District of Rhode Island
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
More than $163 Million Available to Fight Addiction CrisisRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – U.S. Attorney Aaron L. Weisman today announced that more than $163 million in Department of Justice grants is available to help communities address America’s addiction crisis.
“Our nation is facing the difficult challenge of curbing substance addiction, which threatens public safety and is among the Administration’s top domestic priorities,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs (OJP). “The Department of Justice is front and center in the fight to meet this challenge. OJP is making historic amounts of grant funding available to ensure that our communities have access to innovative and diverse solutions.”
“Day in and day out, our law enforcement partners and prosecutors are hard at work investigating, arresting, and prosecuting those who flood our streets with the poison that is killing so many of our neighbors, friends, and family members,” said United States Attorney Arron L. Weisman. “But it is the tireless work of our many community-based organizations that are making the real difference when it comes to providing help and resources to the victims of addiction. I strongly encourage these providers and organizations to review these funding opportunities.”
The funding is available through OJP, the federal government’s leading source of public safety funding and crime victim assistance in state, local and tribal jurisdictions. OJP’s programs support a wide array of activities and services, including programs designed to prevent overdose deaths and break the cycle of addiction and crime.
A number of funding opportunities that address the addiction crisis are currently open:
Adult Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court Discretionary Grant Program
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17098
Total Available $1.75 million Deadline 5/14/2020
Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Site-based Program
https://bja.ojp.gov/COSSAP20
Total Available $27 million Deadline 5/21/2020
Enhancing Community Responses to America's Addiction Crisis: Serving Our Youngest Crime Victims
https://www.ovc.gov/grants/pdftxt/fy-2020-enhancing-community-responses-to-drug-crisis.pdf
Total Available: $19 million Deadline: 5/4/2020
Family Drug Court Program
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17090
Total Available $18.2 million Deadline 4/8/2020 (Extended)
Harold Rogers Prescription Drug Monitoring Program
https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-17754
Total Available $28.1 Deadline 5/5/2020
Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Program
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17051
Total Available $7.2 million Deadline 4/13/2020 (Extended)
Mentoring Opportunities for Youth Initiative
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-16930
Total Available $48 million Deadline 4/13/2020
Opioid Affected Youth Initiative
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17352
Total Available $9 million Deadline 4/20/2020
Research and Evaluation on Drugs and Crime https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17275
Total Available $1 million Deadline 4/20/2020
Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for State Prisoners
https://bja.ojp.gov/RSAT20
Total Available $4.5 million Deadline 4/6/2020
For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, visit https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities
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Public urged to Report Suspected COVID-19 FraudRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – U.S. Attorney Aaron L. Weisman of the District of Rhode Island today urged the public to report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 (the Coronavirus) by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline (1-866-720-5721) or to the NCDF e-mail address [email protected].
In coordination with the Department of Justice, Attorney General William Barr has directed U.S. Attorneys to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of Coronavirus fraud schemes.
“These unprecedented times call for unprecedented caution to not only stay safe and healthy, but to not fall victim to fraudsters who, without hesitation, are working every angle to rip-off Americans by stealing their personal identity and their money,” noted United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman. “Rhode Islanders should not share any information with anyone unless you are 100% certain who you are dealing with. If you suspect fraud, contact the NCDF hotline. The United States Attorney’s Office, our federal law enforcement partners, and the entire Department of Justice stand ready to work together to bring down the hammer and hold fraudsters accountable.”
Some examples of these schemes include:
- Individuals and businesses selling fake cures for COVID-19 online and engaging in other forms of fraud.
- Phishing emails from entities posing as the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Malicious websites and apps that appear to share Coronavirus-related information to gain and lock access to your devices until payment is received.
- Seeking donations fraudulently for illegitimate or non-existent charitable organizations.
- Medical providers obtaining patient information for COVID-19 testing and then using that information to fraudulently bill for other tests and procedures.
In a memorandum to U.S. Attorneys issued March 19, Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen also directed each U.S. Attorney to appoint a Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator to serve as the legal counsel for the federal judicial district on matters relating to the Coronavirus, direct the prosecution of Coronavirus-related crimes, and to conduct outreach and awareness activities. The District of Rhode Island Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator is Assistant United States Attorney Lee H. Vilker.
The NCDF can receive and enter complaints into a centralized system that can be accessed by all U.S. Attorneys, as well as Justice Department litigating and law enforcement components to identify, investigate and prosecute fraud schemes. The NCDF coordinates complaints with 16 additional federal law enforcement agencies, as well as state Attorneys General and local authorities.
To find more about Department of Justice resources and information, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus
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Two Sentenced on Charges of Fentanyl Distribution that Resulted in DeathRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – Two men charged in separate, but related, criminal cases were each sentenced yesterday to just over two and a half years in federal prison, following their convictions on charges of distributing fentanyl.
David Grimaldi, 24 of Coventry, previously pleaded guilty in October of 2019 to distribution of fentanyl, admitting to the Court that he engaged the assistance of an associate, Robert K. Bell, 24, of Warwick, who had likewise pleaded guilty in October to aiding and abetting the distribution of fentanyl, to help him locate a buyer for pills that he wanted to sell. Both defendants admitted that their criminal actions contributed to the death of the buyer.
United States Attorney Aaron Weisman commented, “Defendants actions in this case ended in the gravest possible result: a young man’s life tragically cut short. And, as the court’s sentence reflected, that grave result carries with it severe consequences. For a single drug transaction in a West Warwick parking lot involving three tiny, fentanyl-laced pills, one defendant with no prior history with the law will spend two and a half years behind bars, as will his co-defendant. The severity of this conduct, reflected by the sentences meted out in this case, reaffirms our commitment to prosecute those who profit from or share deadly illegal substances with others, and to seek the greatest measure of justice for the victims of their actions.”
According to information presented to the Court, Bell arranged the drug transaction, set the price, and arranged a time and location for the meeting between the buyer and Grimaldi. Based on Bell’s arrangements, Grimaldi met that buyer in a West Warwick parking lot, where he distributed three pills marked and colored to look like oxycodone tablets. In reality, the pills were laced with fentanyl. Grimaldi admitted that he watched while the buyer swallowed half of one pill. Minutes later, the buyer, a Massachusetts man, became unresponsive. He was subsequently pronounced dead later that day at Kent County Hospital. Fentanyl was found in his bloodstream.
At sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith sentenced Bell to thirty-two months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release; Grimaldi was sentenced to serve thirty months in federal prison, with three years of supervised release to follow.
Grimaldi and Bell’s sentences are announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, West Warwick Police Chief Colonel Mark A. Knott, and Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Field Division Brian D. Boyle.
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul F. Daly, Jr., and Zachary A. Cunha.
The matter was investigated by the West Warwick Police Department and the Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force.
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RI Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Producing, Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A former North Providence and Pawtucket resident arrested twice for sharing child pornography online, and who was found to be in possession of more than 11,400 images and videos of child pornography, including a video he produced that depicts him sexually assaulting a minor female, was sentenced today to 20 years in federal prison.
Robert Barrie, 41, was arrested by members of the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force in May 2015 and in July 2017, after investigators discovered him sharing child pornography through online peer-to-peer networks.
On May 7, 2015, members of the ICAC task force executed a court-authorized search of Barrie’s then North Providence residence, and seized several electronic devices containing child pornography. Barrie was charged in Rhode Island state court with possession of child pornography. He was re-arrested about three weeks later when, during a forensic review of the digital devices seized from Barrie, investigators discovered videos that depict Barrie sexually assaulting a minor female.
Barrie was re-arrested and arraigned in Rhode Island state court on child molestation charges. He was subsequently released on bail.
In July 2017, ICAC investigators observed peer-to-peer Internet traffic of child pornography files being shared from an IP address in Pawtucket. When investigators arrived at the Pawtucket residence, they learned it was the residence of Robert Barrie. Barrie was arrested after the electronic devices in his possession were found to contain child pornography.
Barrie pleaded guilty in federal court on April 9, 2019, to charges of production of child pornography and possession of child pornography.
At sentencing today, U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith sentenced Barrie to 240 months in federal prison to be followed by 25 years supervised release, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police Colonel James M. Manni, and Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Molina.
This Project Safe Childhood case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. McAdams.
The Rhode Island ICAC Task Force is comprised of members of the Rhode Island State Police Computer Crimes Unit along with detectives from the Warwick, Cranston, Newport, East Providence, Pawtucket, Bristol, North Kingstown, and Woonsocket Police Departments, and Homeland Security Investigations agents.
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Department of Justice Launches National Nursing Home InitiativeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman joined Attorney General William P. Barr in announcing today the Department of Justice’s National Nursing Home Initiative, which will coordinate and enhance civil and criminal efforts to pursue nursing homes that provide grossly substandard care to their residents.
This initiative is focusing on some of the worst nursing homes around the country, and the Department has already initiated investigations into approximately thirty individual nursing facilities in nine states as part of this effort.
“Millions of seniors count on nursing homes to provide them with quality care, and to treat them with dignity and respect when they are most vulnerable,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Yet, all too often, we have found nursing home owners or operators who put profits over patients, leading to instances of gross abuse and neglect. This national initiative will bring to justice those owners and operators who have profited at the expense of their residents, and help to ensure residents receive the care to which they are entitled.”
United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman added, “When a loved one requires nursing home care, their families, and our communities, should have no apprehension that the care provided might be grossly substandard. The Attorney General’s National Nursing Home Initiative, aimed at identifying and remedying substandard nursing home care, is yet another manifestation of the Department of Justice’s commitment to ensuring the welfare of our senior citizens.”
“Fear of the unknown and the worst that could happen add to the already difficult decision families face when putting a loved one in a nursing home,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Rest assured, the FBI and our law enforcement partners will work hard to hold accountable owners and operators of these facilities who fail to reinvest profits in the dignified care of vulnerable patients, and ensure their golden years are just that.”
The Department considers a number of factors in identifying the most problematic nursing homes. For example, the department looks for nursing homes that consistently fail to provide adequate nursing staff to care for their residents, fail to adhere to basic protocols of hygiene and infection control, fail to provide their residents with enough food to eat so that they become emaciated and weak, withhold pain medication, or use physical or chemical restraints to restrain or otherwise sedate their residents. These care failures cause residents to suffer in pain and to be exposed to great indignities. Care failures cause residents to develop pressure sores down to the bone, to lie in their own waste for hours, to starve because they cannot reach the food on their trays and to remain unwashed for weeks at a time. Nursing homes that provide grossly substandard care also force vulnerable elderly residents who cannot leave the facilities to live in filthy and dangerous conditions where there are leaks in the roofs, mold is found growing and rodents found living in residents’ rooms. These are some of the actions and the inactions that the department intends to pursue.
The National Nursing Home Initiative reflects the department’s larger strategy and commitment to protecting our nation’s seniors, coordinated by the department’s Elder Justice Initiative in conjunction with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices. The Elder Justice Initiative and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices are essential to the department’s investigative and enforcement efforts against nursing homes and other long-term care entities that deliver grossly substandard care to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. The Initiative and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices also support the efforts of state and local prosecutors, law enforcement, and other elder justice professionals to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation, with the development of training, resources, and information. Learn more about the Justice Department’s Elder Justice Initiative at http://www.justice.gov/elderjustice/
If you are a victim or know a victim of elder fraud, you can call 1-877-FTC-HELP or go to ftc.gov/complaint. For downloadable Elder Abuse Prevention resources and for information about community outreach programs in Rhode Island, visit the United States Attorney’s Office’s Elder Justice Initiative web page at https://www.justice.gov/usao-ri/elder-justice
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Department of Justice Charges Unprecedented Number of Elder Fraud Defendants and Launches HotlineRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman joined Attorney General William P. Barr, FBI Director Christopher A. Wray, and Chief Postal Inspector Gary R. Barksdale today in announcing the largest coordinated sweep of elder fraud cases in history. This year, prosecutors charged more than 400 defendants, far surpassing the 260 defendants charged in cases as part of last year’s sweep. In each case, offenders allegedly engaged in financial schemes that targeted or largely affected seniors. In total, the charged elder fraud schemes caused alleged losses of over a billion dollars.
Among the individuals prosecuted in the District of Rhode Island in the past year is Julio Feliciano, 32, of Boston. Feliciano pleaded guilty in January of this year, admitting that he bilked seniors in at least four states. Feliciano admitted that he contacted individuals and told them that cash payments ranging from $7,000 to $9,500 were required to secure the release of a relative, typically a grandson or nephew, from jail. The claims were not true. Feliciano is scheduled to be sentenced next month.
In a separate case, five individuals living in Georgia and Texas were charged in the District of Rhode Island in November 2019, with allegedly participating in a conspiracy that targeted seniors online, bilking more than two dozen people out of more than two million dollars. It is alleged in court documents that beginning in May 2015, victims were contacted by scammers via online dating sites such as Plenty of Fish, Christian Mingle, and Our Time, and through social media platforms such as Words with Friends, often times feigning romantic intentions. To date, 28 individuals in more than a dozen states have been identified as falling victim to the scams allegedly employed by the five individuals named in the charged conspiracy.
In another matter, Shawn Whitfield 49, of Pawtucket, admitted to receiving more than $109,000 in upfront payments from victims, mostly elderly, who were led to believe they had won cash or prizes in a lottery or sweepstakes. Some victims were told they had won as much as $82 million. Others were told they were in line to receive $5,000 a week for life. Mercedes Benz vehicles were among the valuable prizes some of the victims were told they had won. In each instance, the victims were told their winnings would not be released to them without upfront payment of taxes or fees. The majority of funds collected by Whitfield were transferred electronically to co-conspirators and others, most often to individuals in Jamaica.
“Americans are fed up with the constant barrage of scams that maliciously target the elderly and other vulnerable citizens,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “This year, the Department of Justice prosecuted more than 400 defendants, whose schemes totaled more than a billion dollars. I want to thank the men and women of the Department’s Consumer Protection Branch, which coordinated this effort, and all those in the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and Criminal Division who worked tirelessly to bring these cases. The Department is committed to stopping the full range of criminal activities that exploit America’s seniors.”
United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman added, “This office has zero tolerance for those scammers who would target our senior or other vulnerable citizens for financial exploitation. As demonstrated by this Office’s zealous prosecution of such scammers, defrauding our seniors of their hard earned savings is a sure way to being subject to federal prosecution and, if convicted, incarceration.”
“Scammers targeting seniors are a growing concern here in Rhode Island. Last year alone, more than $4.7 million in losses were reported to us by elderly victims, and we know for a fact these crimes are grossly underreported because of shame and embarrassment,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “We need to work together to put these predators out of business for good. Educating ourselves, as well as our aging family members and friends, is crucial to avoid becoming a victim.”
This interactive map provides information on the elder fraud cases highlighted by today’s sweep announcement.
Elder Fraud Hotline
Attorney General Barr also announced the launch of a National Elder Fraud Hotline, which will provide services to seniors who may be victims of financial fraud. The Hotline will be staffed by experienced case managers who can provide personalized support to callers. Case managers will assist callers with reporting the suspected fraud to relevant agencies and by providing resources and referrals to other appropriate services as needed. When applicable, case managers will complete a complaint form with the Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) for Internet-facilitated crimes and submit a consumer complaint to the Federal Trade Commission on behalf of the caller. The Hotline’s toll free number is 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311).
For the second year, the Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners also took comprehensive action against the money mule networks that facilitate foreign-based elder fraud. Generally, perpetrators use a “money mule” to transfer fraud proceeds from a victim to ringleaders of fraud schemes who often reside in other countries. Some of these money mules act unwittingly, and intervention can effectively end their involvement in the fraud. The FBI and the Postal Inspection Service took action against over 600 alleged money mules nationwide by conducting interviews, issuing warning letters, and bringing civil and criminal cases. Agents and prosecutors in more than 85 federal district participated in this effort to halt the money flow from victim to fraudster. These actions against money mules were in addition to the criminal and civil cases announced as part of this year’s elder fraud sweep.
These outreach efforts have helped to prevent seniors from falling prey to scams and have frustrated offenders’ efforts to obtain even more money from vulnerable elders.
The charges announced today are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Combatting elder abuse and financial fraud targeted at seniors is a key priority of the Department of Justice. If you are a victim or know a victim of elder fraud, you can call 1-877-FTC-HELP or go to ftc.gov/complaint. For downloadable Elder Abuse Prevention resources and for information about community outreach programs in Rhode Island, visit the United States Attorney’s Office’s Elder Justice Initiative web page at https://www.justice.gov/usao-ri/elder-justice
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Newport Woman Admits to Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Newport woman who admitted to soliciting and receiving materials involving the sexual exploitation of minors faces between five to twenty years in federal prison when she is sentenced in June, having pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Providence today to receipt of child pornography.
Karissa A. Cave, 23, admitted to the court that on December 7, 2016, while communicating with another person on Facebook messenger, she requested that the person send her a video depicting an adult engaged in sexually explicit conduct with a female toddler she knew that person possessed.
Cave admitted after receiving the video she asked, “Is there any more?” In return the person sent her an image of prepubescent girls and boys engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Cave’s guilty plea before U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to receipt of child pornography is announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Rhode Island State Police Colonel James M. Manni, and Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Molina.
Cave is scheduled to be sentenced on June 16, 2020. At sentencing Cave faces statutory penalties of between five and twenty years imprisonment; five years to lifetime supervised release; and a mandatory $5,000 special assessment imposed as required by the Justice for Victims Trafficking Act in child sexual exploitation cases where the court makes a finding that the defendant is not indigent.
United States Attorney Aaron Weisman thanks the Woonsocket Police Department for their assistance in the investigation of this matter.
This Project Safe Childhood case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Denise M. Barton.
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Career Offender Sentenced for Trafficking Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – One of two men charged with delivering crack cocaine at the direction of an ACI inmate who ran a drug trafficking conspiracy from inside the state prison was sentenced today to five years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman and Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Kelly D. Brady.
Gerald Price, 34, previously admitted to the court that, at the direction of ACI inmate James Gomes, 30, he delivered crack cocaine to a customer of Gomes who was not incarcerated. The drug deal was established during a telephone conference call between Gomes and Price, allegedly coordinated by Gomes’ mother, Lisa Ellis, 51, of Pawtucket.
According to information presented to the court, on June 22, 2018, Gomes telephoned his mother, who then allegedly conferenced Price into the call. During the 3-way conference call, Gomes advised Price that he had a buyer who wanted to buy crack cocaine. Price agreed to deliver the drugs on Gomes’ behalf and, at Gomes’ direction, provide the proceeds from the sale to Gomes’ mother.
Later that day, Price arranged with the buyer, an undercover officer, to meet at a location in Providence on June 26. The two men met as planned. Price provided the individual with more than 30 grams of crack cocaine in exchange for $1,920. Some of the proceeds from the sale of the drugs were allegedly provided to Ellis, who, after allegedly taking her share, deposited the remainder of the money in Gomes’ prison account.
Subsequently, Gomes asked Price to sell the same buyer a gun, and Price, after initially agreeing to make the sale, ultimately objected because he suspected that the buyer was an undercover police officer.
Price, previously convicted and incarcerated on several occasions on drug and firearm charges, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court on November 8, 2019, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, and distribution of 28 grams or more of cocaine base.
At sentencing today, U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., sentenced Price to 60 months in federal prison to be followed by four years’ supervised release.
Gomes, who pleaded guilty in federal court on October 15, 2019, to one count each of conspiracy to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base and distribution of 28 grams or more of cocaine base, and to three counts of distribution of cocaine base, is scheduled to be sentenced on March 19, 2020.
A second individual who admitted to delivering crack cocaine to customers of Gomes at Gomes’ request, Joshua Moore, 29, formerly of Pawtucket, was sentenced on November 21, 2019, to 60 months in federal prison to be followed by four years’ supervised release. Moore pleaded guilty on September 4, 2019, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base, and to four counts of distribution of cocaine base.
Lisa Ellis, charged by way of indictment with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base, and four counts of distribution of cocaine base, is awaiting trial in U.S. District Court.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Milind M. Shah.
The matter was investigated by ATF and the Rhode Island ATF Task Force.
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Accounts Payable Clerk Indicted for FraudRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – An accounts payable clerk employed by a Providence small business that sells gifts and home décor items was arraigned in U.S. District Court in Providence today on charges he allegedly misappropriated approximately $302,000 of company funds for his own personal use and for use by an acquaintance.
Grant Devillez, 35, of Dayville, Conn., was arraigned on an indictment charging him with ten counts of wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman and Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division Joseph R. Bonavolonta.
It is alleged that for nearly three years beginning in October 2015, Devillez was responsible for preparing lists of proposed vendor payments, and after receiving approval from the company’s owner to make the payments, he was provided a bank access code by the owner to make those payments by electronic wire transfers.
It is alleged that Devillez made a partial payment or no payment at all to some vendors, transferring the balance of approved funds from his employer’s business bank account to his own bank accounts or to an account owned by another person. It is alleged that after making the unauthorized transfers, Devillez falsified records to reflect that full payment had been made to the vendors.
It is alleged that Devillez misappropriated approximately $302,000.
Devillez, arrested today by FBI agents who investigated the matter, was arraigned before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Patricia A. Sullivan and released on unsecured bond and GPS monitoring.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Wire fraud is punishable by statutory maximum penalties of 20 years imprisonment, a fine of twice the gross/gain loss, and 3 years’ supervised release.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Denise M. Barton.
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Woonsocket Man Admits to Possessing 50,000 Images of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Woonsocket man arrested by members of the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force in February 2019, today admitted in federal court to having been in possession of more than 50,000 images and 200 videos of child pornography at the time of his arrest.
Appearing today before U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy, Jason Muschiano, 39, pled guilty to possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police Colonel James M. Manni, and Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Molina.
According to information presented to the court, during the month of November 2018, members of the ICAC task force conducted an online child exploitation investigation involving the use of peer-to-peer networks. Detectives observed an IP address they later determined belonged to Muschiano sharing files of suspected child pornography.
On February 14, 2019, members of the ICAC task force executed a court-authorized search of Muschiano’s residence. During the search, Muschiano admitted to law enforcement that he had downloaded and viewed child pornography depicting toddlers ages three, four, and five years old.
A full forensic review of digital storage devices seized from Muschiano’s residence revealed over 50,000 images and 200 videos depicting child pornography.
Muschiano is scheduled to be sentenced on May 22, 2020.
Possession of child pornography is punishable by statutory penalties of up to 20 years imprisonment; a term of supervised release of life; and a $5,000 special assessment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dulce Donovan.
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Used Car Dealer Indicted for Bank Fraud, Aggravated ID TheftRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Massachusetts used car dealer was arraigned in U.S. District Court in Providence on Wednesday and ordered detained, charged by way of indictment with allegedly participating in a wide-reaching conspiracy to defraud financial institutions in several states by obtaining car loans secured with stolen personal identifying information and fraudulent documents.
It is alleged that Rolando E. Estrella, 32, of Dracut, Mass., conspired with others to defraud financial institutions in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and numerous other states across the country.
It is alleged in the indictment that the scam employed by Estrella and others involved the theft and use of individuals’ personal identifying information to open bank accounts with major banks and smaller credit unions. Using that information along with counterfeited documents including automobile titles, Estrella and others applied for used car and truck loans which were then deposited into bank accounts opened in the “sellers’” names, after which the proceeds were quickly withdrawn.
Until recently, Estrella was the operator of Estrella National Auto, LLC, a used car dealership located in Lawrence, Massachusetts.
On December 17, 2019, an arrest warrant was issued for Estrella after a federal grand jury returned a ten-count indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, fraudulent use of a Social Security number, and seven counts of bank fraud. He surrendered to the U.S. Marshals Service in Rhode Island on Wednesday and was arraigned before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Patricia A. Sullivan.
The indictment and arraignment of Estrella are announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Stephen Marks, and Scott E. Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Office of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General/Office of Investigations.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William J. Ferland.
Estrella’s arrest marks the latest in a series made by the Social Security Office of Inspector General and the United States Secret Service involving members of a fraud ring operating throughout the northeast United States.
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Four Charged in Conspiracy to Import and Distribute Steroids, Launder ProceedsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – Four individuals have been arrested, four locations searched, and several motor vehicles and bank accounts seized today during a series of early morning law enforcement actions in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, as part of an on-going multi-agency investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) into the illegal importation, preparation, rebranding, and distribution of steroids throughout the United States, and the laundering of proceeds from the sale of the illegal drugs.
It is alleged in court documents that the leader of the conspiracy, David M. Esser, 46, of North Attleboro, arranged for the importation of large quantities of raw steroids from international suppliers, primarily based in Hong Kong. A significant number of orders placed by Esser for raw steroids were for multiple kilograms of product.
According to court documents, it is alleged that Esser arranged to have the raw steroids shipped directly to locations within the United States where, at his direction, individuals “cooked” the raw steroid product into liquid form, packaged the liquid in plastic vials, and shipped the finished products to a stash house he operated in North Attleboro. Esser provided the middle-men with the supplies required for the preparation and packaging of the steroids. Shipments to the middle-men also included cash payments to them for performing these tasks.
It is alleged that after the packaged steroids arrived at Esser’s stash house, Esser, and others working at his direction, prepared customers’ orders for steroids. Members of the conspiracy shipped the packages to customers throughout the United States, utilizing several U.S. Post Offices, including Providence’s main post office from which a significant number of packages were mailed.
It is alleged that in an effort to disguise the proceeds from the illegal sales of steroids, members of the conspiracy often times moved the proceeds from bank account to bank account, and used some of the proceeds to purchase, among other things, raw steroid products, steroid trafficking supplies, vehicles, and properties.
Proceeds from some sales of steroids were paid to the members of the conspiracy in cash. Other payments were made by cryptocurrency.
United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Molina, North Attleboro Police Chief John J. Reilly, and Mansfield Police Chief Ronald Sellon announce the arrest of David M. Esser, 46, James McLaughlin, 34, and Alison Esser, aka Alison Shephard, 41, of North Attleboro, and Mason A. Nieves, 27, of Providence, on federal criminal complaints charging them with intent to distribute Schedule III and IV Controlled Substances; conspiracy to distribute, possess with intent to distribute and conspiracy to import Schedule III and IV Controlled Substances; manufacturing and distributing Schedule III and IV Controlled Substances; importation of Controlled Substances into the United States; trafficking in counterfeit goods and services; smuggling goods into the United States; as well as wire fraud and money laundering.
The defendants were arraigned in U.S. District Court and released on unsecured bond.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Gerard B. Sullivan.
United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman and Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Molina acknowledge and thank the United States Postal Service, United States Postal Inspection Service, Alamance County North Carolina Narcotics Enforcement Team, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Internal Revenue Service, and HSI Special Agents in the Houston and Winston-Salem Field Offices for their assistance in the investigation of this matter.
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Central Falls Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking, Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A member of a Central Falls neighborhood-based street gang known for flashing drugs, firearms, and gang signs on social media, pled guilty in federal court today to trafficking crack cocaine and being in possession of two stolen firearms.
Elton Andrade, aka “MT Flex,” 20, a member of the “Money Team” street-gang, was arrested by members of the FBI’s Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force and Central Falls Police in February 2018, during a Project Safe Neighborhoods investigation into individuals in Central Falls involved in, among other things, drug trafficking and firearms violations.
On February 26, 2018, Central Falls Police and members of the FBI Safe Streets Task Force executed a court-authorized search of a Central Falls residence where they seized from Andrade’s bedroom two bags containing a total of 28.53 grams of crack cocaine, two loaded firearms that a forensic audit later determined to be stolen, and $1,503 in cash.
Andrade, who was not present at the time of the search, was arrested the following day after being surveilled by law enforcement leaving a Seekonk, Mass., motel and taking a taxi to Central Falls. He was arrested by Central Falls police when they conducted a traffic stop of the taxi.
Andrade, who has been detained since his arrest, today pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base and two counts of possession of a stolen firearm, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Central Falls Police Chief Colonel Daniel J. Barzykowski, and Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division Joseph R. Bonavolonta.
Andrade is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., on May 18, 2020.
Possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base is punishable by statutory penalties of not less than 5 years and not more than 40 years imprisonment, 3 years’ supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Possession of a stolen firearm is punishable by statutory penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment, 3 years’ supervised release, and a fine of $250,000.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald R. Gendron.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is 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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Providence Woman Sentenced in Multi-State Fraud & ID Theft ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Providence woman who admitted to working directly with the local leader of a far-reaching multi-state fraud scheme that defrauded banks, finance companies, car dealerships, and retailers, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to two years and one day in federal prison.
Yenesia Pujols, 48, worked alongside Octavio Andres Difo-Castro, 29, of Edgewater, N.J., the admitted leader of an organization with roots reaching into the Dominican Republic, that purchased stolen personal identifying information from the Dark Web, including Social Security numbers, and used the information to create fraudulent driver’s licenses, open bank accounts, apply for and receive financing for automobiles, and open retail credit accounts used to purchase clothing, electronic devices, and furniture – some of which was shipped to the Dominican Republic and displayed on Instagram accounts.
At the time of his guilty plea, Difo-Castro admitted that at his direction several individuals opened bank accounts using fraudulent IDs he provided to deposit and withdraw fraudulently obtained funds; to pose as both the seller and the buyer of vehicles to fraudulently secure bank and/or credit union financing from financial institutions in several states; and to obtain retail store credit to make purchases at clothing, furniture, and cellphone retailers in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, Pujols willingly agreed to play the role of bank and retail store customers by opening bank accounts to be used exclusively for the purpose of depositing fraudulently obtained car loan checks and quickly siphoning off cash, and to pose as customers at Sprint retailers from which she fraudulently obtained numerous high-end smart phones to be sold by Difo-Castro.
Pujols also admitted to obtaining and using stolen personal identifying information of an American citizen, including her Social Security number and date of birth, to apply for and gain employment. Pujols did so despite claims to Social Security that she was disabled and unable to work, all the while fraudulently collecting Social Security disability benefits.
Additionally, Pujols admitted to using stolen personally identifying information and fraudulent documents provided by Difo-Castro to improve her personal appearance through cosmetic surgery.
Pujols pleaded guilty on October 15, 2019, to aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and Social Security fraud.
At sentencing today, United States District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., imposed a sentence of 24 months and one day imprisonment, 3 years’ supervised release, and ordered Pujols to pay restitution totaling $86,144, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Stephen Marks, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, and Scott E. Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Office of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General/Office of Investigations.
Difo-Castro pleaded guilty on September 19, 2019, to one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to access device fraud, two counts of aggravated identity theft, and nineteen counts of wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 17, 2020.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Ferland, with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
The investigations were led by the U.S. Secret Service, with the assistance of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General/Office of Investigations.
United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman acknowledges and thanks the United States Postal Inspection Service and East Providence, Seekonk and Mansfield Police Departments for their assistance in the investigations.
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Rhode Island Property Developer Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for $10 Million Ponzi Scheme and Obstructing IRS InvestigationRead the Press Release
An East Greenwich, Rhode Island, property developer was sentenced to eight years in prison today for operating a $10.3 million dollar Ponzi scheme and obstructing an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) investigation, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman for the District of Rhode Island.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Monique N. Brady owned and operated MNB LLC, a property preservation and rehabilitation business. From 2014 through summer 2018, Brady used her business to solicit private investors to invest funds for large scale rehabilitation of properties with the promise that investors would receive half of the profits. Brady told investors the projects consisted of full‑scale rehabilitations of foreclosed properties in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, costing tens of thousands of dollars. In reality, the projects consisted of smaller preservation-type work costing far less. In many instances, Brady solicited investors and received funds for projects that did not exist. Of the 171 properties for which Brady ostensibly obtained investor fund for rehabilitation projects, 98 were for properties her company was never hired to preserve, and on which no work was ever performed.
To make her solicitations appear legitimate, Brady created fraudulent emails claiming she had won a bid to rehabilitate a property from an established national property preservation company. Although these emails included the name of an actual employee of the company, the company in fact had no such involvement with Brady and the employee’s name was used without permission. Brady collected more than $10 million in investor funds, some of which she used for personal expenditures.
After Brady was informed that she was the subject of an IRS investigation, she attempted to obstruct the investigation by asking her investors to delete all emails, texts, and documents relating to their investments in MNB rehabilitation projects.
On July 11, 2019, Brady pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and obstructing an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) investigation.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell Jr. ordered Brady to serve three years of supervised release, to pay $4.78 million in restitution.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Weisman thanked special agents of the IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Vilker and Trial Attorney Christopher O’Donnell of the Tax Division, who prosecuted the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
RI Businesswoman Sentenced in $10M Ponzi Scheme that Defrauded 23 IndividualsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – An East Greenwich attorney and businesswoman who duped family members, friends, and business associates as she operated a $10.3 million Ponzi scheme to help finance an extravagant lifestyle, including a $1 million home, numerous expensive trips abroad and multiple trips to the Super Bowl, and luxury items such as her collection of Louis Vuitton shoes, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Providence today to 8 years in federal prison and ordered to pay back her victims a total of $4.78 million.
Monique N. Brady, 45, whose company, MNB, specialized in preserving the condition of foreclosed homes for resale, previously admitted to the court that among those she defrauded were close friends in her community, a close friend from childhood and another from law school, a childcare provider for her children, an elderly Alzheimer’s patient, her step-brother, and three firefighters in the same city where her now ex-husband is employed as a firefighter.
As part of the scheme, Brady told investors that her company had secured contracts to perform large scale rehabilitation projects on foreclosed properties in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. She represented to a total of thirty-one investors that payments ranging from approximately $20,000 to $80,000 were needed to pay subcontractors to perform the work. In exchange for their investment, they were promised a return of fifty percent of the profit realized on the project they invested in. Many investors realized little or no return on their investment. Some investors invested in multiple projects.
In reality, MNB was hired by banks to perform menial tasks such as mowing grass, changing locks, winterizing properties, boiler or electrical inspections, and snow removal. The majority of projects secured by MNB were for less than $1,000. Many were for as little as $25 to a few hundred dollars.
To make potential investors believe she had secured contracts for large scale rehabilitation projects, Brady provided fraudulent emails purporting to be from a national property rehabilitation company claiming Brady had been approved to rehabilitate a property. Brady included in the emails fraudulent itemizations of work to be performed. Brady also included, without permission, the identity of an actual employee of the national property rehabilitation company in an attempt to make the emails appear authentic.
By the time the scheme ended after its discovery in the summer of 2018, twenty-three individuals had lost approximately $4.8 million to Brady. An investigation by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation revealed that of the 171 properties for which Brady solicited and received funds from investors, 98 were for properties her company was never hired to preserve, on which no work was performed.
“Monique Brady took advantage of the trust many, many people put in her, with total disregard for the path of personal pain and financial ruin she left behind. Her conduct was reprehensible and heartbreaking,” said United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman.
“I commend the hard work of investigators from IRS Criminal Investigation and FBI who put a stop to Monique Brady and her schemes, and the prosecution team of attorneys from our office and from the Department of Justice’s tax division that held her accountable. I hope the significant sentence imposed today by Chief Judge McConnell will bring some measure of justice to the many victims of Monique Brady.”
“Monique Brady operated a multi-year scheme in which her victims included some of her closest friends, a relative, and many others with whom she had community ties. Equally disturbing to the scheme is Brady’s attempt to cover her misdeeds by asking those same victims to delete and destroy the very evidence that would eventually lead to her prosecution.” said Special Agent in Charge Kristina O’Connell. “Though Brady’s victims have suffered both financial and emotional losses, I hope that today’s sentencing leaves them comforted by the fact that justice has been served.”
“The nearly two dozen people Monique Brady defrauded of millions included family, first responders, neighbors, childhood pals, and elders in the grips of dementia – people who trusted her to invest their life savings, only to be left with empty bank accounts and grief,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “We at the FBI hope the victims find some measure of comfort in today’s sentence. “
Brady also admitted to attempting to obstruct an Internal Revenue Service criminal investigation when, after being told by IRS criminal investigators she was under investigation, she asked investors to delete or destroy all email correspondence, texts, and documents relating to their investments in MNB rehabilitation projects.
According to court documents, after Brady became aware of the investigation, she and her paramour, a Rhode Island attorney, secured a meeting with the Rhode Island Department of the Attorney General and the Rhode Island State Police, requesting they investigate the victims of this case for usury.
As the case proceeded toward federal indictment, Brady purchased a one way ticket to Vietnam. Once the FBI discovered Ms. Brady’s intention to leave the country, she moved her flight to an earlier departure date. Ms. Brady was arrested one day before her scheduled flight.
Ms. Brady pleaded guilty on July 11, 2019, to wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and obstructing an IRS investigation.
At sentencing today, U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., sentenced Brady to 96 months imprisonment, 3 years’ supervised release, and ordered her to pay restitution to the victims totaling approximately $4.8 million.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lee Vilker of the District of Rhode Island and Trial Attorney Christopher O’Donnell of the Tax Division.
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Providence Man Sentenced for Unlawful Sale of Firearms, Witness IntimidationRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A Providence man, one of twenty-six individuals arrested during an eighteen month Project Safe Neighborhoods investigation into firearms and drug trafficking in and around Providence in 2017 and 2018, was sentenced on Thursday to twenty-four months in federal prison.
Emmanuel Miamen, 25, was arrested in September 2018 by members of the FBI’s Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force after unlawfully selling two AR-47 assault rifles and two handguns, and offering to sell an individual a grenade launcher for $8,000.
Soon after Miamen’s arrest and arraignment in U.S. District Court in October 2018, he posted several threatening messages on social media directed at his indictment and a person who assisted the FBI in the investigation. He was re-arrested and charged with witness intimidation.
Miamen pleaded guilty on June 13, 2019, to conspiracy to traffic in firearms, trafficking in firearms, conspiracy and unlicensed dealing in firearms, and attempted witness tampering.
On Thursday, Miamen was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith to twenty-four months imprisonment to be followed by three years’ supervised release, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman and Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division Joseph R. Bonavolonta.
This Project Safe Neighborhoods case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Terrence P. Donnelly and Helen H. Lee, with the assistance of Assistant United States Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is 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.
The FBI’s Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force consists of agents and law enforcement officers from the FBI, Rhode Island State Police, the Providence, Cranston, Woonsocket, Pawtucket, and Central Falls Police Departments, and the Rhode Island National Guard.
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Providence Man Faces up to 20 Years in Prison in $568 Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Providence man who threatened a bank teller as he passed a note demanding cash is facing up to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty on Thursday in a bank robbery that netted him $568.
David L. Evans, 51, admitted that on May 31, 2018, he handed a note to a teller at a Santander Bank branch office in Providence demanding cash, at the same time telling her to empty both drawers and that “you have three seconds to give me the money and I’m not joking, I’m serious.”
According to information presented to the court, the bank teller handed Evans $568 in cash. Contained in the currency was a GPS tracker and Dye pack, which Evans threw back at the teller as he left the bank.
Evans did nothing to conceal his face and identity during the robbery, which was recorded on bank surveillance video and still photographs. The images were used to confirm his identity. He was arrested on June 6, 2018, by Providence Police Detectives and the FBI.
Appearing before U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy, Evans pleaded guilty to a charge of bank robbery, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Providence Police Chief Colonel Hugh T. Clements, Jr., and Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division Joseph R. Bonavolonta. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 15, 2020.
Bank robbery is punishable by statutory penalties of up to 20 years in prison followed by up to 3 years’ supervised release, and a fine of up to $250.000.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Stacey P. Veroni and Paul F. Daly, Jr.
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Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A federal court judge today sentenced a Providence man found by the FBI’s Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force to be in possession of more than 100 grams of fentanyl to five years in federal prison.
John Switzer, 28, was among a group of individuals targeted in a long-term drug trafficking investigation by the FBI Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force. On May 1, 2019, while being surveilled by members of the task force, Switzer was seen leaving his residence and traveling as a passenger in a vehicle to a nearby supermarket parking lot. About five minutes after his arrival, a second vehicle arrived. Switzer met briefly with the driver. Both vehicles then left the area and were followed by task force officers and agents.
The vehicle driven by the person who met with Switzer was stopped. The driver admitted to purchasing 30mg Percocet pills from Switzer, which lab tests showed to contain a mixture including fentanyl.
The vehicle Switzer was riding in was followed as he returned to his residence. A short time later, he and the same person who was driving the car earlier left the building together and began to drive away. The vehicle was stopped by law enforcement. From inside the vehicle, law enforcement seized two packages containing a total of approximately 116 grams of fentanyl and a package containing 10 blue pills similar to the pills seized earlier in the evening. The pills later tested positive for a mixture containing fentanyl.
Later that evening members of the Safe Streets Task Force executed a court-authorized search warrant at Switzer’s residence and seized about 1,500 suspected fentanyl pills, 18 ounces of marijuana, and $1,800 in cash.
Switzer pled guilty on September 21, 2019, to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
At sentencing today, U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., sentenced Switzer to 60 months incarceration to be followed by four years’ supervised release, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman and Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division Joseph R. Bonavolonta.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Gerard B. Sullivan.
The FBI’s Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force consists of agents and law enforcement officers from the FBI, RI State Police, Providence, Cranston, Woonsocket, Pawtucket, and Central Falls Police Departments, R.I. Department of Corrections, and the Rhode Island National Guard.
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Rhode Island Chiropractor Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Providence chiropractor today pled guilty in federal court to tax evasion, admitting that he diverted more than $1 million dollars in business revenue for his own personal use, and that he failed to report the income to the IRS, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman and Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Kristina O'Connell.
Dr. Leonard Marino, 50, of Johnston, President and sole shareholder of Chiropractic Associates in Providence, admitted that from 2016 through 2019, he devised schemes to divert $1,061,000 in income generated by his business to his own personal use, and that he failed to report the income to the IRS.
A significant amount of Chiropractic Associates income is derived from insurance company payments for bodily injury claims submitted by law firms on behalf of some of Dr. Marino’s patients. Payments, in the form of checks, were made by the law firms payable to Chiropractic Associates.
Dr. Marino admitted to devising schemes to cash many of the law firms’ checks and divert the proceeds for his own personal use. After a bank raised concerns with him about his check cashing practices, he requested that the law firms make checks payable to him personally, which they did. Marino then cashed those checks using a check casher.
Marino admitted to the court that in 2017 he failed to report $531,408.38 in gross income, which would have resulted in tax due the IRS of approximately $236,945. He admitted that from 2016 through 2108, he failed to report income totaling $1,061,000.
Marino is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith on May 7, 2020.
Tax evasion is punishable by statutory penalties of up to five years imprisonment; a fine of $250,000 or not more than twice the gross gain or twice the gross loss resulting from the offense; and a term of supervised release of three years.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dulce Donovan.
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New Jersey Man Detained on Child Pornography, Cyberstalking ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A New Jersey man who allegedly befriended four minor females on social media, three in Rhode Island, and persuaded them to send sexually explicit photographs of themselves to him, then allegedly threatened to share the photographs on social media with their classmates and others if they didn’t continue to communicate with him, made an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Providence today on child pornography and cyberstalking charges.
It is alleged that Pritkumar Tarunkumar Patel, 23, of Closter, NJ, befriended the girls on various social media platforms, and persuaded each to send sexually explicit photographs of themselves to him. It is also alleged that Patel sent sexually explicit photographs of himself to the girls, and, in at least one instance, allegedly communicated in much the same way via a live video chat.
Additionally, it is alleged that Patel threatened and harassed the girls on social media, by text messaging, and /or by calling them. It is alleged that Patel repeatedly demanded that they resume communicating with him and unblock his access to their social media accounts. He allegedly threatened to post the sexually explicit photos of them online and that he would share them with their friends, classmates, and family members. He also threatened to create Instagram accounts in the girls’ names and use those accounts to post the pictures online.
It is alleged that on at least one occasion he followed through on his threats by allegedly posting a sexually explicit picture of one of the girls, a 13-year-old girl from Indiana, on an Instagram account he created using her name.
It is also alleged that Patel threatened to locate and assault one of the girls if she did not unblock his access to her online accounts.
The investigation into Patel’s alleged actions began when the family of one of the girls brought the matter to the attention of the Hopkinton, R.I., Police Department. A Hopkinton Police Detective obtained a court-authorized search warrant that assisted him in identifying Patel and the IP address from which he was allegedly communicating with the girls.
Patel, who was charged on January 6, 2020, by way of a federal criminal complaint with production of child pornography, receipt of child pornography, transferring obscene material, and cyberstalking, was arrested on January 9, 2020, on a federal arrest warrant issued in Rhode Island. He made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Providence today and was ordered detained by U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Patricia A. Sullivan.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lee H. Vilker.
United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman acknowledges and commends the Hopkinton Police Department for their investigative efforts that ultimately led to the identity and arrest of Patel.
The matter was investigated by the Hopkinton Police Department, Rhode Island State Police, New Jersey State Police, and Homeland Security Investigations.
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Former Woonsocket Man Sentenced in FBI Safe Streets Task Force Investigation and ArrestRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A former Woonsocket man arrested by members of the FBI Safe Streets Task Force during an investigation into the trafficking of drugs on the streets of Woonsocket was sentenced today to 77 months in federal prison.
James Ruth, 31, was arrested by members of the Safe Streets Task Force on July 2, 2019, following an investigation into his drug trafficking activities, including several electronically monitored sales of crack cocaine.
According to information presented to the court, four of the transactions took place between March 19 and April 30, 2019, during which time Ruth sold between 3.2 grams and 27.42 grams of crack cocaine in exchange for between $170 and $1,200.
Ruth pleaded guilty on October 22, 2019, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base, and four counts of distribution of cocaine base.
Today, U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith sentenced Ruth to 77 months imprisonment to be followed by 4 years’ supervised release, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman and Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division Joseph R. Bonavolonta.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine D. Lowell and Sandra R. Hebert.
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Woman That Overstayed Her Visa Pleads Guilty to ID Theft, Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Dominican national that remained in the United States without permission after her six-month visa expired in June 2003, today admitted that while remaining in the country illegally, she used the stolen identity and Social Security number of a woman living in Puerto Rico to obtain a Rhode Island driver’s license and government financed health care, unemployment, disability, and food stamp benefits.
Sonia Jordain, 54, pled guilty as charged in an indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Providence in June 2019, to false representation of citizenship, false representation of a Social Security number, aggravated identity theft, theft of public money, and two counts of wire fraud.
Jordain admitted to the court that in February 2014, she used the stolen identity and stolen Social Security number when applying for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. On the application, Jordain falsely stated that neither she, nor anyone in her household, was not a United States citizen.
Jordain admitted that in February 2014, she also used the stolen identity and Social Security number to obtain government-paid health care benefits; in May 2016 to obtain a Rhode Island driver’s license; in December 2016 to obtain SNAP benefits; in March 2017 to receive temporary disability insurance (TDI) from the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training; and in October 2017 to obtain unemployment insurance benefits from the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training.
According to the government’s evidence, Jordain fraudulently received $40,070 in health care benefits, $5,928 in unemployment insurance benefits, $2,285 in TDI benefits, and $3,800 in SNAP benefits.
She is scheduled to be sentenced on May 7, 2020.
Jordain’s guilty plea before U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith is announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Molina, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General Phillip Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Region of the Department of Labor Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations Michael C. Mikulka, and Bethanne M. Dinkins, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Region of the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dulce Donovan.
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Providence Man Charged with Trafficking Meth, Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Providence man currently serving a term of state probation, having completed a sentence of eight years with 30 months to serve at the ACI for drug trafficking, today was ordered detained in federal custody following an investigation and his arrest by members of the FBI Safe Streets Gang Task Force into his alleged trafficking of crystal methamphetamine (meth) and crack cocaine.
Casimiro Pereira, 27, was arrested on Friday as Safe Streets Task Force members executed a federal court-authorized search of his Providence residence, where they allegedly seized, among other items, crystal meth.
It is alleged that on at least five occasions between July 25, 2019, and January 28, 2020, while under law enforcement surveillance, Pereira delivered varying amounts of crystal meth and crack cocaine in exchange for cash.
It is alleged that on July 25 and on August 15, 2019, Pereira sold 20 grams of crystal meth for $360, and that between October 1, 2019, and January 28, 2020, he allegedly delivered between 1.45 and 7 grams of crack cocaine for between $100 and $300.
Each alleged transaction was monitored by members of the FBI Safe Streets Gang Task Force. The drugs were quickly seized by members of law enforcement.
It is alleged that during Friday’s pre-dawn search of Pereira’s residence, agents and officers seized over 140 grams of crystal meth, 8 grams of crack cocaine, and various items used in the preparation, packaging, and distribution of crystal meth and crack cocaine.
Pereira, charged by way of a criminal complaint with distribution of 5 grams or more of crystal methamphetamine and distribution of cocaine base, made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Providence today before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Patricia A. Sullivan.
Pereira’s arrest and initial appearance are announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman and Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division Joseph R. Bonavolonta.
A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christine D. Lowell and Sandra R. Hebert.
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Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud, Mail Theft, Id TheftRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Florida man pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Providence today to bank fraud, ID theft, and mail theft charges, admitting that he executed a scheme to order then steal debit cards and PINs from mailboxes in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, then used them at ATMs in both states to withdraw funds from individuals’ bank accounts without their knowledge.
Stacy Moore, 48, of Miami Beach, FL, admitted that as part of the scheme replacement debit cards were ordered with the use of stolen personal identifying information belonging to bank account holders. The new debit cards and PINs were sent to the account holders, then stolen from the account holders’ mailboxes upon delivery by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). The fraudulently obtained debit cards and PINs were used to make unauthorized bank withdrawals.
Account holders were unaware that replacement debit cards and PINs had been requested.
According to court documents and information presented to the court, from December 11, 2018, to February 10, 2019, Moore used fraudulently obtained debit cards and PINs to make multiple withdrawals from at least six individuals’ personal bank accounts in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
As part of the scheme, replacement debit cards and PINs were ordered via telephone without the knowledge of bank account holders. They were delivered via the United States Postal Service to the account holders’ homes. An Informed Delivery account through the USPS website was established for each account holder’s address, allowing for notification when the replacement debit cards and PINs would be delivered. After delivery, the debit cards and PINs were stolen.
In court today, Moore admitted that among his fraudulent activities were 17 unauthorized ATM withdrawals on December 11 and 12, 2018, at ATMs in Boston. Withdrawals totaling $9,600 were made with the use of two fraudulently obtained debit cards and PINs, both in the name of the same bank customer. Moore also admitted that he made 10 unauthorized withdrawals totaling $6,000 on February 12 and 13, 2019, from ATMs in Middletown and Newport with the use of fraudulently obtained debit cards and PINs in the name of another bank customer.
Appearing today before U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith, Moore pled guilty to two counts of bank fraud and one count each of aggravated identity theft and theft of mail, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Boston Division Joseph W. Cronin, and Craig A. Marech, Resident Agent in Charge of the Providence Office of the United States Secret Service.
Moore is scheduled to be sentenced on May 7, 2020.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise M. Barton.
United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman thanks the East Greenwich, West Warwick, Barrington and Middletown Police Departments, and the Rhode Island Department of Corrections for their assistance in the investigation of this matter.
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Providence Man Pleads Guilty in Bogus Check, Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Providence man admitted on Monday to participating in a conspiracy to defraud area banks by depositing bogus checks and then, working with others, to quickly withdraw the funds before banks discovered that the checks were fraudulent.
Edmilson Rodrigues, 21, of Providence, admitted that he participated in a scheme to duplicate “real checks” provided to members of the conspiracy by insiders at local law firms, social services agencies, and local colleges.
According to information presented to the court, the bogus checks were deposited by Rodriques and others into actual bank accounts at bank branch offices in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. As part of the scheme, Rodriques and others quickly withdrew the funds, at times using stolen bank account and personal identifying information, before the bank determined that the deposited checks were bogus.
According to court documents, an investigation by Providence Police Detectives, the United States Secret Service, and the FBI determined that on at least eighteen occasions between May 2013 and February 2019, members of the conspiracy deposited bogus checks and withdrew funds, defrauding banks of well over $100,000. Rodrigues acknowledged that he joined the conspiracy in June 2017, depositing bogus checks and then either withdrawing the funds or having others do so at his direction.
Appearing on Monday before U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith, Edmilson Rodrigues pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and three counts of bank fraud, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Providence Police Chief Hugh T. Clements, Jr., Craig A. Marech, Resident Agent in Charge of the Providence Office of the United States Secret Service, and Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division Joseph R. Bonavolonta.
Rodrigues is scheduled to be sentenced on May 8, 2020.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William J. Ferland.
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Pawtucket Man Admits Robbing Two Banks Within WeeksRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Pawtucket man today admitted to robbing two banks within a span of four-weeks in mid-summer 2019, by presenting tellers with threatening notes.
Christopher S. Oladapo, 29, admitted that he robbed a Providence branch of Citizens Bank on July 27, 2019, of $3,268, and that he robbed a Citizens Bank branch in Pawtucket on August 31, 2019, of $2,031.
Oladapo admitted that in the first robbery he handed a note to a teller that read “Don’t be a hero there’s two of us in here Give me all the money in your draw Call police 15 mins after I walk out Your being watched keep your hands where I can see.”
In the second robbery he passed a note to a teller that read, “act normal give me all the money you have, you are being watched. Give me the note back and don’t call the police for 20 minutes.”
Appearing today before U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith, Oladapo pleaded guilty to two counts of bank robbery, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Providence Police Chief Colonel Hugh T. Clements, Jr., Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves, and Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division Joseph R. Bonavolonta.
Oladapo is scheduled to be sentenced on May 8, 2020.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine D. Lowell and Sandra R. Hebert.
The robberies were investigated by the Providence and Pawtucket Police Departments, with the assistance of the FBI.
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New Bedford "Middle-Man" in Crack Cocaine Sales Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A New Bedford man appeared in U.S. District Court in Providence today and admitted that on at least four occasions he served as a middle-man in the sale and delivery of crack cocaine to an individual in Rhode Island.
Jordan Fernandes, 30, admitted that between February 12, 2018, and August 9, 2018, he participated in the sale and delivery of between 13.9 and 33.08 grams of crack cocaine for between $850 and $2,550.
The sale price included a delivery fee Fernandes established for each transaction.
Appearing today before U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith, Fernandes pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base and four counts of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine base.
Fernandes is scheduled to be sentenced on May 8, 2020.
Fernandes’ guilty plea is announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division Joseph R. Bonavolonta, and Providence Police Chief Colonel Hugh T. Clements, Jr.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Terrence P. Donnelly.
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Providence Gang Member Sentenced to 70 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – An admitted member of the “East B Bop Milla Blood” street gang, who previously served time in state prison on firearm and assault charges and later arrested on federal firearm and drug charges, was sentenced today to 70 months in federal prison.
On March 12, 2019, during a Project Safe Neighborhoods investigation into illegal guns and drug dealing in Providence, members of the Rhode Island ATF Task Force and Providence Police detectives executed a federal court-authorized search of the residence of Damon A. Winslow, 25. During the search, agents and officers seized a fully loaded .45 caliber pistol, more than 150 rounds of assorted ammunition, and approximately 3.5 ounces of marijuana.
Winslow told members of law enforcement that he possessed the firearm because he was a member of a gang, specifically “The Bloods.” He admitted to purchasing the firearm, which was missing its serial number, for approximately $300.
“The backbone of Project Safe Neighborhoods is to identify and eradicate the most pressing violent crime problems in our communities. No one can argue that armed drug dealers are not at the top of that list. We are all safer when they and their guns are off the street, and their firearm and the poison they sell are no longer a threat to anyone” said United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman.
“I commend the Providence Police Department for their aggressive approach to combat violent crime by targeting gun crime and the individuals whose business it is arm themselves and sell drugs in our neighborhoods. The proof of a safer community lies in the numbers. The number of violent crimes committed with the use of a firearm in Providence is down while Providence Police continue to take more and more illegal guns off the street.”
“The Providence Police Department, in cooperation with our federal partners, have taken an aggressive stance regarding firearms used in commission of a crime. Over the past 10 years, the Providence Police have seized approximately 130 firearms per year, or removed one gun from the streets every three days,” said Providence Police Department Colonel Hugh T. Clements, Jr. “As a result, we are seeing fewer firearms used in both robbery and aggravated assault. In 2019, robbery with a firearm was down 8% and aggravated assault with a firearm dropped 18% compared with 2018. The number of persons shot in the city has declined from 110 in 2011 to only 35 last year. This is the lowest number of shooting victims since 2006. We will continue to work together with our federal and community partners going forward to keep illegal weapons and drugs off the streets and remove dangerous criminals from within our community.”
"ATF will continue working with our local, state and federal law enforcement counterparts to vigorously combat drug traffickers and the threat they pose to our citizens by illegally possessing firearms in furtherance of their illegal drug trade," said Kelly D. Brady, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division.
Winslow was previously convicted in Rhode Island state court in May 2017, on a felony charge of carrying a pistol without a license. He was arrested again in January 2018, for violating the terms of his probation when, among other things, he committed simple assault and resisted arrest following a fight involving rival gang members at the Garrahy Judicial Complex in Providence. He was convicted of simple assault and resisting arrest, and sentenced to 10 months incarceration at the ACI.
In this most recent firearm and drug trafficking case, Winslow pleaded guilty on October 24, 2019, to possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
Winslow was sentenced today to 70 months in federal to be followed by 3 years’ supervised release.
The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith, is announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Kelly D. Brady, and Providence Police Chief Hugh T. Clements, Jr.
This Project Safe Neighborhoods case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Milind M. Shah.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is 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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Dominican National Pleads Guilty in Fraudulent Credit Card, ID Document SchemeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Dominican national arrested by Pawtucket Police in June 2018, when he and a fellow Dominican national were found to be in possession of stolen data from 18,000 credit cards along with a large array of equipment and materials used to produce fraudulent identification documents and credit cards, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court.
Juan Jose Rodriguez-Castro, 36, and a fellow Dominican national, Wilberd Armando Reyes-Castro, 26, were arrested by Pawtucket Police on June 6, 2018, when officers responded to a 911 emergency call for an armed home invasion in progress at a Pawtucket residence.
According to information presented to the court, upon arrival at the residence, Pawtucket Police detained three individuals as they fled out a rear door. It is alleged that jewelry and a watch belonging to individuals inside the apartment were located on the individuals detained by the officers. Officers then entered the apartment to search for a firearm purportedly used in the robbery.
Inside the apartment, officers encountered Rodriguez-Castro and Reyes-Castro, and observed in the dining room a laptop computer, color printers, a laminating machine, a home-made ATM-style card reader, and American Express signature stickers similar to those used on the backs of credit cards.
A further court-authorized search of the residence resulted in the seizure of seven laptops containing credit card numbers of approximately 18,000 individuals. Also seized was equipment used to steal credit and debit card information at gas pumps, a mobile credit card reader, the inside of an ATM, a photo ID card printer, numerous flip phones, a laminating machine, color printers, numerous flash drives, credit card readers and scanners, blank checks, boxes of identification holograms used to make driver’s licenses from the states of Wyoming, Georgia, Indiana, New Jersey, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, Tennessee and Connecticut, three Dominican passports in the names of other individuals, numerous blank credit cards with chips, and numerous other items commonly used in the creation of fraudulent identification documents and access devices.
Juan Jose Rodriguez-Castro’s guilty plea to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and possession of unauthorized access devices is announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves, and Craig A. Marech, Resident Agent in Charge of the Providence Office of the United States Secret Service.
Rodriguez-Castro is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., on April 10, 2020.
Wilberd Armando Reyes-Castro pleaded guilty on December 9, 2019, to aggravated identity theft. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 12, 2020.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lee H. Vilker.
The matter was investigated by the Pawtucket Police Department and the United States Secret Service, with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations.
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Guatemalan National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry, Trafficking HeroinRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Guatemalan national deported from the United States in June 2004, has been sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for reentering the country illegally and for trafficking heroin.
According to information presented to the Court, prior to being deported by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, Eduardo Alvarez-Gamez, 43, was arrested nine times. Eight of the arrests involved larcenous conduct, involving six victims. He was removed from the United States on June 14, 2004.
Alvarez-Gamez was arrested by members of the Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force on February 26, 2019, after he made two deliveries of heroin, totaling nearly a kilogram. The deliveries were monitored by members of the DEA Drug Task Force. The heroin was quickly seized by law enforcement following each delivery.
Alvarez-Gamez pleaded guilty on October 2, 2019, to distribution of one hundred grams or more of heroin and illegal re-entry.
At sentencing on Friday, Alvarez-Gamez was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith to 36 months in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Field Division Brian D. Boyle, and Todd M. Lyons, Acting Field Office Director, ICE Enforcement & Removal Operations, Boston Field Office.
Alvarez-Gamez faces deportation proceedings upon completion of his term of incarceration.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr.
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Real Estate Developer Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud, Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A former construction project manager for a Newport-based real estate development company pled guilty in federal court in Providence on Thursday to twelve counts of bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft charges, admitting that he created a scheme that defrauded banks, construction companies, and his employer of more than $200,000.
Gregory Meeker, 57, of Barrington, who oversaw various real estate development projects for Landings Real Estate Group (Landings), including the Newport Beach Club and Long Meadow Landings projects, admitted that two months after being employed by Landings in December 2015, he devised a scheme to submit invoices to Landings, many of which were false or inflated, in the names of subcontractors. Landings made checks payable to the subcontractors that were then provided to Meeker for delivery. Instead of delivering the checks to the subcontractors, Meeker forged endorsements on the back of the checks and deposited them into his own bank account.
Meeker admitted that in some instances, false invoices and subsequently forged endorsements on checks bore the names of individual subcontractors as opposed to business names, including at least two individuals known to him.
Meeker also admitted that he provided Landings with false paperwork related to GMC Construction, an entity he previously operated, including a false name and address, and a Social Security number of an unrelated individual. He prompted Landings to issue over $12,000 in checks to GMC Construction, which he endorsed and deposited into his own bank accounts.
Additionally, Meeker admitted that he forged the endorsement of the Town of Portsmouth on the back of three checks made payable to “Town of Portsmouth – Inspection Department.” He deposited the checks into one of four bank accounts he used for his fraudulent activity.
Gregory Meeker’s guilty plea before U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to twelve counts of bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity is announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman and Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division Joseph R. Bonavolonta.
Meeker is scheduled to be sentenced on April 7, 2020.
Bank Fraud is punishable by statutory penalties of up to thirty years' imprisonment, five years' supervised release, and a fine of $1,000,000. Aggravated identity theft is punishable by a term of imprisonment of two years, to be served consecutive to any other term of incarceration ordered in this matter, to be followed by one year supervised release.
The case, investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sandra R. Hebert and Christine D. Lowell.
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Pawtucket Man Admits to Foreign Travel to Engage in Sex with a Minor, Transferring Obscene Material, Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Pawtucket man appeared in U.S. District Court in Providence today and admitted to a judge that he traveled to Canada in April 2019, to engage in illicit sexual activity with a 13-year-old female he befriended on social media.
Herbert J. Rodas, 23, also admitted that he sent the girl obscene photographs of himself and that he successfully encouraged her to send him sexually explicit photographs of herself.
Appearing before U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy, Rodas pleaded guilty to engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor in foreign places, transferring obscene material to a minor, and receipt of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Molina, and Rhode Island State Police Superintendent Colonel James M. Manni.
In June 2019, the Winnipeg Police Service contacted the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Providence to report the sexual assault of a 13-year-old female. Winnipeg Police developed information that Rodas had travelled from the United States to Canada to engage in sexual activity with the minor victim with whom he had been communicating online since January 2019.
Today, Rodas admitted to the court that on April 25, 2019, he flew to Canada, rented a hotel room in his name for which he paid cash, and over the next three days he met with the victim on several occasions to engage in illicit sexual activity.
On July 11, 2019, ICAC Task Force members and HSI agents arrested Rodas. A court-authorized search of Rodas’ Pawtucket residence that day resulted in the seizure of Rodas’ passport, an airline boarding pass from Toronto to Boston for Rodas’ return trip from Canada in April 2019, a Super 8 Motel receipt, and several electronic devices.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 25, 2020.
Engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor in foreign places is punishable by up to 30 years imprisonment and lifetime supervised release. Transferring obscene material to a minor is punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment and 5 years’ supervised release. Receipt of child pornography is punishable by a term of incarceration of 5-30 years, to be followed by lifetime supervised release.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John P. McAdams.
United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman thanks the Winnipeg Police Service for their assistance in the investigation of this matter.
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U.S. Attorney, COPS Program Honor Rhode Island Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – More than forty local, state, and federal law enforcement officers and agents were honored today by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman and prosecutors from the United States Attorney’s Office for their investigative work on several large-scale, highly impactful criminal and civil cases charged and prosecuted in federal court in Providence.
Agents from six federal and thirteen local and state law enforcement agencies were honored for their extraordinary efforts, resulting in successful prosecutions and convictions in virtually every area of federal enforcement, from gang and gun violence, drug trafficking, and those who prey on minors, to white collar financial offenses and health care fraud schemes involving fraudulent billing and accepting kickbacks in exchange for prescribing highly addictive opioid drugs.
In recognizing forty-five law enforcement officers and agents at today’s ceremony, United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman told the honorees, “Our office cannot do its job without the dedication, commitment, energy, and grit that each and every member of law enforcement brings to their profession day in and day out. And for that, we owe each and every member of law enforcement our gratitude and our thanks.”
Additionally, at today’s United States Attorney’s Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony, the Department of Justice’s Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program presented Rhode Island a certificate signifying the law enforcement community’s commitment to protecting the safety and lives of all law enforcement across the state, by establishing a Blue Alert Plan.
The certificate, presented to Rhode Island State Police Colonel and Rhode Island Public Safety Commissioner James Manni, acknowledges Rhode Island’s participation in the National Blue Alert Network, along with 34 other states.
Blue alerts provide for rapid dissemination of information to law enforcement, the media, and the public about violent offenders who have killed, seriously injured, or pose an imminent threat to law enforcement. Blue Alerts can also be used to help locate a member of law enforcement missing in connection with official duties.
“There could scarcely be a more worthwhile endeavor than protecting Rhode Island law enforcement from violent criminals who have done or would do serious harm to them. In joining 34 other states in providing for the rapid dissemination of information to law-enforcement agencies, media, and the public about violent offenders who have killed, seriously injured, or pose an imminent and credible threat to law enforcement, Rhode Island continues to demonstrate its commitment to the vital mission served by our law enforcers,” said US Attorney Aaron L. Weisman.
"As a law enforcement executive with over 50 years of experience in this noble profession, it’s an honor and a privilege to administer the National Blue Alert Network,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “Violent attacks on law enforcement officers constitute an assault on the American way of life and erode the actual and perceived safety of affected communities and our nation as a whole. The COPS Office and the entire Department of Justice applaud the state of Rhode Island for their commitment to law enforcement by affording this vital tool to its law enforcement officers and communities they serve.”
There are currently 35 states with Blue Alert plans. The COPS Office provides resources and technical assistance to states, territories, law enforcement agencies, and tribes seeking to establish or enhance Blue Alert plans; including, voluntary activation guidelines, examples of legislation, policies, and forms gathered from around the nation in a central Blue Alert data repository.
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 130,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit www.cops.usdoj.gov
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Convicted Massachusetts Felon Sentenced on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A convicted felon from Boston who is prohibited by law from possessing ammunition because of previous felony convictions was sentenced today to 36 months in federal prison for being in possession of ammunition he purchased from a Woonsocket federally licensed firearms dealer, in a Project Guardian case brought by the United States Attorney’s Office.
Charlie D. Vick, 30, of Everett, Mass., pleaded guilty on May 15, 2019, to being a felon in possession of ammunition, admitting to the Court that he and Gabriel A. Rosario, 23, of Chelsea, Mass., traveled from Boston to a Woonsocket firearms dealer with the intent of buying ammunition, aware that Rhode Island state law does not require a background check for ammunition purchases, unlike Massachusetts.
Vick admitted to the Court that once inside the store he asked the store manager for assistance with ammunition. The manager accompanied Vick to an area of the store away from a countertop where a .22 caliber firearm was displayed. While Vick and the manager were away from the counter area, Rosario took the .22 caliber firearm from the countertop, placed it in his waistband, and left the store.
After Rosario left the store, the store manager and Vick returned to the counter area. Vick knowingly illegally purchased three boxes of ammunition. Vick left the store and he and Rosario drove away from the area.
A Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms (ATF) and Explosives investigation determined that within a few days the stolen firearm was sold on the streets of Boston.
To obtain assistance from the public in identifying the two men responsible for the theft of the firearm, ATF offered a $1,500 reward leading to the identification of one or both of the men. At least two individuals contacted the Woonsocket Police Department and identified Charlie Vick as one of the two men depicted in surveillance camera photos publicized by law enforcement.
At sentencing today, U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith sentenced Vick to 36 months incarceration to be followed by 3 years supervised release, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of ATF Kelly D. Brady, and Woonsocket Police Chief Thomas Oates.
Gabriel A. Rosario, 23, of Chelsea, Mass., pleaded guilty on March 7, 2019, to theft of a firearm from a licensed firearm dealer. He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 30, 2020.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Milind M. Shah.
United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of ATF Kelly D. Brady, and Woonsocket Police Thomas Oates thank the United States Marshals Service and the Chelsea, Mass., Police Department for their assistance in the investigation and arrest of Vick and Rosario.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.
The United States Attorney’s Office has prosecuted this case with support from the following Project Guardian partners: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Woonsocket Police Department; United States Marshals Service; and the Chelsea, Mass., Police Department.
For more information about Project Guardian, please see https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian
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Providence Man Admits to Trafficking Meth, Fentanyl, & HeroinRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Providence man arrested in November 2017 while on federal supervised release, having recently completed serving a term of imprisonment of 60 months for trafficking heroin in 2011, admitted on Friday to trafficking methamphetamine (meth), fentanyl, and heroin in 2017.
Luis Alberto Gonzalez-Ruiz, 35, was arrested by members of the Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force and Rhode Island State Police on November 10, 2017, following an undercover investigation into his most recent drug trafficking activities.
On October 16, 2017, while under surveillance by members of the DEA Drug Task Force, Gonzalez-Ruiz delivered more than three kilograms of meth to another person. The meth was seized a short time later by DEA agents.
Additionally, on the day of his arrest, law enforcement seized from Gonzalez-Ruiz’s bedroom inside his Providence residence approximately 264 grams of fentanyl, approximately 281 grams of heroin mixed with fentanyl, cutting agents, digital scales, and other items commonly used by drug traffickers to package and distribute narcotics.
Law enforcement also seized a .380 semi-automatic pistol they located under his bedroom pillow.
Appearing Friday before U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., Gonzalez-Ruiz pleaded guilty to distribution of 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession of 100 grams or more of heroin with intent to distribute, and possession of 40 grams or more of fentanyl with intent to distribute.
Gonzalez-Ruiz’s guilty plea is announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Field Division Brian D. Boyle, and Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police Colonel James M. Manni.
Gonzalez-Ruiz is scheduled to be sentenced on April 2, 2020.
Distribution of 500 grams or more of methamphetamine is punishable by statutory penalties of 10 years to life imprisonment to be followed by 5 years to lifetime supervised release. Possession of 100 grams or more of heroin with intent to distribute and possession of 40 grams or more of fentanyl with intent to distribute are each punishable by 5-40 years imprisonment to be followed by 4 years to lifetime supervised release.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Gerard B. Sullivan, with the assistance of Assistant United States Attorney Stacey P. Veroni.
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Boston Man Admits to Conspiracy to Defraud Seniors in Phony Bail Money SchemeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Boston man today admitted to participating in a scheme to defraud senior citizens across the country by persuading them to send significant cash payments to various addresses in Rhode Island to secure the release of a relative from jail, purportedly arrested after being involved in a motor vehicle accident.
Julio Feliciano, 32, admitted that between April and October 2019, members of the conspiracy contacted senior citizens in at least four states, North Carolina, Delaware, Illinois, and Tennessee, and told them that cash payments ranging from $7,000 to $9,500 were required to secure the release of a relative, typically a grandson or nephew, from jail. The claims were not true.
In each instance, a member of the conspiracy, using various fictitious names, instructed a senior citizen to mail packages containing cash to locations in Rhode Island, including private residences, UPS stores, and a pharmacy. Feliciano admitted to the Court that he traveled to the various locations to retrieve the packages.
Feliciano was arrested on November 22, 2019, on a federal criminal complaint as the result of a still on-going investigation by Rhode Island State Police and Homeland Security Investigations.
Appearing today before U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy, Julio Feliciano pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Rhode Island State Police Superintendent James M. Manni, and Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Molina.
Feliciano is scheduled to be sentenced on April 20, 2020.
Conspiracy to commit mail fraud is punishable by statutory penalties of up to 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the pecuniary value of the gain or loss resulting from the offense, and a term of supervised release of 5 years.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lee H. Vilker.
Combatting elder abuse and financial fraud targeted at seniors is a key priority of the Department of Justice. If you are a victim or know a victim of elder fraud, you can call 1-877-FTC-HELP or go to ftc.gov/complaint. For downloadable Elder Abuse Prevention resources and for information about community outreach programs in Rhode Island, visit the United States Attorney’s Office’s Elder Justice Initiative web page at https://www.justice.gov/usao-ri/elder-justice
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Providence Woman Admits to Role in Fraudulent Opioids Prescription ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Providence woman admitted to a federal court judge on Wednesday that she participated in a conspiracy to create and use fraudulent prescriptions to gain and distribute opioid pills.
Tammy Bonham, 55, admitted her role in a scheme to manufacture fraudulent prescriptions utilizing the identities, Drug Enforcement Administration identification numbers, and signatures of medical practitioners without their consent. Prescriptions for varying amounts of oxycodone pills were written and presented to pharmacies by some members of the conspiracy and others working at the direction of the conspirators. Often times, the prescriptions were paid for with the fraudulent use of medical insurance.
Most of the oxycodone pills gained with the use of fraudulent prescriptions were sold to others for distribution.
Appearing before U.S. District Court William E. Smith, Bonham pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman and Jeffrey Ebersole Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations.
Bonham is scheduled to be sentenced on April 24, 2020. Conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone is punishable by statutory penalties of up to 20 years imprisonment to be followed by 3 years supervised release.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dulce Donovan.
The matter was investigated by the Rhode Island Food and Drug Administration-Office of Criminal Investigations task force, with the assistance of Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General.
United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman and Jeffrey Ebersole Special Agent in Charge of Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigation, thank the Office of Program Integrity, Executive Office of Rhode Island Health and Human Services for their assistance during this investigation.
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Crack Cocaine "Broker" Sentenced to 5 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A former Woonsocket man, one of more than a dozen people arrested in July 2019 as the result of a four-month FBI Safe Streets Task Force Project Safe Neighborhoods investigation into the trafficking of fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine on the streets of Woonsocket, was sentenced today to five years in federal prison for brokering sales of crack cocaine.
In October 2019, Christian Nieves, 34, admitted to the Court that in April 2019, he arranged on multiple occasions for an individual to purchase a total of 34.18 grams of crack cocaine from David Kennedy, 29, formerly of Woonsocket. Nieves was present for each transaction and was paid a fee for his efforts.
Nieves pleaded guilty on October 1, 2019, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base.
At sentencing today, U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., sentenced Nieves to 60 months imprisonment to be followed by 4 years supervised release, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division Joseph R. Bonavolonta, and Woonsocket Police Chief Thomas Oates.
David Kennedy pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court on October 1, 2019, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base. He is scheduled to be sentenced on February 20, 2020.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sandra R. Hebert and Christine D. Lowell.
Project Safe Neighborhoods is 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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34 Historic Stone Projectile Points Returned to Haffenreffer MuseumRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – More than thirty years after they vanished from the collections of the Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology, a group of thirty-four stone projectile points, hundreds, perhaps more than a thousand years old, were returned to the museum today by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman and Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Molina.
The stone projectiles points, used primarily for hunting, were unearthed by Harrie M. Wheeler, a noted Rhode Island collector and amateur archeologist, during excavations that he conducted between 1928 and 1950 in East Greenwich, Rhode Island.
Present today as the museum director and others from the Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology took possession of these historic items, were Harrie Wheeler’s great, great grandsons Jason Langlais and Brian Cory, themselves amateur archeologists who continue to follow in their great, great grandfather’s footsteps.
United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman said, “I am gratified that we, at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, were able to play some role in returning to the Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology these historic items excavated, many, many decades ago, in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, and likely dating to the pre-Columbian Twelfth Century,” said United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman.
“The trafficking of artifacts threatens the preservation and study of the world’s culture and history,” said Jason Molina, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, Boston. “Along with the critical efforts of the U.S. Attorney for Rhode Island, HSI is proud to have helped bring about a measure of justice with the return of the artifacts.”
Harrie M. Wheeler, a Rhode Island native with a passion for pre-Columbian archaeology and anthropology, sold part of his collection of artifacts to Rudolf F. Haffenreffer Jr. in 1928 for the sum of $1,000. Haffenreffer was a local brewer, entrepreneur and philanthropist who subsequently founded the museum that bears his name, and that became a part of Brown University in 1955 following his death. A second set of artifacts gathered by Wheeler, including the stone projectile points returned today, were acquired by the Museum in 1985.
Two years later, in 1987, the Museum’s assistant curator noticed that the stone projectile points, along with a number of other items, were missing. They were reported stolen to Brown University and Bristol Police. While a number of the stolen items surfaced over the course of the next three decades at flea markets or private sales, the fate of this particular group of missing artifacts remained a mystery until early 2019, when an adroit observer noticed a listing on eBay offering a “collection of museum quality arrowheads” for sale for $500.00. The listing included photos, one of which showed the stone projectile points in their original display box, bearing a label reading: “Arrowheads from a Rhode Island Archaeological dig in East Greenwich, Kent County, Rhode Island, 1928-1950, Ex Wheeler Collection, Haffenreffer Museum, All Authentic.”
One of the items was marked with the number “85-827,” which matched the Haffenreffer’s catalog number for the artifacts. Contacted by the individual who first observed the listing, curators at the Haffenreffer reached out to the Brown University and Bristol Police Departments, who in turn requested the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Federal investigators were able to quickly locate the eBay seller, secure the items, and confirm their provenance.
Based on information developed during the investigation by HSI, it appears that the eBay seller acquired the stone projectile points for a case of wine from an individual who listed them on Craigslist. HSI's investigation, and efforts to determine the whereabouts of other items stolen from the Haffenreffer collection in 1987 remains ongoing, and anyone with potentially relevant information is urged to contact the HSI Tip Line at (866) 347-2423.
Using a provision of federal law that allows the government to recover stolen goods that travel across state lines, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Rhode Island filed a lawsuit to forfeit the stone projectile points. Following completion of that lawsuit, and a review of Brown’s petition for return of the projectile points to the Museum, federal authorities today were able to return them to where they properly belong.
This case is one of many in which the United States has utilized the federal forfeiture laws to secure the return of stolen cultural property, art, and artifacts, to museums who have been victimized by theft.
U.S. Attorney Weisman extended the federal Government’s thanks to Brown University and to the Bristol Police Department, whose cooperation and collaboration in the investigation of the theft were instrumental to the return of these irreplaceable historical artifacts.
The Government’s case was litigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
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Florida Man Sentenced in ATM "Cash-out" SchemeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Florida man who admitted to successfully conducting more than 100 ATM “cash-out scheme” withdrawals in two days in Rhode Island and Massachusetts in May 2019 using stolen identities and fraudulent ATM cards was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Providence to 36 months in federal prison.
Dean Emmanuel Colin, 27, of Miami, was arrested outside a Santander Bank branch office by Seekonk, Mass., Police on May 23, 2019, after bank security officials notified the United States Secret Service that they were monitoring live video of an individual making repeated fraudulent withdrawals of large sums of cash using multiple cards. The Secret Service in turn notified the Seekonk Police Department who responded to the bank and detained Colin.
An investigation by the United States Secret Service and the Seekonk and Warwick Police Departments determined that Colin and others encoded blank ATM cards with individuals’ personal identifying and account information stolen during a data breach. The account holders had large or no limits on ATM cash withdrawals.
According to information presented to the Court, Colin travelled to Boston and rented a hotel room in Foxborough, Mass., on May 22, 2019. He spent the next two days traveling around Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island conducting ATM withdrawals with the use of fraudulent ATM cards. Colin attempted to conduct 173 ATM fraudulent cash withdrawal transactions totaling $289,530. At least 112 of those transactions were successful, totaling $174,660.
At the time of his arrest, Colin was found to be carrying nine ATM cards. From inside his vehicle, law enforcement seized additional bank cards and a hotel room plastic key card. A court-authorized search of Colin’s hotel room resulted in the seizure of a sweatshirt Colin is seen on surveillance video wearing while visiting some of the ATMs, two bank cards, and $65,920 in cash.
Additionally, U.S Postal inspectors and Secret Service agents obtained a search warrant for a package sent by Colin from Warwick, R.I., to his residence in Miami. Inside the package was a cereal box containing several plastic bags of wrapped bundles of cash totaling $48,500, labelled with the names of co-conspirators.
Colin pleaded guilty on September 11, 2019, to bank fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft. He was sentenced today to 36 months in federal prison, 3 years supervised release. The Court will determine restitution at a later date.
Colin’s sentence, imposed today by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., is announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Craig A. Marech, Resident Agent in Charge of the Providence Office of the United States Secret Service, Seekonk Police Chief Frank John, and Warwick Police Chief Colonel Rick Rathbun.
United States Attorney Weisman thanks the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Bristol County, Massachusetts, District Attorney’s Office for their assistance in the investigation of this matter.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. McAdams.
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New Jersey Man Detained in RI on Enticement, Interstate Travel to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A New Jersey man arrested by Rhode Island State Police and Homeland Security Investigations on Sunday after he traveled to Rhode Island to allegedly engage in sexual activity with a person he believed to be a 9th grade girl he befriended online has been ordered detained in federal custody, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Rhode Island State Police Superintendent Colonel James M. Manni, and Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Molina.
It is alleged that Amish Jayant Patel, 47, of Swedesboro, New Jersey, communicated online for nearly a month with a person he thought to be a 14-year-old, 9th grade Rhode Island female. It is alleged that during the online exchange of messages, Patel sent the girl photographs of himself and sexually explicit pictures. It is alleged that he arranged to meet with the girl in Rhode Island on January 5, 2020, to engage in illicit sexual activity. He allegedly told the girl he would purchase alcohol for them to share when they met.
The person he was actually communicating with was a Rhode Island State Police Detective assigned to the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
According to court documents, when Patel arrived at T.F. Green Airport on Sunday he was followed by undercover law enforcement officers and agents as he deplaned, he traveled to a local liquor store where he purchased alcohol, and then to a pre-determined location where he was expecting to meet with the 14-year-old girl. He was arrested without incident.
Patel appeared in U.S. District Court in Providence on Monday and was ordered detained by U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Lincoln D. Almond, charged by way of a federal criminal complaint with enticement and travel in interstate commerce to engage in illicit sexual conduct.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee H. Vilker.
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Former RI Attorney Pleads Guilty to Fraud, Pension Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A former Providence attorney pleaded guilty in federal court to charges that he fraudulently collected more than a quarter of a million dollars in pension funds in the name of a former client for nearly twelve years after the man’s death.
Oleg Nikolyszyn, 65, admitted that from December 2003 through September 2015, he collected monthly pension payments totaling $234,586 in the name of a former City of Providence employee and a member of the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA).
According to information presented to the Court, in May 2000, the former City of Providence employee hired Nikolyszyn as his attorney and executed a power of attorney that authorized Nikolyszyn to take certain acts on his behalf. Those actions included receiving pension benefits owed him and signing and depositing checks payable to him.
Appearing on Friday before U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith, Nikolyszyn admitted that he continued to receive monthly pension payments in his client’s name for nearly twelve years following the client’s death on November 12, 2003. Nikolyszyn admitted to depositing the funds into a bank account in the name of both himself and his former client, and then converting the funds to his and his family’s personal use by transferring them into bank accounts he shared with his family.
Nikolyszyn admitting to collecting $173,597 in payments from the City of Providence Employee’s Retirement System and $60,989 from the LIUNA Pension Fund in the name of his former client.
Nikolyszyn’s guilty plea to two counts of mail fraud and one count of theft from an employee benefit pension fund is announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman; Michael C. Mikulka, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Region for the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Investigations - Labor Racketeering and Fraud; Carol S. Hamilton, Acting Regional Director for the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration; Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police Colonel James M. Manni; and Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Molina.
Nikolyszyn is scheduled to be sentenced on April 24, 2020.
Mail fraud is punishable by statutory penalties of up to twenty years imprisonment; a fine of $250,000 or not more than twice the gross gain or twice the gross loss resulting from the offense; and a term of supervised release of three years. Theft from an employee benefit pension fund is punishable by up to five years imprisonment; a fine of $250,000 or not more than twice the gross gain or twice the gross loss resulting from the offense; and a term of supervised release of three years.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise M. Barton.
United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman acknowledges and thanks the Rhode Island Supreme Court Office of Disciplinary Counsel and the Rhode Island Department of the Attorney General for their assistance in the investigation of this matter.
Oleg Nikolyszyn was suspended from the practice of law in Rhode Island by the Rhode Island Supreme Court on December 1, 2016, following an investigation by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel.
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Indictment Returned in Woonsocket Arson FireRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – An individual who allegedly broke into a Woonsocket manufacturing plant and set fires in several locations, and whose identity became known after a surveillance photograph of him was posted to Rhode Island’s Most Wanted website, was indicted today by a federal grand jury on a charge of arson.
Woonsocket Police Department personnel responded to an alarm at Sports Systems Custom Bag Corporation in the early morning hours of April 5, 2019, and discovered smoke in the building and water flowing from sprinkler heads in the basement and first floor. A small fire inside a desktop computer lying on the floor in the basement and smoldering papers on a desk in a first floor office were quickly extinguished. The sprinkler system had contained or extinguished most of the fire prior to the fire department’s arrival.
Investigators also observed evidence of forced entry, smashed computers, ransacked offices, and an attempted forced entry into a safe.
Investigators also retrieved a smashed and badly damaged DVR used to record security camera images. According to court documents, recovered video surveillance shows a person using a ladder to access the building. The same person is seen walking around the building collecting various items and placing them into bags, which he obtained from within the facility.
At one point the person takes down an American flag hanging in the building, folds it in a military fashion, and then places it into his backpack.
According to court documents, the individual seen in the video initially touches several items in the building then puts on a pair of gloves and wipes down those places he previously touched. He also disabled and destroyed several surveillance cameras.
Images of the individual captured on video and retrieved from the security camera DVR were posted by law enforcement to Rhode Island’s Most Wanted website. Information from the public assisted law enforcement in identifying the person as allegedly being Jacob E. Lahousse, 20, who has no known address. Law enforcement located and arrested Lahousse on December 26, 2019. He was ordered detained in federal custody by U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Patricia A. Sullivan.
Lahousse’s indictment, returned today, is announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Kelly D. Brady, Woonsocket Police Chief Thomas Oates, and Rhode Island State Fire Marshal Timothy McLaughlin.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dulce Donovan.
The matter was investigated by the Woonsocket Police Department, the Office of the State Fire Marshal, and ATF.
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U.S. Attorney's Office Collects over $3M in Civil and Criminal PenaltiesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman announced today that the District of Rhode Island collected $3,256,549.78 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2019. Of this amount, $1,633,893.21 was collected in criminal actions and $1,622,656.57 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the District of Rhode Island worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $20,833,502.89 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $4,344.30 was collected in criminal actions and $20,879,158.59 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in Rhode Island working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $1,234,635.00 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2019. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
These recoveries reflect the breadth of the District of Rhode Island’s caseload and enforcement efforts in multiple areas. For example, of the District’s total, approximately $535,000 was recovered in a civil penalty action brought against a major national pharmacy chain for its alleged failure to detect invalid prescriptions for controlled substances at its Rhode Island pharmacies; nearly $700,000 was recovered for false claims to the United States resulting from the supply of counterfeit military uniforms to government purchasers; and nearly $300,000 was recovered from a local ambulance company to resolve allegations that it improperly billed the Medicare and Medicaid programs for medically unnecessary ambulance runs.
“These collection figures reflect our Office’s commitment to use all the tools at our disposal to deter illegal conduct and make the government whole when it is victimized by fraud, as well as to recover the financial fruits of crime for the benefit of victims,” remarked U.S. Attorney Weisman in announcing these collection results.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S., and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
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Four Charged in Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – Four individuals have been charged in U.S. District Court in Providence for their roles in an alleged drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracy that trafficked at least 50 kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico to Rhode Island through the U.S. Postal Service, and in return sent tens of thousands of dollars in drug trafficking proceeds to individuals in Puerto Rico, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman; Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; Rhode Island State Police Superintendent Colonel James M. Manni; and Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Field Division Brian D. Boyle.
According to court documents, the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) has identified approximately 51 Priority Mail parcels allegedly sent by members of a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) to various address in Rhode Island. The parcels list sender names that are not associated with the listed return addresses in Puerto Rico, and similarly, list recipients who are not associated with the Rhode Island address to which the parcel is sent. USPIS agents determined that many of the shipments were tracked via USPS tracking information, and that several individuals monitored and retrieved the deliveries. The parcels were turned over to the alleged leaders of the DTO in Rhode Island.
On Monday, three of the alleged leaders of the DTO, Arcadio Torres, 38, of North Providence, Nelson Carvalho, 45, of Cranston, and George Mojica, 40, of Central Falls, were ordered detained by U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Lincoln D. Almond on criminal complaints charging them with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance; distribution of and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance; unlawful use of a communication facility (U.S. Mail) to facilitate the distribution of a controlled substance; and conspiracy to engage on money laundering and money laundering.
An arrest warrant has been issued for a fourth defendant.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise M. Barton.
The matter was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, Rhode Island State Police High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, and the Rhode Island Drug Enforcement Administration Drug Task Force.
United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman acknowledges and thanks the Pawtucket Police Department for their assistance in the investigation of this matter.
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Armed Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 6 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Providence man found to be in possession of a loaded firearm, ammunition, several bags of crack cocaine, and a large bag of marijuana when stopped by Pawtucket Police for a traffic violation, has been sentenced to 72 months in federal prison.
Scott Arnum, 30, was stopped by Pawtucket Police on September 18, 2017, after he failed to use a turn signal and his vehicle stopped short in front of a police cruiser. As the officer approached the vehicle she smelled a strong odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle and observed the driver making rapid movements. Arnum complied with the officer’s request to exit the vehicle.
Once out of the vehicle, officers discovered a large bag of marijuana and six bags of crack cocaine inside Arnum’s clothing. A seventh bag fell out of Arnum’s underwear after he was transported to the police station. An inventory of Arnum’s vehicle resulted in the seizure of a loaded 9mm pistol and two loaded 9mm magazines from the vehicle’s glovebox.
Arnum pleaded guilty on September 17, 2019, to possession with the intent to distribute crack cocaine, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to court records, in December 2010, Arnum was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison and 5 years supervised release, having been convicted for possession of crack cocaine with the intent to distribute and felon in possession of a firearm.
In this most recent case, Arnum was sentenced on December 6, 2019, by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith to 72 months in federal prison to be followed by 3 years supervised release.
Arnum’s sentence is announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Field Division Brian D. Boyle, and Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Kelly D. Brady.
This Project Safe Neighborhoods case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald R. Gendron.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is 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.
Lauren S. Zurier Sworn in as Assistant United States Attorney, Named Appellate Chief for the District of Rhode IslandRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman today announced the appointment and swearing-in of veteran Rhode Island state prosecutor Lauren S. Zurier as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island.
Ms. Zurier, who has worked in the appellate unit of the Rhode Island Department of the Attorney General since 1993, and briefed and argued over 180 cases in the Rhode Island Supreme Court, has been appointed by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman as Appellate Chief.
In announcing Ms. Zurier’s appointment, United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman commented, “The United States Attorney’s Office is so fortunate to be able to welcome Lauren Zurier to its ranks. Lauren’s more than two-decades-long experience prosecuting many of Rhode Island’s most significant and complex criminal appeals – which followed her graduation from Harvard College and Law School, a federal clerkship, and work as an associate in a large Rhode Island law firm – will make her an invaluable and most welcome addition to the United States Attorney’s Office. And Lauren’s devotion to criminal justice, under five Attorneys General, is practically legendary to the Rhode Island criminal bench and bar.”
Prior to joining the Rhode Island Department of the Attorney General, Ms. Zurier clerked for the Honorable Frank Kaufman, Senior Judge in the U.S. District Court in Maryland, and worked as a civil litigation associate at law firms in Boston and Providence.
Ms. Zurier graduated from Harvard College magna cum laude in 1984, and from Harvard Law School, cum laude, in 1987.
Warwick Fugitive Arrested in CaliforniaRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Warwick man convicted in June 2010 on federal drug and firearm charges and sentenced in September 2010 to 151 months in federal prison has been arrested by members of the United States Marshals Service San Diego Fugitive Task Force on a federal arrest warrant issued in Rhode Island for allegedly violating the terms of his federal supervised release.
It is alleged that on November 26, 2019, Derrick Watters, 42, assaulted his girlfriend and prevented her from using her cell phone to call police for assistance. A subsequent investigation by Warwick Police resulted in the seizure of a firearm and ammunition from the residence allegedly belonging to Watters. Watters fled the residence prior to the arrival of Warwick Police.
Members of the Rhode Island Violent Fugitive Task Force and Warwick Police worked through the Thanksgiving holiday into this week and tracked Watters to Oceanside, CA. On Wednesday, members of the San Diego Fugitive Task Force apprehended Watters in Oceanside. He is being held at the Western Region Detention Center Facility in San Diego, CA.
Watters is scheduled to be arraigned in federal court in San Diego later today.
Watters is charged by Warwick Police with domestic assault - strangulation, refusal to relinquish a telephone, simple assault, disorderly conduct, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Watters’ arrest is announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, United States Marshal Wing Chau, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police Colonel James M. Manni, and Warwick Police Chief Colonel Rick Rathbun.
The Rhode Island Violent Fugitive Task Force is co-led by the United States Marshal Service and the Rhode Island State Police, and includes members of the Warwick, Pawtucket, Coventry, Cranston, Providence, Portsmouth, Middletown, and East Providence Police Departments.
The matter of Watters allegedly violating the terms of his federal supervised is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ly T. Chin.
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Justice Department Honors Rank-and-File Law Enforcement Officers and Deputies in Third Annual Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service in PolicingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Attorney General William P. Barr and Justice Department leadership today announced the recipients of the Third Annual Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Policing, recognizing the exceptional work of 19 law enforcement officers and deputies from 12 jurisdictions across the country.
United States Attorney General William P. Barr honored Providence Police Detectives George Duarte, Jeff Richards, and Anthony Roberson during a ceremony in the Great Hall at the Robert F. Kennedy Justice Department Building.
“Honoring and supporting the work of law enforcement officers and deputies is a top priority for the Trump Administration, and today is an opportunity for me to personally express my gratitude and commitment to those who risk their lives daily to protect our communities,” said Attorney General Barr. “The Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Policing honors exceptional police officers and the vital public service they provide. The brave men and women in law enforcement are engaged in an unrelenting and often unacknowledged fight to keep our communities safe each and every day. It is an honor to thank them for their service.”
United States Attorney Aaron Weisman added, “Exemplary police investigations like those carried out by Providence Police detectives Jeffrey Richards and George Duarte are at the heart of the vital role served by urban law enforcers, day in and day out; investigations which do so much to make our communities safe and livable places. I also commend the truly outstanding and beyond-the-call-of-duty community activities of Providence Police Detective Anthony Roberson. While so many here in Providence are already aware of the really remarkable impact that Detective Roberson’s outreach programs have had, especially with the youth, on making Providence safer and more pleasant, I am gratified that his incredible outreach activities have come the attention of the Department of Justice.”
Providence Police Chief Hugh T. Clements, Jr., added, “The Providence Police Department is truly honored to win the Attorney General Award in two categories for ‘Distinguished Service in Policing’. Our Community Police foundation is built on a balanced focus of keeping our city safe and promoting positive interactions to engage with all of our citizens. Our comprehensive approach with our community partners has led to great success with continued reductions in violent crime and solid trust within the community. This recognition from the Attorney General validates our commitment.”
President Donald J. Trump established clear directives for the Department of Justice – with three Executive Orders – demonstrating his strong support of the law enforcement community. These Executive Orders commit the Department to working in tandem with state and local law enforcement to restore the rule of law, reduce violent crime, dismantle criminal gangs, and combat the growing drug epidemic. Today the Department of Justice continues to support the President’s directive to honor law enforcement officers by announcing the third annual Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Policing.
The Attorney General’s Award recognizes individual state, local, and tribal sworn rank-and-file police officers and deputies for exceptional efforts in policing. The awarded officers and deputies have demonstrated active engagement with the community in one of three areas: criminal investigations, field operations or innovations in community policing. The Department received 199 nominations for 414 individuals ranging from state police departments, to local police, to campus public safety agencies. This award highlights the work that troopers, officers and deputies do to prevent, intervene in, and respond to crime and public safety issues.
Providence Police Department detectives George Duarte and Jeff Richards were honored for their outstanding work tracking down and arresting an individual who allegedly kidnapped, drugged, and sexually assaulted a high school student as she walked to school in February 2017. The detectives had limited information available to them because the victim had been drugged and was disoriented, and therefore able to provide only a few details of the kidnapping and attack.
In investigating the alleged kidnapping and sexual assault of the high school student, Detectives Duarte and Richards painstakingly retraced the path the suspect took while in contact with the victim. This included canvassing any possible video camera footage that might have captured the suspect's vehicle while it was travelling around areas that the victim could recall. Several glimpses of the vehicle were found, and as the detectives followed the trail through video they were able to observe the suspect’s vehicle in a gas station; a license plate was revealed, giving them a break in the case. Following the arrest of the alleged perpetrator, a subsequent investigation by detectives Duarte and Richards resulted in the identification of two additional young women who were allegedly assaulted by the suspect, as seen on his cellphone video. Additionally, six other sexual assaults allegedly filmed by the same person had female victims whom the detectives were never able to identify. These victims were allegedly unconscious during the assaults.
Providence Police detective Anthony Roberson, a 17-year veteran of the Department, not only serves the community he grew up in while rising through the ranks but spends a large part of his personal time volunteering in many ways to further serve the community at large.
On many days when Detective Roberson’s shift is over, if he is not finishing up additional schooling, teaching driver's education, or volunteering at the Sojourner House, his innovative approach to community policing includes, among other programs, his "Shop with a Cop" program for kids. He encourages businesses big and small to donate dinners, items, and the like, which are raffled off to raise money to buy gift cards for use by kids who might otherwise not be able to purchase essentials and school supplies. To date, around 300 kids from around the city have participated this program, strengthening the relationship between law enforcement and the community they serve and protect.
Additionally, Detective Roberson’s “Handshake Initiative” in Providence, Cumberland, and East Providence, brings nearly 200 successful adults from all walks of life, dressed in work uniform, to welcome students to school in the morning with encouragement, handshakes, and high-fives. The program emphasizes to students that they can pursue any career they choose. There is also the Bicycle Safety Initiative that Detective Roberson started with Walmart, along with grant money and volunteer police officers, providing dozens of kids a year with a bicycle and a helmet.