Middle District of Pennsylvania

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jordan Anderson, age 28, an inmate at the United States Penitentiary, Canaan, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on March 28, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Robert D. Mariani, to 64 months’ imprisonment for assaulting another inmate with a dangerous weapon.   

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Anderson previously pleaded guilty to assaulting another inmate on May 10, 2022, at USP Canaan with a sharpened piece of metal commonly known as a “shank.” 

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service.  Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara prosecuted the case.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on March 23, 2023, Anthony Elonis, age 39, formerly of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 151 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Edward G. Smith, in Easton, Pennsylvania, for cyberstalking.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Elonis was found guilty after a five-day jury trial in Easton in August 2022, of three counts of cyberstalking involving three separate victims, including a government employee in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Elonis’ former girlfriend, and Elonis’ ex-wife.  Between 2018 and 2021, Elonis sent numerous threatening, harassing and intimidating emails directly to the governmental employee, and sent or posted numerous threatening, harassing and intimidating communications via Twitter, text message, voice mail or other form of electronic communication regarding the governmental employee, his former girlfriend, and his ex-wife.

The matter was specially assigned to the United States Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of Pennsylvania for prosecution.

The charges resulted from an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Allentown Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert J. O’Hara and Geoffrey MacArthur prosecuted the case.          

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HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that two previously deported men were indicted separately by a federal grand jury for illegal reentry into the United States.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Santiago-Hernandez, age 40, of Mexico, was indicted by a federal grand jury with illegal reentry into the United States by a previously removed alien.   The indictment alleges that Santiago-Hernandez was previously removed from the United States on March 19, 2015, through Laredo, Texas, and it is alleged that he reentered the United States without first obtaining legal permission to do so.  The indictment also alleges that on July 2, 2022, Santiago-Hernandez was encountered in Franklin County, Pennsylvania.

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) and the Pennsylvania State Police. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.

Jose Serrano-Castillo, age 31, of El Salvador, was indicted by a federal grand jury with illegal reentry into the United States by a previously removed alien.  The indictment alleges that Serrano-Castillo was previously removed from the United States on September 2, 2022, through Alexandria, Louisiana, and it is alleged that he reentered the United States without first obtaining legal permission to do so.  The indictment also alleges that on March 16, 2023, Serrano-Castillo was encountered in Franklin County, Pennsylvania.

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE).  The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 8 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaime M. Keating is prosecuting the cases.

A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that John Worobey, age 53, of Abington Township, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to three months in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani for failure to pay employment taxes.   

Worobey owned and operated Prime Electric, Inc., an electrical contracting business in Dunmore, Pennsylvania.  Between 2016 and 2019, Worobey collected $264,644 of federal employment taxes from his employees as he was required to by law but did not turn those employment taxes over to the IRS.

In June 2022, Worobey pleaded guilty to failing to pay employment taxes. At his guilty plea, he agreed to pay the IRS $244,644 in restitution owed.  Before sentencing, Worobey paid all of the restitution to the government.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Consiglio prosecuted the case.

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SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that William Quintana, age 50, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury for drug trafficking and firearm offenses.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Quintana with possessing with the intent to distribute quantities of methamphetamine and marijuana and possessing two pistols in furtherance of trafficking methamphetamine.  The indictment further charges Quintana with possessing three firearms, including an assault rifle while knowing that he had previously been convicted of a felony.

The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), the Pottsville Police Department, and the Schuylkill County District Attorney’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney James M. Buchanan is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.  A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Aaron Vandaley, age 45, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on March 21, 2023, to 78 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani for cyberstalking.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Vandaley, with the intent to harass and intimidate other persons, engaged in a course of conduct using electronic communication systems and services of interstate commerce to cause substantial emotional distress to six victims.  All six victims were former romantic partners of Vandaley or relatives and friends of his former romantic partners.

 During the course of the conduct, Vandaley repeatedly made false anonymous allegations to law enforcement agencies throughout the country.  He falsely accused the victims of committing heinous crimes including murder-for-hire, narcotics trafficking, human trafficking, and sexual offenses.  Vandaley also sent anonymous electronic messages to the victims threatening to kidnap and murder the minor child of one of the victims. Vandaley also threatened to mail parts of that minor child back to the victim.  Vandaley committed these crimes while one of the victims had a protection from abuse order against him.

Vandaley has eight previous convictions for indirect criminal contempt for failing to obey court orders of protection.  During his detention in Lackawanna County Jail pending his sentencing, Vandaley continued to attempt to contact at least one of his victims by making over 100 phone calls to the victim from jail.  As part of the sentence, Vandaley is not to have any further contact with any of the victims in the case.

The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID), Fort Stewart, Georgia, and the Pottsville Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney James Buchanan prosecuted the case.

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SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Xavion Lawrence, age 22, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institute Schuylkill, was indicted by a federal grand jury for illegally possessing contraband.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on November 13, 2022, Lawrence was found in possession of a piece of plexiglass sharpened to a point with a cloth handle, commonly referred to as a “shank.”  

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons. Assistant United States Attorney Brian J. Gallagher is prosecuting the case.

Lawrence faces a maximum penalty of 5 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Devontay Douglas, age 25, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institute Schuylkill, was indicted by a federal grand jury for illegally possessing contraband.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on February 8, 2023, Douglas was found in possession of a 6-inch piece of metal sharpened to a point with a cloth handle, commonly referred to as a “shank.”

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons. Assistant United States Attorney Brian J. Gallagher is prosecuting the case.

Douglas faces a maximum penalty of 5 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a Special Agent with the Department of Labor, Thomas Hartley, age 49, of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on March 21, 2023, before U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to the charge of mail fraud in connection with multiple schemes to commit fraud.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Hartley admitted that he obtained a total of $197,366 through multiple fraud schemes.  Between April 2020 and September 2021, Hartley applied for and collected Pennsylvania unemployment compensation benefits by claiming that he was unemployed, when in fact Hartley was employed on full time active duty with the New Jersey National Guard.  Further, in applying for unemployment benefits, the defendant failed to disclose that he was on military leave from his full-time federal civilian employment with the United States Department of Labor.  Hartley thereby utilized the mail to collect approximately $60,284 in unemployment compensation funds to which he was not entitled.

In connection with his guilty plea, Hartley also acknowledged that he fraudulently obtained $23,582 in Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) funds paid by the Department of the Army, $50,000 in “lost wage” benefits paid by USAA insurance, and $63,500 from his Thrift Savings Plan.

 In August 2022, a grand jury issued a second superseding indictment charging Hartley with multiple fraud schemes.  In addition to the scheme to fraudulently obtain Pennsylvania unemployment compensation funds, the second superseding indictment also charged that Hartley, while on leave from his position with the Department of Labor and serving with the New Jersey National Guard, submitted false documents to the Department of the Army and thereby obtained approximately $23,580 in housing allowance funds to which he was not entitled.

The second superseding indictment also charged Hartley with fraud in connection with the filing of a lost wage claim with USAA Insurance following an automobile accident.  Hartley falsely claimed that he had lost wages, resulting from an automobile accident, when in fact Hartley was suspended without pay from his employment with the Department of Labor as a result of an ongoing criminal investigation.  Hartley thereby collected approximately $50,000 in lost wage benefits to which he was not entitled.

 Finally, the second superseding indictment charged Hartley with fraudulently obtaining funds from his Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) by falsely claiming that he was not married, when in fact he was at all times married. Hartley thereby transferred the funds to himself personally, or to a bank account solely in his name, without the knowledge or consent of his wife. 

The investigation was conducted by the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Special Investigations, the United States Army, Criminal Investigation Division, and the USAA Insurance Special Investigations Unit.  Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.

Under federal law, the charge of Mail Fraud carries up to a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Kevin Coles, age 37, of New York and Hagerstown, Maryland, was sentenced to three consecutive terms of life imprisonment for his role in the June 25, 2016, murders of three individuals in Mercersburg, Franklin County, one of whom was cooperating with state and federal drug investigators. The consecutive sentences were imposed by United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner, who also sentenced Coles to multiple additional consecutive terms of imprisonment amounting to 35 additional years for various firearms convictions. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Coles’ conviction was the result of a six-year investigation into murders of three individuals that occurred on June 25, 2016, on a property along Welsh Run Road in Mercersburg, Franklin County. When Pennsylvania State Police officers were called to the crime scene, they found the bodies of Wendy Ann Chaney, 39, Hagerstown, Md, Brandon Cole, 47, Fayetteville, PA, and Phillip Matthew Jackson, 36, Mercersburg, PA, in a barn on victim Jackson’s property. All were shot. The three victims had their hands zipped-tied behind their backs and had been set on fire. Jackson and Cole were shot once in the head. Chaney was shot twice, once in the back and once in the neck. Wendy Chaney and Brandon Cole were already dead when the police responded to the scene.  Phillip Jackson was transported to York Hospital where he died shortly after arrival.

Coles was tried by a jury in Harrisburg in April 2022, and convicted on all 16 counts of the indictment, to include interstate travel to commit murder, murder of a witness, and drug trafficking offenses. The evidence established that Wendy Chaney was in a relationship with Kevin Coles and a coconspirator and had been previously assisting both with their drug distribution operation. Coles, the coconspirator, and co-defendant Devin Dickerson learned that Chaney was cooperating with federal authorities and contracted for her to be murdered. Co-defendants Jerell Adgebesan and Kenyatta Corbett recruited members of a Baltimore based gang known as the Black Guerilla Family and others from Baltimore to travel to the Jackson property to kill Wendy Chaney. The killers were promised that they could take as payment $20,000 that was to be in a safe in the barn and any drugs and firearms that they could locate on the Jackson property. Once there, the killers encountered not only Wendy Chaney but also Brandon Cole and Phillip Jackson. Chaney was killed to protect the drug trafficking activities of Coles, and his co-conspirators. Jackson and Cole were murdered to prevent them from being witnesses to the crimes of violence that were committed at the Jackson property. The killers never found any money on the property but stole some drugs and firearms.

The following individuals were charged along with Coles as a result of the investigation:

• Devin Dickerson, age 31, Hagerstown, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin and crack cocaine and is awaiting sentencing;
• Kenyatta Corbett, age 38, Hagerstown, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and to being an accomplice to the use of a firearm during Hobbs Act robbery and is awaiting sentencing;
• Michael Buck, age 30, Hagerstown, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and to being an accomplice to the use of a firearm during Hobbs Act robbery and is awaiting sentencing;
• Nicholas Preddy, age 29, Baltimore, pleaded guilty to attempting to kill a witness and is awaiting sentencing;
• Johnnie Jenkins-Armstrong, age 22, Baltimore, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and to being an accomplice to the use of a firearm during Hobbs Act robbery and is awaiting sentencing;
• Terrance Lawson, age 31, Baltimore, sentenced to time served for attempting to intimidate a witness;
• Tyrone Armstrong, age 30, Baltimore, sentenced to time served for attempting to intimidate a witness; and
• Christopher Johnson, age 31, Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty to multiple counts including murder for hire and is awaiting sentencing;   
• Mark Johnson, 35, Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty to obstructing the grand jury’s investigation and was sentenced to 110 months’ imprisonment;
• Llesenia Woodard, 46, Hagerstown, Maryland, pled guilty to providing false testimony to the grand jury investigating the murders and is awaiting sentencing
• Jerell Adgebesan, age 35, of Baltimore and Hagerstown, Maryland, pled guilty in June 2022 to Hobbs Act robbery and to being an accomplice to the use of a firearm during Hobbs Act robbery. Judge Conner sentenced Adgebesan in February 2023 to life imprisonment and a consecutive 10-year term of imprisonment;
• Torey White, 32, Waynesboro, PA, and Florida, was indicted on multiple counts to include murder of a witness, conspiracy to commit murder, robbery, and firearms offenses. His trial is currently scheduled to commence in May 2023. 
• Yolanda Diaz, 31, Hagerstown, was indicted on multiple counts of perjury and obstruction of justice based upon her testimony at the Coles trial. Her trial is currently scheduled for May 2023.

Joshua Davis, age 30, previously pled guilty to participating in the conspiracy to locate and kill an individual believed to be cooperating with federal authorities in the investigation of the triple murders. Davis was sentenced to serve 100 months’ imprisonment. 

The following federal, state and local law enforcement agencies participated in the investigation:  Drug Enforcement Administration Harrisburg Resident Office; Pennsylvania State Police, Chambersburg; Pennsylvania State Police, Troop H; Franklin County Drug Task Force; Franklin County Adult Probation; Pennsylvania State Probation and Parole; Hagerstown Police Department, Criminal Investigation Division; Drug Enforcement Administration, Hagerstown Resident Office; Washington County Narcotics Task Force; Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office, Strike Force Group 1; Maryland State Police Homicide Unit; Baltimore Police Department Narcotics, Fugitive And Homicide Units; Baltimore County Police Department Narcotics and Gang Unit; Federal Bureau of Investigation Evidence Management Unit, Quantico, VA; US Marshal’s Service Harrisburg, PA and Phoenix, AZ; Franklin County District Attorney’s Office; United States Attorney’s Office, District Of Maryland; and the Washington County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Judy Fernandez, Manager of Analytic Services at LexisNexis Special Services, Inc., (LNSSI) provided expert assistance to investigators and the prosecutors in the areas of analysis, support, and the rendering of her expert opinion.

Assistant United States Attorney William A. Behe, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, and Senior Litigation Counsel Michael Consiglio are prosecuting the case.       

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin.  Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.

This prosecution is also part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) identified as “Retribution for Welsh Run.”  OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets. 

All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Kelvin Vazquez-Pagan, age 25, of Passaic, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on March 16, 2023, before U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to the charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Vazquez-Pagan admitted to possessing four kilograms of cocaine for further distribution.  The charge stems from an incident on March 23, 2022, in which members of the Pennsylvania State Police made a traffic stop of a vehicle in Lackawanna County in which Vazquez-Pagan and another individual, Carlos Perez-Rivera, age 37, of West New York, New Jersey, were traveling.  A subsequent search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of approximately four kilograms of cocaine found hidden inside the vehicle.    

Co-conspirator Perez-Rivera previously entered a guilty plea before Judge Mannion on March 3, 2023 and is awaiting sentencing.

The investigation was conducted by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorneys Robert J. O’Hara and Brian J. Gallagher are prosecuting the case.

This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.         

The charge carries a maximum penalty under federal law of up to twenty years in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Dario George, age 32, of Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on March 16, 2023, before U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to the charge of possession with intent to distribute more than forty grams of fentanyl.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, George admitted to distributing between 280 grams and 400 grams of fentanyl in the Luzerne County area in 2021 and 2022. The charge stems from an investigation in which investigators made four purchases of fentanyl from George and then, on May 19, 2022, obtained a search warrant for George’s residence in Nanticoke.  A search of that residence resulted in the seizure of approximately 30,000 individual bags of fentanyl and additional amounts of heroin and cocaine, $8098 in U.S. currency, and drug packaging materials.

The investigation was conducted by the Pennsylvania State Police, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Bureau of Narcotics Investigation, and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.        

Under federal law, George faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum sentence of forty years in prison, a term of supervised release and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on March 16, 2023, Brian Propst, age 51, of Greenfield Township, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani to a charge of tax evasion.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Propst operates DKB Transportation, Inc., a bussing company that provides transportation for various school districts in Northeastern Pennsylvania.  During 2016 through 2019, DKB Transportation, Inc. employed a number of individuals approximately one-half of which Propst paid “under the table,” with no employment tax monies either withheld or accounting for and paid over to the IRS. 

Propst agreed to cooperate fully with the IRS, and to pay all taxes owed together with interest and penalties as determined by the court.

This case was investigated by the Scranton Office of the IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Todd K. Hinkley is prosecuting the case.

The combined maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 5 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that United States Judge Christopher C. Conner sentenced Ekow Harley, age 33, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to 48 months in prison for mail fraud and aggravated identity theft.   

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Harley was a member of a conspiracy in which co-conspirators, using the personal identifying information of unknowing victims, opened Sprint cell phone accounts.  In opening the accounts, the co-conspirators would order cell phones and have them shipped to residences, unassociated with the victims or conspiracy members.  The tracking numbers for the packages were then sent to co-conspirators, to include Harley, that would pick the packages up from the houses after delivery.  Through this scheme, Harley was personally responsible for over $90,000 loss and the use of the identity of at least 33 victims. 

Gerrit Deku and Joseph Ofori were also members of the conspiracy.  On March 23, 2022, Judge Conner sentenced Deku to 34 months imprisonment.  On August 16, 2022, Judge Conner sentenced Ofori to one year probation.    

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Pennsylvania State Police.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Ford prosecuted the case.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani sentenced Fausto Hernandez, age 44, of Tobyhanna, Monroe County, on March 15, 2023, to one year in prison for the charge of distributing a “designer drug” which is a controlled substance analog.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Hernandez previously pleaded guilty and admitted to distributing a “designer drug” known as “4-chloroethcathinone,” often referred to as “4-CEC,” a controlled substance analog which mimics the effects of other drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine, in the Monroe County area in June and July 2019.  

Under federal law, such “designer drugs” are controlled substance analogues, which are chemically similar to controlled substances in Schedule I or II, to the extent they are intended for human consumption, and are treated as controlled substances.

This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. O’Hara prosecuted the case. 

This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani sentenced Michael Jacob Walczyk, age 43, of Beach Lake, Pennsylvania, to 360 months in prison for enticement of a minor. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Walczyk pleaded guilty to a felony Information and admitted that, between July 10, 2019 and September 2020, he knowingly persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a victim under the age of 18 to engage in sexual activity for the purposes of producing child pornography. Walczyk encountered the victim online in 2019, when she was 14 years old. He convinced her to produce sexually explicit photographs and videos for him and engaged in live video chats during which he directed her to perform sexual acts. Beginning in January 2020, Walczyk began to invite others to watch as the minor victim performed sexual “shows” at his direction and charged them a fee. Walczyk further engaged in verbally abusive and controlling behavior to keep the victim performing and producing child pornography for his enjoyment and profit. Walczyk used multiple mobile applications and websites to contact the child victim, and he coerced her to turn over all of her social media login information, so he could monitor her activities and exercise control.

Walczyk admitted that he used false identities to entice the victim and that he produced and distributed child pornography as part of his offense conduct. Judge Mariani found that Walczyk’s pattern of prohibited sexual conduct with a minor should result in a higher sentencing range as a repeat and dangerous sex offender against minors under the United States Sentencing Commission Guidelines.

In addition to the 30-year prison term, Judge Mariani ordered Walczyk to serve a 10-year term of supervised release, to pay $2,900 in restitution to the victim, and to forfeit assets involved in the commission of the offense, including over $3,000 in proceeds from selling admission to the child pornography livestreams.

“This case represents the worst fears of parents of young children in the age of the internet,” said U.S. Attorney Karam. “And it drives home the importance of monitoring and controlling the online activities of our children. Just as we warn our kids about the pitfalls of talking to strangers they might encounter on the street or out in public places, we must have frank conversations with children about the dangers of interacting with people they don’t know online. If someone tries to chat with a child or asks for any information or pictures, they need to know they can and should tell a trusted adult immediately. We are grateful to the brave, young victim and her family who came forward in this case, for helping to ensure that this defendant won’t be able to victimize another child.”

“Michael Walcyzk deserves each and every day of this 30-year sentence,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “His repeated virtual invasions of his victim’s home; his sexual exploitation of her, both for his own pleasure and for profit; and the psychological torment he inflicted have changed this child’s life. Our Crimes Against Children Task Force will continue to diligently work to identify and apprehend abhorrent predators like Michael Walcyzk, whose crimes demand they be removed from society so they can’t harm anyone else.”

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni prosecuted the case.

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.      

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HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that two previously deported men were indicted separately by a federal grand jury for illegal reentry into the United States. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Daniel Godinez-Pelcastre, age 54, of Mexico, was indicted by a federal grand jury with illegal reentry into the United States by a previously removed alien. The indictment alleges that Godinez-Pelcastre was previously removed from the United States on March 29, 2017, through Brownsville, Texas, and it is alleged that he reentered the United States without first obtaining legal permission to do so.  The indictment also alleges that on November 21, 2022, Godinez-Pelcastre was encountered in Adams County, Pennsylvania.

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) and the Pennsylvania State Police.

Hector Cristales-Najarro, age 25, of Guatemala, was indicted by a federal grand jury with illegal reentry into the United States by a previously removed alien.  The indictment alleges that Cristales-Najarro was previously removed from the United States on February 11, 2020, through San Antonio, Texas, and it is alleged that he reentered the United States without first obtaining legal permission to do so.  The indictment also alleges that on December 26, 2022, Cristales-Najarro was encountered in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) and the Harrisburg Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaime M. Keating is prosecuting the case.

The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses are 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.  A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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SCRANTON - United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office continues to promote the Department of Justice’s new initiative to better counter hate crimes and hate incidents in the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

As part of the initiative, U.S Attorney Karam hosted a meeting with Scranton High School students, the Mayor of Scranton, law enforcement agencies, and community leaders from across Northeastern Pennsylvania. This meeting was designed to educate students and community leaders on identifying, reporting, and preventing hate crimes. 

At this event, subject matter experts from the United States Attorney’s Office, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office; the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Pennsylvania State Police, City of Scranton, the Lackawanna and Luzerne County District Attorney’s Offices, and other local law enforcement identified federal and state criminal hate crime statutes.  The audience was made up of Scranton High School students, groups of community leaders, civil rights advocates and organizations, and religious leaders of various faiths.  Presenters highlighted differences between hate crimes versus hate incidents and provided options for responding to hate incidents when situations do not constitute a federal or state crime. Presenters also distinguished unlawful conduct from protected First Amendment activity, including identifying protected speech versus speech that advocates violence or encourages people to commit hate crimes.

The Middle District of Pennsylvania was one of the first of 16 U.S. Attorney Offices to launch the United Against Hate program. U.S. Attorney Karam previously hosted a meeting on November 17, 2023, in the Harrisburg area with an audience of various law enforcement agencies and community leaders from across the mid-state.  The United Against Hate initiative seeks to strengthen collaborative relationships of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies with communities in order to build trust and encourage the reporting of hate crimes and hate incidents. 

“Building upon our partnership with our community leaders and our state and local law enforcement, we are reaching out to school leaders and our future leaders, the youth of this District, to play an important role in identifying, reporting, and preventing crimes of hate, ” said U.S. Attorney Karam. “The number of hate crimes and incidents continue to rise, including in schools, and we want to take every opportunity to educate, listen, and collaborate to combat these acts that violate the fundamental principal of democracy.  We will hold all those accountable who commit crimes because of someone’s skin color, the faith they practice, who they love, or because they have a disability.”

As part of its United Against Hate programming, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to partner with communities across the Middle District of Pennsylvania to expand connections with those communities, further hate crimes prevention efforts, and encourage more people to report hate crimes and hate incidents.

Those who believe they are subject to hate crimes or incidents should contact local law enforcement and the FBI.  Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/. Anyone in the Middle District of Pennsylvania may also report civil rights violations to the Civil Rights coordinator of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania by calling 717-614-4911 or emailing [email protected].

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Moises Vargas-Olivio, age 22, of Olyphant, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on March 9, 2023, before U.S. District Court Judge Malachy Mannion, to the charge of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Vargas-Olivio admitted to possessing a loaded .357 Magnum revolver, a loaded .22 caliber handgun, and an illegal “sawed-off” shotgun with a barrel less than 18 inches in length, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  The charge stems from an incident on May 22, 2022, in which Lackawanna County Detectives and members of the Olyphant Police Department made a purchase of cocaine from Vargas-Olivio and then obtained a search warrant for Vargas-Olivio’s residence in Olyphant.  A search of the residence resulted in the seizure of an additional amount of cocaine packaged for distribution, approximately $20,000 in U.S. currency, numerous pills, marijuana, two loaded handguns, and a loaded “sawed-off” shotgun.

The charges against the defendant resulted from an investigation conducted by Lackawanna County Detectives, the Olyphant Police Department, and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force.  Assistant United States Attorneys Robert J. O’Hara and Brian J. Gallagher are prosecuting the case.

This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Under federal law, for the firearms charges, Vargas-Olivio faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison, a maximum sentence of life, a term of supervised release and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Justin William Davis, age 39, of Berwick, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on March 9, 2023, by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to 24 months’ imprisonment for aggravated identity theft, as engaged in as part of a so-called mail “fishing” scheme. 

Individuals involved in the scheme used improvised devices to pull mail from United States Post Office collection boxes in the hope of stealing checks and other valuable instruments.  These items were then “washed” (a chemical fluid is utilized to erase the ink) and re-written to reflect a new payee and a new, higher monetary amount, before being cashed or deposited into the bank accounts of co-conspirators for later withdrawal. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, from approximately August 19, 2021 through November 2, 2021, Davis orchestrated the above-described type of “fishing” scheme, utilizing a group of associates whom he paid to go into various banks in Luzerne and Lackawanna County and cash the checks for him.  In all, Davis was involved in the fishing, washing and fraudulent negotiation of approximately 70 checks, and was able–with the assistance of the intermediaries–to successfully negotiate checks totaling $49,148.48.  At his sentencing, Davis was ordered to pay restitution in that amount to the victim banks who reimbursed the persons whose checks were stolen, altered, and fraudulently negotiated. 

Because Davis engaged in this new criminal conduct while serving a term of federal supervised release that was imposed in connection with a similar prior criminal case, Judge Mannion also sentenced Davis to a consecutive 24-month term of imprisonment on the supervised release violation, resulting in a total aggregate sentence of 48 months’ imprisonment. 

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffery St John prosecuted the case.

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SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Zyeaire Brent, age 26, of Salisbury, Maryland, was sentenced on March 3, 2023, to 21 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani for unlawfully possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Brent previously pleaded guilty to possessing a loaded 9mm Smith & Wesson pistol on November 19, 2020, in Susquehanna County, while knowing that he had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. 

The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Susquehanna County District Attorney’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney James Buchanan prosecuted the case.

This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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HARRISBURG- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Lisa Marie Famiglietti, age 42, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on March 3, 2023, by U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson to a period of time-served, consisting of 35 days’ incarceration, for making interstate threats. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, between October and December 2021, Famiglietti sent multiple explicitly threatening messages to two victims through fake Instagram and Twitter accounts. The threats included burning down the victim’s house with the victim inside, throwing the victim into a fire pit, and using an ax to break the victim’s arms, legs, and head. Famiglietti’s cyberthreats continued even after she was confronted by the FBI in November 2021.  As argued by the government at sentencing, Famiglietti’s anonymous interstate threats were particularly alarming and unsettling to the victims, because the victims did not know who was making the threats and what steps, if any, were being taken to carry out the threats.   

In addition to her five weeks in prison, the Court ordered Lisa Famiglietti to serve one year of supervised release to include computer monitoring software on all her electronic devices. 

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).  Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel S. Dalke prosecuted the case.

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HARRISBURG, PA —The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Penn State Health (PSH) has agreed to pay $1,252,662.28 to resolve allegations of civil liability for submitting claims to Medicare for Evaluation & Management (E&M) services that violated Medicare rules and regulations. 

According to the U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Penn State Health voluntarily disclosed that, between January 2015 and March 2019 for HMC, and between July 2015 and June 2018 for SJMC, PSH submitted claims to Medicare Part B for E&M services that were not supported by the medical record on the same date of service as infusion services. After it discovered the problems, PSH took prompt corrective action.

This matter was handled by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of Counsel to the Inspector General (OCIG), and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Haken of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

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SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Dewey Sims, age 34, an inmate at FCI-Schuylkill, was sentenced on March 3, 2023, to five months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani for possessing prohibited objects.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Sims previously pleaded guilty to possessing quantities of oxycodone hydrochloride, a Schedule II controlled substance, and suboxone, a Schedule III controlled substance. Both items are prohibited objects for federal inmates.  The sentence will run consecutive to the sentence Sims is currently serving.

The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Assistant United States Attorney James Buchanan prosecuted the case.

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SCRANTON –U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam today issued the 2022 Annual Report for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

“As public servants, we seek to provide transparency and accountability by publicly reporting on our work and accomplishments,” said U.S. Attorney Karam. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office, along with our partner agencies, had many achievements in 2022.” 

The accomplishments summarized in this report are due to the hard work of our 92 dedicated professionals.  In 2022, Assistant United States Attorneys prosecuted approximately 385 criminal cases involving 479 defendants, and our Civil Division handled over 740 cases representing the interests of the federal government, including obtaining over $30 million in criminal and civil actions. We continued to participate in numerous community outreach programs designed to educate the public and reduce recidivism, violent crimes, and opioid dependence. 

“It’s an honor to work with the members of this office and with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to seek justice and to improve the safety and quality of life for the people of the Middle District of Pennsylvania,” said U.S. Attorney Karam.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani sentenced brothers Jose Raymer Tejeda, age 38, and Edwin Tejeda, age 32, to 188 months of imprisonment each, for running a fentanyl and cocaine trafficking conspiracy.  Both men were residents of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, prior to being incarcerated on the instant offenses.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the Tejeda brothers previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine and 400 grams and more of fentanyl, which resulted in death.  The Tejeda brothers operated the conspiracy to distribute significant quantities of fentanyl and cocaine in the Wilkes-Barre region and elsewhere, between approximately January 2016 and February 2020.  On September 19, 2019, James Garris, Jr., a drug dealer in the Tejeda brothers’ drug trafficking organization, distributed fentanyl to James Tindol, Jr., who subsequently distributed the fentanyl to an individual identified as A.V.  Shortly after ingesting the fentanyl, A.V. overdosed and died.

In addition to Edwin Tejeda and Jose Raymer Tejeda, five other former Luzerne County men associated with their drug trafficking organization have been charged and convicted in the broader investigation, for various fentanyl, cocaine, and tramadol trafficking offenses, including fentanyl trafficking that resulted in death:

1. Emilio Tejeda, age 33, a third brother, formerly of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 57 months of imprisonment after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute fentanyl;
2. James Tindol, Jr., age 38, formerly of Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 120 months of imprisonment after pleading guilty to distributing fentanyl that resulted in death;
3. James Garris, Jr., age 52, formerly of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 168 months of imprisonment after pleading guilty to distributing fentanyl that resulted in death;
4. Kearon Brinson, age 41, formerly of West Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 41 months of imprisonment after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute fentanyl and marijuana; and
5. Lamont Hubbard, age 50, formerly of Plymouth, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to a time served term of approximately 26 months after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute fentanyl and marijuana.

As part of the sentencings, Judge Mariani ordered forfeiture of over $25,000, and various firearms, ammunition, and property seized during the investigation.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Luzerne Country Drug Task Force, and the Kingston Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin.  Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.

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SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced a settlement with Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act to improve physical accessibility at the county’s polling places for individuals who use wheelchairs and other mobility aids. 

During the November 7, 2017, General Election, the United States Attorney’s Office, along with an architect from the Department of Justice, surveyed a portion of the county’s polling place locations.  The survey resulted in a finding that many of the County’s polling locations contain barriers to vote for persons with disabilities. Title II of the ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by a state or local government in any of its programs or services, including its voting program. 

Under the terms of the agreement, the county will use an evaluation form for each current and prospective polling place based on ADA architectural standards.  The settlement requires the county to either relocate inaccessible polling places to new, accessible facilities, or to use temporary measures such as portable ramps, signs, traffic cones and doorbells, where appropriate to ensure accessibility on Election Day. 

“Obstacles and barriers at polling locations for individuals with disabilities violate their fundamental right to vote,” said U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam.  “This agreement demonstrates a working partnership between Lycoming County and the United States to ensure all disabled voters will be able to cast their ballots with their neighbors on Election Day.”

This investigation was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Butler, the civil rights coordinator, with the assistant of the United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division (Disability Rights Section). 

Those interested in finding out more about the ADA can access the ADA website at www.ada.gov.  Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/. Anyone in the Middle District of Pennsylvania may also report civil rights violations to the Civil Rights Coordinator of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania by calling 717-614-4911 or emailing [email protected]. 

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Carlos Perez-Rivera, age 37, of West New York, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on March 1, 2023, before U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to the charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Perez-Rivera admitted to possessing four kilograms of cocaine for further distribution.  The charge stems from an incident on March 23, 2022, in which members of the Pennsylvania State Police made a traffic stop of a vehicle in Lackawanna County in which Perez-Rivera and another individual, Kelvin Vazquez-Pagan were traveling.  A subsequent search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of approximately four kilograms of cocaine found hidden inside the vehicle.    

Coconspirator Vazquez-Pagan, age 24, of Passaic, New Jersey, is awaiting trial.        

The investigation was conducted by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorneys Robert J. O’Hara and Brian J. Gallagher are prosecuting the case.

This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.          

The charge carries a maximum penalty under federal law of up to twenty years in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.        

 All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Shelley Noreika, age 49, of Dillsburg, PA, was sentenced to 30 months’ incarceration by United States District Judge Sylvia H. Rambo for making False Statements Relating to Health Care Matters. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Noreika fabricated serious illnesses and made fraudulent statements to healthcare providers in connection with her 5-year-old adoptive daughter.  As result of Noreika’s false statements, the minor child was subjected to unnecessary medical treatment and the downstream insurers incurred monetary losses in the six-figures. In particular, and as admitted by Noreika to federal investigators, Noreika told her daughter to pretend and fake having a seizure while Noreika videotaped her.  Noreika then emailed the video clip of the fake seizure to her daughter’s pediatric neurologist, along with false statements concerning the minor child’s medical condition.  On multiple other occasions, Noreika likewise falsely reported to medical providers that her daughter experienced seizures, when in fact no such seizures occurred.  In fact, at no point did Noreika ever witness her daughter have an actual seizure.

As recognized by both the government and defense, Noreika’s conduct is consistent with factitious disorder imposed on another, formerly known as munchausen syndrome by proxy, a mental illness in which a caregiver makes up or causes an illness or injury to a person under their care, to gain attention and sympathy for themselves.  However, the government pointed out to the Court there was also a clear financial motive – Noreika received enhanced Medicare and adoption subsidiaries for taking care of a medically ill child, and she promoted the minor child’s purported conditions to seek donations from local organizations and through online fundraising efforts. 

“Today’s sentencing sends a strong message that protecting children is a top priority,” said Special Agent in Charge Maureen R. Dixon of the Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Philadelphia Regional Office. “HHS-OIG will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to thoroughly investigate allegations of abuse against children and ensure claims submitted to federal and state programs by caregivers are truthful and accurate. We would like to thank the Pennsylvania State Police and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their partnership and commitment in this investigation.”

In addition to the 30-month prison sentence, the Court ordered Shelley Noreika to serve three years of supervised release following incarceration, and to pay a fine of $500 and restitution of $137,710.86 to the victims of the offense.  Noreika is no longer in care of the minor child, and she also faces related state charges which are pending. 

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (OIG) Harrisburg Field Office, and the Pennsylvania State Police.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel S. Dalke prosecuted the case.

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SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Marco Decamillo, age 46, of Reading, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on a charge of mail fraud. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges Decamillo perpetrated a scheme using his company, “Downrange Tactical,” to advertise and sell ballistic rifle plates and other body armor which Decamillo falsely claimed were certified by the National Institute of Justice.  The indictment further alleges, that on January 13, 2021, Decamillo mailed four body armor plate inserts to a P.O. Box in Wyoming, Pennsylvania.  

The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).  Assistant U.S. Attorney James Buchanan is prosecuting the case.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is twenty years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that two previously deported men were indicted separately by a federal grand jury for illegal reentry into the United States. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Sandrino Trifu, age 24, of Croaova, Romania, was indicted by a federal grand jury with illegal reentry into the United States by a previously removed alien. The indictment alleges that Trifu was previously removed from the United States on July 10, 2019, through Chicago, Illinois, and it is alleged that he reentered the United States without first obtaining legal permission to do so. The indictment also alleges that on February 6, 2023, Trifu was encountered in Adams County, Pennsylvania.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE).

Refugio Pimentel-Garcia, age 28, of Puruándiro, Mexico, was indicted by a federal grand jury with illegal reentry into the United States by a previously removed alien.  The indictment alleges that Pimentel-Garcia was previously removed from the United States on October 12, 2016, through Brownsville, Texas, and it is alleged that he reentered the United States without first obtaining legal permission to do so.  The indictment also alleges that on January 27, 2023, Pimentel-Garcia was encountered in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 2 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) and the Pennsylvania State Police.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaime M. Keating is prosecuting both cases.

A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Clifford Johnson, age 58, of Franklin Township, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on February 21, 2023, before US. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to the charges of distribution of methamphetamine and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Johnson admitted to distributing and conspiring with others to distribute between 500 and 1500 grams of crystal methamphetamine in the Susquehanna County area between August 2019 and April 2020.  

The charges resulted from an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Pennsylvania State Police.  Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.

This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Under federal law, the drug trafficking offenses carry a maximum possible penalty of up to twenty years in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Rasjon Walters, age 27, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on February 21, 2023, before U.S District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to one count of fentanyl distribution and one count of carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Walters admitted to distributing fentanyl in the Luzerne County area between June 2021 and December 2021.  He also admitted to using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. The charges stem from an investigation in which investigators made multiple purchases of fentanyl and a firearm from Walters.  Investigators then obtained a search warrant for Walters’ residence in Wilkes-Barre and seized additional amounts of fentanyl, packaging materials, scales, and other items of drug paraphernalia.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Wilkes-Barre Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.

This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Under federal law, the charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.  A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Mason Morey, age 26, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of attempted online enticement and 14 counts of production of child pornography. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the superseding indictment alleges that between November 28, 2022 and December 8, 2022, Morey used the internet to attempt to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. It further alleges that on December 7, 2022, Morey produced images and videos of child pornography. Agents with Homeland Security Investigations arrested Morey on December 8, 2022, on the attempted online enticement charges in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.  Following an initial appearance on the charge, U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph F. Saporito, Jr. ordered Morey to be detained pending trial on the charge.     

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case.

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."

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is lifetime imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Isiah Robinson, age 36, formerly of Maryland, and an inmate at the United States Penitentiary, Canaan, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on February 23, 2023, before U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to the charge of assault with a dangerous weapon.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Robinson admitted to assaulting another inmate with a sharpened piece of metal commonly known as a “shank.” The charge stems from an incident in October 2020, at the institution, at which time Robinson stabbed another inmate twice. The victim inmate’s wounds were not life-threatening but required outpatient treatment at a hospital.   

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service.  Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.

The maximum penalty under federal law for the charge is ten years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Anthony Lauro, age 35, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner for receiving child pornography.  Judge Conner also ordered Lauro to pay $24,000 in restitution to victims of his offenses, and to serve 10 years on supervised release following his prison sentence.

According to U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Lauro pleaded guilty to receiving images and videos of child pornography that were sent to him by another Cumberland County resident named Ryan Banks, who created the illicit images with a 14-year-old boy in West Virginia in September 2020 when Banks was 36.  Banks is currently serving a 17 ½ to 35-year prison sentence in West Virginia for his offenses.  Lauro was found to have been in contact with both Banks and the victim at the time the victim was being sexually exploited.  As part of the federal investigation, agents found Lauro in possession of more than 1,000 images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of other minors.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, the Mechanicsburg Police Department, and the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office in West Virginia.  Assistant United States Attorney Christian T. Haugsby prosecuted the case.

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.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Tysheen Gott, a/k/a, “LB,” age 46, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on February 17, 2023 to 300 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, crack, and tramadol. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Gott was responsible for having conspired to distribute in excess of 14 kilograms of fentanyl and heroin throughout Luzerne and surrounding counties. 

Gott was also ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release upon release from custody.

Gott was one of eleven defendants indicted in May 2020.  With the exception of Gott, all other co-conspirators pleaded guilty and have been sentenced.  Gott was convicted on all charges by a jury after a trial that took place in August 2021.

This case was the result of a year-long investigation, in part driven by multiple federal wiretaps conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Wilkes-Barre Police Department, the Scranton Police Department, the Pittston City Police Department, the Plymouth Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office, the Wyoming County District Attorney’s Office and the Office of Pennsylvania Attorney General.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Olshefski and Robert O’Hara prosecuted the case.

This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin.  Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Alnaldo Perez-Rodriguez, age 36, of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Perez-Rodriguez, previously pleaded guilty and admitted to possessing a loaded Walther .380 caliber pistol in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  The charge stems from an incident on December 3, 2021, in Shenandoah, in which State Parole Agents, members of the United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force and the Schuylkill County Drug Task Force arrested Perez-Rodriguez for a violation of the conditions of his state parole.  Perez-Rodriguez was found in possession of a loaded Walther .380 caliber pistol, an additional 35 rounds of .380 caliber ammunition, packets of fentanyl for distribution, packages of methamphetamine for distribution, and $875 in U.S. currency. 

The investigation was conducted by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, the Schuylkill County Drug Task Force, State Parole Agents, and the United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force.  Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara prosecuted the case.

This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Khalif Tuggle, 30, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 55 years in prison for committing carjacking and murder.  United States District Court Judge Michael M. Baylson imposed the sentence on the defendant.

On August 27, 2020, a grand jury indicted Tuggle for carjacking, use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and murder in the course of using a firearm, all stemming from his robbery, carjacking, and brutal murder of Thomas Petersen on January 24, 2017.  Tuggle fired one shot into Petersen’s chest, dragged him out of the car, threw him on the road, robbed him, and left him for dead while Petersen was screaming in pain.  Tuggle fled the scene in Petersen’s car, and Petersen died later at Temple University Hospital after two Philadelphia Police Officers rushed him from the scene.  On April 18, 2022, Tuggle pled guilty to all three counts of the indictment.

"Today's sentencing stems from the carjacking and murder committed by Khalif Tuggle," said U.S. Attorney Romero. "The 55-year sentence handed down today will never bring back Thomas Peterson or heal the pain of losing him. However, it should warn other violent individuals that the federal system can and will be utilized to hold them accountable."

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph LaBar and Michael Miller.

SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on February 17, 2023, United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion sentenced James J. Peperno, Jr., age 58, of Old Forge, Pennsylvania, to 72 months of imprisonment.  Peperno was convicted following a jury trial of nine counts of conspiracy, federal program bribery, honest services wire fraud, Travel Act, false statement, and perjury offenses.

Peperno was convicted of soliciting cash payments and debt forgiveness from a local business owner, to provide to Robert Semenza, Jr., the former President of the Old Forge Borough Council.  Peperno also was convicted of providing and promising cash and future employment to Semenza, in exchange for Semenza performing and promising to perform official acts, in relation to a state court civil litigation between Old Forge Borough and the local business owner.  Semenza advocated on behalf of the local business owner with the Old Forge Borough Council, the Old Forge Borough Solicitor, and Old Forge zoning officials, including by proposing a resolution to the civil litigation that had been prepared by Peperno.  Peperno kept the majority of the cash payments paid by the local business owner.

Peperno also was convicted of providing false statements and perjured testimony, in connection with an outstanding restitution obligation owed from a prior federal conviction for mail fraud.  Peperno claimed, in a written filing and when testifying under oath, that he did not have any income or access to any bank accounts, despite receiving approximately $6,000 from the local business owner, in the weeks immediately preceding his false statements and perjured testimony.  Peperno, who owed approximately $390,000 on his outstanding restitution obligation, had not made any payments towards that debt in approximately one and one-half years.

In pronouncing the sentence, Judge Mannion labeled political corruption as “among one of the worst crimes one can commit,” describing how it “undermines the public’s trust in the people they elect,” and deeming it something “terrible for democracy.”  Peperno also was sentenced to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.

Robert Semenza, Jr., pleaded guilty in June 2021 to federal program bribery, and was sentenced to a year and a day in prison.

The case was investigated by the Scranton Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Public Corruption Task Force, which consists of members of the Pennsylvania State Police and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, and federal agents from the FBI and Internal Revenue Service.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phillip J. Caraballo and Jeffrey St John prosecuted the case.

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HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Jerell Adgebesan, age 35, of Baltimore, Maryland and Hagerstown, Maryland, was sentenced to life imprisonment for his role in the June 25, 2016 murders of three individuals in Mercersburg, Franklin County, one of whom was cooperating with state and federal drug investigators. The sentence was imposed by United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner, who also sentenced Adgebesan to a consecutive 20-year term of imprisonment on a companion robbery charge.  

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Adgebesan's conviction was the result of a six-year investigation into three murders that occurred on June 25, 2016, on a property along Welsh Run Road in Mercersburg, Franklin County. When Pennsylvania State Police officers were called to the scene, they found the bodies of Wendy Ann Chaney, 39, Hagerstown, Md, Brandon Cole, 47, Fayetteville, PA, and Phillip Matthew Jackson, 36, Mercersburg, PA, in a barn on victim Jackson’s property. All were shot. The three victims had their hands zipped-tied behind their backs and had been set on fire. Jackson and Cole were shot once in the head. Chaney was shot twice, once in the back and one in the back of her neck. Wendy Chaney and Brandon Cole were already dead when the police responded to the scene.  Phillip Jackson was transported to York Hospital where he died shortly after arrival.

The evidence previously presented at the guilty plea proceeding in June of 2022 established that Wendy Chaney was in a relationship with co-defendants Kevin Coles and Torey White and had been previously assisting both with their drug distribution operation. Coles, White and co-defendant Devin Dickerson learned that Chaney was cooperating with federal authorities and contracted for her to be murdered. Adgebesan and co-defendant Kenyatta Corbett recruited members of a Baltimore based gang known as the Black Guerilla Family and others from Baltimore to travel to the Jackson property to kill Wendy Chaney. Adgebesan knew these individuals from Baltimore and acknowledged he and Corbett recruited them to murder Chaney. The killers were promised that they could take as payment $20,000 that was to be in a safe in the barn and any drugs and firearms that they could locate on the Jackson property. Once there, the killers encountered not only Wendy Chaney but also Brandon Cole and Phillip Jackson. Chaney was killed to protect the drug trafficking activities of Coles, White, Dickerson, Corbett, and others. Jackson and Cole were murdered to prevent them from being witnesses to the crimes of violence that were committed at the Jackson property. The killers never found any money on the property but stole some drugs and firearms.

The following individuals were charged along with Adgebesan as a result of the investigation:

• Devin Dickerson, age 31, Hagerstown, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin and crack cocaine and is awaiting sentencing;
• Kenyatta Corbett, age 38, Hagerstown, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and to being an accomplice to the use of a firearm during Hobbs Act robbery and is awaiting sentencing;
• Michael Buck, age 30, Hagerstown, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and to being an accomplice to the use of a firearm during Hobbs Act robbery and is awaiting sentencing;
• Nicholas Preddy, age 29, Baltimore, pleaded guilty to attempting to kill a witness and is awaiting sentencing;
• Johnnie Jenkins-Armstrong, age 22, Baltimore, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and to being an accomplice to the use of a firearm during Hobbs Act robbery and is awaiting sentencing;
• Terrance Lawson, age 31, Baltimore, sentenced to time served for attempting to intimidate a witness;
• Tyrone Armstrong, age 30, Baltimore, sentenced to time served for attempting to intimidate a witness; and
• Christopher Johnson, age 31, Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty to multiple counts including murder for hire and is awaiting sentencing;   
• Mark Johnson, 35, Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty to obstructing the grand jury’s investigation and was sentenced to 110 months’ imprisonment;
• Llesenia Woodard, 46, Hagerstown, Maryland, pled guilty to providing false testimony to the grand jury investigating the murders and is awaiting sentencing
• Kevin Coles, Kevin Coles, age 36, of New York, NY and Hagerstown, Maryland, was found guilty in April of multiple crimes, including murder for hire, robbery, and drug trafficking, and is awaiting sentencing;
• Yolanda Diaz, 31, Hagerstown, Md, indicted on multiple counts of perjury and obstruction of justice based upon her testimony at the Coles trial. Her trial is currently scheduled for March 2023.

Joshua Davis, age 30, previously pled guilty to participating in the conspiracy to locate and kill an individual believed to be cooperating with federal authorities in the investigation of the triple murders. Davis was sentenced to serve 100 months’ imprisonment. Torey White’s trial is scheduled for May 2023.

The following federal, state and local law enforcement agencies participated in the investigation:  Drug Enforcement Administration Harrisburg Resident Office; Pennsylvania State Police, Chambersburg; Pennsylvania State Police, Troop H; Franklin County Drug Task Force; Franklin County Adult Probation; Pennsylvania State Probation and Parole; Hagerstown Police Department, Criminal Investigation Division; Drug Enforcement Administration, Hagerstown Resident Office; Washington County Narcotics Task Force; Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office, Strike Force Group 1; Maryland State Police Homicide Unit; Baltimore Police Department Narcotics, Fugitive And Homicide Units; Baltimore County Police Department Narcotics and Gang Unit; Federal Bureau of Investigation Evidence Management Unit, Quantico, VA; US Marshal’s Service Harrisburg, PA and Phoenix, AZ; Franklin County District Attorney’s Office; United States Attorney’s Office, District Of Maryland; and the Washington County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Judy Fernandez, Manager of Analytic Services at LexisNexis Special Services, Inc., (LNSSI) provided expert assistance to investigators and the prosecutors in the areas of analysis, support, and the rendering of her expert opinion.

Assistant United States Attorney William A. Behe, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, and Senior Litigation Counsel Michael Consiglio are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin.  Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.

This prosecution is also part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) identified as “Retribution for Welsh Run”.  OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets. 

All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Ryan Coggins, age 37, of Camp Hill and Spring City, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on February 9, 2023 by United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner to 17 ½ years in federal prison after pleading guilty to distributing and conspiring to distribute multiple pounds of methamphetamine. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the charges against Coggins were the result of several-years long investigation into methamphetamine trafficking throughout multiple counties in southcentral and eastern Pennsylvania.  Coggins admitted to using his home in Camp Hill as the hub for his methamphetamine trafficking.  At least 22 other individuals were indicted for conspiring with Coggins and actually distributing approximately 16 pounds of methamphetamine from June of 2017 until December 19, 2020 in Dauphin, Cumberland, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lancaster, Bucks, Montgomery, Chester, and Philadelphia counties.

The following co-defendants have already been sentenced by Judge Conner as follows:

• Nicholas Eastman, 140 months’ imprisonment;
• Ryan Eastman, 120 months’ imprisonment, and
• Tyrone Smith, 235 month’s imprisonment.

The remaining co-defendants have either pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing or are awaiting trial in September 2023.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

 The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, as well as many law enforcement agencies in the counties where the distribution activities were occurring. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William A. Behe and Christian Haugsby prosecuted the case.

All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Dashae Simmons, age 26, of Pittston, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on February 15, 2023, before U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to the charge of making false statements in connection with the purchase of a firearm from a federally licensed firearms dealer. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Simmons admitted to providing false information regarding the purchase of a .22 caliber pistol from Dunkelberger’s Sports Outfitter, in Stroudsburg, Monroe County, on June 24, 2020.  The firearm was later recovered from another individual during the commission of a crime in Newark, New Jersey.

This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Newark, New Jersey, Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.

This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Under federal law, the maximum penalty is up to ten years in prison, a term of supervised release and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Addie Reid, age 27, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Sylvia Rambo for accepting a bribe in exchange for smuggling a cellphone into the Dauphin County Prison.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Reid was a correctional officer at the Dauphin County Prison when caught in an undercover sting operation conducted by local and federal law enforcement. On September 13, 2019, Reid accepted $2,000 in cash from an undercover police officer who was purportedly a family member of an inmate who wanted a cellular telephone smuggled into the prison. After he accepted the cash, police arrested Reid.  On April 11, 2022, Reid entered a guilty plea to the federal offense of using a means in interstate communication to commit the crime of bribery.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Consiglio is prosecuting the case.

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SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced Bartolo De Jesus Felipe-Morales, age 39, of Guatemala, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury with illegal re-entry into the United States by a previously removed alien. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Felipe-Morales was previously removed from the United States to Guatemala on five (5) prior occasions dating back to 2003, and it is alleged that Felipe-Morales illegally reentered the United States sometime after his most recent removal in February of 2014.  The indictment also alleges that on December 17, 2022, Felipe-Morales was encountered in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania.         

This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Assistant United States Attorney Brian Gallagher is prosecuting the case.

Felipe-Morales faces a maximum penalty of 2 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on February 9, 2023, United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani sentenced Malik Adoyi, age 25, of Stroudsburg, PA, to 80 months of imprisonment and a 4-year term of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute over 100 grams of heroin and over 40 grams of fentanyl.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, from July through November 2021, either personally or through a co-conspirator, Adoyi distributed over 100 grams of a substance containing heroin and fentanyl, in several instances in the area near Stroudsburg High School.  The approximately 110 grams of fentanyl distributed by Adoyi corresponds to approximately 4,400 doses of the potentially lethal substance. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and its state and local law enforcement partners in Monroe County, Pennsylvania.  Assistant United States Attorney Jeffery St John prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin.  Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.

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The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) announced today the disbursement of over $115 million to 38,889 victims in connection with fraud schemes processed by MoneyGram International Inc. (MoneyGram). The victims, many of whom are elderly, will recover the full amount of their losses.

“This distribution of $115.8 million to nearly 40,000 victims – each of whom is being fully compensated for their losses – demonstrates the Department of Justice’s continued commitment to making victims whole,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This is an example of how the department will use every tool at its disposal, including in corporate criminal matters, to provide justice to victims.”

MoneyGram originally entered into a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with the Department of Justice in 2012 for willfully failing to maintain an effective anti-money laundering program and aiding and abetting fraud schemes that generally targeted the elderly and other vulnerable groups. In November 2018, MoneyGram agreed to extend its DPA, implemented additional enhanced compliance obligations, and forfeited $125 million – representing the volume of consumer fraud transactions it processed during the DPA term. The USPIS is using these forfeited funds to compensate the victims of the fraud through the remission process. MoneyGram completed its DPA in May 2021.

“This $115 million disbursement provides a measure of financial justice for the many victims who were harmed by fraudsters who preyed on them,” said Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen of the USPIS Philadelphia Division. “The USPIS is proud to be part of this exemplary collaborative effort with our law enforcement and regulatory partners, particularly the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, the Justice Department’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), to facilitate a process where victims are delivered restitution.”

“Working together with the skilled and dedicated investigators of the USPIS, the Justice Department’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, and the FTC, we have achieved outstanding results,” said U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. “This $115.8 million disbursement to over 38,000 victims demonstrates the commitment to compensate and serve justice to the victims of these frauds.”

The USPIS is managing the victim remission. The victim compensation in this case would not have been possible with the extraordinary efforts of the USPIS Philadelphia Division’s Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, office, which investigated the case, and the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section’s Bank Integrity Unit and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, who prosecuted the case.  

More information about the remission process is available at http://moneygramremission.com/.

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Takiyah Gordon Austin, age 47, formerly of Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, for a scheme to fraudulently obtain unemployment benefits related to COVID-19 emergency relief funds

The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program was created by the March 27, 2020 CARES Act, as part of the United States government’s efforts to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the public’s health and economic well-being. The PUA program was designed to provide unemployment benefits to individuals not eligible for regular unemployment compensation or extended unemployment benefits.

According to U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Austin pleaded guilty to one count wire fraud and one count of aggravated identify theft.  From in or about May 2020 to in or about May 2021, Austin, a claims specialist with the Social Security Administration, filed PUA claims for ineligible recipients in exchange for payment from the individuals.  Additionally, Austin filed claims after accessing SSA databases to obtain the personal identifying information from unsuspecting individuals and then diverted the unemployment funds to addresses she controlled in order to use the funds for her own personal expenses. Through the scheme, Austin defrauded the government of over $288,000.

“Former Social Security Administration (SSA) employee Gordon Austin abused her position by accessing Agency records for unofficial and illegal purposes. In her scheme, she used the stolen PII of innocent and unsuspecting persons to defraud federal benefits programs of over $288,000. Her criminal actions undermine the integrity of Social Security employees and programs,” said Michael McGill, Special Agent in Charge, Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Philadelphia Field Division. “My office will continue to work aggressively to hold perpetrators accountable for their crimes. I thank the U.S. Department of Labor for their assistance in this investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison V. Martin and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Curran for their work in prosecuting this case.”

“Takiyah Gordon Austin engaged in a scheme to abuse her position as a claims specialist for the Social Security Administration in order to obtain the personally identifiable information of unsuspecting individuals. Austin then utilized that information to file for and receive fraudulent Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claims and benefit payments.  As part of the scheme, Austin also filed PUA claims for ineligible individuals in exchange for payment from the individuals.  The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General remains committed to working with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry and our law enforcement partners to safeguard the integrity of unemployment compensation benefit programs," said Syreeta Scott, Special Agent-in-Charge, Mid-Atlantic Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.

The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, and the United States Postal Inspection Service.  Special Assistant United States Attorney Megan Curran and Assistant United States Attorney Alisan V. Martin are prosecuting the case.

The maximum penalty under federal law for wire fraud is 20 years’ imprisonment. Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year sentence consecutive to sentences imposed for other offenses. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. 

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WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Nicholas Stanley, age 44, of Dalton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 24 months in prison to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion for evading the payment of taxes. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Stanley, the owner and operator of Nick Stanley Paving, Inc., took affirmative steps to evade the payment of income taxes while owing $1,062,312.10 for tax years 2005 to 2011.  He was ordered by the Court to pay $972,091 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations Division.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan V. Martin prosecuted the case.

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SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Stephen M. Smith, age 42, of Bushkill, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on February 3, 2023, before United States Magistrate Judge Joseph F. Saporito, Jr., to possessing fentanyl while at the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Smith was stopped in his vehicle on August 29, 2022, by Park Rangers at the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, and was found in possession of packets of fentanyl, multiple syringes, glass smoking pipes containing drug residue, and other items of drug paraphernalia.  It is a federal crime to possess illegal controlled substances on federal property.

The case was investigated by Park Rangers from the National Park Service.  Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.

Under federal law, the maximum penalty for possession of controlled substances on federal property is up to one year in prison and a minimum fine of $1000 and a maximum fine of $100,000.  A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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