Eastern District of Texas

BEAUMONT, Texas – A Diboll man has been sentenced to over 13 years in federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today.

Gonzalo Alonso Torres, 46, pleaded guilty on July 14, 2022, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 162 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.

According to information presented in court, in 2019, local, state, and federal law enforcement began investigating Torres’ drug trafficking activities.  On Sep. 18, 2019, law enforcement was able to set up a methamphetamine purchase between Torres and another person.  Torres placed the methamphetamine in a mailbox for the customer to retrieve.  Officers then confiscated the drugs.  In October 2019 on two separate occasions law enforcement again arranged for the purchase of methamphetamine using another person.  Torres was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 6, 2022 and charged with federal drug trafficking violations.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Diboll Police Department, and the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter. 

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BEAUMONT, Texas – A Nacogdoches man has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today.

Brandon Spears, 38, pleaded guilty on April 20, 2022, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 144 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.

According to information presented in court, Spears was part of a trafficking organization responsible for trafficking at least 44 grams of methamphetamine in the Nacogdoches area.  During the 2 ½ year investigation, law enforcement officers purchased methamphetamine from Spears on multiple occasions.  During one attempted sale of methamphetamine, Spears and co-defendant, Angel Aguilar, were out of stock so they provided the buyer with a firearm and pills containing a mixture of cocaine and methamphetamine as collateral towards the future purchase of methamphetamine.  The firearm given as collateral was later confirmed to be stolen.  At sentencing, Spears forfeited three firearms seized by law enforcement during the investigation.  Aguilar was previously sentenced to 180 months in federal prison.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Nacogdoches Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter. 

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BEAUMONT, Texas – A New Orleans, Louisiana man has been named in a federal indictment charging him with carjacking and firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today. 

Aubrey Young, 36, was charged with carjacking, possession of a firearm by a felon, and using a firearm during a crime of violence.  A federal grand jury returned the indictment on May 3, 2023.  Young appeared before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone today on those charges.  Young is scheduled to appear for a detention hearing on May 25, 2023.

According to the indictment, on Oct. 26, 2022, law enforcement officers responded to a call regarding a stolen car, taken at gunpoint.  The suspect allegedly approached two individuals in Vidor, pulled a gun from his backpack and demanded the keys to their vehicle.  The vehicle was spotted near Anahuac and a high-speed chase ensued involving officers from the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety.  Young, the sole occupant of the vehicle, was arrested and a firearm was located in the vehicle.  Further investigation revealed Young is a convicted felon and prohibited by a federal law from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition. 

If convicted, Young faces up to 22 years in federal prison.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.  This case is being investigated by the Vidor Police Department, Chambers County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove.

A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt.  All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

 

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PLANO, Texas – A Dallas man has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for drug trafficking violations related to a 2021 overdose death, announced Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today.

Robel Habtemariam, 20, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to manufacture and deliver fentanyl and was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison on May 19, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan.

According to information presented in court, on March 16, 2021, law enforcement authorities responded to a parking lot regarding an unconscious person. Upon arrival, they found the victim lying on the ground just outside of a vehicle with two teenagers attempting to move him into the vehicle.  The victim was administered Narcan and was transported to a hospital where he died.    An investigation revealed that Habtemariam provided the victim with a pill and had left the scene before law enforcement arrived.  Habtemariam returned to the scene at the request of officers and granted consent to search his vehicle. Officers located 25 pills that appeared to be Oxycodone but were later determined to be “pressed” pills containing Fentanyl.  The investigation determined that Habtemariam provided one of the pills to the victim which caused his overdose.  Instead of calling 911, Habtemariam called the victim’s girlfriend and left the scene. Habtemariam ultimately identified his original source of supply as Antonio Havis. Havis was previously convicted and sentenced to 20 years in federal prison by Judge Jordan on December 9, 2022.   

“Fentanyl overdose deaths are tragic and heartbreaking,” said U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.  “As long as fentanyl plagues our community and causes tragic, unnecessary deaths, we will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute overdose cases.  Friday’s sentencing of Robel Habtemariam sends a clear message that this Office and our state and federal law enforcement partners will continue to prosecute and hold accountable dealers who distribute this poison, exploit addictions, and cause senseless deaths in the Eastern District of Texas.”

“Today’s sentence is just another consequence of deadly illicit fentanyl in our neighborhoods,” said Eduardo A. Chávez, Special Agent in Charge of DEA Dallas.  “Mr. Habtemariam will spend the next 14 years in federal prison because of one deadly pill.  Because of that same pill, a life was lost and families have been forever changed.  DEA Dallas and our law enforcement partners throughout the region will continue to investigate overdose and poisoning deaths and bring those responsible to justice; however, every one of us must do our part to prevent and educate others that truly One Pill Can Kill.”

This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Rowlett Police Department and the Rowlett Fire and Emergency Services and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Johnson. 

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SHERMAN, Texas – A Denton physician has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today.

Stanley Charles Evans, 63, pleaded guilty on Sep. 12, 2022, to conspiracy to distribute and dispense controlled substances and health care fraud and was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Sean Jordan.

“Over prescribing opioids has wreaked havoc on our country over the years, and we’ve seen devastating losses in Texas relating to opioid overdoses,” said U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.  “This doctor took an oath to do no harm, yet he chose to become an illegal drug dealer by over prescribing powerful drugs.  It is my hope that this case sends a powerful message to doctors who are thinking about engaging in such conduct.”   

“Using one’s trusted status as a medical professional for unlawful acts cannot go unpunished,” said Eduardo A. Chávez, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Dallas “Today’s sentence demonstrates how Mr. Evans is being held accountable for his actions. DEA Dallas will continue to aggressively pursue medical professionals who disregard their oath to do no harm.”

According to information presented in court, beginning in 2017, Evans, a licensed physician operating a family medicine practice in Denton, unlawfully prescribed approximately 370,000 dosage units of hydrocodone outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose.  An investigation began after it was reported that Evans was pre-signing opioid prescriptions for patients that were exhibiting drug seeking behavior.  Evans would pre-sign the scripts and the patients would be seen by his four nurse practitioners.  An investigation revealed patients were repeatedly able to obtain the strongest prescription for Hydrocodone from Evans and one of the nurses without ever being fully examined or providing any documentation regarding their “pain.”  It was also determined that Evans was only present at the office approximately half the time he claimed and that prescriptions for Schedule II opioids were being written for patients even while Evans was out of the country on vacation.  The investigation also revealed that nurses were seeing 20 to 30 patients a day and their salaries were production based, receiving a percentage of what they billed instead of a set salary.  Additionally, nurses were billing Medicare and TriCare under Evans’ medical identification number, which results in an increased charge to the government for physician services. 

This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Diversion Task Force Group, Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Services, and Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Johnson.

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SHERMAN, Texas – A Sherman man has been convicted of federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today.

Brian Deboris Black, 32, was convicted of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery; robbery; conspiracy to kidnap; and two counts of carrying and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.  Black was found guilty of all counts by a jury following a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle.

According to information presented in court, on Oct. 3, 2020, Black, along with two others, robbed a Dollar General store in Tom Bean, Texas.  During the robbery, Black brandished a firearm and threatened to kill the three employees in the store if they did not comply with his demands.  On Oct. 13, 2020, Black and several others, committed a home invasion robbery in Mansfield, Texas.  They entered the home at gunpoint, kidnapped three family members and restrained them with zip ties, and demanded money while threatening to kill them if they did not comply.  Black shot the homeowners’ son when he was able to free himself from the zip ties.  The victim survived the shooting, but with permanent injuries.  Co-defendant testimony, DNA, and cell phone analysis were instrumental in establishing that Black brandished the firearm while committing both offenses.

“The Department of Justice will continue to use every resource at its disposal to address violent crimes occurring in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.  “This outcome should serve as a message that individuals who use firearms to harm or injure others will be prosecuted and held accountable in federal court.” 

“The FBI remains laser focused on working with our law enforcement partners to counter violent crime wherever it occurs. In this case, our agents and task force officers combined the use of cutting-edge technologies and traditional investigative methods to achieve a significant verdict against a violent offender. I’m grateful that our community has been made safer by their work,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Chad Yarbrough.

Black faces up to life in federal prison at sentencing.  The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.  A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.

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

This case was investigated by the FBI’s Sherman Resident Agency, Tom Bean Police Department, Whitewright Police Department, Sherman Police Department, Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office, Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office, and the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Lab.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ernest Gonzalez and Tracey Batson.

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SHERMAN, Texas – Damien M. Diggs has taken the oath of office to become the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas.  Diggs was nominated by President Joe Biden on Feb. 2, 2023 and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on May 4, 2023.  He took the oath of office on May 7, 2023 from Chief U.S. District Judge Rodney Gilstrap.                                   

Diggs, 47, of Frisco, is the chief federal law enforcement official in the Eastern District of Texas, which includes 43 counties stretching from the Oklahoma border to the Gulf of Mexico. The district includes six fully staffed offices in Beaumont, Plano, Tyler, Sherman, Texarkana, and Lufkin with 103 employees, including 53 prosecutors.  Diggs is responsible for the prosecution of federal criminal offenses in the district and will represent the United States in all civil litigation in the district.

“I am honored to have been nominated by President Biden and confirmed by the Senate,” said U.S. Attorney Diggs.  “I’m excited to continue serving the public in this role and ensuring that justice is served for the citizens in the 43 counties that make up the Eastern District of Texas. 

Diggs has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of Texas since 2018 where he was assigned to the criminal division’s violent crime section prosecuting firearms violations and fraud matters.  Prior to that, he worked as an assistant U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C. from 2012 to 2018.  From 2007 to 2012, he was an attorney with the Department of Education.  Diggs was also an associate at Hogan & Hartson for two years before beginning his service with the federal government.

Diggs earned his Bachelor of Science in political science and government from Towson University’s College of Liberal Arts in 1998 and his law degree from American University’s Washington College of Law in 2003. 

Today, Diggs was honored to have his family and friends by his side as he took his ceremonial oath of office from U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant. 

For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-edtx. 

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TEXARKANA, Texas – A Temecula, California, man has been found guilty of federal violations related to a health care kickback scheme in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today.

Steven Donofrio, 49, was found guilty by a jury on May 5, 2023, following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Robert W. Schroeder, III.

“This is the last of many defendants in this case who abused our healthcare system for the sake of stealing taxpayer dollars and in the process caused unnecessary medical procedures,” said U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.  “Protecting citizens from physical and financial harm is always a top priority for law enforcement and parasites like Donofrio, who prey on vulnerable citizens, will be brought to justice.”

“The reach of HHS/OIG is far and wide. Our agents and law enforcement partners will not be deterred by the scope of a healthcare fraud investigation or the location of its defendants,” said Jason E. Meadows, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Dallas Region. “Donofrio and others stole millions from American taxpayers for medically unnecessary services and all to line the pockets of greedy individuals across the country.  HHS/OIG and our partners remain laser-focused in our pursuit of those who use the Medicare trust fund as their own personal piggy bank.”

“Illegal kickback schemes corrupt the healthcare system by causing billions of dollars in losses each year. They also directly affect patients who expect to receive quality care and to be billed for legitimate services from their health care providers,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Chad Yarbrough. “We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to hold those who commit healthcare fraud accountable and seek justice for the patients that are harmed as a result of these schemes.”

According to information presented in court, Donofrio conspired with others to pay and receive kickbacks in exchange for the referral of, and arranging for, health care business, specifically pharmacogenetic (PGx) tests.  Pharmacogenetic testing, also known as pharmacogenomic testing, is a type of genetic testing that identifies genetic variations that affect how an individual patient metabolizes certain drugs.  The illegal arrangement concerned the referral of PGx tests to clinical laboratories in Fountain Valley, California; Irvine, California; and San Diego, California.  More than $28 million in illegal kickback payments were exchanged by those involved in the conspiracy.

In December 2019, twelve individuals from three states were charged for their roles in the kickback conspiracy.  A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas returned an indictment against Philip Lamb, 48, of Eagle, Colorado; Nicolas Arroyo, 41, of Tempe, Arizona; Vincent Marchetti, Jr., 58, of Coronado, California; William Flowers, 58, of Houston, Texas; Steven Donofrio; James J. Walker, Jr. a/k/a Jimmy Walker, 49, of Frisco, Texas; Timothy Armstrong, deceased, formerly of Frisco, Texas; Virginia Blake Herrin, 57, of Frisco, Texas; Patrick Ridgeway, 53, of Jackson, Mississippi; Chismere Mallard, 42, of McAllen, Texas; Dr. Ray W. Ng, 65, of Dallas, Texas; and Ashley Kretzschmar, 37, of Aledo, Texas; for conspiring to commit illegal remunerations in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute.

Philip Lamb, Nicolas Arroyo, Jimmy Walker, Timothy Armstrong, Virginia Blake Herrin, Patrick Ridgeway, Chismere Mallard, and Ashley Kretzschmar pleaded guilty prior to trial.  Kimberly Willette, 61, of Friendswood, Texas, and Edwin Chad Isbell, 50, of Atascocita, Texas also pleaded guilty to related charges.

Vincent Marchetti, Jr., was found guilty by a jury on December 16, 2021, following a month-long trial.  He was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison on August 30, 2022.

On April 25, 2022, Nicolas Arroyo was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison.  On August 23, 2022, Kimberly Willette was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison, and Patrick Ridgeway was sentenced to a three-year term of probation and ordered to pay a $100,000 fine.

The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving remunerations in exchange for the referral of or arranging for or recommending the ordering of items or services payable under federal health care programs.  Under federal statutes, violations of the Anti-Kickback statute are punishable by up to five years in federal prison.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the FBI Dallas – Frisco Resident Agency.  It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld, Lucas Machicek, and Adrian Garcia, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephan E. Oestreicher, Jr., Brent Andrus, and L. Frank Coan, Jr., and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Laurel E.P. Simmons.

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SHERMAN, Texas – An Oklahoma City, OK woman has been convicted of various federal crimes related to an international drug trafficking conspiracy in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Debra Lynn Mercer-Erwin, 60, was found guilty by a jury following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant.  Mercer-Erwin was convicted of money laundering; wire fraud; conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine; and conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine knowing it would be imported into the United States.

“In the aircraft world, planes registered in the United States and displaying a ‘N’ tail-number, are coveted as being properly vetted and trusted to legally operate around the world.  Mercer-Erwin found ways to exploit the registration process in order to profit from illegally obtained money being paid for her services,” said U. S. Attorney Featherston.  “Mercer-Erwin became a drug dealer when she became aware of planes she had registered were being used to transport large quantities of cocaine.   Mercer-Erwin knew that many of her clients were in the illegal drug business and she hid their identities and the sources of their money in order to reap a large profit.  She became a money launderer when she created fake sales of planes that were not actually for sale in order to hide and move drug money.  Transnational criminal organizations require assistance to operate in the U.S. and Mercer-Erwin facilitated the drug dealing by exploiting the plane registration process.”

“This investigation required cooperation between our international partners, investigating agents and our prosecutors,” added U.S. Attorney Featherston.  “They did an amazing job putting the case together, and they are to be commended for their work.”

“This guilty verdict stems from the collaborative efforts of our trusted international, federal, state and local law enforcement partners,” said Lester R. Hayes Jr., Special Agent in Charge HSI Dallas. “Disrupting the illegal activities of transnational criminal organizations is one of HSI ‘s highest priorities and is enhanced by our partnerships at all levels. After listening to testimony of high-ranking leaders of the Columbian and Nicaraguan governments, I am convinced this investigation has significantly decreased the flow of narcotics smuggled into the U.S.”

“This investigation and successful prosecution serves as an example of how federal, state, and international law enforcement agencies work together to take down those involved in large scale money laundering in support of international drug trafficking organizations,” said Special Agent in Charge Trey McClish of the Dallas Field Office of the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement (OEE).   “OEE and our law enforcement partners will continue to identify, investigate, and dismantle transnational criminal organizations who pose a threat to our national security.” 

According to information presented in court, between 2010 and 2020, Mercer-Erwin conspired with others to enable the distribution of cocaine in the United States by purchasing and illegally registering aircraft under foreign corporations and other individuals for export to other countries.  Non-US citizens are allowed to register an aircraft with the FAA if the aircraft is placed in a trust that is managed by a U.S. trustee. Mercer-Erwin was the owner of Wright Brothers Aircraft Title (WBAT) and Aircraft Guaranty Corporation (AGC). WBAT often served as an escrow agent for transactions involving AGC and was the designated party responsible for FAA filings related to AGC aircraft. AGC, a corporation at that time operating out of Onalaska, Texas, an east Texas town in the Eastern District of Texas, without an airport.  AGC acted as trustee to over 1,000 aircrafts with foreign owners. This allowed the foreign nationals to receive an “N” tail number for their aircrafts. The “N” tail number is valuable because foreign countries are less likely to inspect a U.S.-registered aircraft for airworthiness or force down an American aircraft.   

According to prosecutors, several of the illegally registered and exported aircraft were used by transnational criminal organizations in Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Belize, Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico to smuggle large quantities of cocaine destined for the United States.  The illicit proceeds from the subsequent drug sales were then transported as bulk cash from the United States to Mexico and used to buy more aircraft and cocaine. Aircraft purchases were typically completed by foreign nationals working for transnational criminal organizations who came to the United States with drug proceeds and purchased aircraft valued in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. 

Mercer-Erwin exploited her position as trustee to circumvent U.S. laws by disguising the true identity of the foreign owners, failing to conduct due diligence as to the identity of the foreign owners, providing false aircraft locations, and falsifying and forging documents. Trial testimony revealed the investigation was initiated after aircraft filing irregularities were discovered in tandem with numerous AGC aircraft found carrying substantial amounts of cocaine. The testimony further revealed additional aircraft in AGC’s trust were not seized but found by foreign officials destroyed or abandoned near clandestine landing strips in several South American countries. Some of these wrecked or abandoned aircraft still contained muti-ton kilos of cocaine onboard, and few, if any, of the seized or destroyed aircraft were in the location they were reported to be located. When authorities confronted Mercer-Erwin as the representative of AGC, she refused to comply and each time law enforcement would seize an AGC registered aircraft laden with drugs, Mercer-Erwin attempted to distance herself from the narcotic’s trafficking by transferring ownership of the aircraft using fictitious information to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the aircraft. 

Additionally, Mercer-Erwin and co-defendants participated in a series of bogus aircraft sales transactions in order to conceal the movement of illegally obtained funds. The co-defendants would provide buyers and investors with fabricated documents and supply false representations regarding the bogus sale of an unsellable aircraft. The aircraft was unsellable because, unbeknownst to the buyers, the true owners of the aircraft had no knowledge or intention of selling the aircraft. Other bogus sales presented to buyers consisted of aircraft that was owned by a commercial airline and previously decommissioned and inoperable. None of the aircraft presented to the buyers were for sale.

The defendants would convince the buyer to place a deposit into an escrow account with WBAT, the title company owned by Mercer-Erwin, pending the completion of the sale. Once the money was placed in WBAT’s escrow account, the buyers were responsible for the interest accrued, and an escrow fee would be charged. In a typical sale, the deposit would remain in the escrow account. However, Mercer-Erwin would transfer the money from the escrow account to bank accounts controlled by the co-conspirators.

Since the aircraft was not truly for sale, the purchase of the aircraft would inevitably fall through, and the deposit would have to be returned. The co-conspirators would repeat the process by luring another buyer for the purchase of another unsellable aircraft. Each transaction would pay for the previous one, and Mercer-Erwin would receive an escrow fee ranging from $25,000 to $150,000 for her participation in the scheme.

Mercer-Erwin was the only defendant to proceed to trial. Co-defendants Kayleigh Moffett and Carlos Rocha Villaurrutia pleaded guilty on April 10, 2023. Moffett pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy to commit export violations, and Villaurrutia pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine knowing it would be unlawfully imported into the United States; conspiracy to commit money laundering; and conspiracy to commit export violations. Four other defendants have active arrest warrants but are not in custody and are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Mercer-Erwin was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2021.  She faces up to life in federal prison.  The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.  A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.

This is an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) case and is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (Dallas, Brownsville, Laredo, Guatemala, Colombia, Honduras, Mexico, and Transnational Criminal Investigative Units); Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (Dallas and Houston offices); Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG); Office of Export Enforcement; Polk County Constable Precinct 1; Southeast Texas Export Investigations Group; Internal Revenue Service; Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); Estado Mayor De La Defensa Nacional Guatemala; Fuerza Aerea Guatemalteca; and Fuerza Aerea Colombiana.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ernest Gonzalez, Heather Rattan, and Lesley Brooks. 

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BEAUMONT, Texas – A Nacogdoches man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Angel Aguilar, 25, pleaded guilty on July 12, 2022 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  Aguilar was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone on April 27, 2023.    

According to information presented in court, Aguilar was a member of a drug trafficking organization distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and other narcotics in the Nacogdoches area. During the investigation, law enforcement agents were able to purchase methamphetamine from Aguilar on multiple occasions.  During Aguilar's distribution of methamphetamine, he provided a stolen firearm as collateral towards the future purchase of methamphetamine.

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

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Nacogdoches Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter.

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McALLEN, Texas – A 35-year-old McAllen resident has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction for robbery of a motor vehicle with intent to cause serious harm or death, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Fidel Garza Jr. pleaded guilty Feb. 15.

Today, U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez handed Garza a 85-month term of imprisonment to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence regarding Garza’s criminal history, including prior felony convictions for discharging a firearm in 2016 and being a felon in possession of a firearm in 2021.

On Nov. 25, 2021, Garza was on the 1200 block of 28th street riding in the passenger seat of a truck which pulled in front of an SUV and stopped. A 67-year-old man was driving that vehicle. Garza exited the passenger side of the truck and approached the SUV. He then pointed a handgun at the driver and demanded he and his three minor passengers get out of the vehicle. Fearing for their lives, they complied. Garza then entered the SUV and fled the scene. 

Law enforcement tracked him to a rural location in Edinburg. They arrested him in December 2021, at which time he admitted his role in the robbery.

He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The McAllen Police Department and Texas Department of Criminal Justice conducted the investigation with the assistance of the FBI and the Edinburg Police Department as part of the Rio Grande Valley Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony J. Evans and James Sturgis prosecuted the case.

BEAUMONT, Texas – Two Houston men have been sentenced to prison for federal firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Robert Lewis Johnson, Jr., 31, pleaded guilty to brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence on May 17, 2022 and was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone. Bryant Demetri West, 24, pleaded guilty to the same offense on May 9, 2022, and was sentenced earlier this week to 120 months in federal prison by Judge Crone. 

According to court documents, the morning of December 15, 2018, Johnson and West drove a stolen truck to Tacos La Bamba in Beaumont and entered the restaurant brandishing handguns. The two masked men then forced store employees to the floor and took $13,862.97 in cash belonging to the restaurant before returning to Houston. During the robbery, West discharged his firearm in the vicinity of two restaurant employees.

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

This case was investigated by the Beaumont Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John B. Ross.

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TYLER, Texas - A Mount Vernon man has been indicted on federal child exploitation charges in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Zachary Arzola, also known as Zachary Castenada, 26, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury on April 19, 2023 charging him with coercion and enticement of a minor; traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct; and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

According to the indictment, from December 2022 until January 9, 2023, Arzola allegedly used the internet and social media and messaging applications to coerce a minor to engage in illegal sexual conduct.  In December 2022, Arzola is alleged to have traveled from Texas to Ohio for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and in January 2023, transported a minor across state lines to engage in criminal sexual activity.

If convicted, Arzola faces up to life in federal prison.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 

This case is being investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety – CID, Mount Vernon Police Department and the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan R. Hornok.

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TYLER, Texas - A Bakersfield, CA man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Pablo Antonio Sandoval, 24, pleaded guilty on August 8, 2022, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 170 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle on April 18, 2023.

According to information presented in court, in October 2021, Sandoval supplied more than 500 grams of methamphetamine to drug dealers in Cherokee County, Texas, which he sourced from suppliers in California.  Sandoval was indicted by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas in April 2022.

This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Jacksonville Police Department.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucas Machicek.

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SHERMAN, Texas – A Denton man has been sentenced to federal prison for violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Anthony Joseph Hammer, 34, pleaded guilty on May 3, 2022, to interstate communication of a threat and was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Richard A. Schell.    

According to information presented in court, on July 28, 2021, Hammer sent a threatening electronic message to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a Jewish civil rights organization based in New York, via the ADL’s website’s contact page.  In his message, Hammer stated the following: “Come and find me.  Come after me.  Come hunt me down.  This is me.  This is really me.  All of my info.  I will kill all of you Zionist pigs.  4th reich soon.”

“Threatening to harm others by using phones, computers or mail is a federal crime and taken very seriously,” said U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston.  “Hammer believed he could promote his malicious agenda by making threats to kill and to disrupt business activity.  That’s why he is going to jail and being punished.  Others who do the same will have the same fate.”

“The FBI is tasked with upholding the Constitution to include the right to Free Speech as outlined in the First Amendment. In this case, the direct threats made by the defendant, fell outside of that protected right,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Chad Yarborough. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners take all threats seriously and will hold accountable anyone who seeks to intimidate and cause fear simply because they disagree with the views of their fellow citizens.”

An investigation by federal agents revealed that Hammer was already under investigation for threatening calls he made to Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf’s office.  Hammer made seven calls to Governor Wolf's office requesting to speak to the Governor.  When staff members refused to put him through to the Governor, Hammer repeatedly threatened to kill Wolf and his staff members.  This conduct was taken into consideration in calculating Hammer’s appropriate sentence in the Eastern District of Texas.

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Pennsylvania Capitol Police and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Locker in the Eastern District of Texas in coordination with Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Marchioli in the Middle District of Pennsylvania.  

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BEAUMONT, Texas– A Lufkin man has been sentenced to federal prison for a drug trafficking and firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Tyson Spencer, 48, pleaded guilty on Feb. 14, 2022, to possession with intent to distribute synthetic marijuana and being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Michael J. Truncale.

According to information presented in court, Lufkin police officers came in contact with Spencer while responding to a report of a residential theft.  Spencer matched the description of the suspect and was searched for stolen items.  During the search, officers discovered a firearm in Spencer’s backpack.  Spencer admitted to being a convicted felon, having been previously convicted of murder, which would prohibit him from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.  Spencer was also in possession of a gallon-sized baggie containing synthetic marijuana.  Spencer was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 19, 2020.   

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

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lufkin Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter.

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SHERMAN, Texas– A Melissa woman has pleaded guilty to federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Nnenna Mary Jones, 39, pleaded guilty to wire fraud today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christine A. Nowak.

According to information presented in court, the Texas Muslim Women’s Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity in Plano, Texas, serves Muslim women and their families who are survivors of domestic and family violence.  The Foundation offers its clients in-house legal assistance with the immigration process, among other services.  The Foundation advertises that it offers its services—including immigration legal assistance—free of charge.  Jones worked for the Foundation as a paralegal and was a Department of Justice Accredited Representative, which allowed her to represent clients in court in immigration matters with the Department of Homeland Security.  She was also a licensed attorney in Nigeria before moving to the United States.

The Foundation’s legal team routinely requests waivers of certain fees its clients incur during the immigration process, and most of its clients qualify for these waivers.  If the Foundation’s clients do not qualify for a waiver of the immigration fees, then at times the Foundation pays the fee.  However, Jones represented to clients of the Foundation that they were required to pay certain fees to the government in relation to their immigration proceedings.  In reality, the clients’ fees had either been waived by the government or paid by the Foundation.  Clients wrote checks and obtained money orders in the amounts of the fees Jones told them they owed to the government.  However, Jones instructed the clients to leave the “pay to” line on the checks and money orders blank.  Jones photocopied the clients’ checks and money orders, wrote “U.S. Department of Homeland Security” on the “pay to” line of the photocopied checks and money orders, and placed the photocopies in the clients’ files.  Jones then wrote her own name in the “pay to” line of the clients’ original checks and money orders and cashed them or deposit them into her own accounts.

Jones stole approximately $17,000 from at least nine of the Foundation’s clients.

Jones was indicted by a federal grand jury on Oct. 19, 2022.  She faces up to 20 years in federal prison.  The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.  A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean J. Taylor. 

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TYLER, Texas - A Canton man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Ashton Norris, 30, pleaded guilty on August 22, 2022, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 97 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker.

According to information presented in court, on Oct. 4, 2021, Norris was stopped on IH-20 in Van Zandt County for a defective license plate lamp.  During the stop, it was discovered that Norris had an active warrant for his arrest out of Wood County and Norris was placed under arrest.  An inventory of the vehicle after Norris was arrested revealed a backpack with approximately 103 grams of methamphetamine.  Norris was indicted by a federal grand jury on Dec. 5, 2021 and charged with federal drug trafficking violations. 

This case was investigated by the Canton Police Department, the Wood County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble.

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BEAUMONT, Texas– An Orange, Texas man has been sentenced to federal prison for a firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Michael Lawrence Geral, Jr., 35, pleaded guilty on Oct. 4, 2022, to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 50 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.  

According to information presented in court, on Dec. 13, 2021, Geral was stopped for a traffic violation by officers with the Orange Police Department.  As officers spoke with Geral, they smelled the odor of burnt marijuana coming from the vehicle.  Officers searched the vehicle and found a firearm which Geral admitted was his.  Geral is a previously convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms. 

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

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orange Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell James.

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SHERMAN, Texas – Ophthalmology provider group, Arlington Ophthalmology Association, P.L.L.C. d/b/a Kleiman Evangelista Eye Centers (“K&E”), with offices located in Arlington, Dallas, Plano, Southlake, Mount Pleasant, and Gun Barrel City, Texas, has agreed to pay $2,902,505 to resolve False Claims Act allegations that it offered and paid kickbacks to optometrists to induce referrals of patients who were candidates for cataract surgery in in violation of the False Claims Act and Anti-Kickback Statute, announced Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston.

“The Eastern District of Texas is committed to looking beyond labels and examining providers' actual conduct. Although co-management can be a legitimate practice, merely applying that label does not give providers carte blanche to remunerate referring providers in order to secure business,” said U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston. “We are committed to investigating any financial incentives offered to secure referrals, which cloud providers' medical judgement, and violate the Anti-Kickback Statute.”

“Paying kickbacks to providers incentivizes doctors to treat patients based on illegitimate financial gain, rather than the patient's needs and best interests,” said Korby Harshaw, acting Special Agent in Charge with the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will not tolerate kickback arrangements, which undermine medical responsibility, put patients at risk, and can waste taxpayer dollars.”

The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and other federally funded programs. The Anti-Kickback Statute is intended to ensure that medical providers’ judgments are not compromised by improper financial incentives and are instead based on the best interests of their patients.

K&E routinely engaged in the practice of co-management of cataract surgery patients with optometrists who referred patients to K&E. Patients who undergo cataract surgery require post-operative monitoring and care. When post-operative care is rendered by another provider other than the surgeon, such as an optometrist outside the surgeon’s practice, this practice is generally referred to as co-management.

The settlement announced today resolves certain allegations that K&E’s remunerative arrangement with referring optometrists who co-managed patient care with K&E violated the Anti-Kickback Statute. The United States contends K&E provided remuneration to referring optometrists  when it paid referring optometrists money untethered to actual non-Medicare and non-Medicaid covered services for referring cataract patients who received premium intraocular lenses (IOLs) or laser-assisted cataract surgery, guaranteed the automatic return of patients referred, provided optometrists free continuing education courses, rewarded top referring optometrists with expensive dinners, and invited referring optometrists, their family, and staff to Texas Rangers stadium games at the company suite. The fees paid to referring optometrists for patients who received premium lenses or laser-assisted cataract surgery were in addition to the reimbursement already received by the optometrists from Medicare and Medicaid for performing post-operative cataract care and were not tied to or commensurate with actual post-operative services specifically attributed to premium IOLs or laser-assisted cataract surgery rendered, and thus constituted unlawful remuneration under the Anti-Kickback Statute.

As part of the settlement, K&E has agreed to cooperate with the Department of Justice’s investigations of and litigation against other parties involved in the alleged violations of law.

This investigation originated from a civil lawsuit filed by a Relator, or whistleblower, under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, which allows private parties to bring suit on behalf of the government for false claims and to share in any recovery. The whistleblower in this matter will receive a percentage of this civil settlement.

The government’s pursuit of these matters illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud.  One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act.  Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

This civil settlement was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Texas, and the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Gillingham, Adrian Garcia, and Betty Young, Investigator Ann Williams, and Paralegal Christina Cate.

The claims resolved by this settlement is allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

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BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man has been sentenced to federal prison for violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Jamar Byars, also known as Jamar Limbrick, 21, pleaded guilty on April 25, 2022, to Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence and was sentenced to 117 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.

According to court documents, on Oct. 14, 2021, law enforcement officers responded to a call regarding an armed robbery at the Food Basket located on North 4th Street in Beaumont.  An assailant, later identified as Byars, selected an item and brought it to the register.  Byars then pulled out a firearm and pointed it at the clerk and demanded money.  The clerk hesitated and Byars responded by striking the clerk in the head with the pistol twice.  Byars then removed the money from the register and fled the scene.  Byars was indicted by a federal grand jury on Jan. 5, 2022. 

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

This case was investigated by the Beaumont Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell James.

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TYLER, Texas – A Virginia woman has been sentenced to federal prison for her role in a cryptocurrency money laundering conspiracy in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston.

Lois Boyd, 76, of Amelia Court House, Virginia, pleaded guilty on June 14, 2022, to interstate travel in aid of racketeering enterprises and was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle.

According to information presented in court, Boyd was involved in a transnational money laundering network involved in the laundering of criminal proceeds derived from various fraud schemes.  Boyd and her co-conspirators exchanged criminal proceeds for cryptocurrency and directed the cryptocurrency to wallets under the control of their foreign co-conspirators.  In August 2020, Boyd and her co-conspirators traveled to Longview, Texas, where they attempted to exchange approximately $450,000 in criminal proceeds for Bitcoin.

On June 16, 2021, Boyd was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury, charging her with interstate travel in aid of racketeering enterprises and money laundering.

On April 6, 2022, Boyd’s co-conspirator, Deependra Bhusal, 47, of Irving, Texas, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for his role in the cryptocurrency money laundering conspiracy.

This effort is part of Operation Crypto Runner, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The investigations arising from the operation are being conducted by the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and are being led and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld and L. Frank Coan, Jr., with assistance from the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and the Department’s Office of International Affairs.

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SHERMAN, Texas – A former youth pastor has been sentenced to federal prison for child pornography violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.        

Chad Michael Rider, 49, of Anna, Texas, was found guilty by a jury on July 22, 2022, of three counts of sexual exploitation of children, also referred to as the production of child pornography.  Today, Rider was sentenced to a total combined sentence of 720 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant.

According to the court documents and testimony at trial, in August 2022, Homeland Security Investigations agents were investigating David Pettigrew, of Denison, for child pornography offenses.  Agents seized a computer hard drive from Pettigrew’s office at the Denison Church of the Nazarene.  Forensic review of the device revealed videos of Pettigrew and Rider setting up to film children while bathing at the church.  Additional videos were located in which Rider filmed two other children in residential settings.

“Justice has been served on Chad Michael Rider for his role in the production of child pornography,” said U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston.  “He used his trusted roles as a church leader, care giver to at-risk teens, and as a trusted member of his community to plant secret recording devices in bathrooms and other places where children would be disrobed.  This shocking breach of trust was committed by an individual who had falsely sewn a firm belief of good character of himself in so many parents in his community.  This case stands as a stark reminder of our common duty as citizens to watch out for the most vulnerable among us.  I appreciate the members of law enforcement, community members, and especially the victims who had the courage to stand up and stop Rider before he could victimize others.”

“This defendant and his cohort routinely preyed on the innocence of several children that looked to him for guidance as members of his church. He had no concern for the life-altering harm his devious actions would cause those he victimized,” said Lester R. Hayes Jr., Special Agent in Charge HSI Dallas. “Unfortunately, no amount of prison time can restore their innocence but rest assured, this community is safer with this sexual deviant behind bars.”    

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from Anna Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marisa J. Miller and Jay Combs.

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BEAUMONT, Texas - A Beaumont woman has pleaded guilty to federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Pamela Jo Rosas, 64, pleaded guilty to theft of mail by a postal employee today before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.

According to information presented in court, in April 2022, postal inspectors became aware that   multiple valuable coins had been stolen after they had been mailed through the U.S. Postal Service.  An investigation revealed that Rosas, a postal employee, had stolen the coins while sorting mail at a central mail processing facility in Beaumont.  Rosas was arrested and admitted to stealing various items throughout her employment, including large amounts of valuable coins.    

Rosas was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2022 and faces up to five years in federal prison at sentencing.  The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.  A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.

This case is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell James.

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BEAUMONT, Texas - A Beaumont man has pleaded guilty to federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Decorius Mire, 23, pleaded guilty to animal crushing today before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.

Animal crushing is defined under federal criminal law as, “actual conduct in which one or more living non-human mammals, birds, reptiles, or amphibians, is purposely crushed, burned, drowned, suffocated, impaled, or otherwise subjected to serious bodily injury.”

According to information presented in court, on October 15, 2021, Mire and a co-defendant encountered a live domestic cat in the parking lot of a Beaumont apartment complex. The co-defendant, encouraged by Mire, kicked the cat as if kicking a football field goal, propelling the cat approximately 15 to 20 feet through the air.  Mire filmed the event with his cellular telephone and posted the video on his social media accounts where it was commented on and shared with others.

Mire was indicted by a federal grand jury on Sep. 28, 2022 and faces up to seven years in federal prison at sentencing.  The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.  A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.

This case is being investigated by the Beaumont Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph R. Batte.

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PLANO, Texas – A Sulphur Springs company has pleaded guilty to federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

4TMFG, LLC, pleaded guilty to a felony, aiding and abetting document fraud, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kimberly C. Priest Johnson on Feb. 15, 2023.

According to information presented in court, 4T MFG is a company with common ownership and leadership related to trailer manufacturer Load Trail.  In 2018, a search warrant executed at Load Trail revealed multiple employees with immigration documentation that was either misleading or fraudulent.  During the search, federal agents verified that 4T MFG employed individuals who lacked legal authorization to work in the United States.  At least 18 individuals had resident alien cards that had been forged, counterfeited, altered, falsely made, procured by means of false claim or statement, and otherwise unlawfully obtained in violation of federal law.

4TMFG, LLC, along with Load Trail, has agreed to pay forfeiture of $5 million.  Two prior CEOs of 4T MFG also are charged with misdemeanors for violating federal law regarding the unlawful employment of aliens.  Those individuals, Cornelio Thiessen, 52, of Honey Grove, and Kevin Hiebert, 39, of Honey Grove, face up to six months in federal prison at sentencing.

This case is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin McClendon.

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BEAUMONT, Texas - A Beaumont man has been sentenced to federal prison for a firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Jared Javon Bias, 28, pleaded guilty on March 2, 2022, to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on Feb. 14, 2023.

According to information presented in court, on Jan. 21, 2021, Bias was arrested pursuant to a parole violation.  During the arrest he was observed trying to hide an object.  Further investigation revealed a backpack in the back seat which contained a loaded semiautomatic firearm.  Bias was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 4, 2021.

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

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Beaumont Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove.

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ABEAUMONT, Texas - A Beaumont man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Patrick Dwayne Gipson, 38, pleaded guilty on March 2, 2022, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine and was sentenced to 119 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on Feb. 14, 2023.

According to information presented in court, on Feb. 6, 2020, local law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Beaumont residence controlled by Gipson and others. Through the investigation, law enforcement seized thousands of pills, purported to be ecstasy, that contained methamphetamine.

Gipson is the last defendant of the conspiracy to be sentenced.  Earlier this month, Travion Dewayne Parkerson was sentenced to 97 months in federal prison; Wendall James Kirtman was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison; and Kobe Jashawn Grimes was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison. 

This case was investigated by the Beaumont Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jefferson County Regional Crime Laboratory.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan C. Lee.

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TYLER, Texas – A Grapeland, Texas man, and his girlfriend, have been sentenced to federal prison for violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today. 

Reynaldo Campos, Jr., 45, pleaded guilty on August 12, 2022, to murder for hire and was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle. 

According to the indictment, on Feb. 9, 2022, Campos contacted an individual who he believed was a hitman, but who was in fact an undercover federal agent, and solicited the “hitman” to murder a former associate of Campos, claiming the intended victim had either stolen drugs from him or owed him money.  Campos discussed the intended murder with the agent on multiple occasions over the next several weeks.  On April 8, 2022, Campos and his girlfriend, Robin Pittman, traveled together from Houston County to Tyler to discuss the murder, to provide the “hit man” with a handgun to be used for the murder, and to provide the “hit man” with information about the intended victim.  On April 13, 2022, Campos and Pittman again traveled together from Houston County to Tyler to discuss the murder and to provide the “hit man” with approximately one gallon of Phenylacetone/P2P, which is a chemical used in the manufacture of methamphetamine, and a shotgun as partial payment for the murder of the intended victim. 

Campos and Pittman were indicted by a federal grand jury on April 21, 2022.  Pittman, also known as Robin Hill, 42, of Grapeland, pleaded guilty on August 9, 2022, to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison today by Judge Kernodle.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble.

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PLANO, Texas – Two Dallas brothers have been found guilty of federal violations related to a fraud scheme in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

On Feb. 13, 2023, Thomas Hughes Page, 46 and Jon Phillip Page, Jr., 54, were found guilty by a jury of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering following a six-day trial before U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan.

According to information presented at trial, between approximately 2010 and 2017, the defendants used their company, Page Capital Group, to obtain multiple loans from PlainsCapital Bank (PCB), representing that the loans would be secured by a brokerage account worth at least $2 million.  However, neither Thomas Page nor Phillip Page had access to such funds, as the brokerage account was never actually funded.  Thomas Page and Phillip Page directed and paid a third individual, Clayton Wertz, to create and submit to PCB fraudulent brokerage statements for the brokerage account reflecting significant value.  Once Thomas Page and Phillip Page received the money from PCB, they used the funds on various business and personal expenses.  In addition, Thomas Page and Phillip Page took affirmative steps, such as providing occasional payments on the loan, to conceal and disguise their activity. As a result of the fraudulent conduct, the bank loaned Page Capital approximately $3.6 million and eventually lost approximately $3.25 million over the course of the scheme. 

“These two brothers disguised and lied to financial institutions in order steal large amounts of money for their personal use, depriving others of the legitimate business use of the money,” said U.S. Attorney Featherston.  “Keeping all the balls (lies) in the air only lasts until the FBI comes knocking, then the balls come crashing down.  The FBI and prosecutors in this case did an outstanding job investigating and prosecuting the case.”

“The defendants knowingly used deceptive methods to obtain a loan from a financial institution that was used for their personal benefit, in order to keep their illicit scheme afloat,” said FBI Dallas Acting Special Agent in Charge James J. Dwyer. “Financial Institution Fraud not only hurts the lender, but also innocent borrowers who are seeking genuine loans for their businesses. The FBI is committed to pursuing anyone that attempts to defraud financial institutions, investors, or the public.”

The defendants face up to 30 years in federal prison at sentencing.  The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.  A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Frisco Resident Agency and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Plano office.

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TEXARKANA, Texas – The final defendant has been sentenced in a federal bribery, theft and fraud scheme at the Red River Army Depot (RRAD) in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Jimmy Scarbrough, 71, of Hooks, pleaded guilty on August 22, 2022, to conspiring with others to defraud the United States, commit theft of government property, and commit bribery.  He was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Robert W. Schroeder, III.   Scarbrough was also ordered to forfeit his 1951 Ford F-1 pickup truck and $229,000 cash.    

In September of 2022, Jeffrey Harrison, a former RRAD vendor, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison and ordered to forfeit $300,000; Justin Bishop, a former RRAD vendor was sentenced to 12 months and 1 day in federal prison and ordered to forfeit $55,000; Devin McEwin, a former RRAD official was sentenced to a five-year term of federal probation, including eight months of home confinement and ordered to forfeit $21,000; and Louis Singleton, a former RRAD official was sentenced to five years of federal probation, including eight months of home confinement, and was ordered to forfeit $18,000.

“Scarbrough sold his position of public trust for personal gain, all at the expense of the hard-working men and women at the RRAD who support our armed forces around the globe,” said U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston. “We will continue vigorously uprooting corruption and fraud at the RRAD and the vendors that support its mission.”

“Today's sentencing is a fitting end for those who conspire to defraud the United States Army,” said Special Agent in Charge L. Scott Moreland of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Major Procurement Fraud Field Office.  “Army CID is proud to work with our federal law enforcement partners to protect the coffers of the U.S. government from those who break the law and threaten the readiness of our Service.”

“Today’s sentence concludes the tireless work and dedication of multiple agencies to hold a group of people accountable for attempting to defraud and profit off the United States government,” said FBI Dallas Acting Special Agent in Charge, James J. Dwyer. “The public can rest assured that we remain committed to aggressively pursuing anyone that uses government programs for their own personal gain.”

According to information presented in court, Scarbrough was the Equipment Mechanic Supervisor at the RRAD in Texarkana, Texas, a position he held from November 2001 until May 2019. Scarbrough directed more than $7 million in purchases from RRAD to Harrison and Bishop through the government purchase card (GPC) program.  In order to manipulate the GPC program, which is designed to ensure a competitive bidding process, Scarbrough told the vendors what to bid, including the item, the quantity, and the price.  By collecting fake bids from multiple vendors, Scarbrough was able to direct RRAD purchases to his select vendors, in this case Harrison and Bishop, while maintaining the appearance of a competitive bidding process.  Scarbrough also defrauded the United States by falsely certifying that he had received the purchased items, therefore causing the RRAD to pay his select vendors.  However, the reality was that Scarborough instructed the vendors not to deliver certain RRAD-purchased items.

Scarbrough demanded hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes from his selected vendors. Scarbrough accepted bribes in various forms, including receiving at least $116,000.00 in U.S. Postal Service money orders from Harrison.  Scarbrough also had Harrison and Bishop purchase at least $135,000.00 in car parts or services for his hot rod collection, which included a red and black 1936 Ford Tudor, an electric green 1932 Ford Coupe, a cherry red 1951 Ford F-1 truck, and more. Scarbrough received more than $27,000.00 worth of firearms from Bishop, including rare Colt handguns and Wurfflein dueling pistols.  Finally, Scarbrough directed at least $32,000.00 in donations to the Hooks Volunteer Fire Department while he was the Capitan of Operations.  In total, Scarbrough received more than $300,000.00 in bribe payments from Harrison and Bishop.

Scarbrough is not the only official at RRAD who accepted bribes.  Devin McEwin accepted more than $21,000.00 in bribes from Harrison, including hunting trips, donations directed to the Annona Volunteer Fire Department, and the refurbishment of his 1964 Ford truck.  Additionally, Louis Singleton accepted more than $18,000 in bribes from Harrison and others, including tickets to the Hall of Fame section of AT&T Stadium for the Dallas Cowboys football game against the New England Patriots.  Singleton was the supervisor of the GPC program at the RRAD and was responsible for approving purchases requested by Scarbrough.

This was investigated by the U.S. Army CID, Major Procurement Fraud Field Office; the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Dallas Division, Tyler Resident Agency, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan R. Hornok, Stephan Oestreicher, Andrew Stover, and Robert Wells.

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BEAUMONT, Texas - A Buna man has been sentenced to 22 years in federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Larry Wayne Free, 40, pleaded guilty on June 30, 2022, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 264 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on Feb. 2, 2023.  

According to information presented in court, in January 2021, law enforcement officials received information that Free was distributing methamphetamine from a residence in Nome, Texas.  Free was located on Highway 90 and a traffic stop was initiated on the vehicle.  A narcotics K9 unit alerted on the vehicle and a search revealed 1,948 grams of methamphetamine in the car.  Free was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 6, 2022. 

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the Beaumont Police Department and the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove.

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SHERMAN, Texas – Nearly two dozen individuals have been named in a federal indictment charging them with violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today

The indictment, returned by a federal grand jury on Jan. 17, 2023, charges the defendants with a money laundering conspiracy.  The following 23 defendants appeared before a federal magistrate judge this week:

KENDRICK LAVELL COLLINS, 42, of Aubrey;

LETISHA ANN STOVER, 41, of Richardson;

SPENCER LEONARD LEIGH, 35, of Everman;

DANUIELLE FOWLER EDNEY, 51, of Plano;

DIAMOND PLASHETTE EDWARDS, 24, of Grand Prairie;

TABITHA LASHAWN DEBERRY, 34, of Dallas;

AMOS WILSON, 56, of Dallas;

ANDREW DEMARCUS PENNY, 45, of Dallas;

DEMETRICS DEVON BLACK, 31, of Dallas;

JARRICK OTISHEY BUCKHANAN, 43, of Dallas;

JERICA JAREESE MATTHEWS, 31, of Anna;

JOHN GANTT, 35, of Dallas;

LEMAR MASHAWN COHEN, a/k/a LEMAR MARSHAWN COHEN, 36, of Dallas;

CHIBUIKE SAMUEL IWUH, 30, of The Colony;

CYNTHIA MECHELLE WILSON, 55, of Dallas;

DONTRELL LAMON AMIE, 42, of North Richland Hills;

ERIC JASON VAUGHAN, 49, of Arlington;

JEREMIAH LEE GANTT, 28, of Dallas;

JOSHUA MATTHEW BAHAM, 27, of Anna;

LESLEY ODELL BROWN, 32, of Carrollton;

MICHAEL ANDRE STUDAWAY, 26, of Dallas;

TAMARA DAWN THOMAS, 41, of Dallas; and

TIMOTHY DWAYNE HOSTON, 44, of Carrollton.

According to the indictment, the defendants are alleged to have conspired to launder the proceeds of wire fraud in order to conceal the nature, location, source and ownership of the money gained by fraud.  The indictment further alleges that the conspirators would open bank accounts, use assumed business names, and transfer, withdraw, and move the money and use it for their own purposes.  The source of the laundered funds is alleged to include fraud based on business email compromise, romance scams, unemployment insurance fraud, and Payroll Protection Program (PPP) fraud, and is alleged to be more than $3.5 million.    

If convicted, the defendants each face up to 20 years in federal prison.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Frisco Resident Agency and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Eastern District of Texas.

A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt.  All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

 

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BEAUMONT, Texas – A Brooklyn, NY man has been indicted for a federal firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Ahmed Abdalla Allam, 26, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury on Feb. 1, 2023, charging him with possession of a firearm in a school zone.  Allam appeared in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn today and was ordered to be held pending a detention hearing.

According to information presented in court, on Jan. 29, 2023, Allam was found in possession of a multi-caliber rifle within 1,000 feet of St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica School in Beaumont.  Allam also possessed a 30-round magazine and 150 rounds of ammunition.  It is a federal violation to possess firearms or ammunition within 1,000 feet of a school zone.   

“The community of St. Anthony’s, including parents, teachers, and administrator, are to be commended for remaining vigilant and reporting their suspicions,” said U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston.  “If you see something suspicious – say something.  You may save a life.”

If convicted, Allam faces up to 5 years in federal prison.

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

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

This case is being investigated by the Beaumont Police Department, Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, FBI, Port Arthur Fire Department, and Montgomery County Fire Marshall.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John B. Ross.

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SHERMAN, Texas – A Dallas man has been convicted of federal drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Eric R. Roberts, 51, was convicted of multiple federal violations, including continuing criminal enterprise; conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana; conspiracy to commit money laundering; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  Roberts was found guilty by a jury following a 10-day trial before U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant.

                                                                                              

The jury also returned a verdict for criminal forfeiture of a large amount of property seized from Roberts, including 37 firearms, 8 vehicles, and $436,295 in US currency. 

Four additional co-defendants - Ronald Lewis McGuire, Lowell Eugene Sargent, Philip S. Lala, and Christopher Shaun Ragle - were found guilty by the same jury of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana and conspiracy to commit money laundering.  The jury found that all five defendants were individually responsible for 1000 kilograms or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of marijuana. 

According to information presented in court, Roberts was a leader of a large-scale national drug trafficking organization spanning several years, with McGuire, Sargent, Lala, and Ragle acting as drivers. 

Roberts was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 15, 2021.  He faces up to life in federal prison at sentencing.  The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.  A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Mesquite Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brent L. Andrus and Ernest Gonzalez.

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BEAUMONT, Texas - Two women have been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Tina Gilder, 40, of Houston, and Gina Moreno, 29, of San Benito, Texas, were indicted by a federal grand jury on Jan. 8, 2020, and charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine.  On Jan. 17, 2023, U.S. District Judge Crone sentenced Gilder to 121 months in federal prison and Moreno to 87 months in federal prison.  

According to information presented in court, Gilder and Moreno were both part of a Houston-based conspiracy to traffic kilograms of cocaine through East Texas to the East Coast for distribution.  On August 26, 2019, Gilder was stopped and found in possession of four kilograms of cocaine concealed in a hidden compartment in a Jeep.  Moreno was stopped on Sep. 21, 2019 and found in possession of 22 kilograms of cocaine.  Gilder was convicted at trial on Feb. 24, 2022 and Moreno pleaded guilty on Feb. 7, 2022.

These cases were investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Port Arthur Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Anderson.

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BEAUMONT, Texas - A Center woman has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Ingrid Yaresi Balderas De Leon, 28, pleaded guilty on July 12, 2022, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.  

According to information presented in court, De Leon was part of a drug trafficking organization distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in East Texas.  De Leon participated in several sales of large quantities of methamphetamine, often acting as a Spanish-language interpreter during the transactions.  De Leon and her co-conspirators would hide the methamphetamine in the plastic trim of vehicles and deliver them to a residence in Center.  De Leon was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 2, 2022.

This case was investigated by the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter.

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BEAUMONT, Texas - A Beaumont man has been sentenced to federal prison for a firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Edward Lee Simien, 43, pleaded guilty on Sep. 9, 2022, to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone. 

According to information presented in court, on April 24, 2022, local law enforcement officers were serving an arrest warrant on Simien, when they observed Simien enter a vehicle near the rear of his business.  Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Simien, however he fled from officers at a high rate of speed.  Eventually Simien ran into the fence of a local business, disabling his vehicle.  Simien then exited the vehicle with what officers observed was a firearm with an extended magazine in his hand.  Simien fled on foot and threw the firearm nearby.  Officers eventually took Simien into custody and recovered the firearm he discarded.  Further investigation revealed Simien was a previously convicted felon and prohibited from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.  Simien was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 11, 2022.

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

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Beaumont Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell James.

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PLANO, Texas – A Plano has been charged with drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today. 

Eric William Mather, also known as “Truth”, 36, was named in a fourth superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury on Nov. 9, 2022 in the Eastern District of Texas.  The indictment charges Mather with multiple federal violations including conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and conspiracy to launder money.  Mather made his initial appearance on Jan. 12, 2023, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christine Nowak.  

According to the indictment, in September of 2022, the North Texas North Texas OCDETF Strike Force 2 (SF2), with the assistance of the DEA Dallas Tactical Diversion Squad (TDS), identified Mather as a fentanyl source of supply selling raw powdered fentanyl, and counterfeit pharmaceutical pills laced with fentanyl.  During his arrest, a search warrant was executed on his residence, resulting in the seizure of over 2 kilograms of raw powdered fentanyl, over a kilogram of fentanyl laced pills, a pill press, 30 firearms, and luxury vehicles. Mather is ultimately alleged to be responsible for multiple overdoses in the North Texas region.

If convicted, Mather faces up to life in federal prison.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

This case is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Marshals Service; IRS-Criminal Investigations; Dallas Police Department; and the Collin County Sheriff's Office.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Rattan.

An indictment is not evidence of guilt.  All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

 

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BEAUMONT, Texas - A Lufkin man has been sentenced to federal prison for a firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Fabian Fernando Hernandez, 20, pleaded guilty on July 19, 2022, to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone. 

According to information presented in court, Hernandez was identified by law enforcement as a possible distributor of narcotics in the East Texas area. On Jan. 15, 2022, the Rusk Police Department conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle Hernandez was driving. During the traffic stop Hernandez fled on foot. Officers found nearly sixty grams of cocaine and almost 500 grams of marijuana in the vehicle abandoned by Hernandez, as well as pistol.  Hernandez was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 6, 2022.

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

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Lufkin Police Department, and the Rusk Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter.

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BEAUMONT, Texas - A Groves man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Paul Cole Bartee, 36, pleaded guilty on April 1, 2022, to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on Jan. 10, 2023.  

According to information presented in court, between February and September 2021, Bartee had frequent encounters with various law enforcement agencies while in possession of narcotics.  Bartee was found in possession of a total of 4.7 kilograms of methamphetamine, 15 grams of heroin, and 38 grams of fentanyl, as well as a firearm and $5,000 cash.  Bartee was indicted by a federal grand jury on Oct. 6, 2021.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Bridge City Police Department, Orange Police Department, Nederland Police Department, Port Arthur Police Department and Groves Police Department.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Anderson.

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BEAUMONT, Texas – A Houston man has been sentenced for stealing mail in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today. 

Dontae Dewey McGee, 23, pleaded guilty on June 21, 2022, to theft of mail and was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.  McGee was also ordered to pay $55,372.30 in restitution to victims.

According to information presented in court, in January 2022, the U.S. Postal Service received complaints of stolen mail from various Post Office locations within Beaumont.  An investigation began which included a surveillance operation resulting in the identification of McGee and co-defendant Tyrin Terelle Robinson.  On Feb. 28, 2022, a vehicle pursuit between law enforcement and the defendants ensued during which mail was being thrown from the vehicle.  Spikes were deployed, the vehicle was stopped, and the defendants were arrested.  Robinson pleaded guilty on Sep. 7, 2022 and is awaiting sentencing.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Beaumont Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Lee.

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BEAUMONT, Texas – A Dayton man has pleaded guilty to a federal firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Clifford Scott Oclair, 57, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on Jan. 9, 2023.

According to court documents, on July 11, 2022, Oclair was arrested by deputy U.S. Marshals and Liberty County law enforcement officers in Liberty County who were tracking him down in an attempt to arrest him for outstanding warrants. A few minutes prior to his arrest, Oclair was observed crossing through a fenced-off, open area into a pasture along Highway 321 near Dayton. Law enforcement officers set up a perimeter in the pasture and took positions in high grass on the ground, while observing the area. Within a few minutes, officers observed Oclair on the run moving toward them. When Oclair got close enough, the officers emerged from their positions with their weapons raised and arrested him, but not before he was observed discarding a firearm he had concealed in his pants. The loaded firearm was discovered in the grass nearby.

Oclair was indicted by a federal grand jury on Oct. 5, 2022.  He faces up to 15 years in federal prison.  The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.  A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.

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

This case is being investigated by the Dayton Police Department, Liberty County Constable’s Office, Precincts 4 and 6, Port Arthur Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph R. Batte.

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BEAUMONT, Texas - A Port Arthur man has pleaded guilty to federal firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Javier Jesus Morales, 26, pleaded guilty to possession of an unregistered firearm today before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.

According to information presented in court, on Oct. 27, 2020, Morales sold a Glock .9mm pistol to a federal agent acting in an undercover capacity after the agent responded to a posting on the social media forum “Snapchat” advertising for the sale. The Glock pistol was outfitted with an attached aftermarket “auto-switch.” The auto-switch is a device used to convert a standard, legal handgun into a fully automatic machine gun, which if not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record is illegal to possess.  The firearm was not registered to Morales.

Morales was indicted by a federal grand jury on Feb. 2, 2022.  He faces up to 10 years in federal prison.  The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.  A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.

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

This case is being investigated by the Beaumont Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph R. Batte.

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BEAUMONT, Texas – A Vidor man has pleaded guilty to a federal firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Job Allen Smith, 49, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person today before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.

According to court documents, on Nov. 18, 2021, law enforcement officers conducted a search warrant at a residence in Vidor where they believed Smith would be in possession of narcotics.  During the search, officers discovered two firearms in the master bedroom closet.  Smith, a convicted felon, is prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition. 

Smith was indicted by a federal grand jury on Sep 7, 2022.  He faces up to 10 years in federal prison.  The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.  A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.

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

This case is being investigated by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Orange County SWAT, FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell James.

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BEAUMONT, Texas – A Silsbee man has pleaded guilty to federal child pornography violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Michael Joseph Fontenot, 50, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography today before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.

According to public information, Fontenot was found in possession of over 600 images of child pornography, including some images depicting a prepubescent minor engaging in sexual activity.

Fontenot faces up to 10 years in federal prison at sentencing.  The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.  A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove.

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A Texas woman pleaded guilty today in the Eastern District of Texas for a scheme to embezzle at least $29 million from her employer – a charitable foundation and several other companies run by a Dallas family.

According to court documents, Barbara Chalmers, 74, of Lewisville, admitted that starting in at least 2012, she abused her position as bookkeeper for the family’s companies and her signatory authority over the companies’ bank accounts to fraudulently write herself at least 175 checks, which she deposited into her personal accounts. In order to conceal her fraudulent conduct, she provided false paperwork to tax preparers misstating the year-end cash-on-hand numbers for the various accounts from which she was embezzling. She used more than $25 million of the stolen money to fund a construction business for which she was the president.

Chalmers pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison at sentencing. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston for the Eastern District of Texas, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division, and Acting Special Agent in Charge James J. Dwyer of the FBI Dallas Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI is investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Vasanth Sridharan and Lucy Jennings of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

BEAUMONT, Texas – The FBI, in partnership with Homeland Security Investigations and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, is issuing a national public safety alert regarding an explosion in incidents of children and teens being coerced into sending explicit images online and extorted for money—a crime known as financial sextortion.

Over the past year, law enforcement has received over 7,000 reports related to the online financial sextortion of minors, resulting in at least 3,000 victims, primarily boys, and more than a dozen suicides. A large percentage of these sextortion schemes originate outside of the United States, and primarily in West African countries such as Nigeria and Ivory Coast. As many children enter winter break this holiday season, the FBI and our partners implore parents and caregivers to engage with their kids about financial sextortion schemes so we can prevent them in the first place.  

“What is your child doing on-line during the holidays,” asked U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston.  “Unbeknownst to many parents, kids get caught on-line, tricked by adult predators into revealing something private or personal, even exposing themselves.  Then the predator threatens to go public or send the information to the child’s parents unless the child sends money or provides other improper photos to the predator.  This is electronic extortion and it’s a crime that happens frequently, so know what your child is doing on-line this holiday season.”

“The FBI has seen a horrific increase in reports of financial sextortion schemes targeting minor boys—and the fact is that the many victims who are afraid to come forward are not even included in those numbers,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI is here for victims, but we also need parents and caregivers to work with us to prevent this crime before it happens and help children come forward if it does. Victims may feel like there is no way out—it is up to all of us to reassure them that they are not in trouble, there is hope, and they are not alone.”

“The protection of children is a society’s most sacred duty,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “It calls on each of us to do everything we can to keep kids from harm, including ensuring the threats they face are brought into the light and confronted. Armed with the information in this alert message, parents, caregivers, ad children themselves should feel empowered to detect fake identities, take steps to reject any attempt to obtain private material, and if targeted, have a plan to seek help from a trusted adult.”

Financial sextortion schemes occur in online environments where young people feel most comfortable—using common social media sites, gaming sites, or video chat applications that feel familiar and safe.  On these platforms, online predators often use fake female accounts and target minor males, between 14 to 17 years old but the FBI has interviewed victims as young as 10 years old.

“The sexual exploitation of children is a deplorable crime. HSI special agents will continue to exhaust every resource to identify, locate, and apprehend predators to ensure they face justice,” said Steve K. Francis, HSI Acting Executive Associate Director. “Criminals who lurk in platforms on the internet are not as anonymous as they think. HSI will continue to leverage cutting-edge technology to end these heinous acts.”

Through deception, predators convince the young person to produce an explicit video or photo. Once predators acquire the images, they threaten to release the compromising material unless the victim sends money or gift cards. Often the predators demand payment through a variety of peer-to-peer payment applications. In many cases, however, predators release the images even if payments are made. The shame, fear, and confusion that victims feel when they are caught in this cycle often prevents them from asking for help or reporting the abuse.

“This is a growing crisis and we've seen sextortion completely devastate children and families,” said Michelle DeLaune, CEO of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. “As the leading nonprofit focused on child protection, we've seen first-hand the rise in these cases worldwide. The best defense against this crime is to talk to your children about what to do if they're targeted online. We want everyone to know help is out there and they're not alone.”

What if you or your child is a victim?

If young people are being exploited, they are victims of a crime and should report it. Contact your local FBI field office, call 1-800-CALL-FBI, or report it online at tips.fbi.gov.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) has outlined steps parents and young people can take if they or their child are a victim of sextortion, including:

• Remember, the predator is to blame, not your child or you.
• Get help before deciding whether to pay money or otherwise comply with the predator. Cooperating or paying rarely stops the blackmail and continued harassment.
• REPORT the predator’s account via the platform’s safety feature.
• BLOCK the predator and DO NOT DELETE the profile or messages because that can be helpful to law enforcement in identifying and stopping them.
• Let NCMEC help get explicit images of you off the internet.
• Visit org/IsYourExplicitContentOutThere to learn how to notify companies yourself or visit cybertipline.org to report to us for help with the process.
• Ask for help. This can be a very complex problem and may require help from adults or law enforcement.
• If you don’t feel that you have adults in your corner, you can reach out to NCMEC for support at [email protected] or call NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST.

Take a moment to learn how sextortion works and how to talk to your children about it. Information, resources, and conversation guides are available at fbi.gov/StopSextortion.

SHERMAN, Texas - A Lubbock man has been sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for trafficking drugs through the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Mark Anthony Calzadias, 48, pleaded guilty on Dec. 20, 2021, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and conspiracy to commit money laundering and was sentenced to 420 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant.

According to information presented in court, between 2017 and 2018, seven incidents associated with the Calzadias Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) resulted in the seizure of 10 kilograms of cocaine and $1,664,620 in U.S. currency. A joint investigation revealed that Mark Anthony Calzadias, Michael Calzadias, and Thomas Calzadias were the main sources of supply for the drugs, including cocaine, which were imported from Mexico, and transported from the Rio Grande Valley through the Eastern District of Texas to St. Louis, Missouri; Danville, Virginia; Greenville, South Carolina; Atlanta, Georgia; Fort Meyers, Florida; and other areas in the United States. Over the course of the conspiracy, the Calzadias DTO was responsible for the transportation of over 1,000 kilograms of cocaine.  The investigation resulted in the seizure of $1.6 million in U.S. Currency.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ernest Gonzalez.

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BEAUMONT, Texas– A Silsbee man has been indicted on federal child exploitation charges in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Adam Dale Isaacks, 39, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury on Dec. 7, 2022, charging him with six counts of transportation of a minor for sexual activity. 

According to prosecutors, in 2020 and 2021, Isaacks was a youth coach and president of the Evadale Little League Baseball organization and a trusted member of the community.  During this time, Isaacks is alleged to have transported minors from Texas to other states for sporting and camping events with intent to engage in sexual activity with the minor.

If convicted, Isaacks faces from 10 years to life in federal prison.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 

This case is being investigated by the FBI, the Sabine County Sheriff’s Office, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, and the San Augustine County Sheriff’s Office.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove.

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