Southern District of Ohio
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Cincinnati man sentenced to more than 13 years in prison for sex trafficking missing teenRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati man was sentenced in federal court here today to 162 months in prison for sex trafficking a missing teen girl.
As part of his conviction, Payton Jamar Brown, 26, was ordered to pay nearly $58,000 in restitution to the minor victim and forfeit his home on Niagara Street in Cincinnati. Proceeds of the sale of his forfeited home will be paid to Brown’s victim as restitution.
According to court documents, from June until October 2022 and again in February 2023, Brown sex trafficked the teenaged girl.
Brown met the victim online and began a relationship with her. The victim began to reside with Brown, who created prostitution advertisements of her. Brown would transport the victim to hotels for prostitution dates that he had arranged. Brown arranged at least 40 prostitution dates in this timeframe and collected the proceeds from the victim.
In October 2022, Colerain police officers responded to Brown’s residence and recovered the victim, who was subsequently taken to a juvenile facility in another state.
In February 2023, the juvenile escaped the facility and messaged Brown on Instagram to pick her up. Brown drove interstate to pick up the victim and her friend and bring them to his residence. Brown again created a prostitution advertisement of the victim and arranged sexual encounters with other men for money.
Throughout his time with the victim, Brown would regularly engage in sex acts with the minor and record those acts with a cell phone. He would then sell the photos and videos to others online.
Brown was arrested by the FBI in February 2023. He pleaded guilty in October 2023.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Colerain Township Police Chief Edwin C. Cordie III; and members of the Regional Electronics and Computer Investigations (RECI) task force announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle J. Healey is representing the United States in this case.
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Justice Department Secures Agreement in Fair Housing Lawsuit Against Ohio Landlord for Sexually Harassing TenantsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that Kevin Martin, an owner and manager of residential rental properties in and around Athens, Ohio, has agreed to pay $170,000 to resolve a lawsuit alleging that he sexually harassed female tenants and housing applicants in violation of the Fair Housing Act.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, alleges that, from at least 2010 to at least 2020, Martin requested sex acts from female tenants and applicants; subjected female tenants and applicants to unwelcome sexual touching; made unwelcome sexual comments and advances to female tenants and applicants; demanded that female tenants engage in sex acts with him in order not to lose housing and offered to reduce rent or excuse late or unpaid rent in exchange for sex acts. The lawsuit also alleges that Martin initiated evictions or threatened to evict female tenants who objected to or refused his sexual advances. The lawsuit is the result of a joint investigative effort with the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General (HUD OIG).
“Every person in our country has the right to seek and obtain safe and affordable housing without being subjected to sexual harassment,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “For over a decade, this landlord sexually harassed and degraded women who were simply seeking the stability and safety that comes with having a roof over your head. The Justice Department will continue to hold landlords accountable when they target and exploit vulnerable tenants and applicants.”
“Fair housing is fundamental and this office will continue to work to enforce the protections guaranteed by the Fair Housing Act,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio. “No one should have to experience sexual harassment by their landlord.”
“We will not tolerate landlords threating or committing sexual harassment or abuse against tenants. Every person deserves to feel safe in their home,” said Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis of HUD. “The allegations against the defendant include initiating evictions or threatening female tenants with the loss of their housing if they didn’t comply with his advances. Victims should not hesitate to report such harassment and abuse to law enforcement authorities. HUD OIG will continue to work with its law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to hold housing providers accountable for this type of horrible conduct.”
Under the consent decree, which still must be approved by the district court, Martin has agreed to pay $165,000 to former female tenants and applicants harmed by his harassment and a $5,000 civil penalty to the United States. The consent decree permanently bars Martin from managing residential rental properties, requires him to retain a property manager for properties he continues to own, and mandates training and the adoption of policies and procedures to prevent future discrimination.
The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and familial status. It also prohibits sexual harassment, a form of sex discrimination. Individuals who believe they may have been victims of sexual harassment in housing may contact the Justice Department by calling the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Rights Tipline at 513 684-2055, emailing [email protected] or completing a Civil Rights referral form at www.justice.gov/usao-sdoh/file/1513341/download.
Reports may also be made to HUD at 1-800-669-9777 or by filing a complaint online.
The Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative is led by the Civil Rights Division, in coordination with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country. The initiative seeks to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers and other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative in October 2017, the department has filed 45 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered over $17 million for victims of such harassment.
Court of Appeals affirms conviction, prison sentence for Chinese government intelligence officer who committed espionage crimes involving local companyRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed the conviction and 20-year sentence imposed against the first Chinese government intelligence officer ever to be extradited to the United States to stand trial.
Yanjun Xu was convicted by a federal jury in Cincinnati in November 2021 on all counts: conspiracy to commit economic espionage, conspiracy to commit trade secret theft, attempted economic espionage and attempted trade secret theft. He was sentenced in November 2022 to 20 years in prison.
“A jury declared at the end of Xu’s trial that the government had proven him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and he was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Now, the appellate court has upheld those decisions,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “This office will continue to pursue justice at every stage of a case.”
The government proved beyond a reasonable doubt at trial that Xu targeted American aviation companies, recruited employees to travel to China, and solicited their proprietary information, all on behalf of China. Xu was a career intelligence officer, beginning in 2003 and rising to the rank of deputy division director at the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS), the intelligence and security agency for China.
On appeal, Xu claimed that the District Court should have granted his motion to dismiss the indictment, that that the District Court erred in allowing expert testimony related to his intent to obtain trade secrets, and that the Court improperly calculated his sentencing guidelines.
The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Xu’s arguments and affirmed the District Court’s judgment, upholding Xu’s conviction and 20-year prison sentence.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division; and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; announced the appellate decision.
Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Koller represented the United States on appeal. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy S. Mangan, Deputy Criminal Chief Emily N. Glatfelter, and Trial Attorney Matthew J. McKenzie from the Department of Justice’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
U.S. Attorney Parker commended the integral cooperation of GE Aviation throughout the investigation and subsequent prosecution, as well as the DOJ Office of International Affairs and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Northern District of Illinois and the District of Arizona.
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Columbus man sentenced to 27 years in prison for crimes related to sexually exploiting & sextorting more than 25 identified victimsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 324 months in prison for crimes related to sexually exploiting and sextorting more than 25 known victims in at least four states.
Lorenzo A. Winfield, 23, persistently and aggressively sought out and collected nude files of high school classmates and minor females he met online.
“Acts of sextortion are serious and have no place in our society. As we heard in court today from more than a dozen victims, this conduct creates significant harm,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “Today’s sentencing reflects that we will hold such perpetrators accountable for their damaging actions.”
According to court documents, from at least 2016 until 2021, Winfield used extortion tactics to solicit and collect explicit photos of underage girls at his Columbus high school, the Arts and College Preparatory Academy (ACPA), where he was known as the “ACPA Hacker”.
Winfield would contact students at ACPA and demand nude images and videos of them. He would also hack into victims’ social media accounts and use the photos he obtained in their private accounts against them as leverage for more content. Winfield would threaten the victims, letting them know he had nude content depicting them or other students and that he would distribute those images and videos unless the victims complied with his demands. On numerous occasions, Winfield followed through on these threats, distributing sexually explicit photos of his victims to others to prove he was serious with his threats in a bid to contain more content. In addition, Winfield told the victims to send him sexually explicit images or videos in order to regain control of their own social media accounts.
Winfield used several social media accounts of his own to engage in the exploitation and extortion of the victims. His accounts were active across platforms such as Discord, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Skype and Google Hangouts.
Winfield was separately investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office for extorting and exploiting at least four victims in Fairfax and Prince William counties in Virginia.
For example, one identified victim was approximately 11 years old at the time Winfield first contacted her online. During their communications, Winfield obtained nude images of her and videos of her masturbating. Winfield used this content as leverage and eventually sent nude photos of the victim to students at a Virginia middle school to prove he was serious about his sextortion of her. Eventually, as the victim got older, Winfield also sent the images to students at her high school, promising the victim that if she got her friends to help her out by sending him nude images, that he would stop. Winfield threatened to harm the family of the Virginia minor if she did not comply with his requests for sexually explicit photos and videos and continued to exploit and extort her until his arrest.
Similarly, Winfield exploited at least one victim in College Station, Texas. The investigation revealed that the Texas victim sent approximately 50 pictures and videos to Winfield. Winfield demanded explicit images and videos of her daily. On one occasion, when the victim did not comply with Winfield’s demands, Winfield sent images of the victim’s nude breasts and vagina to the victim’s brother and friend.
The defendant pleaded guilty in December 2023 to sexually exploiting minors, possessing child pornography, and communicating interstate with the intent to extort.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson. U.S. Attorney Parker and Special Agent in Charge Iatarola commended the cooperative investigation in this case with FBI divisions and state and local law enforcement agencies in Ohio, Virginia and Texas. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case.
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Man who robbed postal carrier at gunpoint sentenced to 90 months in prisonRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Lamarion Gray, 19, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to seven and one-half years in prison for the armed robbery of a United States postal carrier last summer. Gray is one of more than a dozen defendants charged in the Southern District of Ohio since 2022 with crimes related to postal robberies.
Court documents say Gray approached a letter carrier delivering mail on foot on the afternoon of July 12, 2023. Gray brandished a firearm, pointed it at the letter carrier, and demanded that she turn over her keys. After the letter carrier gave Gray the keys, Gray fled on foot. Inspectors canvassed the neighborhood, talked with neighbors, and found surveillance footage showing Gray going into his girlfriend’s residence.
Inspectors executed a search warrant at Gray’s residence. They recovered large amounts of stolen mail, including many stolen checks. Gray pleaded guilty on March 1, 2024, to one count of robbery of U.S. property.
“This case is part of a series of mail thefts and bank frauds that have victimized the Greater Cincinnati area over the past few years,” said Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. “Armed assault on a postal worker has a significant, negative impact on all letter carriers, and eventually on everyone in the community who relies on the U.S. Postal Service.”
Gray’s sentence includes five years of supervised release after he completes his time in prison, and $14,176 in restitution to the victim.
Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Pittsburgh Division; and Colerain Township Police Chief Edwin C. Cordie III joined Mr. Parker in announcing the sentence imposed today by Senior U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy S. Mangan is representing the United States in this case.
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Teacher arrested, charged with distribution and possession of child pornographyRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI - A 44-year-old Cincinnati man, Mark A. Altherr, was arrested by FBI agents on Friday, July 26, and charged with possession and distribution of child pornography.
The affidavit in support of the criminal complaint and arrest warrant alleges that investigators found more than 262 posts Altherr made on a child pornography website over the past three years. Some of the posts included images that appeared to be minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The victims were alleged to be between the ages of five and 12. Altherr is a fitness education teacher in the Oak Hills Local School District.
“Investigators are now working to identify all of the victims in this case,” said Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. “Our office and the FBI encourage anyone who might have information about victims to report it to the FBI’s victim resource page listed below.”
“The FBI is always working to protect children in our community,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. “As we continue to investigate this matter, we appreciate the support of the public in coming forward with any information they may have about potentially inappropriate actions of Mr. Altherr.”
Anyone who may have information about this case or who believes they may be a victim is encouraged to visit www.fbi.gov/MarkAltherrVictims and complete the short online form.
Altherr appeared in federal court in Cincinnati on July 29, 2024. He was temporarily detained. A detention hearing is set for August 1, 2024.
Distribution of child pornography is punishable by at least five years and up to 20 years in prison. Possession of child pornography is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
Assistant United States Attorneys Danielle Margeaux and Kyle Healey are representing the United States in this case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Woman pleads guilty to “straw purchase” of firearmsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus woman admitted in U.S. District Court here today that she illegally bought two handguns for an individual who was not allowed to have firearms, a process known as straw purchasing.
Connie Bartley, 41, of Columbus pleaded guilty to two counts of making false statements during the purchase of a firearm.
Court documents say Bartley attended a gun show in Columbus in February 2021 with an acquaintance who had a felony conviction on his criminal record. He picked out two firearms. She filled out the ATF forms indicating that the firearms were for her and bought them. She then gave the guns to him, and he paid her for them. Investigators recovered the firearms three months later when they searched the man’s apartment as part of a federal investigation.
“Don’t lie for the other guy or you’ll find yourself facing harsh consequences,” said Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. “Keeping firearms out of the hands of people who are not allowed to possess them is vital to reducing violence in our communities.”
Making false statements during the purchase of a firearm is punishable by up to ten years in prison. The court will determine an appropriate sentence under federal sentencing guidelines.
Mr. Parker was joined by Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) in announcing the plea entered before U.S. Magistrate Judge Norah McCann King. Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth A. Geraghty and Jennifer M. Rausch are representing the United States in this case.
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Ohio Man Sentenced for Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act Violation, Communicating Interstate Threats and ConspiracyRead the Press Release
An Ohio man was sentenced today for threatening to destroy a reproductive health services facility in Columbus, Ohio, and for conspiring to commit money laundering.
Mohamed Waes, 33, was sentenced to 66 months in prison, three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $273,982.08 in restitution.
“This defendant threatened to burn down a reproductive health clinic in order to intimidate its employees from providing care to patients,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Using threats of violence to obstruct access to reproductive health care is simply unlawful. The Justice Department will continue to protect both patients seeking reproductive health services and providers offering those services, wherever and whenever these criminal violations occur.”
“Threats of violence against healthcare providers and deception against our financial system are acts that must be punished in our courts of justice,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth Parker for the Southern District of Ohio. “We will continue our unified vigilance against such actions and remain prepared to hold accountable those who commit them.”
“IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) enforces the nation's tax laws, but also takes particular interest in cases where someone, for their own personal benefit, has taken what belonged to others. With both law enforcement and financial investigation expertise, our agents are uniquely qualified to assist state and federal law agencies with these types of cases by following the money,” said Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingerd of IRS-CI’s Cincinnati Field Office. “Today’s sentencing is a reminder that there are real and damaging consequences for not only stealing money from small businesses, the lifeblood of the American economy, but also trying to hide the proceeds of the crime.”
Waes pleaded guilty on Feb. 9 to a misdemeanor charge under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, which prohibits a person from intentionally interfering with or intimidating any person because that person is providing reproductive health services, and to a felony charge of communicating interstate threats. According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 5, 2022, Waes intentionally interfered with and intimidated employees of Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio by threatening over the phone to burn down their building because they were providing reproductive health services.
Waes also previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. According to court documents, Waes attempted to launder a total of $1,972,792.84 in business email compromise fraud schemes proceeds, of which he successfully laundered $273,982.08. As part of this conspiracy, scammers created fake email domains which mimicked legitimate email domains and then sent emails to various companies impersonating vendors and asking that payments be made on actual invoices to bank accounts controlled by Waes and others.
The FBI Cincinnati Field Office and IRS-CI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Rausch and Peter K. Glenn-Applegate for the Southern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Daniel Grunert of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
Columbus dealer, Arizona supplier plead guilty to illegal fentanyl conspiracyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A Columbus man and his Arizona supplier have each pleaded guilty to conspiring to illegally distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl in Columbus in 2023.
Court documents say Ontario M. Yarbrough, 26, of Columbus operated a drug house in the city’s Hilltop area. Between April and October 2023, Yarbrough received and accepted five packages and tracked at least 13 packages from Arizona to the Columbus area. At least two packages were opened and each contained fentanyl. The packages were mailed from Arizona by Jose Ruben Leyva, 46, of Buckeye, Arizona, and other co-conspirators. Yarbrough accepted the parcels at various locations in the city.
Investigators executed a search warrant at Yarbrough’s house after he received one of the packages. They found that the package contained almost 500 grams of fentanyl. They also seized ten other bags of white powder, two firearms and ammunition, cash and drug trafficking material from the house. A search warrant executed days later at Leyva’s Arizona house recovered pills and powder containing fentanyl, packaging and mailing materials, other drug paraphernalia and cash.
Leyva pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl. Yarbrough pleaded guilty on June 13 to the same crime. The crime is punishable by at least ten years and up to life in prison. The court will determine an appropriate sentence and schedule a sentencing hearing.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and officials with the Ohio HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) announced the plea entered before U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorney Damoun Delaviz is representing the United States in this case.
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Columbus, Ohio man pleads guilty to exploiting minor via videos of rapeRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Arturo Navarrete-Juarez, 29, of Columbus, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to sexually exploiting a minor.
Navarrete-Juarez faces a potential sentence of at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison.
According to court documents, between October 2021 and December 2022, Navarrete-Juarez sexually abused at least one minor and created child pornography of the abuse. Specifically, the defendant raped a 6-year-old girl.
In March of 2023, the FBI investigated child sexual abuse material on a Tor network that featured Navarrete-Juarez. The defendant’s face was visible in the videos. Investigators also linked Navarrete-Juarez’s identity to the videos by distinctive tattoos on his hands, arms and chest and by the apartment depicted in the background of the videos.
Navarrete-Juarez was charged federally by a criminal complaint in March 2023. He will be sentenced at a future hearing. Congress sets the minimum and maximum statutory sentences. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Rausch and Emily Czerniejewski are representing the United States in this case.
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Columbus man pleads guilty to robbing postal carrier at gunpointRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to crimes related to armed robberies of United States postal carriers.
Anthony J. “A.J.” Williams, 20, admitted to brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, committing aggravated robbery of United States property and conspiring to commit an offense against the United States.
Williams’s plea includes a recommended sentence of 84 to 108 months in prison.
According to court documents, on Nov. 9, 2022, Williams committed an armed robbery of a USPS letter carrier who was delivering mail on Michigan Ave. in Columbus. The postal carrier was delivering mail to an apartment complex’s “cluster box” at the time.
After borrowing a Glock19 from one co-conspirator and being driven by another co-conspirator, Williams approached the mail carrier and brandished the handgun directly at the victim. Williams demanded the victim’s postal keys and then yanked the postal keys off of the carrier’s belt.
Williams sent photos of the stolen key to another co-conspirator who was orchestrating the robbery.
The defendant also worked with that same co-conspirator to plan a postal robbery for Christmas Eve 2022 and repeatedly “fished” for stolen mail with stolen postal keys.
Williams was indicted by a federal grand jury and arrested in January 2024.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the guilty plea entered today before Chief U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Noah R. Litton is representing the United States in this case.
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Fairfield County man sentenced to more than 8 years in prison for sextortion, child pornography crimesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Fairfield County man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 100 months in prison for crimes related to child pornography and sextortion.
Devin Bailey, 27, of Millersport, Ohio, distributed child pornography of a minor victim and used those images, in addition to others, in interstate communications to extort an adult victim for images of herself.
According to court documents, Bailey used multiple personas online to solicit sexually explicit photographs of the adult victim and then used the images he obtained to threaten and extort her for more explicit photographs of herself.
Bailey also sent messages containing child pornography to the adult victim. The victim recognized one of the girls, who was approximately 12 years old at the time, in the images she received.
The minor victim believed she had sent the explicit images and videos to a female in Florida, who in reality was another persona of Bailey’s. Bailey had kept the child pornography for more than five years before sending the photos to the adult victim to coerce her into taking sexually explicit photos of herself.
Bailey also threatened to distribute the child pornography of the known minor female to family members of the adult victim and across the internet if the adult victim did not comply with his demands.
In May and June 2022, Bailey also used numerous email addresses, cell phone numbers and Snapchat accounts to harass the adult victim, threatening to share pornographic images of her and the minor victim she knew. He said if the victim did not send him new explicit photos or videos, he would use the older materials against her.
Bailey’s threats persisted for weeks. He consistently and aggressively messaged the adult victim and, when she indicated she would involve law enforcement, Bailey responded, “Go ahead, they are untraceable numbers, and I can get hundreds more lol.”
A forensic review of Bailey’s electronic devices revealed that they contained approximately 200 images and 20 videos of child sexual abuse material.
Bailey was charged federally in February 2023 and pleaded guilty in October 2023.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Lancaster Police Chief Nicholas H. Snyder announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case.
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Washington County man sentenced to 25 years in prison for exploiting minors locally & internationallyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Lower Salem, Ohio, man was sentenced in federal court here today to 300 months in prison for crimes related to exploiting minor victims in Ohio and in the Philippines.
James A. Sabolick, 58, brought a minor from West Virginia to his hunting cabin in Washington County to engage in illicit sex acts. Sabolick also sent money to Filipino women for their basic living expenses in exchange for child sexual abuse material.
“We are dedicated to working across all levels of law enforcement to hold people accountable for their crimes, no matter where they exploit their victims,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “Our priority is putting perpetrators like Sabolick behind bars for significant periods of time so that they can no longer prey on the vulnerable. The sentence imposed today does just that.”
Sabolick pleaded guilty in January 2024 to two counts of sexually exploiting a minor and one count of possessing child pornography.
According to court documents, on July 24, 2021, Marietta police officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle that Sabolick was driving. Sabolick told officers he was alone while attempting to conceal a minor female, who officers discovered in the back seat.
Further investigation conducted by the Southeastern Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force at the Washington County Sheriff’s Office revealed that Sabolick had driven the minor from West Virginia to a cabin near his residence in Washington County to engage in various sex acts with the minor.
Some of the sex acts involved abuse such as needle pokes, lighter burns, restraints, strangulation and urination. Items recovered from Sabolick’s hunting cabin and vehicle included panty hose, lubricant and a box of t-pins. Sabolick photographed the minor victim during the sexual abuse.
Court documents detail that Sabolick had met the minor victim when she was approximately 13 or 14 years old. Sabolick possessed several communications and nude images of the minor victim on his phone.
Additional forensic review of Sabolick’s electronics and social media accounts revealed he had communicated with Filipino women he knew through prior trips to the Philippines in 2013 and 2014. In recovered Facebook chats, the women requested money from Sabolick for basic living expenses like food, utility bills, tuition, etc. In exchange, Sabolick requested sexually explicit images of their minor children and offered to send them money for the child sexual abuse material.
For example, in December 2020, Sabolick sent money to a Filipino woman for images of her daughter’s genitalia. Financial records from Paypal, Western Union, Xoom and Moneygram all revealed numerous transactions to the Philippines totaling more than $1,000, including to the Filipino women identified in the investigation on the same days that Sabolick was requesting child pornography from them.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; Washington County Sheriff Larry R. Mincks and Marietta Police Chief Katherine Warden announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Czerniejewski and S. Courter Shimeall are representing the United States in this case.
The case was investigated by both the Southeastern Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force and the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force, which are operated under Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission.
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Disbarred attorney pleads guilty to Social Security number fraud as part of scheme to obtain jobs at law firmsRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A disbarred attorney who previously practiced law in the Cincinnati area admitted in U.S. District Court this afternoon that he used false identities to obtain employment with at least seven law firms.
Richard Louis Crosby III, 37, of Mason, Ohio, pleaded guilty to three counts of Social Security number fraud. His plea agreement includes a sentence recommendation of 37 months in prison.
At various times throughout his scheme, Crosby used identifying information belonging to his elderly father, his girlfriend, a deceased man and others. He falsely told at least one law firm that he was a University of Michigan football player and an ex-Marine.
According to court documents, the Cincinnati Bar Association filed a complaint against Crosby in November 2020. In April 2021, he indicated his intent to resign from the practice of law.
In both June and November 2021, Crosby was indicted and charged in Hamilton County with crimes related to stealing client funds. After his indictments, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio entered an order disbarring Crosby.
In May 2022, Crosby was arrested in both of his Hamilton County cases. He was sentenced to probation in both cases in June 2023.
According to his federal plea agreement, while Crosby’s local cases were pending, he created an email account using “richardcwilliamsesq.” Crosby used the email address and the alias Richard Williams to communicate with a law firm in Washington D.C. in June 2021. The firm briefly employed “Williams.”
In June 2022 – at which point Crosby had been disbarred in Ohio and arrested on the Hamilton County charges – Crosby used his alias to apply online for an attorney position with a law firm in California. The firm offered Crosby a position as an associate attorney with a salary of $150,000. The defendant was employed under his alias for approximately three months and used a firm email address with his alias name.
In September 2022, Crosby used his alias to apply for an attorney position with a law firm based in Miami, Florida. Crosby met with a recruiter via Zoom, and represented himself as Richard Williams, a licensed attorney admitted to the bar in New York and D.C.
Crosby then met with one of the firm’s hiring managers in Florida and was ultimately offered employment in October 2022. His starting salary was $185,000 per year with a $5,000 signing bonus. Crosby used his girlfriend’s Social Security number, passport number and banking information to complete his onboarding paperwork at the law firm.
In April 2023, the firm received an inquiry from an investigator with the Clermont County Child Support Enforcement Office, making the firm aware of Crosby’s true identity. He was subsequently fired.
In July 2023, Crosby interviewed with the founding partner of a different California law firm. He also falsely claimed to work at the law firm of Kirkland and Ellis. After the founding partner asked Crosby to verify with whom he worked with at Kirkland and Ellis, Crosby withdrew his interest in the job.
A few days later, Crosby again used the alias to attempt to obtain employment. He interviewed over Zoom with senior management of a law firm located in Coral Gables, Florida. Crosby doctored a “screen shot” of the name Richard Coleman Williams Jr. in the online D.C. bar membership directory to attach with his resume.
The firm offered Crosby a starting salary of $195,000 per year with a $10,000 signing bonus, but eventually determined Crosby was using a false identity and did not hire him.
In August 2023, the defendant applied for a job at another law firm. The firm, located in Michigan, sent Crosby a letter offering a salary of $145,000 per year and a $10,000 signing bonus. When his credential information had discrepancies, the firm terminated their working relationship before issuing Crosby’s first paycheck.
In September 2023, one month prior to his arrest on federal charges, Crosby used a different alias to apply for a job at another law firm in California. He claimed that he was a University of Michigan football player and an ex-Marine. Crosby was hired as an attorney at a salary of $250,000 per year. He used the Social Security number of a deceased man from North Carolina in his tax paperwork to the firm.
Crosby was arrested by federal agents in October 2023. As part of his guilty plea, Crosby has agreed to pay nearly $171,000 in restitution to law firms he defrauded.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio announced the charges. The case is being investigated by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office, Clermont County Department of Job and Family Services, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service and United States Marshals Service. Special Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Landry is representing the United States in this case.
If you have information related to Crosby’s conduct, please contact the Social Security OIG tip line at 1-800-269-0271.
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Clark County man sentenced to 22 years in prison for producing child pornography by paying adults to abuse minor victims live on social media appsRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – Dustin Johnson, 38, of New Carlisle, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 22 years in prison for creating child pornography by paying adult females to sexually abuse minor girls live on social media chats.
According to court documents, in June 2022, Johnson paid an adult female to engage in sexually explicit conduct with a prepubescent girl live on Snapchat. Johnson recorded the communications with a screen recorder app, saving video recordings approximately 10 minutes and 17 minutes in length on separate days in June.
After diligent investigation, law enforcement was able to locate the adult female and the child, who were located overseas. The child victim was 5 years old. Local law enforcement was able to remove the child from the adult female offender’s custody.
Johnson engaged in similar social media chats with other adult females, who at Johnson’s request sexually abused individuals who appeared to be children, on live video chat for Johnson to view. Johnson also engaged in online chats discussing the possibility of meeting up with other adults who had children so that he could engage in sexually explicit conduct with their children.
Investigators discovered more than 24,000 child pornography files on Johnson’s hard drives. The pornography included more than 500 files depicting bestiality, at least 400 files involving violence or masochistic abuse and more than 3,500 pornographic files depicting infants and toddlers.
Johnson was arrested in February 2023 and pleaded guilty in February 2024 to producing child pornography.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed on July 2 by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Thomas M. Rose. Assistant United States Attorney Christina E. Mahy is representing the United States in this case.
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Cincinnati woman sentenced to federal prison for Social Security number fraudRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati woman was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 24 months in prison for committing Social Security number fraud. The defendant stole the identity of a deceased child and used it to avoid a pending criminal prosecution and to obtain thousands of dollars in government benefits.
Christina Vaskovsky, 56, pleaded guilty in March 2024 to five counts of Social Security number fraud. She was charged and arrested in November 2023.
According to court documents, Vaskovsky was indicted in Hamilton County in July 2008 for allegedly stealing $14,500 from her employer. Vaskovsky failed to appear at her trial scheduled in December 2008. A nationwide warrant was issued for her arrest.
In 2010, Vaskovsky obtained a new Ohio driver’s license using the name, date of birth and Social Security number of a child who was born the same year as Vaskovsky but who died in 1977 at the age of 10.
The defendant then began using the deceased child’s identity in a variety of contexts over a span of 13 years, including:
- Receiving $19,570 in food stamp benefits;
- Filing bankruptcy to discharge nearly $128,000 in debt;
- Obtaining Social Security disability benefits totaling nearly $39,000;
- Providing the false identity upon being arrested for shoplifting in Kentucky;
- Applying for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan;
- Receiving more than $11,600 in unemployment benefits;
- Obtaining Supplemental Security Income disability benefits totaling $4,833; and
- Receiving Medicare benefits under the stolen identity totaling more than $116,000.
As part of her sentence, Vaskovsky will pay nearly $191,000 in restitution to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Social Security Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Jeffery P. Hopkins. This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General with assistance from the USDA Office of Inspector General, Ohio BMV Investigations, Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service and U.S. Marshals Service. Special Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Landry is representing the United States in this case.
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Charter schools founder & superintendent pleads guilty to conspiring to commit bank fraudRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Central Ohio man who founded and served as the superintendent of two Columbus charter schools pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court here today to conspiring to commit bank fraud.
Abdirizak Y. Farah, 59, admitted to fraudulently using school funds to help purchase his New Albany home.
Farah founded Focus Learning Academy of Northern Columbus (FLANC) on Dublin Granville Road in 2007. The school serves approximately 700 students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Focus Learning Academy of Central Columbus (FLACC) on Cleveland Avenue was founded in 2020 and serves Pre-K through third grade students.
Farah was also employed as a senior policy advisor for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
According to court documents, in August 2020, Farah purchased a $900,000 home on Lambton Park Road in New Albany. On Aug. 12, two days before his original closing date, Farah requested a $265,000 wire from a Focus Learning bank account to another person and stated the purpose was for “learning materials.”
That same day, Farah submitted a letter to the bank handling his real estate closing, stating he received $260,000 in gifted funds that were unrelated to the real estate transaction.
The next day, on Aug. 13, the person who received the wired funds in turn wired $260,000 to the title company handling the closing.
In the following days, several FLANC vendors made payments totaling approximately $265,000 to the person who assisted Farah, and that money was returned to FLANC.
As part of his plea, Farah will forfeit $265,000 to the United States.
“The role of IRS Criminal Investigation becomes even more important in complex financial investigations that can take time to unravel," said Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Cincinnati Field Office. "Federal tax laws are normally violated in these types of cases which add additional jail time to sentences. As we often see, the victims are not only American taxpayers, but also individuals and businesses who suffer financial harm.”
Conspiracy to commit bank fraud is a crime punishable by up to 30 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 at a future hearing.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; James Izzard, Deputy Inspector General, Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General (DHS OIG) Office of Investigations; and Karen Wingerd, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI) announced the guilty plea offered today before U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorney David J. Twombly is representing the United States in this case.
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Felon sentenced to more than 7 years in prison for illegally possessing firearmRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Lamonte K. Brown, 47, of Columbus, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 93 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon.
According to court documents, Brown has more than 20 prior adult convictions, many involving firearms and domestic violence.
In his current case, Brown illegally possessed a firearm while on parole and texted someone a photo of the gun along with several threatening messages. For example, he said, “When I get off parloe imm a light yo blok up.” He kept the gun in a plastic bag under his kitchen sink, along with more than nine grams of methamphetamine.
Brown was charged by a federal criminal complaint in August 2022 and pleaded guilty in September 2023. Brown later sought to withdraw his plea, and after multiple hearings, the Court denied the defendant’s motion to withdraw.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), announced the sentence imposed on June 25 by U.S. District Court Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney David J. Twombly and Senior Litigation Counsel Heather A. Hill are representing the United States in this case.
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Columbus man sentenced to prison for fraud crimes related to stealing identities for lines of creditRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man was sentenced in federal court here today to 30 months in prison for committing fraud crimes related to stealing identities to get more than $100,000 in fraudulent lines of credit.
Siyuan Ye, 24, of Columbus, pleaded guilty in February 2024 to mail fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents, between January 2022 and August 2023, Ye stole the identities of at least 15 victims. Ye repeatedly obtained Ohio and Florida driver licenses of other individuals without their authorization and then used the licenses to fraudulently obtain credit from retailers in the victims’ names.
He used the fraudulent credit to purchase a Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, three motorcycles and a variety of electronics.
For example, in April 2023, Ye used a stolen identity and fraudulent line of credit to purchase $8,400 worth of goods from a Micro Center in Columbus. Ye bought graphics cards, laptops and an Apple watch.
That same month, Ye used the same Ohio victim’s identity to buy a Suzuki motorcycle at Iron Pony Motorsports in Westerville.
Ye also used another victim’s identity to rent an apartment and obtain renter’s insurance.
Ye has no legal status in the United States; he entered the country in 2017 on a student visa to attend The Ohio State University. He did not complete his degree and unlawfully remained in the United States.
As part of his sentence, the defendant was ordered to pay more than $78,000 in restitution.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Jared Murphy, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit, announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate is representing the United States in this case.
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Grand jury indicts 14 members of Thug Riders Motorcycle ClubRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – A federal grand jury here has indicted the Midwest Regional “boss” and 13 other members of the “outlaw motorcycle gang” known as the Thug Riders Motorcycle Club (TRMC). The indictment alleges that the TRMC operated a criminal enterprise whose members and associates engaged in acts of violence like murder, arson and assault. Members also allegedly participated in extortion and identity fraud.
The indictment was returned on June 11. Federal and local law enforcement officials arrested all 14 defendants yesterday.
According to the indictment, members of the TRMC Dayton chapter engaged in overt acts in support of their enterprise, including:
- blowing up a former member’s vehicle in Huber Heights in May 2021;
- killing a man during a September 2021 shootout in Harrison Township;
- shooting more than 190 live gunfire rounds into a rival motorcycle gang’s clubhouse in Lexington, Kentucky, in April 2023;
- threatening and extorting former gang members;
- breaking the leg of a patron at Toby’s Tavern in Dayton in June 2023;
- attacking a rival gang member at Chris’s Band Box in Dayton in July 2023;
- engaging in a shootout at a Springfield, Ohio, motorcycle gang’s clubhouse in March 2024; and
- physically assaulting members of another motorcycle gang in London, Ohio, in May 2024.
Individuals charged in the indictment are:
Name
Also Known As
Age
City of residence
Juan A. Robles
Juan the Man
45
Phoenix, Arizona
Joey A. Marshall
King Joe, Diesel
44
Xenia, Ohio
Jared T. Peters
Savage
37
Dayton, Ohio
Brandon W. Fisher
Road Runner
26
Piqua, Ohio
John A. Smith
Chaos
37
Dayton, Ohio
Norman D. Beach
Stormin’ Normin’
49
Dayton, Ohio
Michael S. Henry
Brutal
40
Xenia, Ohio
Daniel B. Hutton
Havok
39
Fairborn, Ohio
Michael L. Reese
Butcher
44
Miamisburg, Ohio
Matthew J. Hawkins
Hawk
32
Pequea, Pennsylvania
Joseph M. Rader
Delta
32
Richmond, Kentucky
Justin J. Baker
Wild Boy
29
Columbus, Ohio
Cody D. Hughes
Tater
28
Columbus, Ohio
Brent A. Egleston
Be Easy
36
Xenia, Ohio
Court documents detail that the TRMC established a Dayton chapter in late 2019. Robles was allegedly instrumental in the creation of the local chapter and is currently the Midwest Regional “boss.” The Dayton chapter maintained clubhouses on Stanley Avenue in Dayton and on Lodge Avenue in Harrison Township.
Robles, Marshall, Peters, Fisher and Smith have each allegedly held leadership roles in the TRMC. Specifically, Marshall served as the Midwest Regional “sergeant at arms”; Peters served as the president of the Dayton chapter; Fisher served as the “sergeant at arms” of the Dayton chapter; and Smith served as “enforcer” of the Dayton chapter.
The Dayton chapter and Midwest Region are both part of the domestic and international outlaw TRMC motorcycle gang that was originally founded in 2003, and remains a violent gang today located throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, Morocco, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Germany and the United Kingdom.
According to the indictment, the Midwest Region is made up of chapters in Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri. Midwest Regional chapter meetings are held regularly and are referred to as “church.” Only full or “patched” TRMC members are allowed to attend “church.” Members pay regular dues and fines to the motorcycle gang.
Chapters and Regions fall under the ultimate authority of the national president who sits at the so-called “mother chapter” in Newark, New Jersey.
Count one of the indictment charges Robles, Marshall, Peters, Fisher, Smith, Beach and Henry with racketeering (RICO) conspiracy. The indictment’s remaining three counts charge defendants with assaults, attempted assaults and conspiracy to commit assaults. The racketeering conspiracy as charged in this case is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; John K. Nokes, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), Columbus Field Division; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Louisville Field Division; Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck; Dayton Police Chief Kamran Afzal; and Huber Heights Police Chief Mark Lightner announced the indictment today.
The Springfield, Columbus, Riverside, Fairborn, Xenia, Lexington and Richmond police departments; Greene, Miami and Clark county sheriff’s offices; Ohio State Fire Marshal’s Office and Ohio State Highway Patrol contributed to the investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys Dwight Keller and Elizabeth L. McCormick are representing the United States in this case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, and gangs that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Former Columbus police officer pleads guilty to stealing, selling cocaineRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – John Castillo, 31, of Grove City, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court here today to possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
According to court documents, Castillo was a Columbus police officer assigned to investigate drug crimes. In February 2021, he conspired with another officer to steal and sell approximately 10 kilograms of cocaine. Castillo and the other officer took approximately 10 kilograms of cocaine from a house on North Everett Avenue and did not turn it into evidence. They planted two additional kilograms of cocaine for law enforcement discovery later that day at the house. The 10 kilograms of cocaine were stored in the other officer’s basement before they were given to another individual to sell.
Possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine is punishable by at least 10 years and up to life in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the plea entered before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus Jr.
Assistant United States Attorneys Peter K. Glenn-Applegate and Elizabeth A. Geraghty are representing the United States in this case.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Southern Ohio Public Corruption Task Force, which includes special agents and officers from the FBI, Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Ohio Auditor of State’s Office and the Columbus Division of Police.
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Cincinnati area man sentenced to 78 months in prison for laundering proceeds from online romance-fraud conspiracyRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – De-love Kofi Amuzu, 25, of Fairfield, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court here today to 78 months in prison for his role as a money launderer in a romance fraud conspiracy that targeted elderly victims looking for companionship online.
According to court documents, members of the conspiracy created fake online dating profiles using stolen photographs and false information, then communicated with the victims via chats, texts and phone calls while pretending to be the imaginary person pictured in the profile. They commonly claimed to be living abroad to explain why they could not meet in person.
The conspirators instructed the victims to transfer money, often tens of thousands of dollars at a time, to accounts controlled by Amuzu. They also commonly instructed victims to mail Amuzu cash or other items of value, like Rolex watches and iPhones. After receiving the victims’ money, Amuzu laundered it to accounts in Ghana. Investigators tracked more than $1.1 million in fraud proceeds that flowed through Amuzu’s accounts. Amuzu was ordered to pay $835,487.65 in restitution.
“According to court documents, several victims lost so much money to the scheme that they were forced to declare bankruptcy,” said Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. “Anyone who suspects they or a loved one is a victim of such a fraud can report it by calling the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11, or go to the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative website for more information – www.Justice.gov/elderjustice.”
A federal grand jury indicted Amuzu in 2022. He pleaded guilty on Feb. 2, 2024, to conspiring to launder money. His case was announced in October 2022 as part of the Justice Department’s National Elder Justice Sweep, an initiative to increase awareness of the various fraudulent schemes targeting the elderly.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Butler County Prosecutor Michael T. Gmoser and Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Black. U.S. Attorney Parker also recognized the contributions of Garrett Baker and Susan Monnin of the Butler County Prosecutor’s Office, as well as Butler County Prosecutor’s Office Investigator Steve Isgro. Assistant United States Attorney Julie D. Garcia is representing the United States in this case.
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Owner of Halo Home Healthcare pleads guilty to health care fraud, tax crimesRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI - Sharon Romaine Ward, 52, formerly of West Chester, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court here today to fraudulently billing more than $8.5 million to Medicare, Medicaid, and Veterans Affairs home healthcare programs between 2015 and 2021.
Ward admitted that, when she started Halo Home Healthcare in 2015, she concealed her ownership of the company because she had a prior felony conviction in 2013 for passing forged and fraudulent prescriptions for oxycodone and hydrocodone while serving as a nurse practitioner in Warren County. The conviction made her ineligible to participate in federal health care programs for ten years.
According to court documents, Halo Home Healthcare routinely overbilled federal healthcare programs, charging them for services it did not perform. In one example cited in court documents Halo continued to bill Medicaid for home health services while the patient was hospitalized. In addition, between 2017 and 2020, Halo hired over 50 employees with significant criminal histories which ordinarily should have excluded them from providing home health services, including one individual who was charged with a quadruple murder while ostensibly working for Halo.
Ward submitted at least 92,770 claims to Medicaid seeking $8,556,776.58, receiving $8,403,299.24 between 2016 and 2021. Court documents say she also failed to provide accurate information to her business tax return preparer causing false tax returns to be prepared and filed.
Ward pleaded guilty today to one count of health care fraud and one count of making a false income tax return. Health care fraud is punishable by up to ten years in prison. Filing a false income tax return is punishable by up to three years in prison. Terms of the plea agreement include a recommendation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office that the prison term does not exceed five years for the health care fraud. The court will determine an appropriate sentence under federal sentencing guidelines.
The agreement also calls for Ward to pay restitution to the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Ohio Department of Medicaid in an amount to be determined at sentencing. Ward also agreed to prepare and file corrected business tax returns with the IRS and pay restitution, plus any interest and penalties. The IRS determined a tax loss of $81,617.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Susan J. Dlott. This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Secret Service, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Health Care Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorney Ebunoluwa A. Taiwo is representing the United States in this case.
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Two Charged for Involvement with Online Groups Dedicated to Monkey Torture and MutilationRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI - Two individuals were charged this week for their involvement with online groups dedicated to creating and distributing videos depicting acts of extreme violence and sexual abuse against monkeys.
Nicholas T. Dryden, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Giancarlo Morelli, of New Jersey, were charged with conspiracy to create and distribute so-called “animal crush videos,” and with distributing animal crush videos. Dryden is also charged with the creation of animal crush videos, as well as with production, distribution and receipt of a visual depiction of the sexual abuse of children because a minor was paid to abuse the monkeys.
According to court documents, in March and April 2023, the two co-defendants allegedly conspired to create and distribute videos depicting acts of sadistic violence against baby, adolescent and adult monkeys. The conspirators allegedly funneled money through Dryden, who then paid the minor in Indonesia to commit the requested acts on camera.
The videos alleged to have been created as part of the conspiracy included depictions of monkeys having their genitals burned, having their genitals cut with scissors, being sodomized with a wooden skewer and being sodomized with a spoon.
The conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, the charges related to the creation and distribution of animal crush videos each carry a maximum penalty of seven years in prison and the charges of producing and distributing depictions of the sexual abuse of children each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio made the announcement.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and FBI investigated the case.
Senior Trial Attorney Adam Cullman of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Oakley for the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Columbus man sentenced to 10 years in prison for dealing methRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 120 months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine.
Jerrell E. Harrison, 23, of Columbus, was arrested in September 2023 and pleaded guilty in December 2023 to two counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Harrison is also known as “T” and “Chubbs.”
According to court documents, in January and February 2023, Harrison sold hundreds of grams of methamphetamine to undercover agents. The drugs field tested at 99 percent and 100 percent purity.
In recordings of Harrison, he discussed owning more than 20 firearms and offered to sell them. He also produced a loaded handgun and stated that he carried his “baby” because one his “trap houses” in the Bottoms was recently shot up, and he had to return fire.
Harrison also offered to sell Glock switches – devices that turn a semi-automatic weapon into a fully automatic machineguns – to the undercover agents.
Additionally, Harrison told the undercover agents he could sell them fentanyl for $1,000 an ounce and said it was the “best price in the city.”
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney Noah R. Litton is representing the United States in this case.
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Grand jury indicts 6 in straw purchasing conspiracy involving firearms bought online with stolen credit card informationRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Six Cincinnati residents were indicted in connection with a conspiracy involving stolen credit card information used online to place orders for straw purchase firearms.
Those charged include:
Name
Age
Zachary Harris
24
Rickvuion Scott, also known as “Cubb”
25
Teague Jackson
22
Edward Washington
27
Montreal Williams*
37
Markendra Carter*
35
*Williams and Carter remain at large, and law enforcement authorities ask anyone with information related to their whereabouts to call 513-684-3354.
According to the indictment, Harris and Scott used stolen credit card information to buy firearms online. Their coconspirators then picked up the firearms in straw purchases, allegedly falsifying the federal firearms forms required for purchase.
Members of the conspiracy would allegedly place an online order with Range USA on Harrison Ave. in Cincinnati for multiple firearms, at times using stolen credit card information without the victims’ authorization. Other members of the conspiracy would then pick up the firearms in the store, falsely claiming that they were the true buyers of the firearms and were not obtaining the firearms for anyone else.
The 10-count indictment alleges the coconspirators succeeded in obtaining six pistols and one rifle via the illegal straw purchases.
Harris, Scott, Jackson, and Washington appeared in federal court in Cincinnati this week, and the indictment was unsealed today.
Conspiring to make false statements during the purchase of a firearm is punishable by up to five years in prison. Making false statements during the purchase of a firearm and access device fraud are federal crimes punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two years in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Julie D. Garcia is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Chicago man pleads guilty to cyberstalking, sextortionRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Omoruyi O. Uwadiae, 28, of Chicago, offered a guilty plea in U.S. District Court today to cyberstalking, sextortion and identity theft crimes. His scheme involved dozens of victims in multiple states, including Ohio, Colorado and Washington.
According to his plea documents, Uwadiae admitted to obtaining sexually explicit photographs and videos from potential victims and then using the content to threaten them. Uwadiae threatened to distribute the explicit material widely on the internet and specifically to victims’ friends, family members, employers and others.
The defendant demanded money from some victims. From others, he demanded they meet him, have sex with him, or make damaging admissions such as admissions that they were racist. On multiple occasions, Uwadiae carried through with his threats. He sent sexually explicit photographs and videos to the victims’ friends, family members (including at least one victim’s mother, at least one victim’s brother, and at least one victim’s sister), employers and acquaintances, and also posted sexually explicit photographs and videos widely on the internet.
Multiple victims had not publicly disclosed their sexual orientation, which Uwadiae’s actions disclosed, contrary to their wishes. The defendant also used victims’ identifications to create false accounts on social media and post personal information about the victims online.
Uwadiae targeted young gay men on Grindr and other online sites. He would obtain their sexually explicit photographs and videos consensually and then use them to extort. In some cases, he posted their nude images on Male General without their consent and then demanded money or other things of value to take down the images. Male General is a blog marketed to gay men containing, among other things, boards where users can post images and text.
For example, one victim was a student at The Ohio State University who communicated with Uwadiae on Grindr. Uwadiae ultimately demanded that the victim either pay him $200 or have sex with him. When the victim did not comply, Uwadiae created false social media accounts using true photos of the victim, stating, “this guy is gay, see pics for evidence.” The victim had not disclosed his sexual orientation to his family and had told Uwadiae he was concerned that his family would react negatively if they learned he was bisexual.
Uwadiae was charged in the Southern District of Ohio in April by a bill of information.
As part of his plea, Uwadiae pleaded guilty to 22 total counts. He pleaded guilty to eight counts of cyberstalking (punishable by up to five years in prison), seven counts of making interstate communications with the intent to extort (up to two years in prison) and seven counts of unlawfully using a means of identification (up to five years in prison).
Congress sets the maximum statutory sentences and sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the guilty plea offered today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Norah McCann King. Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate and Senior Litigation Counsel Heather A. Hill are representing the United States in this case, which was investigated by the FBI and the Columbus Division of Police.
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Springfield man sentenced to 100 years in prison for creating, distributing child pornography by documenting sexual abuse of childrenRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – A Springfield, Ohio, man was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 1,200 months in prison for producing and distributing videos depicting the sexual abuse of children.
Marcus Leon Davis, 34, was arrested on Oct. 25, 2023. His case was unsealed today.
Davis received the maximum sentence on each count as charged and will serve those sentences consecutively.
“Davis’s sexual abuse is among the most abhorrent acts that one can perpetrate against a child. If his behavior against the victims wasn’t bad enough, he chose to record his sexual abuse against them,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “By publishing videos of his sexual abuse against these victims, Davis ensured the abuse will never end. Each time one of those images or videos is shared, traded, downloaded and viewed the children are victimized again. This sentence will forever protect the community from future harm committed by Davis.”
"This sentencing was the result of an intensive investigation by the U.S. Secret Service and our law enforcement partners," said Yvonne DiCristoforo, Special Agent in Charge of the Secret Service's Cincinnati Field Office. "The Secret Service and our partners are working relentlessly so predators that exploit innocent children face justice for their heinous actions."
According to court documents, from January 2022 until October 2023, Davis sexually abused children and documented the abuse on video.
The defendant published the videos on a child pornography website. Investigators have now tracked the content to other users and websites.
Davis pleaded guilty in February 2024 to two counts of producing child pornography and two counts of distributing child pornography.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Yvonne DiCristoforo, Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service; and Springfield Police Chief Allison Elliott announced the sentence imposed on May 13 by U.S. District Judge Michael J. Newman. Assistant United States Attorneys Amy M. Smith and Elizabeth L. McCormick are representing the United States in this case.
U.S. Attorney Parker commended the investigation by the U.S. Secret Service, who worked with the Queensland Police Service, Australian Federal Police, Europol and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations to quickly identify and locate Davis based on the images of child sexual abuse he shared online.
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Middletown man sentenced to 5 years in prison for possessing firearm as part of drug traffickingRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Christopher Lawrence Spicer, 23, of Middletown, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 60 months in prison for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Spicer led local officers on a high-speed chase in spring 2023 before being arrested.
According to court documents, on March 16, 2023, Spicer was approached by law enforcement while driving a stolen Ford F-150 in a Middletown business parking lot. Spicer backed into a police cruiser and fled throughout Middletown at speeds exceeding 90 miles per hour. While fleeing, Spicer ran a red light at the intersection of Roosevelt Boulevard and Jackson Lane. Spicer collided with another vehicle, rendering his own vehicle disabled. He was arrested at that time.
When officers searched Spicer’s truck, they discovered a loaded Romarm/Cugir Micro Draco 7.62x39mm pistol and more than 200 fentanyl pills.
Spicer was charged federally in September 2023 and pleaded guilty in January 2024.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Middletown Police Chief David Birk announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe is representing the United States in this case.
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Guernsey County man sentenced to 30 years in prison for recording sexually explicit videos of teenagers with hidden camerasRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Mark A. Green, 56, of Senecaville, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 360 months in prison for sexually exploiting minors and possessing child pornography. Green recorded minor victims using hidden cameras.
According to court documents, in 2022, Green used security cameras that connected to his cell phone to surreptitiously record minors. He placed the hidden cameras in residential bathrooms and bedrooms to capture nude videos of the minors. Green either watched the recordings live or played them back later through the Blink security app.
As part of this investigation, approximately 60 total devices were seized from Green’s home, vehicles and person. Green possessed more than 10,000 images and videos of child sexual abuse material. Within those images and videos recovered, law enforcement identified hundreds of additional hidden camera videos and images with time stamps dating back to 2012. The images and videos depicted minor females in bathrooms and bedrooms in a prior residence.
The investigation revealed Green created sexually explicit videos of at least nine minor females. Two victims indicated that Green had also previously sexually abused them in person.
Green was charged federally in May 2023. He pleaded guilty in January 2024 to two counts of exploiting a minor and one count of possessing child pornography.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Shawn Gibson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Circleville Acting Police Chief Kenny Fisher; Guernsey County Sheriff Jeffrey D. Paden; and Ohio State Highway Patrol Superintendent Col. Charles A. Jones announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Czerniejewski and Jennifer Rausch are representing the United States in this case.
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Former children’s hospital employee pleads guilty to sharing, receiving child pornographyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former Nationwide Children’s Hospital employee who treated child burn patients pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to downloading, exchanging and receiving child pornography.
Ryan Ramos, 38, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to one count of distributing and receiving child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. He faces an imprisonment range of five to 20 years in prison.
Ramos worked at Nationwide Children’s Hospital from 2018 until 2020 and then at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in the ICU in burn trauma until 2023.
According to court documents, a 2020 FBI investigation in their Brooklyn-Queens office led agents to discover Ramos’s participation in a Signal app group dedicated to the exchange of child pornography.
Ramos shared hundreds of images and videos of child sexual abuse, including abuse of young boys and infants, to the chat group.
Further investigation into Ramos revealed that, in 2018, he had paid a sexual offender in New York City and received child pornography created by the offender in exchange for his payment. Ramos sent more than $500 via PayPal to the child exploiter.
Ramos’s iPhone contained more than 346,000 Signal, Telegram and other online chat messages, in most of which Ramos was distributing, seeking, receiving or discussing child pornography.
Ramos was charged by a bill of information on May 6 and pleaded guilty during his arraignment in federal court this afternoon. He is in custody pending sentencing.
Congress sets the minimum and maximum statutory sentences. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case.
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Licking County man pleads guilty to conspiracy crime involving videos of monkey torture & mutilationRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A plea agreement was unsealed today in which a Licking County man pleaded guilty to creating and distributing videos depicting acts of extreme violence and sexual abuse against monkeys.
Ronald P. Bedra, of Etna, pleaded guilty to conspiring to create and distribute “animal crush” videos.
According to court documents, Bedra conspired with others to create and distribute the videos that depicted acts of sadistic violence against baby and adult monkeys, including having digits and limbs severed and being forcibly sodomized with a heated screwdriver.
The conspirators used encrypted chat apps to direct money to individuals in Indonesia willing to commit the requested acts of torture on camera. Bedra also mailed a thumb drive containing 64 videos of monkey torture to a co-conspirator in Wisconsin.
Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio made today’s announcement.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Mark Romley and Senior Trial Attorney Adam Cullman of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Pakiz for the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.
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Mexican national living in Columbus sentenced to 10 years in prison for role in fentanyl conspiracyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Mexican national was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 120 months in prison for conspiring to distribute kilogram quantities of fentanyl in Central Ohio for a supplier in Mexico.
According to court documents, Luis Martinez-Torres, 26, of Columbus, illegally entered the United States and distributed large quantities of narcotics at the behest of a dangerous drug cartel in Mexico.
Martinez-Torres would deliver requested amounts of fentanyl to buyers after the buyers contacted a dispatch telephone number.
In April 2023, Martinez-Torres and a co-conspirator possessed or distributed more than 2.7 kilograms of fentanyl, including approximately 6,290 fentanyl pills marked as Oxycodone.
This is the third time Martinez-Torres has been found in the United States illegally, and he faces deportation following his term of imprisonment.
Martinez-Torres was arrested in June 2023 and pleaded guilty in January 2024 to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Several local drug task forces – including from Delaware, Hardin and Union counties – participated in the investigation.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Shawn Gibson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), announced the sentence imposed by Senior U.S. District Court Judge James L. Graham. Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Pakiz is representing the United States in this case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, and gangs that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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Longtime treasurer pleads guilty to stealing nearly $1 million in campaign fundsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man who served as a campaign treasurer for more than 100 candidates since the 1980s pleaded guilty in federal court to wire fraud related to stealing nearly $1 million in campaign funds.
William Curlis, 76, was charged by a bill of information in April 2024. He pleaded guilty today to one count of wire fraud.
According to the court documents, from 2008 until June 2023, Curlis defrauded candidates of approximately $995,231 of campaign funds.
As part of his plea, Curlis admitted that he wrote checks from the bank accounts of certain candidates and one PAC to himself for personal use. The defendant transferred funds between campaign accounts without candidates’ knowledge to conceal the deficit he created.
For example, from 2000 to 2023, Curlis was the primary signatory on at least 111 bank accounts, and of those, he was the only signatory on 108 accounts.
Curlis wrote at least 179 checks to himself from campaign accounts belonging to 18 different candidates and one PAC.
Curlis sold his home in 2016 to cover the cost of campaign expenses, including campaign media costs and account balances, to prevent the discovery of his theft.
Wire fraud is a federal crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison. As part of his plea, Curlis will pay $995,231 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker, FBI Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced the guilty plea offered on May 8 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Norah McCann King.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Southern Ohio Public Corruption Task Force, which includes agents and officers from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI), Columbus Division of Police and Ohio Auditor’s Office. The Ohio Secretary of State’s office was also an integral part of the investigation.
Deputy Criminal Chief Jessica W. Knight is representing the United States in this case.
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Former Columbus vice detective sentenced to 11 years in prison for depriving victims’ civil rights, obstructing justiceRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former Columbus vice detective was sentenced in federal court today to 132 months in prison for crimes related to kidnapping victims under the guise of an arrest.
Andrew K. Mitchell, 60, of Sunbury, pleaded guilty in December 2023 to two counts of depriving individuals of their civil rights while acting under color of law and one count of obstructing justice.
Mitchell was employed by the Columbus Division of Police from 1988 until 2019 and was assigned to the vice unit from 2017 until 2019. As part of his duties in that role, Mitchell conducted law enforcement actions for solicitation offenses.
“As a member of the vice unit and a long-serving police officer, Mitchell was well aware of the special vulnerabilities of the sex workers and often drug addicted females with which he came into contact,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “Instead of helping them seek refuge, Mitchell was the type of predator who purposely targeted these women. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is dedicated to upholding the community’s work to connect victimized women to services and to prosecuting those who prey on vulnerable victims, no matter who they are.”
According to court documents, in July 2017, Mitchell picked up a sex worker who was working in the Hilltop near Sullivant and Whitethorne avenues. Mitchell was in plain clothes and an unmarked black sedan. He told the victim he was a police officer and acted as if he were doing a check for any outstanding warrants on the victim.
Mitchell used this ruse to handcuff the victim to the doorknob of his vehicle. He drove the victim to a nearby parking lot with multiple dumpsters and forcible held and detained the victim against her will before dropping her off at her boyfriend’s residence.
Similarly, in September 2017, Mitchell picked up a second sex worker in the Hilltop. Mitchell was again in plain clothes and was driving a dark SUV. He began discussing the victim’s rates for sexual activity before announcing that he was an officer with the vice unit and said she was going to jail.
Mitchell kidnapped the victim and drove her to Lindbergh Park, holding her against her will.
Mitchell was also sentenced today for obstructing justice. Specifically, during the federal investigation into Mitchell’s civil rights crimes, he directed several individuals to assist him in cleaning out one of the rental properties he owned, located on Denune Ave. The individuals disposed of evidence including photos, clothing, bedding and rental records, and used bleach extensively in the apartment to clean a bed, couch, ottoman and floor.
Mitchell was charged federally and arrested in March 2019.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost; Ohio Auditor of State Keith Faber and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin W. Kelley and Noah R. Litton are representing the United States in this case.
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2 defendants sentenced to prison for aiding & abetting armed robberies of mail carriersRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Two Columbus men were sentenced in U.S. District Court for their roles in aiding the armed robberies of postal carriers.
Cody N. Beasley, 23, also known as “Drose,” was sentenced in federal court today to 76 months in prison. Kenan M. Lay, 21, also known as “Swerv,” was sentenced on April 19 to 66 months in prison.
“These sentences illustrate that we will continue to take seriously offenses committed against postal carriers. Even if you are not the person holding the gun or directly committing the robbery, we will hold you accountable for your role in the crime and work to ensure that you face time in federal prison like Beasley and Lay. Trust me, serving any amount of time in prison is just not worth it.” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker.
According to Lay’s court documents, on May 11, 2023, Lay provided the 9mm handgun used in the armed robbery of an elderly female postal worker at a post office on West Broad Street. Coconspirators paid Lay $100 for the use of his gun and kept Lay updated on the progress of the crime. Lay’s gun was used to pistol-whip the female postal worker in the head.
According to Beasley’s court documents, on April 4 at 3:20pm, two coconspirators robbed at gunpoint a USPS letter carrier who was sitting in his work vehicle on Sawmill Road in Dublin. Beasley directed the April 4 armed robbery and paid the coconspirators $500 for committing the robbery as planned.
Beasley also admitted to stealing a postal key in March 2023 in the Cleveland area. He and a coconspirator were stopped for a traffic violation in Parma Heights and fled from law enforcement. Officers eventually detained the men and searched the vehicle they had been using, discovering a black trash bag with numerous pieces of mail that had not yet been postmarked. A cell phone search also revealed pictures of stolen checks and research about 38 Post Offices and blue USPS collection boxes in Cleveland. While Beasley and the coconspirator were detained in jail together for the crimes in the Northern District of Ohio, Beasley began planning for the new postal robbery in Dublin.
Beasley and Lay are two of seven total defendants charged in their cases. More than a dozen other defendants have been charged in the Southern District of Ohio in the past two years with crimes related to postal robberies.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Lesley C. Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Pittsburgh Division; announced the sentences imposed by Chief U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley and U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorneys Noah R. Litton and Elizabeth A. Geraghty are representing the United States in Beasley’s case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Litton is also prosecuting Lay’s case.
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Pain Management Physician Sentenced for Unlawfully Distributing OpioidsRead the Press Release
An Ohio physician was sentenced today to seven years in prison for unlawfully distributing opioids from his clinic.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Thomas Romano, 74, of Wheeling, West Virginia, owned and operated a self-named pain management clinic in Martin’s Ferry, Ohio, to which individuals traveled hundreds of miles to obtain prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances. The prescriptions Romano issued for opioids and other controlled substances greatly exceeded recommended dosages and were in dangerous, life-threatening combinations that fueled the addiction of the individuals to whom he prescribed. Between October 2014 and September 2019, Romano prescribed over 137,000 pills, including opioids, benzodiazepines, and muscle relaxants, to nine individuals.
A federal jury convicted Romano in September 2023 of 24 counts of unlawfully distributing controlled substances in violation of the Controlled Substances Act.
Principal Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio; Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Detroit Field Division; Special Agent in Charge J. William Rivers of the FBI Cincinnati Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.
The DEA, FBI, HHS-OIG, Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, and Ohio Board of Pharmacy investigated this case.
Trial Attorneys Devon Helfmeyer and Danielle Sakowski and Counsel Alexis Gregorian of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Jury finds Cincinnati man guilty of sex trafficking, exploiting 2 teensRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal jury has convicted Kelly Richards, 43, of Cincinnati, with sex trafficking minors, sexually exploiting children and illegally possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon.
Richards is also known as “Scorpio” and has a tattoo of a scorpion on the left side of his face. The jury found him guilty on all counts following a six-day trial before U.S. District Judge Jeffery P. Hopkins.
According to court documents and trial testimony, investigators were alerted in March 2023 that two juveniles had been screened as potential sex trafficking victims.
Richards picked up two minor victims who had fled a group home in Dayton and drove them to an apartment complex in Cincinnati. At the apartment, Richards provided the minors with cocaine before sexually assaulting them.
Richards also enticed the females into having sex with other men for money that was paid to Richards. The defendant created prostitution advertisements online with explicit pictures of the minor victims and used physical violence against them. Court documents detail that one victim was prostituted up to four times per day in hotels and homes.
Sexually exploiting children is a federal crime punishable by a range of 15 to 30 years in prison. Sex trafficking minors carries a potential penalty of at least 10 years and up to life in prison. Illegal possession of a firearm in this case is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court at a future hearing.
Federal agents arrested Richards on May 16, 2023.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and other members of the FBI’s Anti-Trafficking Task Force announced the verdict returned the evening of April 30. Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle J. Healey and Megan Painter Gaffney are representing the United States in this case.
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Cincinnati man sentenced to more than 6 years in prison for leading conspiracy involving 56 firearms purchased online with stolen credit cardsRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 79 months in prison for crimes related to buying firearms with stolen credit card information and leading a conspiracy to pick up the firearms in illegal straw purchases, as well as separately obtaining a fraudulent COVID-relief loan.
Zephaniah Jones, 21, was convicted of conspiring to make false statements on federal firearms forms, committing aggravated identity theft, and making false statements to the U.S. Small Business Administration.
According to court documents, from April through July 2022, Jones and others used stolen credit card information to place online orders for firearms with Guns.com and other online retailers for delivery to Cincinnati. Under federal law, the firearms could not be shipped directly to Jones or a coconspirator; they had to be shipped to a local federal firearms licensee (FFL). At the FFL, Jones’s coconspirators lied on ATF Form 4473, a form required when purchasing a firearm from an FFL, by pretending to be the actual buyer of the firearms. In fact, the firearms were for Jones, who intended to resell them. In total, Jones and his coconspirators completed online orders for 56 firearms and succeeded in obtaining at least 37.
Some of the firearms involved in the conspiracy were traced to crimes within a short period of time. For example, just 15 days after purchase, one pistol was used to shoot into an occupied residence in Columbus; it was later also used in a shots-fired incident and a separate felonious assault. Another pistol was recovered from a juvenile less than three months after purchase, after being used in a different shots-fired incident in Columbus.
Separately, in February 2020, Jones submitted a fraudulent application for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan, falsely claiming that he owned a business called Jones Lawncare LLC. As a result, Jones was awarded a PPP loan for nearly $21,000 that was later forgiven.
Jones was ordered to pay $20,643 in restitution to the SBA. The amount of restitution to be paid to the FFLs whose firearms were stolen will be determined at a later hearing.
Jones pleaded guilty in January 2024. Five other coconspirators in the straw-purchasing conspiracy have been charged federally.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) announced the sentence imposed today by Senior U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett. Assistant United States Attorney Julie D. Garcia is representing the United States in this case. The case was investigated by the ATF with the assistance from the Cincinnati Police Department and the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office.
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Centerville man who made online threats to commit school shooting sentenced to 6 years in prison for possessing machine gunRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – A Centerville, Ohio, man was sentenced in federal court here today to 72 months in prison for possessing a machine gun. The defendant used an uzi-style weapon during a YouTube video in which he threatens to commit a mass shooting at a California school.
The Court imposed an upward variance from the sentencing guidelines in the sentence imposed today against Alex Jaques, 23.
According to court documents, on Nov. 15, 2022, the FBI National Threat Operations Center received a tip about a video Jaques posted on YouTube.
In the video, Jaques uses multiple firearms to shoot a Chromebook computer and threatens to attack Washington Middle School in Salinas, California. The Chromebook has a Washington Middle School sticker affixed to it.
Before shooting the computer, Jaques stabs it multiple times with a screwdriver and uses a power drill on it. The video shows an uzi-style weapon being discharged in rapid succession and multiple shots fired from a rifle-style weapon.
Law enforcement communicated with school officials in Salinas, California, and discovered that Jaques had been a student at a school within the same county. Jaques says in the video that he plans to return to the area to “fill out my list of duties” and has kept “names and addresses of people who have wronged me.” Just before shooting the computer, Jaques says, “yeah okay so Washington Middle School you are next.”
Other videos on Jaques’s YouTube page depict the defendant driving while shooting a pistol at street signs.
Jaques also commented publicly on a YouTube video of family members of the mass school shooting in Parkland, Florida in which 17 people were killed. Jaques commented “Bullies families get their final day in court” and “I will do my own parkland.”
While executing a search warrant on Jaques’s residence, vehicle and person, FBI agents seized eight firearms, including an uzi-style weapon, hand grenades and other explosives equipment.
Jaques was arrested in November 2022. He pleaded guilty to a superseding bill of information in March 2023.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorneys Christina Mahy and Nicholas Dingeldein are representing the United States in this case.
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Cincinnati man allegedly scammed dozens of victims out of more than $2 million as part of online romance fraud conspiracyRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has indicted Richard Opoku Agyemang, 40, of Cincinnati, in connection with a romance-fraud conspiracy allegedly involving more than $2 million in loss to dozens of victims.
The indictment alleges that Agyemang conspired with others to use stolen photographs and false information to create profiles on dating websites. The coconspirators allegedly used these false profiles to reach out to victims and establish an online romantic relationship. The indictment alleges that, eventually, the coconspirators, pretending to be the person pictured in the false profile, would ask the victims to send money, falsely representing that the money was needed for things like medical expenses or to help bring a large inheritance of gold to the United States.
The victims either wired money or deposited checks to accounts allegedly controlled by Agyemang or other members of the conspiracy. Members of the conspiracy would allegedly launder the proceeds of the scheme by making wire and electronic transfers, including to domestic accounts and to accounts in China. According to an affidavit filed in support of a criminal complaint, more than $2 million, transferred from dozens of victims, passed through Agyemang’s accounts.
The 11-count indictment charges Agyemang with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, six counts of money laundering, and three counts of engaging in monetary transactions with proceeds of criminal activity. Wire fraud and money laundering are punishable by up to 20 years in prison; engaging in monetary transactions with proceeds of criminal activity is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
The indictment also alleges that Agyemang made false statements to the Small Business Administration (SBA) in a Payment Protection Program (PPP) loan application in April 2021, which resulted in the SBA awarding him more than $20,000 in COVID relief to which he was not entitled. That crime is punishable by up to five years in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Pittsburgh Division, announced the indictment. Assistant United States Attorney Julie D. Garcia is representing the United States in this case.
Agyemang appeared in federal court today at 1:30pm before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen L. Litkovitz and was arraigned on the charges.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Business partner of former Cincinnati city councilman sentenced to prison for serving as middleman in bribery schemesRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati man who served as a middleman for a former city councilman’s bribery schemes was sentenced in federal court here today to 12 months and one day in prison.
Tyran Marshall, 38, conspired with then-councilmember Jeffrey Pastor. Marshall coordinated bribery payments and “sanitized” money through a non-profit he created. He pleaded guilty in December 2023 to money laundering.
While serving as a city councilman in fall 2018, Pastor, 40, of Cincinnati, received a $15,000 cash bribe in return for his official action to advance development projects in the city. Pastor pleaded guilty to honest services wire fraud and was sentenced in December 2023 to 24 months in prison.
According to court documents, in September 2018, Marshall and Pastor flew to Miami, Florida, on a private plane to meet with investors regarding a real estate development project. During the trip, Pastor explained he would ensure favorable action on behalf of the city for the project and could receive money through Marshall’s non-profit entity (which had been incorporated two weeks prior). Pastor discussed “compensation” and agreed to accept $15,000 for helping with the project.
In October 2018, Marshall met with an individual to discuss getting city council votes from Pastor and return compensation for Pastor. Marshall solicited payment from the individual on more than one occasion. He accepted a check made out to his non-profit entity knowing it was in exchange for bribery.
Marshall also participated in soliciting corrupt base salaries of $200,000 per person for him and Pastor to continue working with the investors. Their solicitations were rejected.
Marshall and Pastor were indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2020.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Matthew W. McFarland. Deputy Criminal Chief Emily N. Glatfelter and Assistant United States Attorney Matthew C. Singer are representing the United States in this case.
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Texas man sentenced to more than 3 years in prison for providing faulty military partsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Texas was sentenced in U.S. District Court here today to 37 months in prison for crimes related to providing faulty parts to the U.S. military.
Philip R. Huddleston, 59, of Ft. Worth, supplied the United States military with unapproved and substituted parts as a Department of Defense (DoD) contractor.
Since 2013, Huddleston was a civilian employed as a quality assurance specialist at the Defense Contract Management Agency. Since 2018, Huddleston also co-owned WM Industries, a DoD contractor in Beaumont, Texas, who sold and supplied a variety of military parts to the DoD.
Huddleston co-owned the DoD parts business with Gregory Gotreaux, 56, of Beaumont, Texas, who is also convicted in this scheme. Gotreaux was sentenced in November 2023 to 21 months in prison.
According to court documents, Huddleston and Gotreaux conspired to supply the United States with unapproved and substituted parts on 41 orders totaling at least $704,000.
Specifically, from November 2019 through September 2021, Huddleston and Gotreaux provided nonconforming parts used in various U.S. military defense and weapons systems. The defendants were paid by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) located in Columbus.
The two men pleaded guilty to wire fraud and engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property.
The defendants have agreed to pay $706,000 in restitution, which includes approximately $2,100 for testing costs to the DoD.
“The Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the law enforcement arm of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Office of Inspector General, is fully committed to protecting the integrity of the DoD supply chain,” said Patrick J. Hegarty, Special Agent in Charge of the DCIS Northeast Field Office. “Supplying nonconforming parts to the DoD compromises military systems and potentially endangers the lives of U.S. service members. We will continue to partner with the Defense Logistics Agency, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, and Department of Justice to ensure that DoD contractors provide approved material and quality products to the U.S. military.”
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Patrick Hegarty, Special Agent in Charge, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS); and Karen Wingerd, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); announced the sentence imposed today by Chief U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Deputy Criminal Chief Jessica W. Knight and Special Assistant United States Attorney J. Michael Marous are representing the United States in this case.
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Armored truck company employee pleads guilty to stealing cash meant for ATMsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – An employee of an armored truck company that delivered cash to bank branches and ATMs pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to embezzling money as a bank agent.
Justin Eskridge, 37, of Reynoldsburg, admitted he took more than $220,000 from PNC ATMs. Eskridge was employed as an armed service technician for Loomis LLC and delivered cash for and to federally insured financial institutions. Loomis contracted with PNC Bank to transport money to various ATMs and bank branches.
Eskridge was employed with Loomis beginning in July 2021 and transported bags of money by armored vehicle to various PNC branches and ATMs. The thefts began around Dec. 14, 2022, and continued through Jan. 9, 2023.
PNC bank tellers reported shortages totaling approximately $226,000 cash when they balanced the residual amounts on certain ATMs. An investigation by Loomis identified Eskridge as the technician servicing that route.
Eskridge eventually admitted to Loomis that he had taken the money and led Loomis to recover approximately $144,000 cash hidden in his car. As part of his plea, he will pay the remaining balance to Loomis.
Theft or embezzlement by a bank employee or agent is a federal crime punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence, and sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court at a future hearing based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the guilty plea entered today before Chief U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Damoun Delaviz is representing the United States in this case.
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Local nail salon owner sentenced to prison for placing arson device in competing salonRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A local nail salon owner was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 46 months in prison for attempting to set a competing nail salon in Monroe, Ohio, on fire.
Kim Lien Vu, 46, of Liberty Township, Ohio, admitted in her guilty plea in September 2023 that she conspired to commit malicious destruction via fire.
Vu, who owns her own nail salon, developed animosity towards individuals at a competing nail salon and, beginning in December 2022, approached her employee about a plot to exact revenge on the competing salon.
Vu and her employee, co-defendant Cierra Marie Bishop, 30, of Hamilton, Ohio, eventually discussed the idea of setting the other salon on fire. Bishop began work to design a remote-controlled incendiary device that could start a fire within a small box. The two women frequently texted about the plan, which they referred to as Job 1.
On Feb. 5, surveillance camera footage shows Bishop and a friend, co-defendant Makahla Ann Rennick, 19, of Hamilton, Ohio, entering the competitor salon. Rennick had made an appointment for a pedicure under the name “Katelynn,” at the direction of Vu for Rennick to get the latest nail appointment she can and to “Just use another name. Sound white.” Rennick is shown receiving her nail services.
Vu was traveling to or already at a property she owned in Virginia to have a ready alibi.
During Rennick’s appointment, Bishop entered and exited the salon, looking for a place to plant the device. Eventually, Bishop walked to the restroom area in the rear of the salon and tucked the device under a salon desk before leaving.
A salon employee then found the suspected device, which smelled like gasoline. The employee opened the package, seeing that it looked like an explosive device, and took it outside near the salon’s dumpsters. The employee later went back outside to check on the device and noticed that box had begun to catch on fire.
Monroe police officers and fire department responded to a call reporting a dumpster fire near the salon.
Vu was in constant contact with Bishop throughout the planning of the device.
The three women were indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2023. Bishop has pleaded guilty and is currently awaiting sentencing.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); Shawn Gibson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Monroe Police Chief Bob Buchanan announced the sentence imposed on April 24 by U.S. District Judge Matthew W. McFarland. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy S. Mangan is representing the United States in this case.
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Knox county man pleads guilty to committing child pornography crimes while on federal supervised releaseRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A repeat sex offender pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to committing new child pornography crimes while on federal supervised release.
Lee Allen Goudy, 30, of Howard, Ohio, admitted to distributing and possessing child pornography. He was sentenced in U.S. District Court in April 2018 to 78 months in prison for distributing pornography of pre-school-aged children.
As a previous offender, Goudy will face a prison sentence of at least 15 years and up to 40 years in prison for his current offense.
According to court documents, in August 2023, the FBI received a tip that Goudy was a Tier II registered sex offender and was believed to have uploaded child pornography online.
At least four cyber tipline reports related to Goudy were generated from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
The investigation revealed that Goudy had distributed child pornography from a Reddit account via Kik messenger and on Twitter. Goudy used the same email address to trade child pornography that he used in his prior federal conviction.
Approximately 650 videos and 100 images of child sexual abuse material were recovered from Goudy’s iPhone. His collection included sexual abuse of infants and toddlers, and the sexual torture of babies. For example, one video depicted a newborn infant being smacked in the face, grabbed by the throat and shaken back and forth.
Goudy’s iPhone search history also included web searches like “supervised release monitoring iPhone” and “does federal monitoring work on iPhone.”
A second cell phone of Goudy’s also revealed searches for content related to violence, rape and sex acts against infants and toddlers. That phone included 150 images of child sexual abuse material that Goudy had traded on Discord.
Goudy was arrested in September 2023 for violating his federal supervised release warrant.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the guilty plea offered before U.S. Magistrate Judge Norah McCann King. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case.
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Grand jury indicts local man & woman in connection with conspiracy to damage grocery store with an incendiary deviceRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury indicted a local man and woman in connection with a conspiracy to damage a Spring Grove Village grocery store with an incendiary device in the style of a Molotov cocktail.
Donald Donatelli, 28, and Angela Schweitzer, 35, are both charged with conspiring to commit malicious damage and destruction of a building in interstate commerce. Donatelli is also charged in a second count of directly causing the damage.
An affidavit filed in support of a criminal complaint details that around 10pm on Nov. 26, Donatelli allegedly threw an incendiary device in the style of a Molotov cocktail into the store. The store’s owner and his wife were inside the store at the time.
Donatelli and Schweitzer allegedly arrived at the store together in a white BMW. It is alleged that Schweitzer moved to the driver’s seat while Donatelli lit the device, opened the store’s door and threw it inside.
According to the affidavit, Schweitzer filmed a Snapchat video of the alleged crime and sent it to Donatelli.
Conspiring to commit malicious damage and destruction of a building, and the act of doing so, are federal crimes punishable by at least five and up to 20 years in prison.
Donatelli and Schweitzer were originally arrested on local charges and have been moved to federal custody. Their federal case was unsealed today.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), announced the charges and acknowledged the assistance of the Cincinnati Fire Department, Cincinnati Police Department, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office and Union Township Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Megan Gaffney Painter and Julie D. Garcia are representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Registered sex offender pleads guilty to exchanging child pornography on dark web, transporting obscene videos & images of child torture, murderRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A registered sex offender admitted in federal court today that he transported images and videos depicting child torture, child mutilation and child murder. The defendant obtained the material on the dark web and traded it for images and videos of sexual abuse of young children.
Jeremiah Morrison, 38, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to distributing child pornography, possessing child pornography and transporting obscene matter. He faces a sentence of at least 15 years and up to life in prison.
Morrison was twice previously convicted of crimes against children, including a 2012 conviction for filming an 11-year-old boy under a bathroom stall at the Columbus Metropolitan Library.
The Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received information in April 2023 related to Morrison uploading child pornography.
While executing a search warrant in June 2023, investigators discovered Morrison’s cell phone contained 3,000 images and 900 videos of child sexual abuse material. The images and videos depicted the sexual assault of infants and children ages 0 to 6 years old. For example, one video shows an adult man sexually assaulting a three-month-old baby.
In addition to the child sexual abuse material recovered on the device, investigators also discovered numerous images and videos depicting torture, mutilation and deceased children. For example, one image depicted an approximately 6-year-old girl who was nude and dismembered.
Morrison was arrested in September 2023 and has remained in custody since.
Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court at a future hearing based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Shawn Gibson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola announced the charges.; and other members of the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force announced the guilty plea entered today before Chief U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case.
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Grand jury indicts Columbus police officer with crimes related to turning off body worn camera during encounters with women while on dutyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal grand jury has indicted a Columbus police officer, charging him with two counts of destroying or altering records related to a criminal investigation.
Nicholas P. Duty, 35, of Commercial Point, Ohio, was arrested this morning and is scheduled to appear in federal court at 12:45pm today.
According to the indictment that was returned yesterday and unsealed today, on two occasions, Duty destroyed, altered or falsified records by purposefully deactivating or removing his police body worn camera. It is alleged Duty’s actions were intended to impede, obstruct or influence a federal investigation.
Specifically, it is alleged that on Oct. 31, 2023, and March 22, 2024, Duty deactivated or removed his body worn camera during interactions with two women, including during a sexual encounter.
During the alleged incidents, Duty was on duty, wearing a police uniform, in a marked police vehicle and assigned a body worn camera. He knew he was required to comply with Columbus Division of Police policies for wearing the division-issued camera.
Knowingly altering records to obstruct a federal investigation is a crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
United States Attorney Kenneth L. Parker, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Daryl S. McCormick, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Shawn Gibson, and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola announced the charges.
Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Czerniejewski and Kevin W. Kelley are representing the United States in this case, which is being investigated by the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission’s Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force.
Anyone with information about the alleged criminal activity or knowledge of additional possible crimes is encouraged to contact the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) at 855-BCI-OHIO (855-224-6336).
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Dark Web Vendor Sentenced for Distributing Narcotics and Ordered to Forfeit $150MRead the Press Release
An Indian national was sentenced today to five years in prison for selling controlled substances on dark web marketplaces and ordered to forfeit approximately $150 million.
According to court documents and in statements made in court, Banmeet Singh, 40, of Haldwani, India, created vendor marketing sites on dark web marketplaces, such as Silk Road, Alpha Bay, Hansa, and others, to sell controlled substances, including fentanyl, LSD, ecstasy, Xanax, ketamine, and tramadol. Customers paid with cryptocurrency for drugs ordered from Singh using the vendor sites. Singh then personally shipped or arranged the shipment of the drugs from Europe to the United States through U.S. mail or other shipping services.
From at least mid-2012 through July 2017, Singh controlled at least eight distribution cells within the United States, including cells located in Ohio, Florida, North Carolina, Maryland, New York, North Dakota, and Washington, among other locations. Individuals in these distribution cells received drug shipments and then re-packaged and re-shipped the drugs to locations in all 50 states, Canada, England, Ireland, Jamaica, Scotland, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Over the course of the conspiracy, the Singh drug organization moved hundreds of kilograms of controlled substances throughout the United States and established a multimillion-dollar drug enterprise that laundered millions of dollars of drug proceeds into cryptocurrency accounts, which ultimately became worth approximately $150 million.
Singh was arrested in April 2019 in London at the request of the United States and subsequently extradited to the United States in March 2023. He pleaded guilty on Jan. 26 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio; Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Acting Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingerd of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Cincinnati Field Office; Acting Special Agent in Charge Shawn Gibson of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; and Postal Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) made the announcement.
The DEA, IRS-CI, HSI, USPIS, and the Upper Arlington and Columbus, Ohio, Police Departments investigated the case. The United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency, Crown Prosecution Service, and Central Authority provided significant assistance.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Singh from the United Kingdom.
Trial Attorney Emily Cohen of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Hunter for the Southern District of Ohio prosecuted the case.