be required for entrance at Security.
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Guatemalan extradited to Columbus in connection to alleged Colombia-to-America cocaine conspiracyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Guatemalan man was extradited to the United States in connection to a narcotics case in the Southern District of Ohio.
Francisco Golon-Valenzuela, 40, was extradited from Panama and arrived at John Glenn International Airport late yesterday. He is scheduled to appear before United States Magistrate Judge Chelsey M. Vascura at 1:30 pm today.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Keith Martin, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Ohio State Highway Patrol Superintendent Col. Richard S. Fambro announced the charges.
Golon-Valenzuela, also known as “El Toro,” was indicted in September 2018 and his charges were unsealed today. Specifically, Golon-Valenzuela is charged with conspiring to distribute at least five kilograms or more of cocaine on the high seas, a federal crime punishable by 10 years up to life in prison.
According to the indictment, Golon-Valenzuela conspired with others to ship thousands of kilograms of cocaine from Colombia, via sea and land, through Central America and Mexico to the United States.
The indictment details that as part of the conspiracy individuals would use “load” coordinators to assist with logistics of cocaine shipments, locate drivers and boat operators for narcotic-laden vehicles and vessels, and secure shared investments from multiple co-conspirators in specific cocaine shipments.
Fishermen and other commercial maritime laborers were allegedly recruited by conspirators to transport cocaine and refueling vessels.
Conspirators allegedly paid a “tax” or “fee” to send cocaine through areas controlled by a different drug trafficking organization or cartel.
Members of the conspiracy allegedly shared information on the activities and locations of law enforcement and military personnel assigned to interdict narcotics shipments. It is alleged co-conspirators also sheltered individuals who were at risk of extradition to other countries.
Low-level co-conspirators would allegedly take responsibility for an entire load of seized cocaine in order to free higher-level members.
Cocaine shipments seized in this case thus far include:
- 880 kilograms of cocaine seized by the United States Coast Guard near the Guatemalan/Mexico border on May 19, 2016;
- 720 kilograms of cocaine seized by the United States Coast Guard northwest of the Galapagos Islands on Aug. 18, 2017; and
- 34 kilograms of cocaine seized by the Guatemalan Policia National Civil in San Marcos, Guatemala on or about Nov. 26, 2017.
Four defendants were transported to Ohio for prosecution in September 2017, following the 720 kilogram seizure near the Galapagos Islands. That seizure alone included more than 1,584 pounds of cocaine, equaling an approximate street value of $25 million.
This investigation remains ongoing.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the DEA and Ohio State Highway Patrol, and Assistant United States Attorneys David M. DeVillers and Jonathan J.C. Grey, who are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs of the Department’s Criminal Division handled the extradition in this matter.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Brother of man convicted of hate crime charged with lying to FBI, concealing brother's flight from countryRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has charged Baris A. Koch, 30, of Dayton, with misprision of a felony and making false statements.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Joseph M. Deters, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, and Vance Callander, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), announced the charges returned this week.
In July 2019, Baris’ brother Izmir A. Koch was sentenced to 30 months in prison following his conviction for committing a hate crime and lying to federal agents.
According to the indictment in this case, 10 days later, Baris Koch obtained a duplicate driver’s license from the Ohio BMV, claiming he had lost his previous license.
Izmir Koch was ordered to report to a federal correctional institute on Aug. 16 and he failed to report.
On Aug. 21, Baris Koch obtained yet another duplicate driver’s license from the Ohio BMV, claiming again that he had lost his previous driver’s license.
FBI and HSI agents later discovered, according to court documents, that on Aug. 9, Izmir Koch crossed into Mexico by foot, posing as his brother. Izmir Koch used Baris Koch’s United States passport to fly from a Mexican airport to Europe, where he eventually made his way to Russia. Baris and Izmir Koch both previously resided in Russia and have held Russian passports. The United States and Russia do not have an extradition treaty.
Mail records show that several days later, on Aug. 16, Baris Koch received a package from a “Baris Ali Koch” at a Russian address with an official label describing the contents as “PASSPORT, COPIES OF DOCUMENTS.” The real Baris Koch did not travel outside the United States during this timeframe.
When the FBI interviewed Baris Koch on Sept. 11, he allegedly told the agents that he had last seen Izmir Koch on Aug. 9, and that he had no knowledge regarding his brother’s possible whereabouts. It is alleged Baris Koch likewise failed to mention that, days after his brother’s disappearance, he received a package purportedly sent from himself in Russia with passports inside it.
The defendant allegedly failed to report knowledge of a felony offense, namely, aggravated identity theft by misuse of a U.S. passport, and concealed that fact from FBI agents.
He is charged with one count of misprision of a felony, a federal crime punishable by up to three years in prison, and one count of making false statements to federal agents, which carries a potential maximum sentence of five years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI and HSI, as well as Special Assistant United States Attorney Kelly K. Rossi, who is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Mexican man previously deported 9 times faces drug chargesRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI — The United States charged a Mexican man in a three-count superseding indictment with intent to distribute cocaine and more than 400 grams of fentanyl, as well as illegally re-entering the United States after having been previously deported.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Field Office Director Rebecca Adducci, announced the superseding indictment returned yesterday.
Luis Tapia, 27, was arrested at a Cincinnati residence on Sept. 13. At the time of his arrest, Tapia attempted to escape from a second-floor window onto the roof. He eventually retreated into the house and locked himself in a closet. Special Response Team agents then forcibly entered the home and apprehended Tapia. He has remained in custody since.
In August 2019, Tapia fled from law enforcement during a routine traffic stop. Before fleeing the stop, Tapia falsely identified himself as his brother, who is legitimately in the country under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy. Tapia is ineligible to remain in the country under DACA due to his previous felony convictions. Further investigation uncovered a photograph of Tapia illegally reentering the country at a border checkpoint.
According to ICE records, Tapia had been previously removed to Mexico nine times between 2012 and 2019. After each removal, he illegally reentered the United States. Tapia was most recently deported on April 25, 2018.
Reentry of a removed alien is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Possessing more than 400 grams of fentanyl with the intent to distribute carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, with a potential maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute carries a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by ICE, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Cincinnati and Norwood police departments, as well as Special Assistant United States Attorney Kelly K. Rossi, who is prosecuting the case.
An indictment should not be considered as evidence of guilt; all persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Columbus man sentenced to prison for illegally exporting goods to IranRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Central Ohio man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today for exporting gas and oil pipeline parts to Iran for more than a decade in deliberate violation of a U.S. embargo and trade sanctions.
Behrooz Behroozian, 64, of Columbus, was sentenced to 20 months in prison.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Joseph M. Deters, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Douglas R. Hassebrock, Acting Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement, Bureau of Industry and Security, U.S. Department of Commerce, announced the sentence handed down today by Senior U.S. District Judge James L. Graham.
Behroozian was born in Iran in 1955 and entered the United States in 1976. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1987.
According to the sentencing memorandum filed in this case, Behroozian used an intermediary company, Sumar Industrial Equipment, to attempt to cover-up that he was illegally supplying industrial equipment to Iran in violation of the Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
Behroozian exported manifolds, valves and connectors used for industrial pipelines in the gas and oil refinement industry to Iran via Sumar and profited $35,000 to $40,000 per year. This violated embargo and trade sanctions, which have been imposed upon Iran by the United States since May 1995.
In November 2006, Behroozian became the owner and operator of a computer parts supplier in Dublin, Ohio called Comtech International. Comtech had no storefront and made no domestic sales. It seldom exported computer parts. Instead, Comtech primarily exported industrial equipment to Sumar in the United Arab Emirates for further exportation to Iran.
“Behroozian profited financially by strengthening the economy of one of the world’s most infamous state sponsors of terrorism,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said. “The parts obtained by Behroozian benefited the Iranian gas and petrochemical industry. Not only did Behroozian’s crimes diminish the effectiveness of American trade sanctions, but they also undermined America’s national security.”
“Behrooz Behroozian willfully violated export control laws by sending dual-use items to Iran, furthering their military and economic capabilities,” stated FBI Cincinnati Acting Special Agent in Charge Joseph M. Deters. “The sentencing today is an example of the FBI's commitment to partnering with other U.S. government agencies to vigorously enforce laws designed to keep sensitive items out of the hands of nations and individuals hostile to the U.S. The FBI will continue these efforts to protect our national security and stop the illegal export of protected information and technology.”
“For over a decade, Behrooz Behroozian repeatedly violated export control laws and aided Iranian entities in procuring controlled components that have both commercial and military uses in deliberate violation of a U.S. embargo and trade sanctions. With this sentence, he will be held accountable for circumventing critical U.S. laws designed to protect our national security interests,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Douglas R. Hassebrock.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation by the FBI and U.S. Department of Commerce, as well as Assistant United States Attorneys Douglas W. Squires, Timothy J. Prichard and S. Courter Shimeall and Department of Justice National Security Division Trial Attorney Will Mackie, who are representing the United States in this case.
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Columbus Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Exporting Goods to IranRead the Press Release
A Central Ohio man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today for exporting gas and oil pipeline parts to Iran for more than a decade in deliberate violation of a U.S. embargo and trade sanctions.
Behrooz Behroozian, 64, of Columbus, was sentenced to 20 months in prison.
“For years, this defendant deliberately sought to defeat and evade the Iranian sanctions for personal gain while supplying critical equipment to the Iranian industrial complex. As this case demonstrates, the desire for specialized American technology and the willingness to illegally supply it to hostile countries are very real and ever present,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “The Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners remain committed to identifying, disrupting, and prosecuting this kind of criminal conduct.”
“Behroozian profited financially by strengthening the economy of one of the world’s most infamous state sponsors of terrorism,” said Benjamin C. Glassman, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. “The parts obtained by Behroozian benefited the Iranian gas and petrochemical industry. Not only did Behroozian’s crimes diminish the effectiveness of American trade sanctions but they also undermined America’s national security.”
“Behoorz Behroozian willfully violated export control laws by sending dual-use items to Iran, furthering their military and economic capabilities,” stated FBI Cincinnati Acting Special Agent in Charge Joseph M. Deters. “The sentencing today is an example of the FBI's commitment to partnering with other U.S. government agencies to vigorously enforce laws designed to keep sensitive items out of the hands of nations and individuals hostile to the U.S. The FBI will continue these efforts to protect our national security and stop the illegal export of protected information and technology.”
“For over a decade, Behrooz Behroozian repeatedly violated export control laws and aided Iranian entities in procuring controlled components that have both commercial and military uses in deliberate violation of a U.S. embargo and trade sanctions. With this sentence, he will be held accountable for circumventing critical U.S. laws designed to protect our national security interests,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Douglas R. Hassebrock.
Behroozian was born in Iran in 1955 and entered the United States in 1976. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1987.
According to the sentencing memorandum filed in this case, Behroozian used an intermediary company, Sumar Industrial Equipment, to attempt to cover-up that he was illegally supplying industrial equipment to Iran in violation of the Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
Behroozian exported manifolds, valves and connectors used for industrial pipelines in the gas and oil refinement industry to Iran via Sumar and profited $35,000 to $40,000 per year. This violated embargo and trade sanctions imposed upon Iran by the United States in May 1995.
In November 2006, Behroozian became the owner and operator of a computer parts supplier in Dublin, Ohio, called Comtech International. Comtech had no storefront and made no domestic sales. It seldom exported computer parts. Instead, Comtech primarily exported industrial equipment to Sumar in the United Arab Emirates for further exportation to Iran.
Assistant Attorney General Demers and U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation by the FBI and U.S. Department of Commerce, as well as Assistant United States Attorneys Douglas W. Squires, Timothy J. Prichard and S. Courter Shimeall and Department of Justice National Security Division Trial Attorney Will Mackie, who are representing the United States in this case.
Two southern district of Ohio attorneys recognized as part of national attorney general's awardsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – United States Attorney General William P. Barr recognized two attorneys from the Southern District of Ohio as part of the 67th Annual Attorney General’s Awards Ceremony today.
Deputy Criminal Chief Brenda S. Shoemaker and Assistant United States Attorney Andrew M. Malek were two of 11 individuals to receive the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service, the second highest award for employee performance.
Shoemaker and Malek were part of the team that played a key role in targeting South Korean oil companies that rigged bids and defrauded the U.S. Department of Defense.
Throughout the course of a conspiracy that lasted more than a decade, five South Korean oil companies conspired to raise the price of key contracts that provided fuel on U.S. military bases in South Korea.
The team obtained guilty pleas from five companies and criminal fines, civil penalties and damages to the United States totaling more than $350 million.
“Andy Malek and Brenda Shoemaker are fantastic AUSAs, and this recognition is well warranted. Working together with the Antitrust and Civil Divisions of the Department of Justice and with our law enforcement partners, AUSAs Malek and Shoemaker have demonstrated our ability and resolve to reach around the world to hold accountable those who defraud the United States military. I’m proud of their work,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said.
In total, 295 department employees were recognized for their distinguished public service. Sixty-two other individuals outside of the department were also honored for their work.
This year’s program honors individuals across the department and our federal, state, local, and tribal partners for their self-less efforts, protecting our national security and our civil rights, addressing rising violent crime in our communities, going after gangs and those trafficking in dangerous narcotics and human beings. The awards also honor the work of civil and environmental litigation, which enforces the rule of law and upholds our Constitution. They also recognize employees whose ideas and efforts save taxpayer dollars and help our government operate more effectively and efficiently, among other contributions to public safety and good governance.
The annual ceremony recognizes employees and other individuals who have demonstrated exceptional achievements, leadership, and service to the Department of Justice and the American people.
“Our greatest strength in our fight for justice is our people – the thousands of men and women who have dedicated their careers, often at great personal sacrifice, to working for justice in America,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “As we reflect on the contributions of each of the 357 individuals we honor today, we should hold them up as examples of excellence that continue to inspire our own commitment, and also as reminders of the professionalism and the qualities exhibited throughout the Department.”
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Dayton man sentenced to 77 months in prison for possessing firearm after felony convictionRead the Press Release
DAYTON – James Jamar Warren, 33, of Dayton, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 77 months in prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Joseph Deters, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Jonathan McPherson, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck announced the sentence handed down today by U.S. District Judge Thomas M Rose.
According to court documents, investigators from the RANGE Task Force served a search warrant at Warren’s west Dayton residence on March 27, 2019. They found two handguns, a rifle and more than 50 rounds of ammunition. Investigators checked Warren’s criminal history and determined that he had been convicted in Montgomery County in 2008 of felonious assault and drug trafficking. Federal law prohibits people with felony convictions from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.
Agents arrested Warren on April 1. He has been in custody since his arrest. Warren pleaded guilty on July 8 to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
After Warren completes his prison sentence, he will remain under court supervision for three years. The court also ordered Warren to forfeit the firearms and ammunition.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation by the FBI Southern Ohio Safe Streets Task Force, the ATF and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Hunt, who is representing the United States in this case.
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United States Attorney Benjamin C. Glassman announces resignationRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – United States Attorney Benjamin C. Glassman, 44, of Greater Cincinnati, has announced his resignation effective 3pm on Nov. 1.
Glassman, a graduate of Rice University and Harvard Law School, joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2005. After becoming Acting United States Attorney in March 2016, he has served as United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio since his appointment to that position by Attorney General Loretta Lynch in October 2016. He previously served as First Assistant United States Attorney, Acting Criminal Chief and Appellate Chief.
The office increased its total productivity every year during Glassman’s tenure. A chart of some of the most significant or noteworthy cases pursued under his leadership is attached.
These include the United States’ first-ever indictment and extradition of an alleged Chinese intelligence officer for attempted economic espionage, a prosecution for racketeering of the Ohio clique of MS-13 that has resulted in a life sentence for its leader, one of only two criminal cases in the nation against an opioid wholesaler and its executives, prosecutions arising out of several of the most significant financial frauds in the history of Ohio and West Virginia, the first-ever federal carfentanil-trafficking case, criminal civil rights prosecutions for hate crimes and other offenses under color of state law, crimes of public corruption, and far-reaching investigations and prosecutions for exploitation of the most vulnerable.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office also devoted increased resources and attention to federal civil rights laws, and has led significant civil litigation to enforce the guarantees of the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Glassman sought to address the opioid crisis and violent crime not only by devoting resources to those areas but also by building and leveraging partnerships among law enforcement at all levels of government.
The office developed task-force approaches to combatting opioid distribution, appointed prosecutors specifically for enforcement in that area, and partnered with the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice to multiply effectiveness.
Beginning in 2016, the office created violent crime working groups among law enforcement and prosecuting agencies to share intelligence and analytics, and to strategize the most effective ways to address those individuals responsible for a disproportionate share of violence.
Prevention efforts in these areas included outreach to middle and high school populations regarding opioid addiction and the student pledge against gun violence.
The district also completed call-in programs for high-risk probationers in all three seats of court and worked with the United States Probation Office to build programs to improve the reentry of citizens completing prison sentences.
Current data show that both fatal overdoses and violent crime in the district are declining.
During his tenure as United States Attorney, Glassman served on the Terrorism and National Security Subcommittee of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee, as well as the Department of Justice’s Heroin & Opioid, Health Care Fraud, Domestic Terrorism, and MS-13 Working Groups. He is a member of the interagency Domestic Terrorism Executive Committee and currently chairs the executive board of the Ohio High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. Glassman also personally litigated cases at both the trial and appellate levels and was the first in the last twenty years to try a criminal case in this district to verdict while serving as U.S. Attorney.
Law enforcement and community partners offered the following statements:
United States Marshal Pete Tobin
“Ben Glassman has a tremendous energy and enthusiasm for his work. He has been quick to publicly recognize the great work of law enforcement personnel in many agencies. He has always taken time to talk with any of us when we needed a word. Always with a smile, always with kindness, always a gentleman, he has created a special atmosphere among all of us in law enforcement within our district. He will be sorely missed by all of us.”
Dayton Police Chief Richard Biehl
“I have known Ben Glassman for nearly two decades and have been impressed with his career progression as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and most recently as the U.S Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. In the past few years, the Dayton Police Department has worked closely with Ben Glassman and his prosecutorial team on enforcement strategies to address the opioid epidemic crisis in the Miami Valley that involved key arrests and prosecutions, helping to curtail the illicit drug market that had led to the largest number of overdose deaths regionally and nationally that I have witnessed in more than 40 years of law enforcement and community safety service. The recent federal charges filed against nineteen individuals for drug offenses related to the trafficking of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin involving a regional drug ring is just one example. Also, U.S Attorney Glassman and his staff provided significant investigative support via expedited search warrants to examine digital evidence related to the suspect in the Oregon District mass shooting.
I have always been impressed with Ben’s professionalism, dedication to public service, and support of local, state and federal law enforcement partners in the pursuit of public safety and community justice. We will miss his great skill and dedication that has been of such great service to our community and the Miami Valley region!”
DEA Operational Support Assistant Administrator Tim Plancon
“Mr. Glassman has been a staunch ally of DEA’s efforts as we work to combat drug trafficking in Southern Ohio and the violence and devastation that inevitably follows. He is a tremendous prosecutor who has always focused on public safety and safeguarding Ohians.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge Keith Martin
“Under U.S. Attorney Glassman’s leadership this past summer, we saw the indictment of two executives of a now defunct wholesale drug distributor that was flooding the Appalachian region with millions of units of opioids. This historical step of holding a distributor accountable is just one example of his commitment to justice.”
IRS-CID Special Agent in Charge, Chicago Field Office, Kathy A. Enstrom
“From the moment Ben Glassman became the U.S. Attorney for Southern Ohio, he was dedicated to ensuring the most egregious criminals were investigated and brought to justice. The support that IRS Criminal Investigation received from Ben and his office demonstrated his commitment to ensuring tax and money laundering criminals were brought to justice. It was an honor and pleasure to work alongside Ben during my time as Special Agent in Charge of the Cincinnati Field Office.”
Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot K. Isaac
“U.S. Attorney Benjamin Glassman and the entire staff of the Southern District of Ohio have been amazing partners with the Cincinnati Police Department during Mr. Glassman’s tenure and we greatly appreciate his leadership. Under Attorney Glassman's leadership there have been several critical cases that have led to the successful prosecution of priority offenders who were causing significant harm to our community through gun violence and illicit drug trafficking. It has been a privilege to work with Attorney Glassman and we look forward to our continued collaboration with the Southern District of Ohio.”
Kim Jacobs, former Columbus Police Chief
"U.S. Attorney Ben Glassman epitomizes professionalism and integrity. He put country and community first and ensured that violent criminals were investigated and charged in accordance wih the law and justice. He was humble and effective at the same time."
Washintgon County Sheriff Larry Mincks
"It has been my pleasure to work with Ben for the last several years. Ben was the only U.S. Attorney who frequently visited Washington County and assisted us in criminal investigations. He utilized the assets of his office to prosecute criminals violating federal statutes who otherwise would have gone untouched. It was satisfying to know the federal government had an interest in our small community."
Jackie Congedo, Director, Jewish Community Relations Council of Cincinnati
“U.S. Attorney Glassman has been a true partner in the work of securing all faith communities in southwest Ohio. In the Jewish community, we are particularly grateful for his courageous, thorough, and precedent-setting prosecution of hate crime—sending a strong and urgent message that crime motivated by bias will not be tolerated. During a time when incidents of antisemitism and other forms of hate are on the rise, U.S. Attorney Glassman’s commitment to the cause of justice for targeted communities has been nothing short of critical, and we are truly grateful for his service.”
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Significant casesSpringfield federal firearms licensee sentenced for falsifying recordsRead the Press Release
DAYTON – The owner of a Springfield gun store whose falsified records showed he was selling guns to a deceased individual was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 18 months in prison.
James A. Mayhugh, Jr., 61, of Springfield, Ohio, falsified firearms sales records for more than 200 gun sales. Mayhugh lied in his records concerning the identity of the purchaser and then actually sold the firearms to unknown individuals on the black market. A least two of the 248 weapons were later discovered by law enforcement officers out of state while executing search warrants.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Jonathan McPherson, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Walter H. Rice.
Mayhugh owned and operated Jim’s Sports in Springfield. According to court documents, ATF Industry Operation Investigators (IOI) noticed unusual trends in Mayhugh’s sales records. Identical firearm sales to an identical group of individuals had been recorded between 2008 and 2018. Also, while federal law required the purported purchaser to personally complete and sign forms before acquiring a firearm, each document instead bore Mayhugh’s handwriting.
While further reviewing Mayhugh’s records, ATF IOIs discovered one customer had died in 2014, even though Mauhugh’s records reflected gun purchases as recently as early 2018. Other customers had actually purchased from Mayhugh on one occasion 15 to 20 years ago, but records showed repeated buys in recent years.
Subsequent to a court-authorized search, agents discovered documents reflecting more than 200 firearm sales to fictitious customers.
Mayhugh pleaded guilty in May to willfully violating federal requirements to provide the name, age and address of firearms purchasers.
Mayhugh also agreed to surrender his federal firearms license and no longer operates a business.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by ATF and Assistant United States Attorney Brent G. Tabacchi, who is representing the United States in this case.
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Lead defendant in MS-13 racketeering case sentenced to life in prison with no chance of releaseRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The lead defendant in a racketeering conspiracy involving five murders was sentenced in U.S. District Court here today.
Martin Neftali Aguilar-Rivera (a/k/a Momia), 34, of Columbus, was sentenced to life in prison by U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. for conspiring to commit racketeering and murder in aid of racketeering. Aguilar-Rivera accepted responsibility in July for participating in five murders.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Todd A. Wickerham, 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 Interim Columbus Police Chief Thomas Quinlan announced the sentence imposed this afternoon.
“This defendant’s ties to MS-13 in the Southern District of Ohio stretch back to the mid-2000s,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said. “From 2015 to the date of his arrest in August 2017, he was the unquestioned leader of the Columbus clique of MS-13. Under Aguilar-Rivera’s leadership, MS-13 members in Columbus became more organized, more violent, and more ruthless. He deserves to spend the rest of his life in prison.”
In February 2018, 23 individuals were charged in a second superseding indictment and 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.
The second superseding indictment alleges 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 two of the charged murders, the victims were stabbed and slashed with bladed weapons before being buried in a nearby park.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI, ICE, Columbus Division of Police and Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, and the assistance of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), as well as Assistant United States Attorneys Brian J. Martinez and Jessica H. Kim, who are prosecuting the case.
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Columbus man sentenced to more than 30 years in prison for killing potential witnessesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The second of two Columbus men who murdered, tortured, assaulted and intimidated people as part of their drug-distribution conspiracy was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 365 months in prison.
Michael J. Favors, 27, of Columbus, was sentenced for conspiring to murder two potential witnesses and on related drug charges.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Jonathan McPherson, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Interim Columbus Police Chief Thomas Quinlan announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson.
Favors and Antwan L. Hutchinson, 28, were both indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2017.
According to court documents, Favors and Hutchinson possessed and distributed cocaine, heroin, oxycodone and marijuana.
As part of their drug conspiracy, they used “trap houses” that were in others’ names as locations to store and sell the drugs. This included using threats of force and using the homes of drug-addicted individuals.
It was further part of the conspiracy to intimidate, assault, threaten and torture individuals with serious physical harm who were perceived as owing money or drugs to the members of the conspiracy.
Favors pleaded guilty in November 2018 to his role in the murders of Sidney Campbell and Marie Stamp.
Specifically, Favors pleaded guilty to five counts as charged against him in the indictment, which include conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, two counts of conspiracy to murder a witness, and two counts of murder through use of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
Favors accompanied Hutchinson in February 2017 to Sidney Campbell’s home after Hutchinson learned of Sidney Campbell’s son’s death. Hutchinson and others suspected the son, Cody Campbell, of allowing a trap house to be robbed, and in retaliation Hutchinson used a two-by-four to beat and extension cords to whip Cody Campbell, who died hours after the incident.
Sidney Campbell had witnessed the beating of her son. She and Marie Stamp were present in her house when Favors and Hutchinson fired their weapons, killing both potential witnesses.
Hutchinson and Favors were arrested on March 27, 2017 and have remained in custody.
Hutchinson was sentenced on Oct. 1 to life in prison with no chance of parole.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by ATF and the Columbus Police, as well as Assistant United States Attorneys David M. DeVillers and Jessica W. Knight who are prosecuting the case.
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Woman sentenced for rebranding, selling prohibited weight loss drugs from ChinaRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former Belmont County woman was sentenced in U.S. District Court today for buying illegal weight loss drugs from China to rebrand and resell them for a profit in the United States.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Mark S. McCormack, Special Agent in Charge, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Metro Washington Field Office, announced the sentence handed down today by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson.
Crystal Ware, 33, formerly of Shadyside, purchased drugs from China containing Sibutramine and then mislabeled the drugs and sold them at an inflated price. Sibutramine was approved as a treatment for obesity in 1997 but was withdrawn from the U.S. market in October 2010 due to its association with increased strokes and cardiovascular events.
In 2015, Ware created the website “www.positivevibespositivelife.com” and registered the trade name “Positive Vibes” in Ohio to promote and sell weight loss products called “Burn, Vibe, Vortex, Slimming V and Fruit Fit” that contained the discontinued Sibutramine.
Ware would bulk order the original Sibutramine drugs from China, then relabel and resell them at up to eight times the cost. For example, she purchased 160 bottles of drugs for $5.50 to $10 per bottle from China and resold them for $40 per bottle. Ware received more than $17,000 total from the sale of the misbranded drugs.
The FDA Office of Criminal Investigation received information in 2016 that Ware was operating a business that sold weight loss products that contain undeclared pharmaceutical ingredients. FDA laboratory analysis revealed that Ware’s weight loss products contained Sibutramine as an active ingredient.
“Distributing foreign prescription drugs of unknown origin and ingredients places U.S. consumers at risk,” said Mark S. McCormack, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Office of Criminal Investigations, Metro Washington Field Office. “In this case, the drug had previously been removed from the U.S. market for safety reasons. We will aggressively pursue and bring to justice those who attempt to subvert FDA requirements, which are designed to ensure the safety and quality of drugs distributed to American consumers.”
In November 2018, Ware was charged with and pleaded guilty to receiving misbranded drugs in interstate commerce.
She was sentenced today to six months of home confinement, three years’ probation and 80 hours of community service.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation by the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, as well as Assistant United States Attorney J. Michael Marous, who is representing the United States in this case.
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Second defendant arrested in case alleging theft of trade secrets from American aviation companyRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – An Italian national was arrested in Marino, Italy on Oct. 2 pursuant to a provisional arrest request from the United States in a case involving two defendants charged here with conspiring to steal trade secrets from an American aviation company.
Alexander Yuryevich Korshunov, 57, and Maurizio Paolo Bianchi, 59, were charged by a criminal complaint on Aug. 21. Korshunov was arrested on Aug. 30 at Naples International Airport in Italy. A federal grand jury in Cincinnati indicted the pair on Sept. 11 with conspiracy to commit theft of trade secrets and attempted theft of trade secrets, and that indictment was unsealed today.
According to the indictment, Korshunov was an employee of a Russian state-owned company and had previously been a Russian public official whose service included the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Bianchi was a former director at Avio S.p.A, an Italian aerospace company until 2012. GE Aviation purchased the aerospace business from Avio S.p.A. in 2013 and operates the business as Avio Aero with its headquarters in Turin, Italy. GE Aviation is one of the world’s top aircraft engine suppliers and is headquartered in the Southern District of Ohio.
After leaving Avio S.p.A., Bianchi went to work for a company called Aernova in Forli, Italy.
Korshunov was employed at United Engine Corp (UEC), which included a subsidiary named Aviadvigatel (a branch of the Russian state-owned company), which had been “entity listed” by the U.S. Department of Commerce in September 2018 for acting contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States.
Aernova and Aviadvigatel had a contract during the time of the alleged conduct.
It is alleged that between 2013 and 2018, Bianchi – on behalf of Korshunov – recruited current or former employees of Avio Aero to do consulting work related to jet engine accessory gearboxes for Bianchi and Korshunov. An accessory gearbox is a component mechanism used to transfer the power from the jet engine to other airplane power systems.
According to court documents, the employees’ statements of work typically stated that the “the holders of patent and intellectual property obtained as a result of the work are…the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation.”
Employees allegedly used trade secrets owned by Avio Aero and GE Aviation to create the technical report. The effort focused on accessory gearboxes made by Avio Aero that provide power to systems such as hydraulic pumps, generators and fuel pumps.
Court documents detail that Korshunov allegedly arranged and paid for employees to meet with him in June 2013 at the Paris Air Show in Le-Bourget, France and in 2014 in Milan, Italy to discuss and revise the technical report.
Conspiring to steal trade secrets and attempted theft of trade secrets are punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers and U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Benjamin C. Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI and the cooperation of GE Aviation, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy S. Mangan and Trial Attorney Will Mackie of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, who are prosecuting the case. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs of the Department’s Criminal Division assisted in the investigation.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Second Defendant Arrested in Case Alleging Theft of Trade Secrets from American Aviation CompanyRead the Press Release
An Italian national was arrested in Marino, Italy, on Oct. 2 pursuant to a provisional arrest request from the United States in a case involving two defendants charged here with conspiring to steal trade secrets from an American aviation company.
Alexander Yuryevich Korshunov, 57, and Maurizio Paolo Bianchi, 59, were charged by a criminal complaint on Aug. 21. Korshunov was arrested on Aug. 30 at Naples International Airport in Italy. A federal grand jury in Cincinnati indicted the pair on Sept. 11 with conspiracy to commit theft of trade secrets and attempted theft of trade secrets, and that indictment was unsealed today.
According to the indictment, Korshunov was an employee of a Russian state-owned company and had previously been a Russian public official whose service included the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Bianchi was a former director at Avio S.p.A, an Italian aerospace company until 2012. GE Aviation purchased the aerospace business from Avio S.p.A. in 2013 and operates the business as Avio Aero with its headquarters in Turin, Italy. GE Aviation is one of the world’s top aircraft engine suppliers and is headquartered in the Southern District of Ohio.
After leaving Avio S.p.A, Bianchi went to work for a company called Aernova in Forli, Italy.
Korshunov was employed at United Engine Corp (UEC), which included a subsidiary named Aviadvigatel (a branch of the Russian state-owned company), which had been “entity listed” by the U.S. Department of Commerce in September 2018 for acting contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States.
Aernova and Aviadvigatel had a contract during the time of the alleged conduct.
It is alleged that between 2013 and 2018, Bianchi – on behalf of Korshunov – recruited current or former employees of Avio Aero to do consulting work related to jet engine accessory gearboxes for Bianchi and Korshunov. An accessory gearbox is a component mechanism used to transfer the power from the jet engine to other airplane power systems.
According to court documents, the employees’ statements of work typically stated that the “the holders of patent and intellectual property obtained as a result of the work are…the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation.”
Employees allegedly used trade secrets owned by Avio Aero and GE Aviation to create the technical report. The effort focused on accessory gearboxes made by Avio Aero that provide power to systems such as hydraulic pumps, generators and fuel pumps.
Court documents detail that Korshunov allegedly arranged and paid for employees to meet with him in June 2013 at the Paris Air Show in Le-Bourget, France and in 2014 in Milan, Italy to discuss and revise the technical report.
Conspiring to steal trade secrets and attempted theft of trade secrets are punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers and U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Benjamin C. Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI and the cooperation of GE Aviation, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy S. Mangan and Trial Attorney Will Mackie of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, who are prosecuting the case. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division assisted in the investigation.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Milford man sentenced to prison for assaulting guard at Social Security officeRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Today U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett sentenced Daniel Toops, 35, of Milford, to 12 months in prison for punching a Social Security Administration security guard in the face.
According to court documents, on April 11, 2019, Toops spoke with an official working at the Batavia Social Security office. Apparently dissatisfied with the information the official provided, Toops began to leave the building saying, “F*** you, mother f***er. I’ll come back and f*** you mother f****ers up.”
When approached by the facility’s security guard, Toops engaged in an altercation with the guard and ultimately punched her in the face. The guard sprayed Toops with mace and he was subsequently arrested.
Toops pleaded guilty on June 25 to assaulting an officer of the United States.
U.S. Attorney Benjamin C. Glassman commended the investigation by the Federal Protective Service, as well as Special Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Landry, who is representing the United States in this case.
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MS-13 defendant pleads guilty to murder, admits responsibility as shooterRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A defendant in the MS-13 racketeering case pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today and accepted responsibility for his involvement as a shooter in one homicide. His plea agreement includes a recommended sentence of 30 years in prison.
Jose Mendez-Peraza, 37, of Columbus, pleaded guilty today 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.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Todd A. Wickerham, 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 Interim Columbus Police Chief Thomas Quinlan announced the plea entered into today before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.
Mendez-Peraza, also known as “Shadow,” 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.
The second superseding indictment alleges that the defendants committed a host of overt acts in furtherance of the conspiracy, including: 1) the December 2006 murder of Jose Mendez, a 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.
As part of his guilty plea, Mendez-Peraza accepted responsibility for his role as a shooter in the murder of Salvador Martinez-Diaz. MS-13 members and associates began targeting Martinez-Diaz, a suspected 18th Street gang member, for murder as early as 2015.
On Dec. 3, 2016, co-conspirators waited in the parking lot of the Resolute Athletic Complex in Columbus where the victim was playing soccer. Others, including Mendez-Peraza, wore dark ski masks and waited for Martinez-Diaz near his apartment building at Melroy Avenue and Kelburn Road in Columbus.
When the victim arrived near his home, Mendez-Peraza and another MS-13 member opened fire on Martinez-Diaz with pistols, shooting him multiple times and killing him.
As part of his plea, Mendez-Peraza also admitted to threatening a witness/victim in this case while at the Joseph P. Kinneary United States Courthouse in Columbus. Mendez-Peraza told the witness/victim that MS-13 members would kill the individual and his/her family if the individual cooperated with law enforcement.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI, ICE, Columbus Division of Police and Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, and the assistance of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), as well as Assistant United States Attorneys Brian J. Martinez and Jessica H. Kim, who are prosecuting the case.
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Convicted felon who threatened residents with a gun sentenced for possessing firearm, ammunitionRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Dayvon Cook, 25, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 64 months in prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition after being convicted of a felony crime.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Jonathan McPherson, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot K. Isaac announced the sentence handed down today by U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett.
According to court documents, in September 2018, Cincinnati Police received a 911 call regarding a male carrying a gun and threatening to rob people in the parking lot of the Stanley Rowe Tower apartment complex.
Cincinnati Police officers responded to the scene and identified a suspect matching the call, who was later identified as Cook. Cook ran from the officers and threw a semi-automatic pistol under a car. The firearm was loaded with sixteen rounds of ammunition in an extended magazine.
Cook had previously been convicted of a felony crime. He is currently in state custody for a separate firearms crime and will serve his federal sentence after his current 24-month state sentence that was imposed on Feb. 27, 2019.
Cook pleaded guilty in his federal case in April 2019.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation by the Cincinnati Police Department and ATF, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Brucato, who is representing the United States in this case.
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