Northern District of Oklahoma
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Grove Man Sentenced to over 3 Years in Prison for Laundering Money Fraudulently Obtained from Elderly WomanRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — Today, United States Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. announced that William J. Butler II, 61, of Grove, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 38 months in prison for money laundering. Butler pleaded guilty on July 23, 2014, to a criminal Information filed on May 6, 2014.
Butler pleaded guilty to depositing $40,000 of funds fraudulently obtained from an elderly woman into a bank account in Grove, Oklahoma on June 19, 2012. Butler admitted that, in addition to the $40,000 deposited, an additional fraudulently obtained $33,985.85 was deposited from March 21, 2012 until June 19, 2014.
In addition to the term of incarceration, U.S. District Judge John E. Dowdell ordered Butler to pay restitution in the amount of $77,985.85. The court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $40,000 against Butler.
The matter was investigated by the IRS- Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shannon Bears Cozzoni and Catherine Depew prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
U.S. v. William J. Butler III
Cybercriminal Sentenced to Two Years for Hacking the U.S. Navy and Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Computer SystemsRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — Daniel Trenton Krueger, one of two leaders of the computer hacking group known as Team Digi7al, was sentenced today to serve twenty-four months in federal prison for hacking the U.S. Navy, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and over 50 public and private computer systems, U.S. Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. announced.
Krueger, 20, of Dix, Illinois, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge James H. Payne on May 20, and was initially charged in a single-count information on May 5, 2014. At the time of the hacking Krueger was a student. The co-defendant, Nicholas Paul Knight, 27, of Chantilly, Virginia, will be sentenced on November 21, 2014. Knight was an active-duty enlisted member of the Navy aboard the USS Harry S. Truman at the time of the hacking.
“Cybercrime is one of the most serious national security challenges we face as a nation, and it is one of the Department of Justice’s highest priorities,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “We will vigorously investigate and prosecute cybercrimes. I commend the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service for their quick actions to identify and investigate the computer intrusions.”
According to court documents, in June 2012, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) detected a breach of the U.S. Navy’s Smart Web Move (SWM) database, which stored personal records, including Social Security numbers, names, and dates of birth, for approximately 222,000 service members. The servers that stored these records were located in Tulsa. At the time of the hacking attacks, Knight, Krueger, and other Team Digi7al conspirators posted links to the stolen information on a Team Digi7al Twitter account.
Investigators with the NCIS and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) identified Knight and Krueger as the hackers after a sting operation aboard the USS Harry S. Truman.
Victims of the conspiracy included the following organizations:
- U.S. Navy
- U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security
- MobiTv
- Autotrader.com
- Harvard University
- Johns Hopkins University
- Kawasaki
- Library of Congress
- Los Alamos National Laboratory
- Louisville University
- MeTV Network
- Montgomery Police Department (Alabama)
- Peruvian Ambassador’s email (in Bolivia)
- San Jose State University
- Stanford University
- Toronto Police Service (Canada)
- Ultimate Car Page
- University of Alabama
- University of British Columbia (Canada)
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- World Health Organization
The case was investigated by the NCIS Atlantic Cyber Operations office in Norfolk, Virginia, with the cooperation and assistance of the DCIS Cyber Field Office, and other federal, state, and local agencies. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick on behalf of the United States.
Sand Springs Man Sentenced for Fraudulently Receiving over $16,000 in Unemployment Benefits While EmployedRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — A Sand Springs man was sentenced in Federal court today for providing false information to the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission resulting in the receipt of over $16,000 in unemployment insurance benefits, announced United States Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr., for the Northern District of Oklahoma. A Federal grand jury charged Hansen by indictment on June 5, 2014.
United States District Chief Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Laverne Robert Hansen, 50, of Sand Springs, to serve five years of Probation and ordered him to pay $16,051.70 in restitution. Previously, Hansen received unemployment insurance benefits while falsely claiming he was unemployed. In fact, he was working and earning money.
The case was investigated by the Department of Labor’s Office of the Inspector General and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Gallant on behalf of the United States.
Muscogee (Creek) Nation Second Chief Pleads Guilty to Embezzling from TribeRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — Muscogee (Creek) Nation Second Chief Roger Dana Barnett, 53, of Bristow, pleaded guilty before United States District Court Chief Judge Gregory K. Frizzell to embezzling approximately $150,000 from the Tribe, announced U.S. Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. for the Northern District of Oklahoma. Barnett was indicted on August 6, 2014.
Barnett admitted that, from April 2013 through April 2014, he embezzled more than $1,000 of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation funds from the Tribe’s Direct Assistance Fund, a tribal executive branch fund meant to aid tribal citizens in need.
The Government told the court it estimated the loss and restitution amounts to be approximately $211,000. The Government also told the court the direct assistance funds were embezzled by Barnett when he went to area casinos and withdrew the funds from ATMs. Barnett admitted he then used the money to gamble.
At the time of sentencing, Barnett faces the statutory maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shannon Cozzoni and Trent Shores on behalf of the United States.
Local Pastor Pleads Guilty to Embezzling over $900,000 from Community CenterRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — Willard Lenord Jones, 63, of Tulsa, church pastor and former Executive Director of the Greater Cornerstone Community Development Project, pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge John E. Dowdell to three counts of wire fraud and one count of subscribing to a false tax return, announced U.S. Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr., for the Northern District of Oklahoma. Jones was charged by information on August 13, 2014, and sentencing is scheduled for January 12, 2015 at 10:00 a.m.
At the change of plea hearing, Jones admitted that, from September 2007 to June 2013, he misappropriated approximately $933,000 from the Greater Cornerstone Community Development Project, a non-profit organization formed to raise money for the building and operation of a community center in South Haven, a neighborhood in West Tulsa.
As the Executive Director, Jones solicited monetary contributions from donors, including foundations, corporations, churches and individuals, to fund the development project. As part of the scheme, Jones fraudulently transferred funds from community center bank accounts to church bank accounts and then transferred those funds into personal bank accounts. Jones admitted using the money on personal expenses and luxury items, including, hotels, gambling, liquor, automobiles, and jewelry. Pursuant to his plea agreement, Jones will forfeit his residence, a Rolex watch and fur coat. A criminal forfeiture money judgment will also be entered against him in the amount of $933,507.80.
At the time of sentencing, Jones faces the statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud and three years for subscribing to a false tax return. Jones would also forfeit his residence and luxury items and face a criminal forfeiture money judgment.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations. United States Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr., and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph F. Wilson, Kevin C. Leitch, and Catherine Depew are prosecuting on behalf of the United States.
Former Medical Technician Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes in Exchange for Falsifying Urinalysis Drug TestsRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — William Ray Allen, 33, of Tulsa, a former medical technician responsible for collecting urine specimens for random urinalysis drug testing, pleaded guilty before Magistrate Judge T. Lane Wilson today to accepting bribes in exchange for submitting fraudulent urinalysis drug tests and to submitting a falsified certification, announced United States Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
On September 4, 2014, a Federal grand jury indicted Allen with four counts of honest services mail fraud and three counts of accepting a bribe. Sentencing has been scheduled for January 6, 2015 at 10:00 a.m.
At the change of plea hearing, Allen admitted that, on August 8, 2014, while employed by 12 & 12, Incorporated, he warned those selected for court ordered random drug testing that they were going to be tested. He also substituted his own urine or the urine of others for drug testing and submitted falsified certifications with the substituted urine for analysis. Allen admitted to knowingly shipping the fraudulent substituted urine samples via Federal Express to the U.S. Probation Drug Laboratory. 12 & 12, Incorporated is a drug treatment facility contracted by the U.S. Probation Office to provide court ordered drug testing and treatment services to persons under supervision.At the time of sentencing, Allen faces the maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for honest services mail fraud; and, not more than 15 years in prison and a $250,000 for accepting a bribe.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick is prosecuting on behalf of the United States.
Federal Grand Jury Criminal Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — The results of the October 2014 Federal Grand Jury were announced today by Danny C. Williams Sr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged federal crimes which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Steven Lee Burch. Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country. Burch, 46, of Collinsville, is charged with engaging in non-consensual sexual contact with a woman within Indian Country. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service are the investigating agencies.
David Castrejon. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Castrejon, 30, of Turlock, California, is charged with possessing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. If convicted, the minimum statutory penalty is 10 years in prison and a $10,000,000 fine. If convicted, the defendant may also forfeit seized currency. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigating agencies.
Josue Antonio Chavez. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Chavez, 32, is charged with having unlawfully returned to the United States after being deported in June 2012 from Del Rio, Texas. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the investigative agency.
Ray Alan Cook. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Cook, 30, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a .22 caliber pistol and ammunition after prior felony convictions. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is 10 years in prison and $250,000 fine. The defendant also faces forfeiture of the firearm involved in the offense. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigating agencies.
Joan Ervin Cruz-Garcia. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Cruz-Garcia, 24, is charged with having unlawfully returned to the United States after being deported in January 2012 from Laredo, Texas. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the investigative agency.
Cesar Estrada-Sandoval. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Estrada-Sandoval, 30, is charged with having unlawfully returned to the United States after being deported in December 2007 from El Paso, Texas. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the investigative agency.
Joshua Eli Owen. Felon in Possession of Firearm and Possession of Firearm After Conviction of Misdemeanor Crime in Domestic Violence. Owen, 26, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a .25 caliber pistol after prior felony convictions and after having been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. If convicted, each offense carries a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm and Explosives is the investigating agency.
Antonio Padilla-Lopez. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Padilla-Lopez, 42, is charged with having unlawfully returned to the United States after being deported in December 2007 from El Paso, Texas. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the investigative agency.
George Eugene Pryor. Theft of Government Property. Pryor, 46, of Sand Springs, is charged with fraudulently receiving approximately $19,000 in Social Security disability payments from the Social Security Administration. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Social Security Administration-Office of the Inspector General is the investigating agency.
Ismael Serrano-Rodriguez. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Serrano-Rodriguez, 56, is charged with having unlawfully returned to the United States after being deported in April 2012 from San Ysidro, California. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the investigative agency.
Laura Sosa-Bringas. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Sosa-Bringas, 38, is charged with having unlawfully returned to the United States after being deported in August 2012 from Otay Mesa, California. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the investigative agency.
Rogers County Jail Inmate Sentence for Making Threat to the President of the United StatesRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — United States District Judge John E. Dowdell sentenced Hunter Lee Hines, 19, of Claremore, to serve six months to run concurrent with his undischarged term of imprisonment in Rogers County for unrelated convictions, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for threatening the life of the President of the United States, announced Danny C. Williams Sr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
“Regardless of who makes the threat or how the threat is communicated, whether it is a mailed letter, a phone call, or via social media, the threat against the President’s life will be taken seriously by law enforcement,” said Williams. “I commend the Rogers County Jail for quickly notifying the U.S. Secret Service about the contents of the threatening letter.”
According to court documents, Hines admitted that on December 15, 2013, he wrote and mailed a life threatening letter to the President of the United States. On February 5, 2014, a Federal grand jury charged Hines by Indictment for threatening to kill, kidnap or inflict bodily harm on the President. Hines pleaded guilty on July 7, 2014.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary L. Davis II prosecuted on behalf of the United States.
Tulsa Man Sentenced to More Than 7 Years in Prison for Child Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — Damian Deshane Wardell, a/k/a “Fray Fray,” 40, of Tulsa, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan to serve 92 months in federal prison on charges related to child sex trafficking, announced Danny C. Williams Sr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
In February, a Federal Grand Jury charged Wardell by Indictment with crimes related to Sex Trafficking of a Child. He pleaded guilty on May 6, 2014.
According to court documents, Wardell admitted, from November 19 to 22, 2013, he prostituted a 16-year-old female at a Tulsa area motel. The victim’s mother alerted the Tulsa Police Department to her daughter’s whereabouts. Tulsa Police Department officers arrested Wardell and found the victim and two other juvenile females in the motel room.
The case was investigated by the Tulsa Police Department’s Vice Unit and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Trent Shores and Clinton Johnson on behalf of the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
Mannford Woman Sentenced to 6 Months Home Detention and 5 Years Probation for Fraudulently Receiving over $30,000 in FEMA Disaster ReliefRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — Kerry Lynn Rowell, 42, of Mannford, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Gregory K. Frizzell to six months of home detention with electronic monitoring, to be followed by five years of probation, for fraudulently obtaining Federal Emergency Disaster Agency (FEMA) disaster assistance benefits made available to victims of the August 2012 Mannford wildfires, announced United States Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. for the Northern District of Oklahoma. As part of the sentencing, the Court ordered Rowell to pay restitution in the amount of $31,400 to FEMA.
Rowell pleaded guilty to the charge on May 2, 2014 and was charged by information on March 18, 2014.
According to the plea agreement, from August 23, 2012 to September 23, 2013, Rowell made false statements and provided false documents to support her application for FEMA disaster assistance. Rowell claimed her primary residence and personal property, including appliances and televisions, were destroyed by the wildfires, when in fact she did not reside at that residence and the personal property was not in the residence. The house was actually owned by her mother and was uninhabited, dilapidated, and had no utility service. Rowell fraudulently received $31,400 in FEMA disaster assistance benefits.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General and the United States Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. McLoughlin prosecuted on behalf of the United States.
If someone has any questions about how assistance benefits may be spent, has made a mistake when reporting damage, or has misrepresented losses, he or she may correct the situation immediately by calling the toll-free FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-FEMA or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the speech or hearing impaired.
Anyone with information that an individual may have defrauded the government in connection with a disaster may call the toll-free DHS’s OIG Hotline at 1-800-323-8603. Complaints may be made anonymously and confidentially.
Former Medical Technician Charged with Accepting Bribes in Exchange for Falisfying Urinalysis Drug TestsRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — A former medical technician was charged in U.S. District Court Tuesday for accepting bribes in exchange for fraudulently submitting urine specimens for drug analysis, announced United States Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
William Ray Allen, 33, of Tulsa, was charged with four counts of honest services mail fraud and three counts of accepting a bribe. According to the Indictment returned by the Federal Grand Jury, Allen was employed as a medical technician at 12 & 12, Incorporated, a drug treatment facility contracted by the U.S. Probation Office to provide drug testing and treatment services to persons under supervision by order of the U.S. District Court, and was responsible for collecting urine specimens for random urinalysis drug testing.
The Indictment alleges that from July of 2011 to August of 2014: Allen provided prior notification to those who had been selected for random drug testing; substituted his own urine or the urine of others for drug testing instead of collecting and submitting urine samples from the persons subject to Court ordered random drug testing; and, submitted falsified certifications with the substituted urine submitted for analysis. The Grand Jury charged that, as part of the mail fraud, Allen knowingly shipped the fraudulently substituted urine specimens via Federal Express to the U.S. Probation Drug Laboratory in Albuquerque, New Mexico. According to the Indictment, the bribes Allen accepted was the money he received in exchange for the fraudulent submission of false urine specimens for drug analysis.
If convicted, the defendant could be sentenced up to 20 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine on each count of honest services mail fraud; and, not more than 15 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine for each bribery count.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the investigating agency and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick is prosecuting on behalf of the United States.
U.S. v. William Ray Allen
Federal Grand Jury Criminal Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — The results of the September 2014 Federal Grand Jury were announced today by Danny C. Williams Sr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged federal crimes which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Jose Elias Aroca-Lara. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Aroca-Lara, 32, is charged with having unlawfully returned to the United States after being deported in January 20006 at Harlingen, Texas. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the investigative agency.
Steven Ray Auten. Bank Robbery. Auten, 30, of Owasso, is charged with robbing the International Bank of Commerce in Owasso by use of a hoax bomb. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is 25 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the lead investigative agency.
Raymundo Duran, Jorge Jesus Campos-Rodriguez, Robert Wilkerson, Steven James Hernandez, Thomas Carranza, and Leonel Mercado. Drug Conspiracy. Duran, 29, Mercado, 22, both of Perris, California, Campos-Rodriguez, 25, of Colton, California, Wilkerson, 51, of Riverside, California, Hernandez, 56, of San Bernardino, California, and Carranza, 47, of Carson, California, are charged with a drug conspiracy involving 500 grams or more of methamphetamine from April 2012 to January 2013. If convicted, the statutory penalty is not less than 10 years and up to life in prison and a $10,000,000 fine. The defendants also face entry of a $500,000 money judgment. The Drug Enforcement Administration is the investigating agency.
Jose Bernardo Gonzalez-Ramos. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Gonzalez-Ramos, 28, is charged with having unlawfully returned to the United States after being deported in September 2011 at Laredo, Texas. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the investigative agency.
Steven Edward Johnson and Chailla Michelle Johnson. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Steven Johnson, 41, and Chailla Johnson, 33, both of Tulsa, are charged with possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. If convicted, the statutory penalty is not less than five years and not more than 40 years in prison and a $5,000,000 fine. U.S. Immigration and Customs Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigating agencies.
Agustin Lechuga-Munoz. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Lechuga-Munoz, 32, is charged with having unlawfully returned to the United States after being deported in September 2010 at Del Rio, Texas. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the investigative agency.
Victor Lozaria-Montoya. Alien in the United States After Deportation.Lozaria-Montoya, 22, is charged with having unlawfully returned to the United States after being deported in April 2013 at Del Rio, Texas. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the investigative agency.
Jessica Lynn Nealis. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Nealis, 27, of Springfield, Missouri, is charged with possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. The defendant also faces entry of a money judgment and forfeiture of seized currency. The Indictment is the result of a joint investigation by the Eastern Shawnee Tribal Police and the Bureau of Indian Affairs-Office of Justice Services.
Roberto Perez-Ruano. Alien in the United States After Deportation.Perez-Ruano, 33, is charged with having unlawfully returned to the United States after being deported in September 2011 from Laredo, Texas. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the investigative agency.
Corry Donta Purify. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition and Maintaining a Drug Involved Premise. Purify, 38, of Tulsa, is charged with unlawfully possession of a .40 caliber pistol and ammunition after prior felony convictions and with maintaining a drug involved premise. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty for the firearm and ammunition charge is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine; and for maintaining a drug involved premise charge is 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. The defendant also faces forfeiture of the firearm and ammunition. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the investigating agency.
Truong Son Do, Hong Van Thi Nguyen, and Vinh Nguyen. Drug Conspiracy, Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute, and Receipt of a Firearm While Under Indictment. Do, 30, Hong Van Thi Nguyen, 29, and Vinh Nguyen, 26, all of Broken Arrow, are charged with drug conspiracy involving marijuana and with possession of less than 50 kilograms of marijuana with intent to distribute. In addition, Do is charged with receiving an AK-47 while under Indictment in Tulsa County District Court. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty for each count is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The defendants face entry of a money judgment and forfeiture of the firearm. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the investigating agency.
Aaron Grant Washington. Distribution of Methamphetamine. Washington, 39, of Tulsa, is charged with distributing methamphetamine. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. The indictment is the result of a joint investigation by the Osage Nation Police Department and the Bureau of Indian Affairs-Office of Justice Services.
Jury Finds Two Men Guilty of Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — On Friday, a federal jury found Samuel Garcia-Escalera, 36, and Joel Deloera-Escalera, 34, guilty of conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 15 kilograms or more of methamphetamine; maintaining drug-involved premises; possession of firearms and ammunition; and being aliens illegally in the United States after deportation; announced United States Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr., for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
The second Superseding Indictment was filed on April 14, 2014, and unsealed on April 15, 2014. United States District Judge Claire V. Eagan, who presided over the trial, scheduled the sentencings on November 24, 2014, for Joel Deloera-Escalera, and November 25, 2014, for Samuel Garcia-Escalera.
According to court documents, from April 2012 to August 2013, Garcia-Escalera and Deloera-Escalera conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 15 kilograms or more of methamphetamine. The jury also found Garcia-Escalera and Deloera-Escalera guilty of maintaining houses for the purpose of storing and distributing methamphetamine, and possession of firearms and ammunitions while being aliens illegally and unlawfully in the United States. Specifically, Garcia-Escalera was found guilty of possessing a .45 caliber pistol; and Deloera-Escalera was found guilty of possessing a .40 caliber pistol, 9mm caliber semi-automatic pistol, a .22 caliber revolver, and various ammunitions. Garcia-Escalera was also found guilty of possessing a .45 caliber pistol in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
In a separate criminal information, Garcia-Escalera pleaded guilty to attempting to corruptly persuade others with the intent to prevent witnesses from testifying in the trial. He faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
At the time of sentencing, the defendants face up to life in prison and up to a $10,000,000 fine for the drug conspiracy; up to 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine for maintaining a drug-involved premise; up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for possession of firearms and ammunition as illegal aliens. Garcia-Escalera also faces up to life in prison and a $250,000 for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
As a part of their sentence, the defendants face entry of a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of at least $1,750,000. The judgment represents proceeds obtained as a result of the methamphetamine conspiracy.The case was investigated by the Tulsa Police Department, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gary L. Davis II, Jan Reincke, and Catherine Depew on behalf of the United States.
U.S. v. Samuel Garcia-Escalera and Joel Deloera-Escalera
Hoover Crips Street Gang Members and Associates Charged with Drug Conspiracy and Other Criminal OffensesRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — In a 5th Superseding Indictment, unsealed today in the United States District Court, approximately 52 members and associates of the Hoover Crips Street Gang and the Donald Walter’s Drug Trafficking Organization were charged with 238 criminal offenses, including drug conspiracy, engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, weapon offenses, retaliating against a witness, and conspiring to promote dog fighting.
The charges are the result of a three-year U.S. Attorney’s Office, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation, led by the Tulsa Police Department’s Homicide and Special Investigation Divisions, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in collaboration with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office; the U.S. Marshal Service; the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office; the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office; the Broken Arrow Police Department; the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Oklahoma Highway Patrol; and the Norman Police Department.
The charges were announced today at a press conference by United States Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr., Northern District of Oklahoma; FBI Special Agent in Charge James E. Finch, Oklahoma City Division; Oklahoma Attorney General E. Scott Pruitt; Tulsa County District Attorney Tim Harris; Tulsa Police Chief Chuck Jordan; and DEA Special Agent in Charge Dan Salter.
According to the allegations in the 5th Superseding Indictment, from April 2011 to August 2014, the defendants conspired to purchase cocaine and marijuana from the Sinaloa Cartel and the Los Zeta Cartel. Both Cartels operated in Mexico, and sold drugs in the Tulsa area. During the conspiracy, money generated was used for dog fighting, gambling, travel, and vehicle purchases.
The 5th Superseding Indictment further alleges, the defendants operated “crack houses” in the Tulsa area for cooking, packaging, and selling of cocaine. These houses were also used as locations for money drops. The defendants would also use dozens of coded phrases when communicating and would “drop” phones in order to avoid law enforcement detection.
The defendants are also charged with purchasing, training, and breeding pit bulls for dog fighting.
In addition, Lorell Antonio Battle and Gaywone Dekeith Blades are charged with conspiring to retaliate against fellow gang member Anthony Campbell, who was a witness in a Federal trial and who provided information to law enforcement about street gang activities and other crimes. On April 3, 2013, Battle allegedly shot approximately 13 times at close range and killed Campbell.
If convicted, the defendants face forfeiture of vehicles, firearms, and nine (9) residences used to manufacture and distribute crack cocaine. The defendants also face entry of a $10 million dollar criminal forfeiture money judgment.
Assistant United States Attorneys Allen J. Litchfield, Robert T. Raley, Eric O. Johnston, and Catherine Depew are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
An indictment is one method of charging defendants with alleged violations of Federal Law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
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U.S. v. Lorell Antonio Battle et al.pdf (1.31 MB)
Local Pastor Charged for Embezzling over $900,000 from Community CenterRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — Willard Lenord Jones, 63, of Tulsa, Church pastor and former Executive Director of the Greater Cornerstone Community Development Project, was charged today with three counts of wire fraud and one count of subscribing to a false tax return by criminal information.
Danny C. Williams Sr., the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma; James E. Finch, the Special Agent in Charge of the Oklahoma City Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and R. Damon Rowe, the Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Office of Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation made the announcement.
According to the Information, from September 2007 to June 2013, Jones defrauded approximately $933,000 from the Church and the Greater Cornerstone Community Development Project. The Greater Cornerstone Community Development Project is a non-profit organization formed to raise money for the building and operation of a community center in South Haven, a neighborhood in West Tulsa.
As the Executive Director, Jones oversaw the design, construction and fundraising for building the Community Center. Jones solicited monetary contributions from donors, including, foundations, corporations, churches and individuals, to fund the development project.
The scheme to defraud charged in the Information accuses Jones of fraudulently transferring funds from Community Center bank accounts to Church bank accounts and then transferring those funds into personal bank accounts; and, that Jones made large cash withdrawals from the Church bank account that he then used for personal expenses.
Rather than pay for construction operating costs of the Community Center, Jones used the proceeds of his fraud scheme for luxury items, including, hotels, restaurants, casinos, liquor, automobiles, a Rolex watch and a mink coat.
In addition, Jones was charged with one count of subscribing to a false 2011 Form 1040 U.S. Individual Income Tax because he didn’t report approximately $390,061 of income on that return.
If convicted, the maximum penalty would be 20 years imprisonment for each count of wire fraud and three years for subscribing to a false tax return. Jones would also forfeit his residence and luxury items; and face entry of approximately one million dollars in criminal forfeiture money judgment.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph F. Wilson, Kevin C. Leitch, and Catherine Depew on behalf of the United States.
The charges contained in the Information are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. v. Willard Lenord Jones
Broken Arrow Woman Sentenced for Bank Fraud and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — A former manager of a credit union was sentenced on Tuesday to serve 27 months for each count of bank fraud and tax evasion, announced U.S. Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. for the Northern District of Oklahoma and Special Agent in Charge R. Damon Rowe of the Dallas field office for the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.
Eva Barroso, 54, of Broken Arrow, was sentenced to serve 27 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Chief Judge Gregory K Frizzell for one count each of bank fraud and tax evasion. At the time of the scheme, Barroso worked as a commercial services manager for Oklahoma Central Credit Union (OCCU) where her duties included marketing and servicing commercial loans. The Court entered a criminal forfeiture money judgment against the defendant in the amount of $238,177.42 representing proceeds obtained as a result of his bank fraud scheme. Barroso was also ordered to make restitution in the amount of $238,177.42 to OCCU and $57,360.50 to the Internal Revenue Service.
According to court documents, from July 2, 2009 to March 19, 2012, as part of the scheme, Barroso fabricated at least three false loans in the name of nominee entities and individuals without the knowledge and authorization of the purported borrower. Barroso admitted that she made various material false representations in obtaining these loans. She used the proceeds of these loans for her own personal benefit, including making ATM withdrawals at various casinos. To further the scheme, Barroso used some of the money to make payments on prior loans.
In addition, during the 2010 calendar year, Barroso willfully evaded a large part of income tax by failing to report to the Internal Revenue Service a total of $152,098.13 which was the money she fraudulently obtained from the scheme.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffrey Gallant and Catherine Depew on behalf of the United States.
Federal Grand Jury Criminal Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — The results of the August 2014 Federal Grand Jury were announced today by Danny C. Williams Sr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
The following named individuals have been charged with a federal crime or crimes by the return of an indictment by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing the defendant of alleged violations which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome the defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Max Robert Ernst. Bank Fraud and Possession of Stolen Mail. Ernst, 28, of Tulsa, is charged with one count of defrauding the Stillwater National Bank and Trust Company by means of a forged check. The defendant is also charged with possessing stolen mail. If convicted, bank fraud carries a statutory maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000 and possession of stolen mail carries five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The United States Postal Inspection Service is the investigative agency.
Ramon Gomez-Maldonado, Domingo Maldonado, Luis Alberto Cazares, Gregory Neil Gibson, Pamela Renee Gibson, Thomas Coy Gray Jr, Fernando Guzman-Martinez, and Jose L. Ramon Salgado. Drug Conspiracy and Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute.Gomez-Maldonado, 39, Maldonado, Cazares, 26, Salgado, 28, of Tulsa, and Guzman-Martinez, 22, of Dallas, Texas, all aliens, Gregory Gibson, 31, Pamela Gibson, 36, Gray, 53, all of Tulsa, are charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine; if convicted, the minimum statutory penalty is 10 years imprisonment and the statutory maximum penalty is Life imprisonment and a fine of $10,000,000. In addition, Gomez-Maldonado, Cazares, and Guzman-Martinez are charged with possessing with intent to distribute one kilogram of methamphetamine in May of 2014; if convicted, the minimum statutory penalty is 10 years imprisonment and the statutory maximum penalty is Life imprisonment and a fine of $10,000,000. Gomez-Maldonado, Cazares, Gregory Gibson and Pamela Gibson are charged with possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in June of 2014; Gomez-Maldonado, Cazares, and Gray are charged with possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine in June of 2014; and Gomez-Maldonado, Cazares, and Salgado are charged with possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in July of 2014; if convicted of these crimes, the minimum statutory sentence is 5 years imprisonment and the maximum penalty is 40 years imprisonment and a fine of $5,000,000. The defendants would also face entry of a criminal forfeiture money judgment. The Drug Enforcement Administration is the investigative agency.
Jose Hernandez. Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute and Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute. Hernandez, 36, of Tulsa, is charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is 20 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000 for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. The Tulsa Police Department is the investigative agency.
Dennis James Jefferson and Scotty Wayne Harjo. Drug Conspiracy and Use of a Communication Facility in Committing and Facilitating the Commission of a Drug Trafficking Felony. Jefferson, 27, of Terlton, and Harjo, 30, of Tulsa, are charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The defendants are also charged with using the U.S. Postal Service to accept a mail parcel containing methamphetamine and facilitating the distribution of methamphetamine. If convicted for the drug conspiracy, the defendants face a minimum of 5 years and maximum of 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000,000. If convicted for use of the United States mail in committing a drug trafficking felony, the defendants are subject to a maximum prison sentence of four years and a fine of $250,000. The defendants would also face entry of a criminal forfeiture money judgment. The United States Postal Inspection Service is the lead investigative agency with assistance from Tulsa Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration.
Luis Manuel Martinez-Martinez. Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by an Alien Illegally in the United States and Alien in the United States After Deportation. Martinez-Martinez, 27, an alien illegally in the U.S., is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition. The defendant is also charged with being in the U.S. illegally after deportation in April of 2011 near Laredo, Texas. If convicted, Martinez-Martinez faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for possession of a firearm and ammunition and up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for being an alien in the U.S. after deportation. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the investigative agency.
Charles Jason Moreland. Influencing, Impeding, and Retaliating Against a Federal Official, Influencing, Impeding, and Retaliating Against the Immediate Family of a Federal Official, and Interstate Communications Containing Threats to Injure. Moreland, 31, of Tulsa, is charged with threatening to assault United States Senator Harry Reid and his immediate family members with the intent to interfere with and retaliate against Senator Reid while engaged in the performance of his official duties. The defendant is also charged with using interstate communication to transmit threats to injure Senator Reid. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty of Counts One through Three is not more than 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the investigative agency.
Frank Olmos Jr. Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. Frank Olmos, Jr. 33, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing one .45 ACP caliber pistol and ammunition after prior felony convictions. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The defendant would also forfeit the firearm and ammunition. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the investigative agency.
Jamie Rascon. Bank Fraud. Rascon, 30, of Siloam Springs, Arkansas, is charged with two counts of defrauding the Bank of Oklahoma by means of forged checks. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is 30 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000. The United States Postal Inspection Service is the investigative agency.
William Rivera-Lara. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Rivera-Lara, 29, is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in April of 2014 near Phoenix, Arizona. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the investigative agency.
Aaron Joseph Rock. Bank Robbery. Rock, 24, of Tulsa, is charged with robbing BancFirst in Sand Springs. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the investigative agency.
Dustin Scott Ross. Bank Fraud. Ross, 20, of Muskogee, is charged with five counts of bank fraud. Three counts allege that Ross presented Bank of Oklahoma with forged checks and two counts allege that Ross presented the Tulsa Federal Credit Union with forged checks. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty for each count is 30 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000. The United States Postal Inspection Service is the investigative agency.
Fermin Soto-Alvarez. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Soto-Alvarez, 29, is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in April of 2009 near Paso Del Norte, Texas. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the investigative agency.
Oseas Vera-Guganio. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Vera-Guganio, 30, is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in March of 2010 at Del Rio, Texas. If convicted, Vera-Guganio faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the investigative agency.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Selected as Oklahoma Region II Prosecutor of the YearRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — Danny C. Williams Sr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma, announced Robert T. Raley, Assistant United States Attorney and current Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) prosecutor, was named the Oklahoma Region II Prosecutor of the Year. The award was presented by the Association of Oklahoma Narcotic Enforcers (A-ONE) on August 7, 2014, in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
In 2013, Raley prosecuted and helped supervise 12 wire taps which resulted in the indictment and prosecution of multiple defendants. These prosecutions included a two week jury trial of a drug trafficking organization which resulted in a 20 year prison sentence.
These cases resulted from state and local investigations from the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and the Tulsa Police Department. Raley also prosecutes cases for the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Raley sits on the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Oklahoma Advisory Board, as well as the HIDTA Executive Board in Dallas where he represents all Oklahoma Federal law enforcement. He is a former State of Oklahoma Assistant Attorney General, Wagoner County Assistant District Attorney, and Project Director of the Multi-County Drug Task Force.
Raley has previously won the Oklahoma Region II Prosecutor of the Year Award and State of Oklahoma Prosecutor of the Year Award. Raley has been with the U.S. Attorney’s Office since 1996.
Muscogee (Creek) Nation Second Chief Charged with Embezzlement from TribeRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — Muscogee (Creek) Nation Second Chief Roger Dana Barnett, 53, of Bristow, was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation earlier today in relation to Federal charges alleging embezzlement of approximately $150,000 from the Tribe, announced Danny C. Williams, Sr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
The Indictment, unsealed today, alleged Barnett embezzled, misapplied, and converted to his personal use more than $1,000 of moneys and funds belonging to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation from April 2013 through April 2014. Barnett appeared today in Federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Frank H. McCarthy.
The FBI investigation was initiated after Muscogee (Creek) Nation officials contacted Federal authorities to report the possible misuse of tribal funds. If convicted, the maximum penalty is five years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000. Parole has been abolished in the Federal system.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the investigating agency. Assistant United States Attorneys Trent Shores and Shannon Cozzoni are prosecuting this matter on behalf of the United States.
A Grand Jury Indictment is one method of charging a defendant with alleged violations of Federal Law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendants’ presumption of innocence.
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Former Chief Executive Officer of Lufthansa Subsidiary BizJet Pleads Guilty to Foreign Bribery ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The former president and chief executive officer of BizJet International Sales and Support Inc., a U.S.-based subsidiary of Lufthansa Technik AG with headquarters in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that provides aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul services, pleaded guilty today for his participation in a scheme to pay bribes to foreign government officials.
Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr., of the Northern District of Oklahoma and Assistant Director in Charge Valerie Parlave of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement.
“The former CEO of BizJet, Bernd Kowalewski, has become the third and most senior Bizjet executive to plead guilty to bribing officials in Mexico and Panama to get contracts for aircraft services,” said Assistant Attorney General Caldwell. “While Kowalewski and his fellow executives referred to the corrupt payments as ‘commissions’ and ‘incentives,’ they were bribes, plain and simple. Though he was living abroad when the charges were unsealed, the reach of the law extends beyond U.S. borders, resulting in Kowalewski’s arrest in Amsterdam and his appearance in court today in the United States. Today’s guilty plea is an example of our continued determination to hold corporate executives responsible for criminal wrongdoing whenever the evidence allows.”
“I commend the investigators and prosecutors who worked together across borders and jurisdictions to vigorously enforce the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “Partnership is a necessity in all investigations. By forging and strengthening international partnerships to combat bribery, the Department of Justice is advancing its efforts to prevent crime and to protect citizens.”
Bernd Kowalewski, 57, the former President and CEO of BizJet, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and a substantive violation of the FCPA in connection with a scheme to pay bribes to officials in Mexico and Panama in exchange for those officials’ assistance in securing contracts for BizJet to perform aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul services.
Kowalewski was arrested on a provisional arrest warrant by authorities in Amsterdam on March 13, 2014, and waived extradition on June 20, 2014. Kowalewski is the third BizJet executive to plead guilty in this case. Peter DuBois, the former Vice President of Sales and Marketing, pleaded guilty on Jan. 5, 2012, to conspiracy to violate the FCPA and a substantive violation of the FCPA and Neal Uhl, the former Vice President of Finance, pleaded guilty on Jan. 5, 2012, to conspiracy to violate the FCPA. Jald Jensen, the former sales manager at BizJet, has been indicted for conspiracy as well as substantive FCPA violations and money laundering and is believed to be living abroad. Charges were unsealed against the four defendants on April 5, 2013.
According to court filings, Kowalewski and his co-conspirators paid bribes directly to foreign officials to secure aircraft maintenance repair and overhaul contracts, and in some instances, the defendants funneled bribes to foreign officials through a shell company owned and operated by Jensen. The shell company, Avionica International & Associates Inc., operated under the pretense of providing aircraft maintenance brokerage services but in reality laundered money related to BizJet’s bribery scheme. Bribes were paid to officials employed by the Mexican Policia Federal Preventiva, the Mexican Coordinacion General de Transportes Aereos Presidenciales, the air fleet for the Gobierno del Estado de Sinaloa, the air fleet for the Gobierno del Estado de Sonora and the Republica de Panama Autoridad Aeronautica Civil.
Further according to court filings, the co-conspirators discussed in e-mail correspondence and at corporate meetings the need to pay bribes, which they referred to internally as “commissions” or “incentives,” to officials employed by the foreign government agencies in order to secure the contracts. At one meeting, for example, in response to a question about who the decision-maker was at a particular customer organization, DuBois stated that a director of maintenance or chief pilot was normally responsible for decisions on where an aircraft went for maintenance work. Kowalewski then responded by explaining that the directors of maintenance and chief pilots in the past received “commissions” of $3,000 to $5,000 but were now demanding $30,000 to $40,000 in “commissions.” Similarly, in e-mail correspondence between Uhl, DuBois, Kowalewski, and several others, Uhl responded to a question about BizJet’s financial outlook if “incentives” paid to brokers, directors of maintenance, or chief pilots continued to increase industry wide, stating that they would “work to build these fees into the revenue as much as possible. We must remain competitive in this respect to maintain and gain market share.”
On March 14, 2012, the department announced that it had entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with BizJet, requiring that BizJet pay an $11.8 million monetary penalty to resolve charges related to the corrupt conduct. That agreement acknowledged BizJet’s voluntary disclosure, extraordinary cooperation, and extensive remediation in this case. In addition, the department announced on March 14, 2012, that BizJet’s indirect parent company, Lufthansa Technik AG, entered into an agreement with the department in which the department agreed not to prosecute Lufthansa Technik provided that Lufthansa Technik satisfies its obligations under the agreement for a period of three years.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office with substantial assistance form the Oklahoma Field Office. The department has worked closely with its law enforcement counterparts in Amsterdam, Mexico and Panama, and has received significant assistance from Germany and Uruguay. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs has also provided assistance. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant Chief Daniel S. Kahn and Trial Attorney David Fuhr of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Leitch of the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.
Tulsa Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — United States Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. announced today a guilty plea by a Tulsa man for distributing child pornography.
Kenneth R. Morain, 62, of Tulsa, had been charged on February 3, 2014, in an Indictment for Possession, Receipt, and Distribution of Child Pornography following an online investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
At the Change of Plea Hearing, the government stated that Morain used free Wi-Fi internet services at various business locations around Tulsa to download child pornography and then shared the child pornography using the Peer-to-Peer (P2P) file sharing network ARES. Morain admitted during an interview with agents he was sexually attracted to children as young as infants.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tulsa Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Gallant prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 22, 2014, before U.S. District Court Judge James H. Payne.
Eleven Defendants Charged in International Conspiracy to Smuggle Chemicals and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — United States Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. announced today the unsealing of a four count superseding indictment charging 11 defendants with conspiracy to defraud the United States and smuggle chemicals from China, substantive smuggling charges, and a money laundering conspiracy. A sealed superseding indictment was filed on June 9, 2014.
According to the superseding indictment, beginning in April of 2011, the defendants conspired to defraud the United States through deceit and dishonest means to smuggle chemicals with fraudulent documents and to sell and transport the chemicals after the chemicals had been smuggled into the United States.
The conspirators ordered chemicals from China and created fraudulent invoices and air waybills used to smuggle and transport the chemicals to residences, businesses, and other locations in Oklahoma, Nevada, Louisiana, California, and New Jersey.
Today, the Tulsa Offices of the United States Immigration Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office coordinated a nationwide takedown with arrests and search warrants in the following locations:
- Tulsa: 2 arrest warrants
- Baton Rouge: 3 search warrants and 2 arrest warrants
- Las Cruces: 1 arrest warrant
- Las Vegas: 1 arrest warrant
- New Orleans: 1 arrest warrant
- Huntington Beach, CA: 1 arrest warrant
- Santa Ana, CA: 1 arrest warrant
- Houston: 1 seizure warrant
The following defendants have been arrested:
- Ban Lam and Huong Thi Dao, in Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Tim Minh Tran and Ariel Dunn, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- Denis Langevin, in Las Cruces, New Mexico
- Jason Eric Johnson, in Las Vegas, Nevada
- Liem Thanh Vu, in New Orleans, Louisiana
- Minh Thang Pham, in Huntington Beach, California
- Duc Huy Vu, in Santa Ana, California
Assistant United States Attorneys Janet Reincke, Catherine Depew, and Gary L. Davis II, are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
An indictment is one method of charging a defendant with alleged violations of Federal Law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendants’ presumption of innocence.
U.S. v. Tran et al.
Federal Grand Jury Criminal Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — The results of the July 2014 Federal Grand Jury were announced today by Danny C. Williams Sr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
The following named individuals have been charged with a federal crime or crimes by the return of an indictment by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing the defendant of alleged violations which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome the defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Timothy Olen Brown. Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. Brown, 40, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a 9mm caliber pistol and ammunition after prior felony convictions. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The defendant would also forfeit the firearm and ammunition. The Tulsa Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.
Jesus Jonathan Campos. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Campos, 35, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. The defendant would also forfeit seized currency and face entry of a criminal forfeiture money judgment. The Tulsa Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration are the investigative agencies.
Demetric Andreal Jackson Jr. Mann Act and Interstate Travel and Transportation in Aid of Racketeering Enterprises. Jackson, 24, of Kansas City, Kansas is charged with transporting a woman from Kansas City, Missouri, to Tulsa, with the intent that the woman engage in prostitution. If convicted, the penalty for the Mann Act is not more than 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, and the penalty for the racketeering charge is not more than five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Tulsa Police Department is the investigative agency.
Frankie O’Neill Lampley Jr. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Lampley, 48, of Tulsa, is charged with failure to register as a sex offender after a prior conviction. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The U.S. Marshals Service is the investigative agency.
Tulsa Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Money Laundering Conspiracy and Agrees to $117,000 Criminal Forfeiture JudgmentRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — Moises Alberto Yanez, 40, of Tulsa, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan on Friday, to serve 240 months in prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering, announced United States Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. and R. Damon Rowe, Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation.
According to court documents, from June 2011 through November 2012, Yanez admitted to making rental payments on two properties in Tulsa that were rented for the purpose of storing and distributing marijuana and methamphetamine. Yanez also admitted to making the rental payments using money he received from selling marijuana and methamphetamine, which he and other conspirators received from California, Texas, and elsewhere.
Other defendants who have pleaded guilty and have been sentenced in this investigation on various drug-related offenses are:
• Oscar Fuentes-Diaz
• Terry Leon King
• Maicol Nunez-Guardado
• Jose Robles Arechiga
• Orlando Keane Jordan
• Jennifer Madison Ramirez
• Luis Sigala
• John Mark McGinley will be sentenced on July 29, 2014United States District Court Judge Claire V. Eagan also entered a joint and several criminal forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $117,000 against Yanez, Fuentes-Diaz, Nunez-Guardado, and Arechiga.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Tulsa Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Janet S. Reincke prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.Federal Grand Jury Criminal Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — The results of the June 2014 Federal Grand Jury were announced today by Danny C. Williams Sr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
The following named individuals have been charged with a federal crime or crimes by the return of an indictment by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing the defendant of alleged violations which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome the defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Michael D. Bennett and Gabriel Martinez. Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute and Maintaining a Location for Storing and Distributing Marijuana. Bennett, 29, of Tulsa, and Martinez, 22, of Oklahoma City, are charged with possessing marijuana with intent to distribute. Bennett is also charged with maintaining an apartment for the purpose of storing and distributing marijuana. If convicted, the maximum penalty is five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for marijuana possession with intent to distribute. In addition, Bennett faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine if convicted for maintaining a drug storage space. The defendants would also forfeit seized currency, a firearm and face entry of a criminal forfeiture money judgment. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the investigative agency.
Ashley Johnson Calhoun. Bank Fraud. Johnson, 41, of Muskogee, is charged with nine counts of committing bank fraud against Arvest Bank, Bank of Oklahoma, and JPMorgan Chase Bank by means of forged checks. If convicted, the maximum penalty is 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. The United States Postal Inspection Service is the lead investigative agency.
Marcos Cereceres-Romero. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Cereceres-Romero, 23, was arrested in Tulsa County and is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in July of 2008 near Presidio, Texas. If convicted, the maximum penalty is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) is the lead investigative agency.
Oscar Escalera-Duron. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Escalera-Duron, 33, was arrested in Tulsa County and is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in October of 2006 near Laredo, Texas. If convicted, the maximum penalty is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) is the lead investigative agency.
Aylediz Leon-Cuba. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Leon-Cuba, 34, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. If convicted, the minimum penalty is five years in prison and the maximum penalty is 40 years in prison along with a $5,000,000 fine. The defendant would also forfeit seized currency and a firearm. The Drug Enforcement Administration is the lead investigative agency.
Heron Marquez Ramirez and Sergio Guadalupe Gonzalez. Drug Conspiracy. Marquez Ramirez, 27, of Oklahoma City, and Guadalupe Gonzalez, 52, of Lancaster, Texas, are charged with conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. If convicted, the minimum penalty is five years in prison and the maximum penalty is 40 years in prison along with a $5,000,000 fine. The defendants would also forfeit a seized Porsche and face entry of a criminal forfeiture money judgment. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the lead investigative agency.
Ulyssis Ramirez. Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute. Ramirez, 23, of Oklahoma City, is charged with possessing cocaine with intent to distribute. If convicted, the maximum penalty is 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. The defendant would also forfeit seized currency, a vehicle and face entry of a criminal forfeiture money judgment. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the lead investigative agency.
Feliciano Saldana-Juarez. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Saldana-Juarez, 48, was arrested in Tulsa County and is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in March of 2012 near Brownsville, Texas. If convicted, the maximum penalty is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) is the lead investigative agency.
Gregory Lynn Shrader. Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. Shrader, 55, of Jay, Oklahoma, is charged with possessing a 12 GA gauge shotgun, a .45 ACP rifle, a 9mm rifle, and ammunition after prior felony convictions in Arkansas. Those convictions include terroristic threatening, theft by receiving, and attempt to manufacture a controlled substance. If convicted, the maximum penalty is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The defendant would also forfeit three firearms. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this matter.
Former Oil Company Human Resources Manager Sentenced to More Than 4 Years in Prison for $700,000 Embezzlement and Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — United States Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma Danny C. Williams Sr. announced today that United States District Court Judge James H. Payne sentenced James Rhea Cooley, a former Regional Human Resource Manager for Newfield Exploration Mid-Continent Inc., a Houston, Texas-based oil and gas company, with offices in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to serve 55 months in Federal prison for wire fraud involving the embezzlement of $696,000 from that company, and tax fraud for failure to report that stolen income resulting in unpaid taxes of $226,089. Additionally, Cooley was ordered to pay $595,107.46 in restitution to Newfield’s insurance company, Federal Insurance; $105,049.86 to Newfield; $70,300 to ConAgra Foods; and $226,089 to the IRS. An anonymous tipster called the company’s ethics hotline to report Cooley. This prompted an internal investigation leading to a joint FBI and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation probe of these crimes.
James Rhea Cooley, 45, of Tulsa, was charged by Criminal Information on August 26, 2013, with one-count of wire fraud and three counts of willfully making and subscribing a false federal income tax return. He pleaded guilty on November 19, 2013, to one count of wire fraud and one count of willfully making and subscribing a false federal income tax return. Cooley worked as the Regional Human Resources Manager at the Tulsa office of Newfield where he was authorized to approve invoices for services provided to the company.
According to court documents filed in the case, from August 2008 to January 2011, Cooley devised and executed a scheme to defraud his then-employer Newfield. In 2008, the defendant created the fictitious consulting company, Total HR Service and Consulting, created a website and opened a bank account for that company. Cooley would then falsify invoices for services that had not been performed, submit them to Newfield and deposit the payment check from Newfield into the fraudulent consulting company’s bank account. Cooley would then spend the embezzled funds for personal expenses that included jewelry, airline tickets, and a Mexican condominium.
In imposing the sentence, Judge Payne also considered additional relevant criminal conduct of Cooley in shaping Cooley’s sentence. After being terminated for the false invoice scheme at Newfield in February 2011, Cooley obtained a similar job with ConAgra Corporation in Council Bluff, Iowa, where he committed the very same crime. ConAgra losses totaled approximately $70,000.00. This second crime occurred from April 2012 until September 2012, after Cooley had already admitted the Newfield fraud to federal investigators and was supposedly cooperating with them.
As part of his sentence, a criminal forfeiture money judgment was entered against Cooley to provide restitution for the victims. The criminal forfeiture money judgment is in the amount of $693,300.
The case was a joint investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Charles M. McLoughlin and Catherine Depew prosecuted on behalf of the United States.
###Former Navy Nuclear Systems Administrator Pleads Guilty to Hacking into U.S. Navy and over 50 Other Computer SystemsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Two leaders of a massive computer hacking conspiracy today pleaded guilty in federal court to participating in a plan to hack into the U.S. Navy, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), and over 50 public and private computer systems to steal thousands of individuals’ personal information, obstruct justice, and damage protected computers, announced U.S. Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr.
Nicholas Paul Knight, 27, of Chantilly, Virginia, and Daniel Trenton Krueger, 20, of Dix, Illinois, pleaded guilty to a one-count information containing the allegations, and each face up to five years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and restitution to the victims. Sentencing is scheduled for August 27, 2014 before U.S. District Judge James H. Payne.
“Cybercriminals think the anonymity of the Internet can obscure their illegal activities and make it impossible to find and apprehend them. That is not true,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “Criminals cannot hide in cyberspace. We will find you, charge you, and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”
Records indicate that investigators with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), later joined by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), identified Knight and Krueger as the co-founders of a hacking group known as Team Digi7al (pronounced “Digital”), which was responsible for hacking into the U.S. Navy’s Smart Web Move (SWM) database. Prior to this breach, the SWM database stored sensitive personal records, including Social Security numbers, names, and dates of birth, for approximately 220,000 service members. As a result of the breach, over 700 deployed members of the military could not access logistical support for transfers for more than 10 weeks. The servers that stored these records were located in Tulsa, giving rise to the venue in the Northern District of Oklahoma.
The United States advised the court that the defendants, and at least three minors and a citizen of Canada, coordinated their hacking activities over email, IRC chat, and Facebook private messages, including one message in which Knight told Krueger “if anything happens . . . send me a message saying goodbye so we know one of us is caught.” After discovering that Knight regularly accessed the Team Digi7al Twitter account from within the Navy’s network, NCIS cyber investigators conducted a sting operation in a controlled environment aboard the USS Harry S. Truman, the aircraft carrier on which Knight worked as a systems administrator in the nuclear reactor department. During the sting, Knight hacked into a fake database, which he believed to be real while NCIS monitored his activity.
According to the United States, Knight and Krueger later confessed to leading the Team Digi7al conspiracy. Victims of the Team Digi7al conspiracy include the following organizations:
- U.S. Navy
- U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security
- MobiTv
- Autotrader.com
- Harvard University
- Johns Hopkins University
- Kawasaki
- Library of Congress
- Los Alamos National Laboratory
- Louisville University
- MeTV Network
- Montgomery Police Department (Alabama)
- Peruvian Ambassador’s email (in Bolivia)
- San Jose State University
- Stanford University
- Toronto Police Service (Canada)
- Ultimate Car Page
- University of Alabama
- University of British Columbia (Canada)
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- World Health Organization
The case was investigated by the NCIS Atlantic Cyber Operations office in Norfolk with the cooperation and assistance of the DCIS Cyber Field Office and other federal, state, and local agencies. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Souders.
Former Tulsa Businessman Sentenced for $2.7 Million FraudRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — A former Tulsa businessman was sentenced today in Federal court to 27 months in prison for having defrauded ONB Bank out of more than $200,000, announced Danny C. Williams Sr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Tommy Craig Conaway, 59, now of Blackwell, pleaded guilty to bank fraud, admitting that in February 2004 he misrepresented the value of collateral that his company, CCR Investments, LLC, pledged to ONB Bank in order to draw upon its line of credit at the bank.
In imposing the sentence, U.S. District Court Chief Judge Gregory K. Frizzell considered other occasions in which Conaway defrauded ONB Bank by misrepresenting collateral available to secure his company’s line of credit. In addition, the court considered Conaway’s conduct in defrauding the Bank of Oklahoma on lines of credit extended to other businesses managed by Conaway, causing a loss of nearly $2.5 million to BOK.
The court ordered Conaway to pay restitution to both banks in a total amount of over $2.7 million. In addition to his prison term, Conaway was ordered to forfeit $290,962.
The case investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin C. Leitch, Jeffrey A. Gallant and Catherine Depew.
Former Boy Scouts of America Leader Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — United States Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma, Danny C. Williams Sr., announced today that a former Boy Scouts of America Lodge Chief and Scout leader was sentenced in Federal court for receiving child pornography.
Kevin D. Woolsey, 22, of Jenks, was sentenced by United States Court Judge Claire V. Eagan to serve 84 months, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, after a one-count Information charge for Receipt of Child Pornography. Woolsey was charged by sealed Information on September 19, 2013, and entered a guilty plea on November 5, 2013. The defendant targeted males between 14 to 16 years of age who primarily participated in the Boy Scouts or who were members of a church youth group.
“The defendant used his position of authority to exploit and manipulate children,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “My office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to punish those who would prey on the most vulnerable in our communities.”
Specifically, Woolsey admitted that on or about May 19, 2012, he received one or more visual depictions involving the use of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Woolsey created a fictitious Facebook page that falsely purported to belong to a minor female known to the victim. Woolsey established communication with the victim through the Facebook page, then engaged the victim in sexually-oriented conversation and sent the victim pornographic images. Posing as a minor female, Woolsey requested photos from the victim, who sent the photos via the internet to an e-mail address Woolsey provided.
Woolsey received pornographic images from at least 11 minors. He created at least 7 fictitious Facebook accounts posing as different female minors from the church youth group.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Gallant.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006, by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood and Internet safety education, visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
Federal Grand Jury Criminal Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — The results of the May 2014 Federal Grand Jury were announced today by Danny C. Williams Sr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
The following named individuals have been charged with a federal crime or crimes by the return of an indictment by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing the defendant of alleged violations which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome the defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Eligio Cortez-Ayvar. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Cortez-Ayvar, 25, is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in April 2011 near Calexico, California. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be twenty (20) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the lead agency.
Jose Duran-Olmos. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Duran-Olmos, 33, is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in July 2013 near Eagle Pass, Texas. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be twenty (20) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the lead agency.
Abel Guerra-Morataya. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Guerra-Morataya, 33, is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in June 2006 near Brownsville, Texas. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be twenty (20) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the lead agency.
Jose Jesus Hernandez-Flores. Possession with Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or more of Methamphetamine and Alien in the United States After Deportation. Hernandez, 32, is charged with possessing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. He is also charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in March 2011 near Del Rio, Texas. If convicted, the statutory minimum mandatory penalty is ten (10) years imprisonment and the maximum statutory penalty is life imprisonment and a fine up to $10,000,000 for the drug charge. The maximum penalty for Hernandez-Flores being in the United States after deportation is twenty (20) years imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tulsa Police Department are the lead agencies.
Juan Herrera. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Herrera, 38, is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in December 2010 near Del Rio, Texas. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be twenty (20) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the lead agency.
Alan Wade Hutchinson. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Hutchinson, 32, of Inola, is charged with possessing a 9mm caliber pistol and ammunition after prior felony convictions. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is ten (10) years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is the lead agency.
Matthew James Mathis. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Mathis, 31, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a 9mm caliber pistol and ammunition after a prior felony conviction. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is ten (10) years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000. The investigation is a joint effort of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Josue Saldierna-Maldonado. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Saldierna-Maldonado, 26, is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in December 2012 near Laredo, Texas. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be twenty (20) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the lead agency.
Two Men Enter Guilty Pleas in Federal Court to Charges Related to Child Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — United States Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. announced guilty pleas in Federal court by two men on charges related to sex trafficking stemming from investigations by the Tulsa Police Department’s Vice Unit.
Damian Dashane Wardell, 39, of Tulsa, pleaded guilty before United States District Court Judge Claire V. Eagan to Sex Trafficking of a Child. Wardell admitted he maintained and prostituted a 16-year-old female at a local Tulsa area motel. Tulsa Police Department officers found and arrested Wardell at the motel after the victim’s mother provided information. Police discovered the victim and two other juvenile females in the motel room. Wardell faces a minimum sentence of ten (10) years and up to life imprisonment. Sentencing is set for August 6, 2014.
Wardell’s plea follows a guilty plea on April 25, 2014 by Terrance Cortez Whitfield, 36, of Muskogee, to a single-count Information charging Coercion and Enticement of a Minor. Whitfield also faces a minimum sentence of ten (10) years and up to life imprisonment and his sentencing is set for August 4, 2014, before United States District Judge Claire V. Eagan. Whitfield was arrested following a routine traffic stop, after which police officers discovered a juvenile female in Whitfield’s vehicle. An ensuing investigation led to evidence that Whitfield used his cell phone and the Backpage.com website to entice and induce the juvenile female to engage in prostitution.
United States Attorney Williams commended the excellent work by the Tulsa Police Department’s Vice Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Trent Shores and Clint Johnson prosecuted the matters on behalf of the United States of America.
Former Navy Nuclear System Administrator Charged with Hacking the United States Navy and National Geospatial-Ingelligence Agency's Computer SystemsRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — Today, the United States charged two men for their participation in a conspiracy to hack into the computer systems of over 30 public and private organizations, including the United States Navy and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, announced Northern District of Oklahoma United States Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr.
The single-count Information alleges that Nicholas Paul Knight, 27, of Chantilly, Virginia, and Daniel Trenton Krueger, 20, of Salem, Illinois, conspired to hack computers and computer systems as part of a plan to steal identities, obstruct justice, and damage a protected computer.
“The Navy quickly identified the breach and tracked down the alleged culprits through their online activity, revealing an extensive computer hacking scheme committed across the country and even abroad,” said U.S. Attorney Danny C. Williams. “We aggressively pursue individuals who steal personal information, especially when they victimize the men and women who bravely defend our country and our Constitution.”
According to the Information, in June 2012, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (“NCIS”) detected a breach of the U.S. Navy’s Smart Web Move (“SWM”) database. Prior to this breach, the Navy used SWM to manage transfers for service members of all branches of the military. The SWM database stored sensitive personal records, including Social Security numbers, names, and dates of birth, for approximately 220,000 service members. The servers that stored these records were located in Tulsa, giving rise to the venue in the Northern District of Oklahoma.
The SWM hackers were initially known only by their online aliases as members of a hacking group called Team Digi7al (pronounced “Digital”). However, the NCIS investigation, later assisted by investigators of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (“DCIS”), identified Knight and Krueger as the alleged hackers.
The Information alleges that Knight, Krueger, and other Team Digi7al co-conspirators hacked the computer systems of over thirty public and private organizations to steal sensitive information. The victims included the following organizations:
- U.S. Navy
- U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security
- AT&T U-verse
- Autotrader.com
- Harvard University
- Johns Hopkins University
- Kawasaki
- Library of Congress
- Los Alamos National Laboratory
- Louisville University
- MeTV Network
- Montgomery Police Department (Alabama)
- Peruvian Ambassador’s email (in Bolivia)
- San Jose State University
- Stanford University
- Toronto Police Service (Canada)
- Ultimate Car Page
- University of Alabama
- University of British Columbia (Canada)
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- World Health Organization
The Information also charges that Knight served as the criminal organization’s self-proclaimed leader and publicist, while Krueger completed the technical hacking work of the SWM database and claimed to do so “out of boredom.” One conspirator stated online that the group was “somewhat politically inclined to release the things [they had],” but also because it was “fun, and we can.” After hacking these organizations, the defendants and other conspirators posted links to the stolen information on Team Digi7al’s Twitter account to make the private information available to the public.At the time of the hacking attacks, Knight was an active duty enlisted Navy member assigned to the nuclear aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman as a systems administrator in the nuclear reactor department. Krueger was a student at an Illinois community college where he studied network administration.
The charges contained in the Information are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, Knight and Krueger face a maximum penalty of five years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine, in addition to paying restitution to the victims of the crime. A trial date has not been set.
The case was investigated by the NCIS Atlantic Cyber Operations office in Norfolk, Virginia with the cooperation and assistance of the DCIS Cyber Field Office and other federal, state, and local agencies. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Souders, the Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property crimes prosecutor for the United States Attorney’s Office.
U.S. v. Nicholas Paul Knight and Daniel Trenton Krueger
Mannford Woman Guilty of Fraudulently Receiving over $30,000 in Disaster ReliefRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — United States Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. announced today that a Mannford woman had pleaded guilty in federal court to fraudulently obtaining Federal Emergency Disaster Agency (FEMA) disaster assistance benefits made available to victims of the Mannford wildfires.
Kerry Lynn Rowell, 42, of Mannford, pleaded guilty before United States District Court Chief Judge Gregory K. Frizzell to a charge that she had made false statements to a Federal agency. Rowell faces the maximum statutory penalty of five (5) years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000. A sentencing date has been set for August 12, 2014.
According to court documents, from August 23, 2012 to September 23, 2013, Rowell made false statements and provided false documents to support her application for FEMA disaster assistance. Rowell claimed her primary residence was destroyed, when in fact she did not reside at that residence. The house was actually owned by her mother and was uninhabited, dilapidated, and had no utility service. None of the personal property she listed on the FEMA application was in the abandoned house when it was destroyed by the fire. Rowell fraudulently received $31,400 in FEMA disaster assistance benefits.
“Anyone with information that an individual may have defrauded the government in connection with a disaster may call the toll-free Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General Hotline at 1-800-323-8603,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “Complaints may be made anonymously and confidentially via the official website (www.oig.dhs.gov), or by mailing DHS Office of Inspector General/MAIL STOP 0305, Attention: Office of Investigations—Hotline, 245 Murray Lane SW, Washington, DC 20528.”
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General and the United States Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorney Charles M. McLoughlin prosecuted on behalf of the United States.
If someone has any questions about how assistance benefits may be spent, has made a mistake when reporting damage, or has misrepresented losses, he or she may correct the situation immediately by calling the toll-free FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-FEMA or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the speech or hearing impaired.
Tulsa Man Sentenced to Maximum 5 Year Prison Term for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — A former controller of a trucking dealership was sentenced on Thursday to serve 60 months for more than $1.5 million in bank fraud and tax evasion, announced U.S. Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. for the Northern District of Oklahoma. The 60 month sentence is the maximum prison term for the tax evasion charge.
James Lamar Gresham, 52, of Tulsa, was sentenced to serve 60 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge James H. Payne for one count each of bank fraud and tax evasion. At the time of the scheme, Gresham worked as a controller for Frontier International Trucks where he had access to financial books and records, and was familiar with the company’s bank accounts.
“This sentencing should be a clear message to everyone that tax evasion is a serious offense and carries serious consequences. All tax payers must report all of their income and pay all of the taxes owed to the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Williams.
According to court documents, from July 30, 2007 to May 2011, as part of the scheme, Gresham would forge company checks made payable in his name, then deposit the checks into a personal bank account. Gresham forged more than 548 company checks and obtained $1,583,157.15 from the company’s bank accounts.
In addition, during the 2010 calendar year, Gresham failed to report the additional income gained from the scheme to the Internal Revenue Service. He evaded paying a total of $511,627 in taxes owed to the United States.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Gallant on behalf of the United States.
Tulsa Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — A Tulsa man pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday for possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Mark McDonough, 33, of Tulsa, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Chief Judge Gregory K. Frizzell to one count of possession and attempted possession of child pornography.
According to documents filed in the case, on November 20, 2013, McDonough possessed child pornography depicting minors who had not obtained 12 years of age engaging in sexually explicit conduct. He admitted to downloading the images from the internet.
The statutory maximum penalty is 20 years imprisonment, and a fine of $250,000. Sentencing has been set for July 17, 2014.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Gallant on behalf of the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood and Internet safety education, visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
Federal Grand Jury Criminal Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — The results of the April 2014 Federal Grand Jury were announced today by Danny C. Williams Sr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
The following named individuals have been charged with a federal crime or crimes by the return of an indictment by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing the defendant of alleged violations which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome the defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Steven M. Allen. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Allen, 41, of Miami, Okla., is charged with failing to register as a sex offender after prior convictions in 2009. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be ten (10) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The United States Marshals Service is the lead investigative agency.
Jose Guadalupe Becerra-Molina. Possession of Firearms and Ammunition by Alien Illegally in United States, Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and Alien in the United States After Deportation. Becerra-Molina, 34, unlawfully in the United States, is charged with possessing three (3) pistols, two (2) revolvers, and ammunition as an illegal alien; possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute; possessing two (2) pistols in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and being illegally in the United States after being deported in June 2007 near Laredo, Texas. If convicted, the penalty for possessing the pistols and ammunition as an illegal alien would be a ten (10) year maximum sentence of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine; the penalty for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute would be twenty (20) years imprisonment and a $1,000,000 fine; the penalty for possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime would be a minimum of five (5) years imprisonment to life; and the penalty for re-entering the United States after deportation would be a maximum twenty (20) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Tulsa Police Department, and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement are the lead agencies.
James Dawson Bishop. Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition, Carrying a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Bishop, 34, of Tulsa, is charged on different dates with carrying various firearms and ammunition after having been previously convicted of a felony. Additionally, Bishop is charged with Carrying a Firearm in Relation to and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime and Possession of Methamphetamine with the Intent to Distribute. If convicted, Bishop could be sentenced to a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life imprisonment with a $1,000,000 fine. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police are the lead agencies.
Christopher Lee Burr and Dale Estus Sutton III.Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition. Burr, 27, of Ponca City, and Sutton, 31, of Wagoner, are charged with possessing firearms after a felony conviction. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be ten (10) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The Indictment is a result of a joint investigation by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Michael Wayne Cauldwell. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Cauldwell, 35, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a .40 caliber pistol and ammunition after prior felony convictions in 2002 and 2003. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be ten (10) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations is the lead agency.
Francis Harry Dishmon. Attempted Bank Robbery and Killing a Person While Attempting to Avoid Apprehension. Dishmon, 51, of Tulsa, is charged with attempting to rob the IBC Bank in Miami, Oklahoma on August 28, 2013, and killing a man while attempting to avoid apprehension for that attempted robbery. If convicted, the maximum penalty for the attempted bank robbery would be twenty (20) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine; and the penalty for killing a person while attempting to avoid apprehension would be life imprisonment. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the lead agency.
Rafael Gonzalez. Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. Gonzalez, 21, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a .25 caliber pistol and ammunition after prior felony convictions in 2011 and 2013. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be ten (10) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the lead agencies.
Mark Dee Gragg. Felon in Possession of Firearm. Gragg, 51, of Cushing, is charged with possessing a .22 caliber revolver after prior felony convictions including Threats Against the President. If convicted, Gragg would face a maximum sentence of ten (10) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. This case was investigated by the Sand Springs Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Andre Ralph Haymond. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Haymond, 25, of Tulsa, is charged with failing to register as a sex offender after possession of child pornography convictions in 2010. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be ten (10) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The United States Marshals Service is the lead investigative agency.
Juan Lopez-Martinez. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Martinez, 30, is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in August 2008 near Del Rio, Texas. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be twenty (20) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the lead agency.
Restituto L. Morales. Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute, and Distribution of Methamphetamine. Morales, 51, of Homestead, Florida, is charged with possessing more than one (1) kilogram of heroin, more than five (5) kilograms of cocaine, and more than 500 grams of methamphetamine all with intent to distribute. Morales is also charged with distribution of more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. If convicted, the mandatory minimum penalty would be ten (10) years imprisonment, the maximum penalty would be life imprisonment, and a $10,000,000 fine. The Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office and Drug Enforcement Administration are the lead agencies.
Ramona Lynn Peters. Theft of Government Property. Peters, 55, of Terlton, Okla., is charged with unlawfully taking $32,016.86 of a deceased family member’s social security benefits from January 2010 to June 2013. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be ten (10) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General is the lead investigative agency.
Jorge Ramirez-Gomez. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Ramirez-Gomez, 21, is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in November 2013 near Del Rio, Texas. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be twenty (20) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the lead agency.
Salvador Rodriguez-Ramirez. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Rodriguez-Ramirez, 36, is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in March 2009 near Del Rio, Texas. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be twenty (20) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the lead agency.
Billy Ray Willis. Theft of Government Property. Willis, 57, of Stillwater, is charged with stealing $15,739 in Social Security Supplemental Security Income from September 2010 to August 2013. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be ten (10) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General is the lead agency.
California Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — Jesus Uzziel Rodriguez, 31, of Hayward, California, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge John E. Dowdell to 20 years in federal prison for drug conspiracy and possessing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, announced United States Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. for the Northern District of Oklahoma. A federal jury convicted Rodriguez after a five-day trial.
The charges stemmed from an investigation by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control (OBNDD).
According to court documents, from May to July 2013, Rodriguez, Vincente Chipres Valencia, 34, of East Palo Alto, California, and Francisco Reyes-Sanchez, 34, of Mounds, Oklahoma, arranged for a dealer in California to provide methamphetamine to be sold in Tulsa. The defendants conspired to distribute approximately four (4) pounds of methamphetamine at a value of approximately $50,000. On July 11, 2013, Rodriguez, Valencia, and Reyes-Sanchez did in fact deliver approximately four (4) pounds of methamphetamine during an OBNDD sting operation.
Rodriguez was charged by a federal grand jury on August 7, 2013. Valencia pleaded guilty to the same charges on October 31, 2013, and Reyes-Sanchez pleaded guilty to the charges on November 6, 2013.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert T. Raley.
Glenpool Woman Pleads Guilty to Forgery and Tax FraudRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Glenpool woman pleaded guilty on Wednesday to forgery and tax charges, announced Danny C. Williams Sr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Christi Bender-Anthony, 37, of Glenpool, entered pleas of guilty before U.S. District Court Judge John E. Dowdell to one count of making, uttering and possessing a forged security and one count of subscribing a false tax return.
According to court documents, from 2010 to 2012, while employed as an office manager at Process Products & Service Co., Bender-Anthony forged over 100 company checks for her own benefit, resulting in a loss of over $300,000. In addition, Bender-Anthony admitted to the court that she filed false federal tax returns for the years 2010, 2011, and 2012 by knowingly failing to report the income she obtained by means of the checks she forged. Bender-Anthony admitted that she owed over $100,000 in taxes as a result.
Bender-Anthony faces maximum terms of imprisonment of ten years on the forgery charge and three years on the tax charge, in addition to possible fines. The sentencing date has been scheduled for July 2, 2014.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Leitch prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States of America.
Tulsa Man Pleads Guilty to Brandishing A Firearm While Robbing A Woman in Casino Parking LotRead the Press Release
TULSA, OKLAHOMA – A Tulsa man pleaded guilty today to brandishing a gun during a robbery at an Indian gaming establishment, announced United States Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Dominique Amoia McDowell II, age 19, entered a plea of guilty before U.S. District Court Judge John Dowdell to the charge of Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence . This matter was prosecuted in United States District Court because the armed robbery occurred in Indian Country.
On January 12, 2014, McDowell approached a Native American woman in the Osage Nation Casino Tulsa parking lot and robbed her of $600 at gunpoint. Osage Nation law enforcement and casino security officials used their collective resources to identify and find McDowell immediately after the robbery. The officers found McDowell inside the casino gambling with the money he had just stolen. Osage Nation Police officers took McDowell into custody and recovered $540 and a firearm.
“The United States is committed to working together with our tribal law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who commit violent crimes in Indian Country. I commend the Osage Nation Police Department and Bureau of Indian Affairs for their quick response and joint investigative efforts,” commented United States Attorney Williams.
McDowell faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years and up to life imprisonment. Parole has been abolished in the Federal system.
Assistant United States Attorneys Clint Johnson and Trent Shores prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States of America.
Sapulpa Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — A Sapulpa man pleaded guilty in federal court today to possessing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. for the Northern District of Oklahoma. A total of at least 20,116 images and videos were found in the defendant’s possession.
Paul D. Edwards, 64, of Sapulpa, entered a plea of guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul J. Cleary to one (1) count of possession and attempted possession of child pornography and five (5) counts of receipt and attempted receipt of child pornography. Edwards is a former Certified Public Accountant for local municipalities and school districts. He has been unemployed since 2008.
According to court documents, in October of 2011, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Philadelphia office initiated an investigation into individuals utilizing an international website to distribute and collect child pornography. Between February and March of 2013, the HSI obtained log files from Russian law enforcement regarding a user profile which was later traced to Edwards’ residence. There were 20,116 images and videos collected from Edwards’ residence.
Edwards was charged on November 5, 2013. For Count 1, Edwards faces a maximum penalty of twenty (20) years and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Gallant on behalf of the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against Sairam Enterprises Inc. for Discriminating Against Disabled Veteran with Service AnimalRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against Sairam Enterprises Inc. LLC alleging that it discriminated against Jeffrey Crockett and his family on the basis of disability in violation of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Sairam Enterprises owns and operates the Days Inn and Conference Center Tulsa, a hotel in Tulsa, Okla.
The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma, alleges that Days Inn Tulsa maintained a “no pet” policy that was enforced against Crockett to prohibit him, his service animal and his family from staying at the hotel on Aug. 31, 2010, while they were traveling through Oklahoma. Crockett is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Marine Corps who has a degenerative disc disease, a demyelinating disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and panic disorder. Crockett’s service animal is a German shepherd named Phineas that is trained to perform tasks directly related to his disabilities, and Days Inn Tulsa allegedly made no effort to modify its policy even after Crockett notified the hotel that Phineas is a service animal.
“The men and women who have given so much to our country through their military service cannot be denied accommodations because they need a service animal,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jocelyn Samuels for the Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to enforce the ADA so that they, and others with disabilities, do not need to face such discrimination.”
“It is vital for the Justice Department to protect every citizen’s right to equal treatment and opportunity, especially for our Nation’s veterans,” said U.S. Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. for the Northern District of Oklahoma. “Under the American with Disabilities Act, no citizen with the need for a service animal should be discriminated against and denied accommodation.”
In the lawsuit, the United States is seeking a court order declaring that Days Inn Tulsa violated the ADA, prohibiting future discrimination by the hotel, and requiring the hotel to adopt a nondiscrimination policy and to train its staff on nondiscrimination. The lawsuit also seeks an award of monetary damages to the Crocketts who were allegedly harmed by the discrimination and a civil penalty.
To read the complaint and for more information on the ADA, visit the ADA website. Those interested in finding out more about this lawsuit or the obligations of private entities to accommodate people with service animals under the ADA may call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD), or access the ADA website. ADA complaints may be filed by email.
The complaint is an allegation of unlawful conduct. The allegations must still be proven in federal court.
Defendant Found Guilty of Possessing Heroin and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — A Tulsa man with three prior felony convictions was found guilty in federal court Tuesday for possessing a firearm and ammunition, and possessing heroin and methamphetamine with intent to distribute, announced United States Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Reco D. Manning, 31, of Tulsa, was found guilty of possessing a Smith and Wesson .38 caliber revolver and ammunition; and possessing approximately 22 grams of methamphetamine and 9.5 grams of heroin with the intent to distribute. Manning was previously convicted in Arkansas for Second Degree Battery, Possession of Powder Cocaine with Intent to Deliver, and Possession of Xanax with Intent to Deliver.
Manning was indicted on November 5, 2013. A formal sentencing date has been set for July 2, 2014.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Gary L. Davis II prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Former Bank Officer Sentenced for Embezzling from Elderly Customers' AccountsRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — A former bank Savings Officer at Osage Federal Bank, now known as American Heritage Bank, was sentenced today to one (1) year and one (1) day in federal prison for stealing $147,466.30 from elderly customers’ bank accounts, announced United States Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Patricia L. Swearingin, 67, of Bartlesville, embezzled bank funds from 23 elderly customers’ accounts through the use of her position as a bank officer from November 2007 to November 2010. Swearingin pleaded guilty on December 10, 2013, to misapplying funds.
Swearingin would withdraw funds from dormant bank accounts that held certificate of deposit interest income owned and held by elderly customers. The average age of the customer was 86 years old. She would forge a customer’s name on a check and present the check to the bank’s drive-through teller, falsely stating that the account customer was waiting in her office for the cash. Swearingin would either deposit the stolen funds into her personal bank account or spend the cash for personal expenses. Most of the stolen funds were used for casino gambling.
In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge James H. Payne ordered Swearingin to pay restitution to American Heritage Bank in the amount of $159,022.45, which includes the $147,466.30, plus the bank costs of investigating the embezzlement, and forfeited $45,137.02 from her retirement account at American Heritage Bank.
The case was a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bartlesville Police Department, the Washington County District Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Charles L. McLoughlin and Catherine Depew prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Federal Grand Jury Criminal Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — The results of the March 2014 Federal Grand Jury were announced today by Danny C. Williams Sr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
The following named individuals have been charged with a federal crime or crimes by the return of an indictment by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing the defendant of alleged violations which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome the defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Alfonso Delgado-Castorena. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Delgado-Castorena, 42, was arrested in Tulsa County and is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in February 2005 near San Luis, Arizona. If convicted, Delgado-Castorena would face a maximum of twenty (20) years imprisonment and/or a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) is the lead agency.
Carl Don Floyd. Aiming a Laser Pointer at an Aircraft. Floyd, 42, of Tulsa, is charged with aiming the beam of a green laser pointer at the Tulsa Police Department helicopter on February 15, 2014. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be five (5) years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the lead agency.
Curtis Leon Gann. Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition, Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute, and Possession of a Short-Barreled Shotgun. Gann, 41, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possessing two shotguns, a rifle, a pistol, and ammunition after prior convictions of the same charges in August 2005. One of the shotguns is alleged to have an illegally shortened barrel. If convicted, the maximum penalty for Count 1 would be ten (10) years in prison and a fine of $250,000; Count 2 carries a maximum penalty of twenty (20) years in prison and a fine of $250,000; and for Count 3 the maximum penalty would be ten (10) years in prison and a fine up to $10,000. The Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office Drug Task Force is the lead agency.
Darrick Garner. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Garner, 37, of Tulsa, is charged with failing to register as a sex offender after a federal sexual assault conviction in 2010. If convicted, Garner would face a maximum penalty of ten (10) years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. The United States Marshals Service is the lead investigative agency.
Donald Lee Hill. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Hill, 33, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute on January 12, 2014. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be twenty (20) years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the lead agencies.
Jose Abraham Jain-Vielmas. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Jain-Vielmas, 33, was arrested in Tulsa County and is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in January 2000 near El Paso, Texas. If convicted, Jain-Vielmas would face a maximum of twenty (20) years imprisonment and/or a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) is the lead agency.
Michael Anthony Llanos, Ramy McMann, Peppa Ann Smith, Alfredo Sustiata Jr., and Marcelo Alejandro Torres. Drug Conspiracy, Distribution and Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, and Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. Llanos, 45, McMann, 37, Smith, 42, all of Tulsa, Sustiata, 29, and Torres, 36, both from California, are all charged with drug conspiracy and possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on January 6, 2014. Llanos is also charged with possessing a 9mm caliber pistol and ammunition after a prior felony conviction of beating/injuring children in 1997. If convicted, the maximum penalty each defendant would face for Counts 1 and 2 would be not less than five (5) years and not more than forty (40) years and/or a fine of $5,000,000. For the felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition charge, Llanos would face ten (10) years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office Drug Task Force is the lead agency.
Lazaro Lopez-Nava. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Lopez-Nava, 32, was arrested in Tulsa County and is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in April 2012 near Del Rio, Texas. If convicted, Lopez-Nava would face a maximum of twenty (20) years imprisonment and/or a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) is the lead agency.
David Santisteban. Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. Santisteban, 28, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition after prior convictions including possession of controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute in 2008. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be ten (10) years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is the lead agency.
Jackson Dwain Shields. Possession of Stolen Mail Matter. Shields, 34, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing three checks on February 11, 2014, knowing that they had been stolen from mail placed in a residential mailbox for pickup by the Postal Service. If convicted, Shields would face a maximum penalty of five (5) years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The case has been investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Glenpool Police Department and the Creek County Sheriff’s Office.
U.S. Attorney's Office Launches "Fresh Start" Federal Prison Re-Entry ProgramRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — A new Federal Prison Re-Entry program, named “Fresh Start,” will assist and provide individuals with felony convictions with resources for jobs, housing, and counseling services, announced U.S. Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. for the Northern District of Oklahoma. The re-entry program is another component of U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder’s “Smart on Crime” initiative.
Participating agencies joining the U.S. Attorney's Office are: the Tulsa County District Attorney's Office; the United States Probation Office; and the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.
“The Department of Justice’s Anti-Violence Strategy, which is led by the U.S. Attorneys, prioritizes reentry as one of its three principal components, along with prevention and enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “We are working collaboratively with federal and state correctional agencies in assisting individuals with felony convictions with re-entry into the community.”
Approximately 700,000 people are released from federal and state prisons every year. It is estimated that two-thirds of those released will likely be rearrested within three years of release.
Initial participants in the “Fresh Start” program will be GPS-monitored individuals from the Oklahoma Department of Corrections and those individuals who are on a parolee status. Later, the State’s participation in the federally-sponsored program will expand to include those individuals who are on probation.
Individuals will participate in an informational panel session which includes a representative of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office, law enforcement, and a Success Speaker, an individual with a criminal history who has turned his/her life around. The “Fresh Start” program is designed not only to provide individuals with felony convictions with resources, but also to provide them with motivation for success within the community.
Follow the U.S. Attorney's Office on TwitterRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma launched its official Twitter account with the aim of increasing the accessibility of news and information, announced U.S. Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Members of the public and media can now follow @USAO_NDOK on Twitter, a social media, microblogging service which limits text messages to 140 characters.
Porter Man Sentenced to 210 Months in Prison for Marijuana ConspiracyRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — A Porter man was sentenced for marijuana conspiracy on Tuesday, February 18, 2014, in U.S. District Court, announced U.S. Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Orlando Keane Jordan, a/k/a Rodeo, a/k/a Cowboy, 36, was sentenced to 210 months, 5 years supervised release, and a $100 special assessment by U.S. District Court Judge Claire V. Eagan for a marijuana conspiracy involving 1,000 kilograms or more. On October 18, 2013, Jordan pleaded guilty to a marijuana conspiracy which began in or about 2007 and continued through November 6, 2012.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Tulsa Police Department, and the Wagoner Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Janet S. Reincke prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Federal Grand Jury Criminal Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — The results of the February 2014 Federal Grand Jury were announced today by Danny C. Williams Sr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
The following named individuals have been charged with a federal crime or crimes by the return of an indictment by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing the defendant of alleged violations which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome the defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Francisco Cedeno-Esquivel. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Cedeno-Esquivel, 33, was arrested in Tulsa County and is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in May 2011 near Hidalgo, Texas. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be twenty (20) years imprisonment and/or a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the lead agency.
Jose Diaz-Hernandez. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Diaz-Hernandez, 42, was arrested in Tulsa County and is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in October 2013 near Brownsville, Texas. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be twenty (20) years imprisonment and/or a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the lead agency.
Gelvin Garcia-Alvarado. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Garcia-Alvarado, 31, was arrested in Tulsa County and is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in April 2008 near Alexandria, Louisiana. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be twenty (20) years imprisonment and/or a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the lead agency.
Cesario Hernandez-Aldaba. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Hernandez-Aldaba, 52, was arrested in Tulsa County and is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in April 2012 near Del Rio, Texas. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be twenty (20) years imprisonment and/or a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the lead agency.
Hunter Lee Hines. Threats Against the President. Hines, 18, of Claremore, Okla., an inmate at Rogers County Jail, is charged with mailing a threatening letter on December 16, 2013 to United States President Barack Obama. If convicted, Hines would face not more than five (5) years imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine. The United States Secret Service is the lead agency.
Jose Guadalupe Reyes-Banuelos. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Reyes-Banuelos, 40, was arrested in Tulsa County and is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in February 2010 near San Ysidro, California. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be twenty (20) years imprisonment and/or a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the lead agency.
Dominique Amoia McDowell, II. Robbery in Indian Country (Count One) and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence (Count Two). McDowell, 19, of Tulsa, is charged in a two count Indictment with brandishing a pistol while robbing an Indian female of $600 in Indian Country. If convicted, Robbery in Indian Country carries a maximum penalty of fifteen (15) years in prison and/or a fine of $250,000. Brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence carries a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of seven (7) years imprisonment and/or a fine of $250,000. The Bureau of Indian Affairs-Office of Justice Services and the Osage Nation Police Department jointly investigated this matter. This matter is in Federal court because the alleged crime occurred in Indian Country within the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Michael Medlock. Bank Fraud and Money Laundering. Medlock, 57, of Tulsa, is charged with defrauding over $2,000,000 from ONB Bank & Trust Company between December 2007 and April 2011. As part of the scheme, Medlock, owner of Klutts Equipment, Inc., and Vincens Omnibus, LLC., diverted account receivable payments into personal accounts. If convicted, bank fraud carries a maximum penalty of thirty (30) years imprisonment and/or a fine of $1,000,000 on each count. The penalty for money laundering is not more than ten (10) years imprisonment and/or a fine of $250,000. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the lead agency.
Jose De Jesus Salinas-Ramirez. Alien in the United States After Deportation. Salinas-Ramirez, 24, was arrested in Tulsa County and is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in July 2012 near Calexico, California. If convicted, the maximum penalty would be twenty (20) years imprisonment and/or a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the lead agency.
Thomas Kevin Vaughn. Embezzlement of Mail Matter. Vaughn, 49, of Nowata, Oklahoma, a United States Postal Service employee, is charged with embezzling letters and mail matter on December 18, 2013. If convicted, Vaughn would face a maximum penalty of five (5) years imprisonment and/or a fine up to $250,000. The United States Postal Service-Office of the Inspector General is the lead agency.
Damien Dinchie Wardell. Sex Trafficking of a Child (Count One) and Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, and Coercion (Count Two). Wardell, 39, of Tulsa, is charged in a two count Indictment with crimes pertaining to the sex trafficking of a child by force, fraud, and coercion in November 2013. Sex Trafficking of a Child carries a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of ten (10) years imprisonment and/or a fine of $250,000. Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, and Coercion carries a statutory mandatory minimum of not less than fifteen (15) years imprisonment and/or a fine of $250,000. The Tulsa Police Department investigated this matter.
Terrance Cortez Whitfield. Sex Trafficking of a Child (Count One), Interstate Travel and Transportation in Aid of Racketeering Enterprises (Count Two), and Possession of Child Pornography (Count Three). Whitfield, 36, of Muskogee, is charged in a three count Indictment with sex trafficking of a child and possessing child pornography. If convicted, Sex Trafficking of a Child carries a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of ten (10) years in imprisonment and/or a fine of $250,000. Interstate Travel and Transportation in Aid of Racketeering Enterprises carries a penalty of up to five (5) years imprisonment and/or a fine of $250,000. Possession of Child Pornography carries a maximum penalty of ten (10) years imprisonment and/or a fine of $250,000. The Tulsa Police Department investigated this matter.
Catoosa Man Sentenced to 9 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — A Catoosa man was sentenced in Federal court today for a crime involving a plot to burn down his rental house for profit, announced United States Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Christopher David Wiegers, 39, of Catoosa, Oklahoma, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell to serve 9 months in federal prison, to be followed by 9 months of home detention, 3 years of supervised release, a $5,000 fine, and $100 Special Monetary Assessment.
“The defendant’s plot to burn down his rental house could have endangered the lives of neighbors and first responders,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “Today’s sentencing should be a warning and deterrent to others from committing acts of arson in the future. I commend the quick actions and dedicated work by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tulsa Fire Department for thwarting the arson plot and protecting lives and the neighborhood.”
According to court documents, in early August of 2013, a man renting the house from Wiegers informed investigators that Wiegers had offered to pay between $5,000 and $8,000 to burn down the house. On September 5, 2013, Wiegers was indicted on charges of attempted arson (Count 1) and interstate transportation in aid of racketeering enterprises (Count 2). On October 18, 2013, Wiegers pleaded guilty to Count 2.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Tulsa Fire Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Gallant prosecuted on behalf of the United States.
If you have knowledge of an arson plot, contact the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Arson Hotline at 1-888-ATF-BOMB or 1-888-283-2662.
Oklahoma City Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sex Trafficking/Exploitation ChargeRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. — An Oklahoma City man pleaded guilty in federal court today to charges stemming from a sex trafficking sting conducted by the Tulsa Police Department’s Vice Unit, announced United States Attorney Danny C. Williams, Sr.
Ronald Everett Spivey, Jr, 47, of Oklahoma City, pleaded guilty to Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor before United States District Court Judge Claire V. Eagan. A federal grand jury had previously returned a four-count Superseding Indictment in December 2013, charging Spivey with various trafficking and child exploitation related violations. Kimberly Haven, a co-defendant, previously pled guilty to Interstate Transportation and Racketeering charges stemming from the same investigation. She will be sentenced on January 30, 2013.
During the Summer of 2013, Spivey and his co-defendant, Kimberly Haven, worked together in a commercial sex trafficking venture, during which they attempted to recruit and prostitute a female under 18 years of age. In late July of 2013, Spivey and Haven traveled from Oklahoma City to Tulsa for the purpose of recruiting for their prostitution business a girl whom Spivey believed to be 17 years of age. In actuality, Spivey was communicating with an undercover Tulsa Police Department officer. Spivey exchanged multiple text messages with the undercover officer in which he asked her birthday and even offered to take her to Vegas or Florida to work for him and make money. On July 31, 2013, Spivey and Haven were arrested in Tulsa at a location where they had arranged to meet the “17 year old girl.”
Spivey faces a statutory mandatory minimum of 10 years imprisonment up to life and a fine of $250,000. His sentencing hearing is set for April 17, 2014.
The Tulsa Police Department in coordination with Oklahoma City Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys R. Trent Shores and Clinton J. Johnson prosecuted this matter on behalf of the United States.
“We will continue to aggressively prosecute those who seek to traffic and exploit teenaged girls in the Northern District of Oklahoma. I commend the Tulsa Police Department’s Vice Unit for their excellent work in investigating this matter,” stated United States Attorney Williams.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."