District of Utah
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Weber County Man Behind Bars Following Death Allegedly Caused by FentanylRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – A United States Magistrate Judge ordered a Weber County resident to remain in custody following the alleged sell of fentanyl laced pills that led to the death of another person. On May 8, 2024, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging the defendant.
According to court documents, Cullin Anthony Bullen, 37, of Roy, Utah, was contacted on December 19, 2023, by the victim in a death resulting drug case. As alleged, the victim was purchased “roxies,” which is slang for Roxicodone prescription pills. Bullen purchased 25-30 pills from a third individual for $20 each. Bullen then sold the “roxies” to the victim for $25 per pill. On December 20, 2023, the victim was found dead. The medical examiner’s preliminary report determined the cause of the victim’s death was fentanyl intoxication.
Bullen is charged with distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. His initial court appearance on the indictment was May 29, 2024, at the United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Tremonton City Police Department.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Ryan N. Holtan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
San Juan County Man Sentenced to 180 Months’ Imprisonment Following Deadly Crash that Killed a 5-Year-Old GirlRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – Qwana McCook, 30 of White Mesa, Utah, was sentenced today to 15 years’ imprisonment, five years supervised release and ordered by the court to pay $250,000 in restitution. The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Robert J. Shelby, comes after McCook admitted to stealing a truck from a victim, who had her 5-year-old daughter in the back seat, and later crashing the vehicle which ejected and killed the child.
According to court documents and statements made at the change of plea hearing, McCook pleaded guilty in March 2024 to robbery and first degree felony murder while on the White Mesa Indian Reservation.
On May 8, 2022, McCook unlawfully took a vehicle from the victim’s mother without her permission while on the White Mesa Indian Reservation. Despite pleas from the child’s mother and family members, McCook did not return the child home and instead purchased alcohol. As alleged, in court documents and by McCook’s passenger and co-defendant, McCook began drinking and driving. At the time of the crash, McCook was traveling well above the speed limit. As a result of the crash, the child was ejected from the truck and declared dead at the scene.
“This case is a horrific reminder that carjackings threaten the lives of innocent victims. McCook’s senseless actions are reprehensible and caused the terrible death of a young girl,” said United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah. “My office will continue to vigorously prosecute those who use violence to destroy the safety of our communities.”
“McCook’s extremely selfish decisions that day will forever impact a family who is left grieving the loss of their young daughter,” said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI. “Although nothing will bring the child back, we hope the sentence will send a sobering message about the devastating consequences of drinking and driving.”
McCook’s co-defendant, Augustice Yellow, pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony and will be sentenced at a later date.
The case was investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office’s Monticello Resident Agency, San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Navajo Nation Patrol and Investigations and the Utah Highway Patrol.
Assistant United States Attorney Thaddeus J. May of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
Georgia Woman Sentenced to 39 Months’ Imprisonment for Wire and Securities Fraud After Cheating Victims Out of $904,650Read the Press Release
St. George, Utah – Stephanie Nicole Summers, 54, of Duluth, Georgia, was sentenced today to over three years’ imprisonment, three years’ supervised release and ordered by the court to pay $904,650 in restitution. The sentence, imposed by U.S. Senior District Court Judge David Nuffer, comes after Summers admitted to scamming victims in Southern Utah and across the United States.
According to court documents and statements made at the change of plea hearing, from May 2016 to February 2022, Summers fraudulently obtained $904,650 from over a dozen victims. Summers, acting on behalf of Diversified Trade Company, LLC and Summers Companies, Inc., along with other entities, promised customers she could help obtain financing for their business ventures, when in fact she could not. Summers instructed victims to send money to bank accounts she controlled and then spent the money on personal expenses by withdrawing it in cash, making transfers to other entities she controlled, and diverted it for other unrelated business expenses. Summers did not use the victims’ money for agreed-upon purposes.
Summers also persuaded victims to invest in her companies by promising high returns, misrepresenting her credentials and how she intended to use investors’ money. For example, Summers claimed she was a successful international businesswoman who controlled over 20 entities in the United States, the Bahamas, Canada, Mexico, and Panama, which she did not. Summers told victims her business, Summers Companies, Inc., successfully managed businesses in various industries, including real estate, hospitality, mining, oil and gas, technology, and mortgage finance. Summers also fraudulently claimed she could help secure financing for victims’ business ventures and represented she would use the victims’ money on their business ventures, when she did not. Summers told victims their investments were secure and were earning returns, when in fact they were not. In 2016, Summers defrauded victims in Southern Utah by falsely representing that she was an experienced and successful business owner who could secure millions of dollars in financing for their business adventure.
“Ms. Summers defrauded Utah citizens and people across the country of nearly $1 million for her own personal benefit. She lied to the victims and abused their trust to take their hard-earned money,” said U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah. “Summers repeated criminal behavior shows a complete disrespect for the law and the people she victimized. My office will continue to prosecute these types of crimes to seek justice for victims and to protect Utah citizens from future financial fraud.”
“Fraudsters like Summers are expert manipulators motivated by greed,” said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha. “The FBI will investigate those who defraud others for personal gain. We also remind the public that when presented with an investment opportunity or guaranteed a high rate of return, due diligence is key.”
The case was investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Stephen P. Dent and Christopher Burton of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
Foreign Nationals Arrested and Indicted After a Large Drug Seizure, Including over 11,000 Grams of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – A man and woman in Salt Lake County were indicted by a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City today for federal drug crimes after law enforcement seized approximately 11,435 grams of methamphetamine and 3,835 grams of heroin from a vehicle in which they were traveling.
According to court documents, Armida Viridiana Cayetano-Ruiz, 32, and Carlos Gerardo Brindas-Guzman, 30, both foreign nationals living in Salt Lake City, became part of a criminal investigation in April 2024 for allegedly distributing large quantities of narcotics into Utah. During the investigation, agents with the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force received information that Cayetano-Ruiz was a suspected multi-state drug trafficker. On May 11, 2024, agents stopped Cayetano-Ruiz and Brindas-Guzman in Juab County, Utah, for a traffic violation. During the stop, a K-9 Officer alerted to a positive indication of narcotics on the vehicle. During a search of the vehicle, law enforcement seized 11,435 grams (package weight) of field-tested- positive methamphetamine and 3,835 grams (package weight) of field-tested positive heroin. Cayetano-Ruiz and Brindas-Guzman were arrested.
Cayetano-Ruiz and Brindas-Guzman are charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute, and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Their initial court appearance on the indictment is scheduled for May 30, 2024, at 9:15 a.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force.
Assistant United States Attorney Seth Nielsen of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Jury Finds Foreign Nationals Guilty on All Counts for Multiple Drug Crimes Involving the Sale and Distribution of Oxycodone via the Dark WebRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – After a two week trial, a federal jury in Salt Lake City returned a guilty verdict against two foreign nationals on all counts and returned a special verdict form requiring the forfeiture of $380,395.64 in cash.
On May 20, 2024, Oluwole Adegboruwa, 54, of Las Vegas, Nevada, and Enrique Isong, 49, of Los Angeles, California, were found guilty of multiple federal crimes including conspiracies to distribute oxycodone and commit money laundering. During the conspiracies, Adegboruwa and Isong used the U.S. Mail and interstate commerce to commit their crimes, which generated more than $8 million in criminal proceeds.
According to evidence presented at trial, from October 2016 through May 2019, Adegboruwa, sold more than 300,000 oxycodone pills to customers on dark web marketplaces, including Hansa, Dream Market, Wall Street Market, and Alphabay (which have since been dismantled by law enforcement). Customers paid Adegboruwa, who operated his vendor pages as “King Odua” and “Alagbada726,” with cryptocurrency, including Bitcoin and Ethereum, which he later sold for traditional currency.
Adegboruwa testified at trial and admitted that he was the only one who had access to his vendor pages on the dark web markets to process orders from customers. He then directed others in Las Vegas and in Los Angeles to package and ship the pills around the United States.
Jurors convicted Adegboruwa under what is commonly referred to as the “kingpin statute” for organizing a continuing criminal enterprise and directing at least five others in the drug distribution conspiracy.
At trial, the jury also heard testimony from co-defendants who have already pleaded guilty. They described the ways in which Adegboruwa directed them to sort, package, and ship oxycodone pills to minimized damage and detection. The jury also heard from a Utah customer who discussed the process of ordering from Adegboruwa’s dark web vendor pages and how the ordered products arrived at his home via U.S. Postal Service Priority Mail.
After the jury returned guilty verdicts against Adegboruwa and Isong on all counts, they returned a special verdict form on May 22, 2024, requiring Adegboruwa to forfeit $380,395.64 in cash, $15,500 in lieu of a 2017 Dodge Charger, and 26 money orders totaling $9,400. The jury also found that Adegboruwa had to forfeit cryptocurrency now valued at more than $15 million.
Adegboruwa and Isong are scheduled for sentencing in August 2024 at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).
Assistant United States Attorneys Thaddeus J. May, Jennifer E. Gully, and Stewart M. Young of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah Commends the Release of Framework for Prosecutors to Strengthen National Response to Sexual Assault and Domestic ViolenceRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah commends the announcement of the Department of Justice’s new resource for prosecutors, “Framework for Prosecutors to Strengthen Our National Response to Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Involving Adult Victims.”
The announcement was made Monday in Dallas, TX at the Conference on Crimes Against Women by Rosemarie Hidalgo, Director of the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). The guide, written by prosecutors for prosecutors, sets out five principles that, if implemented, will lead to better outcomes for victims, safer communities, and greater accountability for perpetrators of sexual assault and domestic violence.
“The framework announced today reaffirms our commitment to expanding access to justice for all survivors, who deserve respect and the right to be heard,” said the Department’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Director Rosie Hidalgo. “Enhancing the prosecution response to sexual assault and domestic violence in a trauma-informed manner is a key piece in ending gender-based violence, as part of a broader coordinated community response that includes services and support for survivors, and can have a real, immediate impact on the safety of survivors and entire communities.”
Declinations of meritorious allegations may result from misconceptions about how crimes involving sexual assault and domestic violence are committed and reported, how victims give their accounts, and the evidence required to prove their accounts. This guide equips prosecutors to build provable cases by: (1) relying on the evidentiary value of the victim’s account to frame the investigation; (2) meeting with victims and working with investigators and victim specialists to do so; (3) using the law and evidentiary rules effectively; (4) being thoughtful about what justice and accountability look like; and (5) sustaining a productive, healthy, and committed workforce by redefining success– all of which are rooted in a prosecutor’s primary obligation to seek the truth and uphold the U.S. Constitution and the rule of law.
More than 120 state, Tribal, military, and federal prosecutors, as well as advocates, academics, and investigators from an array of jurisdictions were consulted in developing this guide. This guide is designed to encourage prosecutors with all levels of experience to implement its principles when evaluating, investigating, and prosecuting allegations involving sexual assault and domestic violence. In conjunction with this guide, OVW launched a new webpage with resources designed to assist prosecutors in implementing the guide and its principles. This guide further serves as a complement to the Justice Department’s 2022 updated guidance on Improving Law Enforcement Response to Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence by Identifying and Preventing Gender Bias.
OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities across the country that are developing programs, policies, and practices aimed at ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW funds national training and technical assistance and undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw.
Foreign National Accused of Possession and Distribution of Illicit Drugs, Including 17,000 Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – A foreign national living in Utah was indicted by a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City today for multiple federal drug crimes after agents allegedly seized methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin and cocaine.
According to court documents, Mauricio Hermosillo Becerra, 26, of Taylorsville, Utah, was stopped in a vehicle by members of the West Valley City Police Department and the Metro Narcotics Task Force on May 7, 2024, after leaving a residence under surveillance. As part of a larger investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the residence was under surveillance for alleged narcotics distribution in connection with a Las Vegas based drug trafficking organization.
As alleged in the complaint, during Hermosillo Becerra’s traffic stop, agents seized approximately three pounds of methamphetamine, several ounces of heroin and approximately 2,000 counterfeit M30 fentanyl pills from the vehicle. During the investigation, agents also seized 23 pounds of methamphetamine, 15,000 fentanyl pills, 2.7 pounds of heroin, and 239 grams of cocaine from Hermosillo Becerra’s residence in Taylorsville. All the narcotics field tested positive.
Hermosillo Becerra is charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and possession of heroin with intent to distribute. His initial court appearance on the indictment is scheduled for May 23, 2024, at 10:45 a.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), West Valley City Police Department, and the Metro Narcotics Task Force (MNTF).
Special Assistant United States Attorney Kelsy B. Young of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Felon Accused of Drug and Gun Crimes Indicted by a Grand JuryRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – A felon and foreign national living in Utah was indicted by a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City today for federal drug and gun crimes.
According to court documents, Rafael Maldonado-Solario, 46, of Salt Lake City, was under investigation by agents for allegedly distributing fentanyl in the Salt Lake Valley. On May 9, 2024, agents seized 2,290 grams of blue pills stamped M30 at Maldonado-Solario’s apartment in Salt Lake City. The pills were field tested and confirmed to contain fentanyl. Law enforcement also seized a Taurus CCP .380 handgun inside Maldonado’s apartment. As a previously convicted felon, Maldonado-Solario is restricted from possessing a firearm.
Maldonado-Solario is charged with possession of a firearm as a previously convicted felon, possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and illegal reentry of a previously removed alien. His initial court appearance on the indictment is scheduled for May 23, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Utah State Bureau of Investigations (SBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO).
Assistant United States Attorney Cameron P. Warner of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Convicted Felon Indicted Following Large Salt Lake City Drug BustRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – A Utah convicted felon was indicted by a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City today for multiple federal crimes after Salt Lake City Police detectives allegedly seized approximately 45 pounds of methamphetamine, 15,000 fentanyl pills, and two firearms from his home and from a storage unit associated with him.
According to court documents, on May 9, 2024, Anthony Owen Pawley, 65, of Murray, Utah, was stopped for a traffic violation by detectives assigned to the Salt Lake City Police Department’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Team. During the traffic stop, a canine officer alerted to narcotics. While searching the vehicle, detectives found five pounds of suspected methamphetamine and several hundred blue pressed pills suspected to contain fentanyl. During the investigation, detectives also found approximately 40 pounds of field tested and confirmed methamphetamine and approximately 15,000 fentanyl pills, along with two firearms at his residence and at a storage unit in Murray associated with Pawley.
SLCPDPawley is charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute, and felon in possession of a firearm. His initial court appearance on the indictment is scheduled for May 24, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah and the Salt Lake City Police Department made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the Salt Lake City Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
Assistant United States Attorney Cameron P. Warner of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The Salt Lake City Police Department’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Team (VCAT) is a specialized unit within the department tasked with combating violent crime by identifying and apprehending violent criminals and fugitives. Operating under the SLCPD’s Special Operations Division, VCAT collaborates closely with the Investigations Division, patrol divisions, and Data and Research divisions to pinpoint and enforce targeted measures in hot spot areas and regions experiencing a surge in violent crime. Established to address emerging violent crime trends and the activities of repeat violent offenders in Salt Lake City, VCAT coordinates efforts with detectives, the Salt Lake Information Center (SLIC), and the SLCPD’s Crime Intelligence and Analysis Unit (CIAU) to identify and apprehend violent offenders.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins Recognizes Police Week in the District of UtahRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE, Utah – In honor of National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins will recognize the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. The week is observed Saturday, May 11 through Friday, May 17, 2024.
“As our country recognizes National Police Week, the Justice Department joins families and communities in remembering the members of the law enforcement community who made the ultimate sacrifice protecting the public,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland. “Policing is difficult and dangerous, yet time and time again, law enforcement officers answer the call, showing up for their communities when they are needed the most. Their devotion to duty is matched only by that of their loved ones who make daily sacrifices to support them. The Justice Department is committed to doing everything in our power to help provide our law enforcement partners with the resources they need to carry out their noble work on behalf of the public.”
“This week in the District of Utah, family, friends and the community said their final goodbyes to Santaquin Police Sgt. Bill Hooser who was killed in the line of duty over one week ago. As we honor National Police Week, we recognize law enforcement who paid the ultimate sacrifice, like Sgt. Hooser, to serve and protect our communities at all costs. We thank all law enforcement for their dedication and commitment to public safety.”
On Wednesday, May 15, 2024, U.S. Attorney Trina Higgins will recognize federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement with United States Attorney’s Awards for Law Enforcement for their dedicated work in seeking justice in federal cases prosecuted in the District of Utah.
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment to keeping our communities safe.
On Monday, May 13, the names of more than 280 officers killed in the line of duty in 2024 who have been added to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial were read during a Candlelight Vigil. To view a recording of the livestream of this event, visit https://nleomf.org/memorial/programs/national-police-week-2024/candlelight-vigil/.
To learn more about National Police Week and the virtual candlelight vigil, please visit www.policeweek.org.
St. George Businessman Sentenced to 29 Months’ Imprisonment for Fraudulently Receiving over $685,000 in COVID-Relief FundsRead the Press Release
ST.GEORGE, Utah – Bradford, Leland Fishback, 40, of St. George was sentenced today to over two years’ imprisonment, three years’ supervised release and ordered by the court to pay $685,845.05 in restitution. The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Robert J. Shelby, comes after Fishback admitted to fraudulently obtaining government funds from programs intended to help employees and small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to court documents and statements made at the change of plea hearing, Fishback pled guilty in September 2023 to wire fraud, money laundering, and false claims.
Fishback admitted that from 2020 to 2022, he devised a scheme to defraud and obtain money by fraudulently submitting requests for Employee Retention Tax Credits, by filing 22 Forms 941s with the Internal Revenue Service on behalf of his four businesses: Circle CPA; Fishback Tax; Snowflake Shavery; and World Horizons Outreach. As a result of his fraudulent filings, Fishback received $482,058.46 from the IRS.
Additionally, Fishback fraudulently submitted at least seven Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications to the Small Business Administration on behalf of his four businesses. Fishback’s false statements about the entities’ number of employees, wages paid, gross receipts, and profit and loss resulted in him receiving $77,629 in PPP loans.
Fishback also admitted to submitting at least five applications for Economic Injury Disaster (EID) loans to the Small Business Administration of behalf of his four business. His false applications led to him receiving $137,573.
Fishback further admitted to submitting false applications for unemployment benefits to the Nevada Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation. His false statements led to him receiving $45,831 in unemployment benefits.
In total, Fishback’s false statements resulted in him claiming $903,882.88 and receiving $685,845.05 in COVID-relief funds.
The case was investigated jointly by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Dent and Jennifer K. Muyskens of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
South Jordan Man Sentenced to 168 Months’ Imprisonment for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE, Utah – James Weston Fawcett, 43, of South Jordan, Utah, was sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment, and a life term of supervised release after he admitted to uploading child pornography on a social media platform.
According to court documents and statements made at the change of plea hearing, Fawcett knowingly distributed material that contained child pornography between December 8, 2022 and January 15, 2023. Fawcett admitted he uploaded child pornography on two separate occasions to the social media platform “Wickr.” In total, Fawcett uploaded 18 videos and 11 images of child pornography to two chatrooms on the social media platform. At the time the files were uploaded, one of the chatrooms had approximately 200 members that could choose to preview or download the files to their phones or computers. Several of the videos contained images of children under the age of 12. During a search of Fawcett’s residence, officers found thousands of images of child pornography on his electronic devices. Officers also found an image of child pornography where Fawcett superimposed his face on the adult male pictured with a child.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Assistant United States Attorney Allison H. Behrens of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Uintah County Man Charged in Death Resulting Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – A Utah man was ordered to remain in custody by a U.S. Magistrate Judge for his alleged involvement in a death resulting drug case from Uintah County, Utah. On April 17, 2024, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging the defendant with supplying fentanyl to a victim that killed her.
According to court documents, Jerod Arthur Young, 48, of Fort Duchesne, Utah, intentionally distributed fentanyl to the victim on November 15, 2023, which resulted in her death. During the investigation, law enforcement determined from the victim’s phone that she communicated with Young and engaged in a financial transaction with him around her time of death. The fentanyl pill near her body when she was found deceased tested positive for fentanyl, and a medical examiner determined that the cause of the victim’s death was fentanyl toxicity, and that the amount of fentanyl in the victim’s system was toxic and lethal.
Young is charged with distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. His initial court appearance on the indictment was May 1, 2024, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. A three day trial is scheduled for July 9, 2024.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office’s Vernal Resident Agency.
Assistant United States Attorney Sam Pead of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Utah County Man Accused of Supplying Fentanyl that Killed a Woman During Christmas is Federally ChargedRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – A Utah County man was ordered to remain in custody today by a U.S. Magistrate Judge following the death of a woman on Christmas day after he allegedly supplied her with fentanyl. On May 1, 2024, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging the defendant.
According to court documents, Jared Kory Titcomb, 28, of Spanish Fork, Utah, allegedly distributed fentanyl to a victim on Christmas Eve, 2023. As a result of using the fentanyl, the victim was found dead by a family member on Christmas morning. During the investigation, law enforcement found that the victim reached out to Titcomb on Christmas Eve to purchase fentanyl. The investigation also showed the victim died of a drug overdose and that she had fentanyl in her system at the time of her death.
Titcomb is charged with distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. His initial court appearance on the indictment was May 7, 2024, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the Spanish Fork Police Department and the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Peter Reichman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Releases Fentanyl Awareness Day PSARead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – In recognition of National Fentanyl Awareness Day, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah joins state, local, federal, Tribal, and community partners to raise awareness and educate the public about the lethal dangers of fentanyl. Watch PSA here.
According to the DEA, fentanyl has saturated the drug market in Utah. It is cheaper, more potent, and more widely available than ever before. According to the CDC, fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Fentanyl is a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the United States. Over 150 people die every day from synthetic opioids like fentanyl.
Last month the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in partnership with the DEA, announced the first Utah Drug Overdose Task Force to combat fentanyl and other illicit drugs in the beehive state. The task force is made up of 10 state, local and federal law enforcement offices throughout the Wasatch Front. For more information on the task force, click here.
For more information about the dangers of fentanyl and facts, visit CDC.gov or DEA.Gov/FentanlyAwareness
Justice Department Strengthens Efforts, Builds Partnerships to Address the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous PersonsRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Justice Department joins its partners across the federal government, as well as people throughout American Indian and Alaska Native communities, in recognizing May 5 as National Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Awareness Day.
In recognition of MMIP Awareness Day, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland highlighted ongoing efforts to tackle the MMIP and human trafficking crises in American Indian and Alaska Native communities, and other pressing public safety challenges, like the fentanyl crisis, in Tribal communities.
“There is still so much more to do in the face of persistently high levels of violence that Tribal communities have endured for generations, and that women and girls, particularly, have endured,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “In carrying out our work, we seek to honor those who are still missing, those who were stolen from their communities, and their loved ones who are left with unimaginable pain. Tribal communities deserve safety, and they deserve justice. This day challenges all of us at the Justice Department to double down on our efforts, and to be true partners with Tribal communities as we seek to end this crisis.”
“The tireless work by prosecutors and law enforcement in the last 12 months of prosecuting three individuals involved in homicides in Tribal communities in the District of Utah is proof that the U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to pursuing those who commit violence against Native Americans,” said United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins. “The work is never done, but through prosecution, we will continue to seek justice for the victims and their families and be the voice of victims who can no longer speak.”
“The FBI remains unwavering in our pledge to work with our law enforcement partners to address the violence that has disproportionately harmed Tribal communities and families,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “We will continue to prioritize our support of victims and will steadfastly pursue investigations into the crime impacting American Indian and Alaska Native communities.”
“DEA’s top priority is protecting all communities from deadly drugs, like fentanyl, and drug related violent crime,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “We know that no community has been spared from these deadly threats and we are committed to keeping Tribal communities safe.”
Justice Department Prioritization of MMIP Cases
Last July, the Justice Department announced the creation of the Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which permanently places 10 attorneys and coordinators in five designated regions across the United States to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people. The five regions include the Northwest, Southwest, Great Plains, Great Lakes, and Southeast Regions.Last August, in the District of Utah, U.S. Attorney Higgins hosted the 30th Annual Four Corners Indian Country Conference in Salt Lake City. The three day event brought over 200 professionals from the four corner states who are involved in victim services and public safety in tribal communities. The district’s MMIP Coordinator, Tad May, was one of several trainers to discuss strategies and best practices to make tribal communities safer.
The MMIP Regional Outreach Program prioritizes MMIP cases consistent with the Deputy Attorney General’s July 2022 directive to U.S. Attorneys’ offices promoting public safety in Indian country. The program fulfills the Justice Department’s promise to dedicate new personnel to MMIP consistent with Executive Order 14053, Improving Public Safety and Criminal Justice for Native Americans and Addressing the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous People, and the Department’s Federal Law Enforcement Strategy to Prevent and respond to Violence Against American Indians and Alaska Natives, Including to Address Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons issued in July 2022.
Not Invisible Act Commission Response
The Department’s work to respond to the MMIP crisis is a whole-of-department effort. In March, the Departments of Justice and the Interior released their joint response to the Not Invisible Act Commission’s recommendations on how to combat the missing or murdered Indigenous peoples (MMIP) and human trafficking crisis. The NIAC response, announced by Attorney General Garland during a visit to the Crow Nation, recognizes that more must be done across the federal government to resolve this longstanding crisis and support healing from the generational traumas that Indigenous peoples have endured throughout the history of the United States.Addressing Violent Crime and the Fentanyl Crisis in Indian Country
As noted in the joint response to the NIAC, research suggests that certain public safety challenges faced by many American Indian and Alaska Native communities—including disproportionate violence against women, families, and children; substance abuse; drug trafficking; and labor and sex trafficking—can influence the rates of missing AI/AN persons. Further, fentanyl poisoning and overdose deaths are the leading cause of opioid deaths throughout the United States, including Indian county, where drug-related overdose death rates for Native Americans exceeds the national rate.Therefore, federal law enforcement components are ramping up efforts to forge stronger partnerships with federal and Tribal law enforcement partners to address violent crime and the fentanyl crisis, which exposes already vulnerable communities to greater harm. For instance:
In the past 12 months, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Utah tried and convicted defendants in three homicides in Tribal communities. Most recently, in February 2024, an Aneth, Utah man was found guilty of murdering a Navajo woman in front of her two young daughters on the Navajo Nation. In November 2023, a Fort Duchesne, Utah, man was sentenced to 45 years’ imprisonment for shooting and killing a Native American man. In August 2023, a Bluff, Utah man was sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment after a federal jury convicted him of murder in the second degree of a Ute Tribe member.
Accessing Department of Justice Resources
Over the past year, the Department awarded $268 million in grants to help enhance Tribal justice systems and strengthen law enforcement responses. These awards have also gone toward improving the handling of child abuse cases, combating domestic and sexual violence, supporting Tribal youth programs, and strengthening victim services in Tribal communities.
For additional information about the Department of Justice’s efforts to address the MMIP crisis, please visit the Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons section of the Tribal Safety and Justice website.Click here for more information about reporting or identifying missing persons.
United States Attorney’s Office Warns of Reported Financial Litigation ScamRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is alerting the public about a reported scammer making phone calls claiming to be with our office and requesting restitution payments.
This week, the office received multiple phone calls from concerned citizens regarding an individual who identifies himself as a member of the Financial Litigation Unit (FLU) of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, requesting restitution payments. The caller further claims the individual failed to appear in court regarding COVID-19 relief funds. All callers are then given a phone number to make a payment.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office will never call requesting a payment of restitution over the phone. Past due restitution payment letters are sent from our office, but criminal restitution payments are made to the federal court. Civil debts are paid through the Nationwide Central Intake Facility or through Pay.gov. If you receive a phone call from this individual or anyone claiming to be with the U.S. Attorney’s Office asking for restitution payments, this is a scam. If you think you are a victim of a scam or know someone who is, report it to the FBI at IC3.gov or the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.
Nevada Man Arrested and Indicted After Allegedly Stealing over $7M Worth of Treasury ChecksRead the Press Release
St. George, Utah – An indictment was unsealed today following the arrest of a Nevada man who was indicted earlier this month by a federal grand jury for multiple federal crimes, including bank fraud.
According to court documents, Kyle Eugene Duncan-Carle, 40, of Las Vegas, Nevada carried out a scheme to defraud multiple credit unions from January 2023 through September 2023 in the District of Utah. Duncan-Carle conducted the scheme by obtaining stolen U.S. Treasury checks made out to individuals and companies, assuming the identity of the individuals whose names were on the checks, opening credit union accounts under the assumed identities, and then depositing the checks and withdrawing the funds. The scheme resulted in Duncan-Carle obtaining at least six stolen treasury checks that totaled $7,075,695.55. This included an incident in April 2023 when Duncan-Carle assumed a victim’s identity, opened an American First Credit Union account under the victim’s name, and deposited a stolen tax-refund check for $821,333 made out to the victim. Duncan-Carle was arrested over the weekend in Lyon County, Nevada.
Duncan-Carle is charged with bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and receipt of stolen government property. Because Duncan-Carle was arrested in Nevada, his initial court appearance on the indictment will take place at a United States District Courthouse in Nevada.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI); the Internal Revenue Service Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA); and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Stephen P. Dent and Luisa Gough of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.Alleged Hatchet Wielding Man Indicted for Multiple Federal CrimesRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment today charging a Salt Lake County man with multiple violent crimes after he allegedly stole from a dollar store and a jewelry business while armed.
According to court documents, on May 6, 2023, Carlos Anthony Martinez, 24, of Salt Lake City, robbed, at gunpoint, a dollar store employee in Grantsville, Utah, of money and merchandise.
On May 26, 2023, Martinez allegedly entered Fred Meyer Jewelers inside Smith’s Marketplace in Bountiful. Martinez carried a hatchet in one hand and a handgun in the other and smashed the top of a glass display case with the hatchet. At this time, an employee confronted Martinez and Martinez pointed the handgun in the employee’s direction. Martinez stole jewelry and ran out of the store, leaving the hatchet on the display case. Bountiful Police officers responded to the scene and searched for Martinez. Martinez was arrested April 15, 2024, following a signed arrest warrant by the court.
Martinez is charged with interference with commerce by robbery, and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. His initial court appearance on the indictment is April 26, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. in courtroom 8.4. before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by an FBI Task Force Officer with the Salt Lake City Police department, investigators from the Department of Public Safety State Bureau of Investigation, and other officers from the Utah Highway Patrol and Bountiful Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Carlos A. Esqueda of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Uintah Basin Man Sentenced to 18 Months’ Imprisonment for ExtortionRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Leallen Blackhair, 47 of Utah, was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment, three years’ supervised release, and $18,000 in restitution after he admitted to extorting oil and gas businesses operating on the Uintah and Ouray Reservation. He used the extortion money on trips to various amusement parks, dining, and shopping.
According to court documents and statements and admissions made at the change of plea hearing, Blackhair used his coveted position as the Compliance Supervisor for the Energy and Minerals Department of the Ute Tribe, to extort $109,925 for his own personal gain over the course of three years.
Blackhair’s responsibilities as a compliance supervisor, included issuing fines to oil and gas businesses working on the Uintah and Ouray Reservation that violated their access permits and business licenses. Blackhair used his position to induce and attempt to induce multiple companies to pay him personally by offering to reduce a fine that would otherwise be assessed against them. Blackhair extorted sixty-six payments totaling $109,925, between August 2010 and May 2013. In December 2022, Blackhair pleaded guilty to eight counts of extortion and one count of attempted extortion.
Ninety-five percent of all revenue for the Ute Tribe comes from the oil and gas industries work on the reservation. As the gatekeeper, Blackhair determined whether businesses could return to work on the reservation. Through extortion, Blackhair more than doubled his $50,000 salary and targeted mostly small, “mom and pop” businesses. Blackhair spent the extorted funds on trips to Disneyland, Legoland, Las Vegas, Disney World, SeaWorld, Universal Pictures, airfare, hotels, rental cars, dining and shopping. Blackhair was sentenced March 22, 2024, before Federal District Court Judge Jill N. Parish.
The case was investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office’s Vernal Resident Agency.
Assistant United States Cy H. Castle of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
Salt Lake County Residents Allegedly Behind the Shooting of a Woman During an Attempted Carjacking Face Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment charging two Salt Lake County residents with multiple violent crimes after a woman was allegedly shot by one of the defendants during an attempted carjacking.
According to court documents, on April 3, 2024, Lt Col Siamelie Nick Mila, 20, and Maddyn Dean Christiansen, 21, of Salt Lake County, Utah, attempted to steal a vehicle in the parking lot of a fitness facility in Murray, Utah, that left a woman shot. Surveillance footage from the area showed the victim walking towards her vehicle when Mila exited a black Audi, driven by Christiansen, and approached the victim. A few minutes later, the victim limped back towards the gym while the Audi left the scene. Through witness statements, interviews, and surveillance video, Mila and the victim exchanged gunfire. The victim, who possessed a concealed carry permit, fired her weapon at Mila after he demanded, at gunpoint, that she give him her car keys. Mila did not legally possess a firearm. The victim was taken to the hospital by emergency personnel. At 10:53 p.m. a male, later identified as Mila, arrived at a local hospital emergency room with a gunshot wound. Following medical care, Mila was arrested.
Mila and Christiansen are charged with attempted carjacking, and using, carrying, brandishing and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Their initial court appearance on the indictment was April 18, 2024. Mila is scheduled for a detention hearing on April 23, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. and Christiansen is scheduled for a detention hearing April 29, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office and the Murray City Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Carlos A. Esqueda of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Alleged Airline Stowaway Passenger Facing Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment charging a Texas man for national security crimes after he allegedly took photos of other airline passenger’s tickets and then attempted to take a flight to Texas while hiding in the aircraft’s lavatory.
According to court documents, on March 17, 2024, Wicliff Yves Fleurizard, 26 of Leander, Texas, boarded Delta Airlines flight #1683 from Salt Lake City International Airport to Austin, Texas. After boarding the aircraft, Fleurizard was assisted by a flight attendant to the front lavatory after witnessing him opening the emergency equipment storage door. While others boarded, Fleurizard remained in the lavatory. After boarding was completed, and before the aircraft doors were secured, Fleurizard exited the front lavatory and made his way to the back of the aircraft and entered the back lavatory. After Fleurizard exited the back lavatory, a flight attendant noticed no seats were available and approached Fleurizard. At this time the aircraft doors were secured, and the aircraft started to taxi to the runway. Fleurizard identified a seat as his to the flight attendant, but the flight attendant verified that the passenger in that seat actually purchased the seat.
Flight attendants searched for Fleurizard’s name on their Guest Service Tool but were unable to locate a valid ticket or booking reservation for him. The aircraft returned to the gate and Fleurizard was met by law enforcement upon exiting the aircraft.
As alleged in the complaint, during the investigation by law enforcement, surveillance footage showed Fleurizard in the boarding area taking photos of multiple passenger’s phones and/or boarding passes while they were not looking. Surveillance footage also showed that Fleurizard used his phone as a boarding pass when he boarded the plane.
Fleurizard is charged with being a stowaway on an aircraft, and access device fraud. His initial court appearance on the indictment will take place at a later date before a U.S. Magistrate Judge.
United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by an FBI Task Force Officer with the Salt Lake City Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Bryan N. Reeves of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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wicliffyvesfleurizard.indictment.pdfAccused Drug Dealer Charged After Allegedly Possessing 43 Pounds of Blue Fentanyl Pills, $33,000 and Other Illicit DrugsRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment today charging a foreign national living in Utah with drug crimes after agents allegedly seized 43 pounds of blue M-30 fentanyl pills and other narcotics.
According to court documents, Elder Alberto Ahumada-Castro, 29, of Murray, Utah, was suspected by federal agents of distributing drugs in the Salt Lake Valley. On April 10, 2024, Ahumada-Castro was spotted by agents overnighting at a motel in Murray, Utah. After obtaining a search warrant for Ahumada-Castro’s vehicle and motel room, agents located and seized approximately 2800 blue M-30 fentanyl pills, approximately $33,000, and a larger amount of blue M-30 fentanyl pills that weighed 43 pounds, 4 ounces. The pills field tested positive for properties of fentanyl. Ahumada-Castro was arrested.
DEAPrior to Ahumada-Castro’s arrest, court documents allege that on April 3, 2024, he possessed with the intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine in the District of Utah.
Ahumada-Castro is charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of heroin with intent to distribute, and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. His initial court appearance on the indictment is scheduled for April 22, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Special Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Holtan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Utah Married Couple Running a Gun and Ammo Shop, Arrested and Indicted After Deceitfully Obtaining over $600,000 from CustomersRead the Press Release
St. George, Utah – An indictment was unsealed today by the federal court in St. George following the arrest of a husband and wife in Utah County after a federal grand jury returned an indictment on April 9, 2024. The indictment charges the duo with financial crimes after they allegedly ran a gun and ammunition business and defrauded customers and financial firms of over $600,000.
According to court documents, John Earl Donaldson, 31, and his wife, Carlie Elizabeth Winters, 29, of Saratoga Springs, Utah, conspired together from December 2021 through January 2023 to illegally obtain money from customers of Urban Armz, LLC. Donaldson and Winters owned and operated Urban Armz, LLC. Through false pretenses, Donaldson and Winters allegedly lied about Urban Armz’s inventory and ability to procure goods for which customers paid. Additionally, Donaldson and Winters fraudulently obtained money from financial firms through false pretenses.
In furtherance of the crime, the Urban Armz website claimed that the business maintained an office in St. George, when it did not. The website also falsely claimed that the “company clients” included the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency.
As alleged in the indictment, Donaldson falsely represented that he could sell large quantities of ammunition to potential customers for competitively low prices. In December 2021, a customer wired $90,000 to Urban Armz for 300,000 rounds of ammunition. Urban Armz never delivered the ammunition. Instead, Donaldson and Winters spent the customer’s funds on transfers to unrelated parties, shopping, credit card payments, and other withdrawals.
In April 2022, a company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, paid Urban Armz $300,000 through wire transfers for body armor it intended to donate to Ukraine first responders in war zones. Urban Armz never delivered the body armor. In June 2022, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting Ukrainian immigrants and refugees living in the United States paid Urban Armz $217,098.98 for night vision goggles, thermal optics, and other equipment for Ukrainian first responders serving in war zones. Again, Urban Armz did not deliver the equipment and instead Donaldson and Winters spent the money on unrelated parties, shopping and other things.
Donaldson and Winters are charged with wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy. Their initial court appearance on the indictment was April 14, 2024, at the United States District Courthouse in St. George, Utah.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Stephen P. Dent of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Washington County Woman Who Embezzled over $230,000 from HOA, Sentenced to 12 Months of Home DetentionRead the Press Release
ST. GEORGE, Utah – Sharon Lee Ann Gordon, 66, of Hurricane, Utah, was sentenced today to 12 months and one day of home detention, and three years’ probation as a result of a guilty plea for stealing over $230,000 from an HOA during her time as the HOA Treasurer. In addition to her sentence, United States District Court Chief Judge Robert J. Shelby ordered Gordon to pay the remaining $63,448.32 in restitution to the HOA and $20,490 in restitution to the IRS for tax loss for unreported income.
According to court documents and statements made at the change of plea hearing, Gordon embezzled approximately over $232,000 from four Lava Bluff HOA bank accounts between 2016 and March 2022. In execution of the scheme, Gordon diverted the funds electronically by transferring them directly to her personal account, writing checks to herself and her boyfriend and forging other board members’ signatures, depositing checks representing HOA member fees directly into her personal accounts, writing checks to casinos from HOA accounts, and withdrawing cash from HOA accounts. Additionally, Gordon falsely reported to the Internal Revenue Service her total income from 2017 through 2021.
“Gordon abused her HOA position of power to steal thousands of dollars for her own personal benefit,” said U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah. “Gordon’s greed further emboldened her to hide money from the IRS. By teaming up with our federal partners we will continue to investigate and prosecute these cases.”
“This case not only saw that those members of the Lava Bluff HOA, were directly harmed by Ms. Gordon’s embezzlement, but as is always the case with tax fraud, the American taxpayers as a whole were victimized,” said IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carissa Messick. “Gordon believed that she could shirk her responsibility to her community as well as to the American tax system; however, IRS-Criminal Investigation takes its responsibility seriously and will investigate and assist in the prosecution of any violators of these laws.”
“Money that was designated for the community’s management went to line Gordon’s own pockets,” said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI. “This case should serve as an example that fraud never pays. The FBI and our partners are committed to identifying and investigating those who abuse their trusted positions.”
The case was investigated jointly by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, St. George Resident Agency.
Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Dent of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
U.S. Attorney’s Office and DEA Announce the First Utah Drug Overdose Task Force to Combat the Opioid Epidemic in the Beehive StateRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – United States Attorney, Trina A. Higgins and Acting Special Agent in Charge, Dustin Gillespie, of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Rocky Mountain Field Division announce the formation of the Utah Drug Overdose Task Force.
Over the past few years, Utah has experienced a rise in overdose/poisoning incidents, and fentanyl has been the primary catalyst. According to the most recent data by the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, 603 Utahns died as a result of drug overdose in 2021. That same year, 67% of Utah overdose deaths were related to opioids and 29% were related to fentanyl. Learn more: https://opidemic.utah.gov/.
“Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat the United States has ever faced, and Utah is no exception, said U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah. “My office and our law enforcement partners are working every day to protect our communities from fentanyl and other illicit drugs and prosecute people who traffic these deadly substances. It is also our goal to raise awareness. Through the Utah Drug Overdose Task Force, I am confident we can make a difference.”
According to the DEA, Fentanyl has saturated the drug market in Utah. It is cheaper, more potent, and more widely available than ever before.
The Utah Drug Overdose Task Force or UDOTF is a decentralized task force consisting of sworn law enforcement members from agencies across the Salt Lake valley. Led and coordinated by DEA’s Rocky Mountain Field Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah, the participants remain with their departments conducting their normal duties and serve on the task force as a collateral duty when needed. The goal of task force is to raise awareness and increase the number of prosecutable cases through proper evidence collection and preservation.
Currently, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah has 10 cases either indicted or under investigation that are a result of the Utah Drug Overdose Task Force.
“Through the task force we aim to consolidate intelligence, particularly digital evidence, from various drug overdose and poisoning crime scenes so that we may identify and exploit potential linkages between incidents, said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Dustin Gillespie, of the Salt Lake City District Office.
The Utah Drug Overdose Task Force is made up of 10 state, local and federal law enforcement offices:
• Drug Enforcement Administration
• Salt Lake City Police Department
• Unified Police Department/Salt Lake City Sheriff’s Office
• Layton City Police Department
• Sandy City Police Department
• Ogden City Police Department
• Davis County Sheriff’s Office
• South Jordan Police Department
• Homeland Security Investigations
• U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of UtahUtah Drug Overdose Task Force is made possible through funding for state/local overtime provided by the Department of Justice Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). Funding allows members of the task force to deploy to crime scenes (after hours) when requested to assist and guide a first responder thru the processing of a crime scene. DEA’s High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) has also assisted with supplies needed by the task force for preserving and securing evidence when at crime scenes.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA created a checklist to serve as a guide for first responders arriving to an overdose/poisoning crime scene.
OCDETF
The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.HIDTA
The High Intensity Drug trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, provides assistance to Federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. Utah is a member of the Rocky Mountain HIDTA (along with CO, WY, and MT).23-Year-Old Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Distributing Fentanyl that Nearly Killed a Park City ResidentRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A U.S. District Court Judge sentenced Colin Andrew Shapard, 23, of Las Vegas, Nevada to 240 months’ imprisonment today, followed by 36 months supervised release. In December 2023, Shapard pleaded guilty to distribution of a controlled substance that resulted in serious bodily injury. Fentanyl Shapard shipped via U.S. Mail, nearly killed a Park City, Utah resident after the man overdosed in 2022. See prior release here.
DEAAccording to court documents, an investigation into Mr. Shapard began in November 2021 after a Park City resident reported to investigators that he obtained the drugs he possessed from Shapard. The resident also told investigators that in 2016, Shapard was the person who supplied a dangerous synthetic opioid to two 13-year-old middle-school students in Park City, who died as a result of ingesting the substance. Mr. Shapard was charged in juvenile court for the deaths of the two teens. Those offenses were processed through the juvenile court system as Shapard was a juvenile at the time.
In December 2021, subsequent to a search warrant, investigators identified and seized two shipments of counterfeit blue M30 pills laced with fentanyl that were mailed from Las Vegas to Utah. Simultaneously, DEA agents also learned that from December 2021 to May 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized four illicit drug shipments addressed to Shapard from the Netherlands. Additionally, in October 2020 customs enforcement agents in Germany seized two U.S. bound packages addressed to Shapard that contained illegal amphetamine-based drugs. Also in 2020, agents learned that Shapard received a FedEx package to a Midvale, Utah address that contained chemicals utilized in the manufacture of the drug GHB and or fentanyl. In 2022, undercover DEA agents purchased drugs from Shapard. Mr. Shapard told the undercover agent that the “blues” he sold were legitimate pharmaceuticals that he acquired from Canada. Shapard also claimed he tested every shipment of pills he received to confirm they did not contain fentanyl, when in fact they did.
In February 2022, the Park City resident was found on the floor unresponsive by his father. The father called 911 and began CPR. When emergency medical personnel arrived, they administered Naloxone, also referred to as Narcan, to the victim. Narcan is a drug that reverses the effects of opioids, including fentanyl, and is effective only on opioids. The victim was hospitalized and survived. The following day, DEA agents discovered that the victim overdosed on blue M30 fentanyl pills, which were purchased from Shapard. On March 8, 2022, Shapard was arrested.
“Community safety is a top priority for my office,” said U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah. “Mr. Shapard not only knowingly sold dangerous synthetic opioids, but he did so while deceiving his customers about the nature of the product. Fentanyl is 100 times stronger than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin. Had it not been for the quick response from the victim’s family and the fast acting first responders who administered Narcan this would have been a more tragic outcome. My office will vigorously prosecute those who distribute this poison in the state of Utah, particularly those who repeat the same behavior.”
“There is no outcome that can fully heal the destruction caused by Mr. Shapard’s actions. Nevertheless, today’s sentencing is an important step toward justice for the victim and the many family members and friends affected by Mr. Shapard’s distribution of deadly fentanyl. The tireless work on this case by some of DEA’s finest investigators is proof that the DEA is unwavering in its commitment to pursuing those criminals who seek to distribute poison in our communities," said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Dustin Gillespie, of the Salt Lake City District Office.
DEA
“Mr. Shapard continued to profit off numerous individuals with his fentanyl-laced pills even after being charged for the deaths of two teenagers in 2016. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to bringing all individuals to justice who use the U.S. Mail for their illegal activities. This significant sentence sends a message to drug traffickers who have no regard for human life, and we thank our law enforcement partners for their excellent teamwork,” said Inspector in Charge Glen Henderson of the USPIS Phoenix Division.
The case was part of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Park City Police Department, and the Summit County Sheriff’s Office.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
St. George Man Sentenced to 72 Months’ Imprisonment for Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
ST. GEORGE, Utah – James Edgar Conner, 42, of St. George, Utah, was sentenced today to 6 years’ imprisonment, and 15 years’ supervised release after he admitted to receipt of child pornography.
According to court documents and statements and admissions made at the change of plea hearing, from April 2019 through June 2023, in the District of Utah, Conner knowingly possessed electronic files depicting child pornography.
An investigation into Conner began in June 2023, when law enforcement received multiple cybertips for a Synchronoss account that belonged to Conner. Synchronoss provides cloud data storage for wireless customers. The cybertips revealed child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Law enforcement executed a search warrant for Conner’s Synchronoss account, and the return showed the account was associated with Conner’s cellphone and email address. Inside the account, law enforcement found 23 child pornography videos as well as personal identifying information such as Conner’s paychecks, driver’s license, and work badge. Law enforcement also found several surreptitious videos that Conner covertly recorded of adult women using his restroom.
On June 27, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Conner’s residence in St. George. Prior to the execution of the search warrant, law enforcement arrested Conner. During the search, officers found a number of digital devices including cellphones and covert camera equipment in the residence, among other items. During an interview, Conner admitted knowingly downloading multiple CSAM videos to his phone, some of which depicted children under the age of 10.
The case was investigated by the St. George Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Chris Burton of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Justice Department Sues Utah Prison System for Discrimination Based on Gender DysphoriaRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against the State of Utah, including the Utah Department of Corrections (UDOC), alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for discriminating against an incarcerated transgender woman on the basis of her disability, gender dysphoria. The department’s complaint alleges that UDOC failed to provide the complainant equal access to health care services after she repeatedly requested hormone therapy, and also failed to make reasonable modifications to its policies and practices to treat her gender dysphoria. Before filing this lawsuit, the department gave UDOC written notice of its findings and an outline of remedial measures necessary to address them.
Gender dysphoria is a serious medical condition marked by clinically significant distress caused by an incongruence between the sex an individual is assigned at birth and their gender identity. Left untreated, individuals with gender dysphoria can experience serious adverse mental health outcomes.
“People with gender dysphoria, including those held in jails and prisons, are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act and are entitled to equal access to medical care just like anyone else with a disability,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Delays or refusals to provide medical treatment for people with gender dysphoria can cause irreparable harm, including debilitating distress, depression, attempts at self-treatment and even death by suicide. The Civil Rights Division is committed to protecting the rights of all people with disabilities in our country, including those who experience gender dysphoria – and those rights are not given up at the jailhouse door.”
The department’s complaint alleges that UDOC imposes unnecessary barriers to treatment for incarcerated individuals with gender dysphoria that are not required for other health conditions, and unnecessarily delayed the complainant’s treatment. The complaint also alleges that UDOC failed to grant the complainant’s requests for reasonable modifications, including permitting her to purchase female clothing and personal items in the commissary, modifying pat search policies and appropriately assessing her housing requests to avoid discrimination on the basis of gender dysphoria. As a result, her gender dysphoria worsened during her incarceration at UDOC. Twenty-two months after entering custody, she performed dangerous self-surgery and removed her own testicles.
The department’s lawsuit is part of its broader efforts to combat discrimination against individuals with gender dysphoria. These include the Civil Rights Division’s recently filed statement of interest clarifying that gender dysphoria can be a covered disability under the ADA and explaining that correctional institutions violate the Eighth Amendment when they categorically refuse to provide medically necessary gender-affirming care to incarcerated individuals with gender dysphoria and a challenge to Tennessee’s SB1 which makes it unlawful to provide or offer to provide certain types of medical care for transgender minors with diagnosed gender dysphoria.
The Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section is handling this matter in collaboration with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah.
For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (TTY 1-833-610-1264) or visit www.ada.gov.
Drug Dealer Accused of Attempting to Sell over 124,000 Blue Pills Containing Fentanyl is IndictedRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A foreign national living in Utah will appear before a U.S. Magistrate Judge today after he was indicted March 27, 2024, by a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City for federal crimes, including possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute.
According to court documents, Gustavo Flores-Hernandez, 31, of Salt Lake City, was under investigation for allegedly distributing a controlled substance throughout Salt Lake County, Utah. On March 21, 2024, detectives with the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force (UCMC) executed a search warrant at an apartment in Salt Lake City. During the search, detectives found approximately 12,404 grams (124,044 pills) of blue pills that field-tested positive for the presence of fentanyl. Upon completion of the search, a man later identified as Flores-Hernandez, entered the apartment and was arrested. Flores-Hernandez possessed approximately $9,000 cash and 50 grams (500 pills) of blue pills that field-tested positive for the presence of fentanyl.
Flores-Hernandez is charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and reentry of a previously removed alien. His initial court appearance on the indictment is April 1, 2024, at 2:30 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by a task force officer with the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force, the American Fork Police Department and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.
Special Assistant United States Peter Reichman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Utah Residents Accused of Running a COVID-19 Relief Fraud Scheme Face Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Three Tooele County residents accused of running a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan fraud ring will appear before a U.S. Magistrate Judge today following a federal indictment. The indictment, returned by a grand jury on Feb. 28, 2024, includes charges of wire fraud and aiding and abetting during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to court documents, Halee Ann Mehlbauer, 38, Timothy George Lopez, 62, and Rick A. Bolton, 65, of Tooele, allegedly ran a PPP Loan fraud ring from July 2020 to January 2022. Mehlbauer, Lopez, and Bolton fraudulently applied for at least 10 PPP loan applications and five PPP loan forgiveness applications that attempted to defraud lenders and the Small Business Administration (SBA) of approximately $422,242.50. These were funds Congress allocated for the SBA to provide low-interest loans to eligible small businesses experiencing financial disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
When applying for the loans, Mehlbauer, Lopez, and Bolton used fictitious businesses that did not exist before the pandemic hit, and therefore did not qualify for PPP loans. The defendants also exaggerated and fabricated the number of employees, average monthly payroll, and gross income of their fictitious businesses. Mehlbauer, Lopez and Bolton also submitted fake tax forms and payroll tax forms to support their fabricated payroll and gross income. The defendants never filed the fake tax forms they submitted to their lenders with the IRS. Mehlbauer also transferred at least $49,475.02 of PPP loan funds to herself in checks. The defendants spent the rest of the fraudulently obtained PPP loan funds on unauthorized personal expenses, including debt payments, car expenses and gambling.
By lying on the PPP loan applications, Mehlbauer, Lopez and Bolton fraudulently obtained at least approximately $195,930.50 in PPP loan funds and obtained forgiveness of at least approximately $155,477.50 of their approved PPP loans, that they were not eligible to receive.
Mehlbauer, Lopez and Bolton are charged with seven counts of wire fraud and aiding and abetting. Mehlbauer is also charged with money laundering. Their initial court appearance on the indictment is scheduled for March 28, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
Assistant United States Attorney Todd C. Bouton of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
The Utah Federal COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force is investigating the case, which includes Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Office of Inspector General’s U.S. Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG), Department of Defense (DOD), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), and the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). The public is encouraged to share information about the abuse of the Paycheck Protection Program or other SBA programs by submitting a complaint here.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Woman Accused of Possessing 11,700 Fentanyl Pills and Other Illicit Drugs with Intent to Distribute is Arrested and IndictedRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment today, charging a foreign national living in Utah with multiple drug crimes. The woman allegedly possessed and intended to distribute large amounts of narcotics including heroin, methamphetamine and 11,700 fentanyl pills.
According to court documents, Martha Isela Navarro Chapas, 31, of West Jordan, Utah, and other members of a drug trafficking organization were believed to be distributing large quantities of narcotics in the District of Utah. On March 21, 2024, federal agents with the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force arrested Chapas. Agents advised Chapas they had two search warrants for her residences in West Jordan, Utah. During the arrest, agents also seized approximately 23.35 (package weight) grams of suspected fentanyl pills, approximately 2.05 grams (package weight) of field-tested positive cocaine, and $1,318, that Chapas possessed.
Shortly thereafter, during the execution of the search warrant at the first residence, agents seized 2,287 grams (package weight) of field-tested positive methamphetamine, 953 grams (package weight) of field-tested positive fentanyl, which included an estimated 9,500 pills, and 417 grams (package weight) of field-tested positive heroin.
During the execution of the search warrant at the second residence, agents seized 219 grams (package weight) of suspected fentanyl pills, which contained an estimated 2,200 pills. Agents also seized $25,598.
Navarro Chapas is charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and possession of heroin with intent to distribute. Her initial court appearance on the indictment was March 27, 2024, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by the Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force (WMDTF) and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Seth Nielsen of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Utah County Businessman Accused of Scamming $1.8M in COVID-19 Relief Funds is Arrested and Charged FederallyRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Utah County businessman was arrested today after he was indicted by a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City on March 20, 2024, for wire fraud. Robert Blake Molling, 41, of Lehi, Utah, is accused of fraudulently obtaining over $1.8 million in federal government disaster relief funds.
According to court documents, from March 2020 to April 2022, Molling fraudulently applied for COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds for two of his companies. These were funds Congress allocated for the Small Business Administration to provide low-interest loans to eligible small businesses going through financial disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Molling lied about his criminal history – falsely claiming that he had no criminal convictions other than minor vehicle violations. In furtherance of the crime, Molling caused multiple wire transfers via interstate commerce, and fraudulently obtained some $1,868,100 in EIDL loan funds and advances he was not eligible to receive.
Molling is charged with seven counts of wire fraud. His initial court appearance on the indictment is scheduled for March 26, 2024, at 2:15 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Sachi Jepson and Assistant United States Attorney Michael Thorpe of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.
The Utah Federal COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force is investigating the case, which includes Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Office of Inspector General’s U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), Department of Defense (DOD), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), and the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). The public is encouraged to share information about the abuse of the Paycheck Protection Program or other SBA programs by submitting a complaint here.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Utah Auto Shop Owner Accused of Drug and Gun Crimes IndictedRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Murray, Utah, auto shop owner, accused of drug and gun crimes, was released from custody today by a United States Magistrate Judge after he was arrested earlier this month and indicted by a federal grand jury.
According to court documents, on March 6, 2024, search warrants were executed on the home, vehicle, and business, 5 Speed Auto, of Muayad Kareem, 47, of Sandy, Utah.
In Kareem’s Mercedes, law enforcement agents recovered an HP laptop bag in the backseat. Inside the bag, agents recovered a loaded Smith & Wesson .38 Special firearm and three bags containing a white powdery substance that field tested positive for synthetic cathinones, α-PVP, known as “bath salts,” worth $11,200. Agents also seized a cell phone inside Kareem’s vehicle. At Kareem’s home, agents seized a flip style cell phone and a fake saltshaker full of small plastic baggies that are used for distribution. During his arrest, agents also recovered a prescription bottle with 366 30 mg Oxycontin pills, another cellphone and $1,600.
Pursuant to the search of the 5 Speed Auto repair shop in Murray, agents seized approximately 948 blue tablets with “A-51” and “M-30 stamped on them. Agents identified the pills as Oxycodone. From a mini fridge, agents seized approximately 1,067 white oval shaped tablets stamped with “M367” and “M366,” which were identified as hydrocodone and 643 white oval shaped tablets stamped with “G037,” which were identified as Lortabs. From a safe, agents seized $40,000 in cash.
Kareem is charged with possession of a Pyrrolidinohexanophenone (α-PVP) with intent to distribute and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. He was indicted on March 13, 2024 and his initial court appearance was March 22, 2024. A two-day jury trial date is scheduled for May 28, 2024, in courtroom 8.3 before a U.S. District Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Kelsy Young of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Jury Finds Romance Scammer Guilty on All CountsRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal jury convicted Clinton Chukwudi Uchendu, 26, of Dunwoody, GA, today for his involvement in a romance scam that cost victims more than $600,000. In a five day trial, Uchendu was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, one count of mail fraud, and one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business.
According to evidence presented at trial, from February 2018 through October 2018, Uchendu participated in a money laundering conspiracy that involved receiving and transmitting funds from victims of romance scams. The object of the conspiracy was accomplished though social manipulators, referred to as “Yahoo Boys” who set up fake profiles online, developed relationships with their victims, gained the victims trust and then asked the victims for money using a variety of false pretenses. “Yahoo Boys” usually operate overseas, in this case, Nigeria, pretending to be United States soldiers, international businessmen, or celebrities. “Yahoo Boys” rely on their coconspirators in the United States, who have U.S. bank accounts to assist them. These individuals are referred to as “pickers.” As a “picker,” Uchendu provided accounts to collect funds from the victims and to add layers to conceal the source and destination of the funds, to avoid being flagged by banks. Uchendu collected money into bank accounts and then laundered the funds to Nigeria or other destinations.
At trial, the jury was presented with evidence that, Uchendu also participated in mail fraud and aided the operations of an unlicensed money transmitter. Several victims testified to losing hundreds of thousands of dollars. In addition to these victims’ testimony, evidence showed Mr. Uchendu received money from dozens of people from around the United States, whom he did not know, which he transmitted to Nigeria after retaining a portion of the money.
Uchendu is scheduled to be sentenced June 7, 2024, at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office
Assistant United States Attorneys Carl D. LeSueur and Stewart Young of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.
Midvale Man Found Guilty of Wire Fraud While on Pretrial Release, Sentenced to 41 Months’ in PrisonRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A U.S. District Court Judge sentenced Chad Leon Sayers, 59, of Midvale, Utah to 41 months’ imprisonment today followed by three years of supervised release for crimes committed while on pretrial release for a separate wire fraud case. The sentence comes after a federal jury found Sayers guilty of wire fraud and contempt of court in 2023.
According to evidence presented at trial, Sayers, while awaiting trial on a 2021 indictment for an alleged securities, wire fraud and money laundering scheme, violated his pretrial release conditions set by a U.S. Magistrate Judge. The explicit conditions ordered Sayers to not be employed in any fiduciary capacity and not seek any investments or conduct any fundraisers. However, on May 18, 2022, while on pretrial release, Sayers sent an email to an individual in the Philippines who was known for helping connect business owners with investors. Sayers emailed the individual for help to raise $300,000 to $500,000 for SMART’R. Sayers was the self-proclaimed founder and CEO of SMART’R, a technology company he described as designing and developing the world’s most advanced mobile devices in the medical, communications, and entertainment industries. He solicited funds by advertising fabricated financial projections, a fabricated team of executives, and fabricated accolades for SMART’R. Sayers also claimed SMART’R had partnerships with well-known companies – like Google, Qualcomm, Redstone, Sony, and Toshiba. During this time, Sayers also concealed his 2021 federal criminal indictment for financial fraud and lawsuits by investors.
In April 2023, a federal jury found Sayers guilty of two counts of wire fraud, and one count of contempt for his conduct while on pre-trial release. He is scheduled for a jury trial for his 2021 case on August 13, 2024, before a U.S. District Court Judge at the United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
“The jury found that Mr. Sayers committed wire fraud and contempt of court by engaging in his fraudulent scheme to obtain money,” said United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah. “My office, working with our law enforcement partners will vigorously prosecute these cases in order to deter others from engaging in similar criminal behavior.”
"Investment fraud causes not only financial harm but also erodes public trust in our financial system. We are grateful for the collaborative efforts of our Division of Securities and our partners, and commend the U.S. Attorney's office for their unwavering commitment to prosecute these crimes and protect unsuspecting investors," said Utah Department of Commerce Executive Director, Margaret Busse.
The Utah Division of Securities investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Ruth Hackford-Peer, Jacob Strain, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Sachiko Jepson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
On the Second Day of Trial, Fake Doctor Pleads Guilty to Mail FraudRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Before opening statements, Gordon Hunter Pedersen, 64, of Cedar Hills, Utah, pleaded guilty today to mail fraud and introduction of misbranded drugs into interstate commerce with intent to defraud and mislead. The case against Pedersen received national attention after he, acting as a doctor, promoted and sold silver products that falsely claimed could treat and cure diseases, including COVID-19.
In August 2023, Pedersen, a three-year fugitive, was arrested after he fled from law enforcement in 2020 and failed to appear on the indictment in this case. See prior news release here.
According to court documents, from 2012 through 2020, Pedersen lied to consumers about his education, qualifications, and about the palliative abilities of his silver products – “structured alkaline silver solution,” silver lozenges, silver probiotics, silver soap, silver mouthwash and silver gel. His fraudulent salesmanship generated thousands of dollars and his sales skyrocketed in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic began, and before approved vaccines were available. Mr. Pedersen distributed his Silver Products through his company My Doctor Suggests, LLC (MDS), where he was 25% owner and the company spokesman and primary marketer.
At the end of 2019 through May 2020, through YouTube videos and other advertising means, Mr. Pedersen claimed that his silver products would prevent, cure, and treat COVID-19. Via the internet, Pedersen, sold the “structured alkaline silver” solution, which he claimed, “resonates or vibrates, at a frequency that destroys the membrane of the virus, making the virus incapable of attaching to any healthy cell, or to infect you in anyway.” To further defraud, Pedersen falsely claimed on YouTube videos to be medical doctor. On January 30, 2020, Pedersen posted a video promotion on YouTube entitled “Coronavirus Best Solution! Hand Sanitizers! Structured Silver Gel from Dr. Gordon Pedersen.”
In April 2020, Pedersen shipped his silver products, via United States Postal Service, first class mail from American Fork, Utah to Kansas City, Kansas, therefore impacting interstate commerce.
Pedersen is scheduled to be sentenced May 29, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.1 at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah made the announcement.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jacob J. Strain and Brian Williams from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case with assistance from Trial Attorney Speare Hodges and Sarah Williams from the Department of Justice, Civil Division’ Consumer Protection Branch. James Smith from FDA’s Office of Chief Council is also assisting.
The case is being investigated jointly by the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigation (FDA-OCI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Salt Lake City Field Office. Valuable assistance was also provided by the U.S. Marshals Service.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.
Utah Felon Convicted of Murder Returns to Prison for Stolen GunsRead the Press Release
ST. GEORGE, UT – A Southern Utah man, out on parole following a 1990 state murder conviction, was sentenced to 102 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, after he unlawfully possessed a firearm and ammunition.
According to court documents, Joseph Charles Gardner, 65, of St. George, Utah, is restricted from possessing a firearm because of his murder conviction and illegally possessed a SCCY CPX 9mm handgun, ammunition, and other firearms. The 9mm handgun crossed state lines and therefore affected interstate commerce. As stated in court documents, Gardner spent nearly 30 years in prison for a state murder conviction where he shot and killed a woman, removed her clothing, and left her lifeless body in the desert. In 2020, he was granted parole and returned to St. George. In the fall of 2022, Gardner conspired with a coworker to conceal and dispose of stolen firearms. During an investigation, officers found one of the stolen firearms, a 9mm handgun, in Gardner’s possession. This is the same type of gun that killed his female victim in 1990. Officers also discovered thousands of bullets in three different calibers. During the investigation, law enforcement also learned that Gardner previously possessed other firearms, including an AR-15-style rifle.
U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The St. George Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen P. Dent of the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Utah Businessman Indicted for Allegedly Failing to Remove 3,330 Tons of Asbestos-Containing Debris After Hotel DemolitionRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City, Utah, returned an indictment February 14, 2024, charging a businessman and part owner of a company that owned Broadway Hotel, with Clean Air Act Violations. The owner failed to properly dispose of 3,330 tons of asbestos-containing debris, which cost the Environmental Protection Agency $1.1 million to remove following emergency action.
According to court documents, Daniel J. Brett, 68, of Murray, Utah, was a businessman and part-owner of the Broadway Hotel, a 21,000 square foot structure located on North Broadway Avenue in Tooele, Utah. The hotel was in a residential and mixed-use neighborhood with three primary schools within a half mile. Brett and his co-owner/managing partner intended to include the hotel in a redevelopment project, known as the Broadway Heritage Village. However, in July 2020, the Broadway Hotel experienced a fire, and its demolition was ordered by the owners because the hotel was deemed structurally unsound. Brett and his partner began coordinating the hotel’s demolition, ignoring the fact the hotel contained asbestos in numerous locations, including in its thermal system/boiler insulation, wall plaster, rolled vinyl flooring and roofing materials. The presence of asbestos in the Broadway Hotel was known since 2011, when an Environmental Site Assessment was performed by a third party.
The owners hired an excavation company, which was not trained or certified to work with regulated asbestos-containing material, to demolish the hotel. Additionally, this was the company’s first major demolition. In December 2020, two individuals at the excavation company performed the demolition without self-contained breathing apparatus and protective suits and other protective equipment (PPE). Brett agreed, as owner, to dispose of the debris after demolition. However, Brett left the Broadway Hotel debris pile at the site, uncovered for fifteen months. Despite knowing the demolition pile contained asbestos-containing material, Brett did not keep the demolition pile continually wet, as required by the Clean Air Act.
In February 2022, contractors with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiated an emergency removal action at the site of the Broadway Hotel debris pile. The work was completed in March 2022. The emergency removal action ultimately required the clean-up and proper disposal of 3,330 tons of asbestos containing debris, which cost the EPA, approximately $1.1 million.
EPABrett is charged with three counts of Clean Air Act violations. His initial court appearance on the indictment is scheduled for March 14, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is investigating the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Ruth Hackford-Peer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.Former School Bus Driver Accused of Igniting a Bus Full of Children is Indicted and DetainedRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Michael Austin Ford, 58, of West Valley City, Utah, a former Granite School District Bus Driver, was ordered detained March 1, 2024, by a United States Magistrate Judge after he was accused of setting the school bus on fire on two occasions. Ford was indicted by a federal grand jury on Feb. 21, 2024, for two alleged incidents of arson while driving the bus.
According to court documents, in February 2022, Ford allegedly set a Granite School District school bus on fire that had 42 children inside and did so while driving in traffic. As alleged in court documents, Ford used an ignition device to start a fire on the bus and was captured on video continuing to drive the bus, despite smoke billowing past his face towards the back of the bus where children were seated.
In April 2023, Ford was again driving a Granite School District bus in traffic when he was captured on video igniting a fire on the bus. Again, Ford continued to drive the bus with smoke billowing past his face. Days later, in April 2023, Ford was arrested by Granite School Police and questioned about the fire but was released.
Ford is charged with two counts of arson of a vehicle of an organization receiving federal funds. A jury trial is scheduled for April 29, 2024, at 8:30 a.m. in courtroom 8.3 before a U.S. District Court Judge at the United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Thorpe of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.California Man Admits to Aiding and Abetting a Wire Fraud Scheme During COVID-19 that Cost the Federal Government over $100,000Read the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A California resident pleaded guilty today to aiding and abetting wire fraud, which led to defrauding the federal government of approximately $114,066 in unemployment benefits during COVID-19, while he was living and working in Utah. He also admitted to aiding and abetting others to fraudulently apply and pay him as compensation.
According to court documents and admissions made during his change of plea hearing, Robert James Waff, 50, of Sacramento, CA, from June 2020 to September 2020, devised a scheme to defraud the California Employment Development Department by applying for the Covid-19 related California unemployment benefits through the California EDD website. Waff admitted that he applied, and aided and abetted others to apply, for unemployment benefits that were funded by the CARES Act in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Waff applied for the benefits electronically, and submitted a false address, false employment history and false income. Waff then began collecting the unemployment benefits while living and working in Utah. Waff then assisted three others, who never worked in California, to apply electronically for the same benefits by supplying them with the same false information. He then had debit cards mailed to his address in Utah. In return for his assistance, the three individuals paid Waff a cash portion of their unemployment benefits. See former release here.
Waff is scheduled to be sentenced May 15, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. in courtroom 3.4 before a U.S. District Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Division and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (OIG).
Assistant United States Attorney Brian Williams of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Cedar City Residents Accused of Stealing 76 Firearms from C-A-L Ranch Stores Face Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
ST. GEORGE, Utah – A federal grand jury in St. George returned an indictment charging three Cedar City residents with firearm offenses after they were accused of stealing multiple guns from C-A-L Ranch Stores, a licensed dealer of firearms, in Cedar City, Utah.
According to court documents, Russell Wesley Gruber, 29, of Cedar City, Utah; Darrell Glen Devoge, 48, of Cedar City; and Parker Darrell Devoge, 20, of Cedar City, stole multiple firearms in November 2023 from C-A-L Ranch Stores located in Cedar City. As alleged in the indictment, the defendants took and carried away 76 firearms, which include rifles, shotguns, revolvers and pistols, with the intent to permanently deprive C-A-L Ranch Stores of those firearms. Gruber and Darrell G. Devoge then stored several of the stolen firearms, which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce.
Gruber, Darrell G. Devoge and Parker D. Devoge are charged with theft of firearms from a licensed dealer. Gruber and Darrell G. Devoge are also charged with possession of stolen firearms and felon in possession of firearms. Their initial court appearance on the indictment was Feb. 22, 2024, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the United States District Courthouse in St. George, Utah. A jury trial is set for April 29, 2024.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The investigation is being worked jointly by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Cedar City Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Burton and Brady Wilson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.West Valley Man Sentenced to 27 Months’ Imprisonment After Admitting to Purchasing or Attempting to Purchase Multiple Rifles Intended for MexicoRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Jose Manuel Barbosa-Torres, 36, of West Valley City, Utah, was sentenced to over two years’ imprisonment and three years’ supervised release after he admitted to three counts of aiding and abetting false statements during the acquisition or the attempted acquisition of a firearm. Barbosa Torres is the first of four defendants sentenced after their arrest and indictment in October 2023. See former press release here.
According to court documents and statements made at the change of plea hearing, Jose Manuel Barbosa-Torres, 36, of West Valley City, Utah, provided funding for his co-defendants to purchase or attempt to purchase multiple Barrett .50 caliber rifles in August 2023, in the District of Utah. The purchases were from Federal Firearm Licensees (FFLs). The defendants filled out an ATF Form 4473, where they indicated they were the actual transferee/buyer of the firearm and certified the submitted information was accurate, when it was false. Barbosa-Torres further admitted the firearms were acquired on behalf of another individual, who was transporting them to Mexico.
“Barbosa-Torres purchased or facilitated the purchase of at least eight .50 BMG caliber rifles knowing they would be trafficked to Mexico. These weapons have the capacity to inflict massive destruction,” said U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah. “Working with law enforcement, my office will continue to vigorously prosecute firearm trafficking that could lead to violence in our district or anywhere else.”
“ATF is on the frontline of the fight against organized international firearms trafficking, said ATF Special Agent in Charge Brent Beavers. We are grateful for the collaboration between ATF and our industry partners which played a significant role in stopping the illegal flow of firearms into the hands of Sinaloa Cartel members in Mexico.”
Barbosa-Torres’ co-defendant Iliana Dennis is scheduled for sentencing on April 22, 2024, at 8:30 a.m. in courtroom 8.3 before a U.S. District Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. Co-defendants Armando Figueroa Jr. and Cecilio Luis Arriaga are pending trial.The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Assistant United States Attorney, Victoria McFarland of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Army Reserve Colonel Accused of Stealing Thousands in Unearned Military Pay EntitlementsRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City, Utah, returned an indictment Feb. 21, 2024, charging a U.S. Army Reserve Colonel, formerly of Utah’s 76th Operational Response Command, for his role in defrauding the United States out of more than $60,000 in unearned military pay entitlements.
The announcement comes as part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s ongoing efforts with the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General and U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division to address military pay fraud that occurred during the coronavirus pandemic.
According to court documents, Reece Dennis Roberts, 53, of Herriman, Utah, misrepresented his and his family’s primary residence in Utah, fabricated lease and listing documents, and submitted over a dozen false vouchers to military officials from June 2020 through July 2021. Though Roberts and his family lived in Herriman, Utah from 2020–2021, the indictment alleges that, upon receiving orders calling him to active duty at Fort Douglas, Utah, Roberts changed his primary residence to an out-of-state address that neither he nor his family occupied. In doing so, Roberts claimed entitlement to a family separation allowance, reimbursement for personal lodging expenses, and other entitlements that were not available to local servicemembers.
As further alleged in the indictment, the defendant duped military officials into paying him $3,700 per month in lodging reimbursements for a house he did not rent or own. The indictment alleges he accomplished this by fabricating a lease agreement and online listing for the fictitious rental, orchestrating sham rent payments, and repeatedly submitting false vouchers to military officials. Additionally, Roberts allegedly worked with an unindicted co-conspirator, recruited a third person to receive sham rent payments and return the payments to Roberts’ bank account using Venmo. This allowed Roberts to create fake rent receipts that were submitted to military officials every month for reimbursement.
“This type of deceit and misconduct is unacceptable for servicemembers at any rank, but it is particularly disheartening when committed by a field grade officer during a national emergency,” said U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah. “The vast majority of servicemembers in Utah are law-abiding and deserve the utmost appreciation for keeping the people of Utah safe. My office remains committed to working with military officials and other law enforcement partners to prosecute military fraud and corruption.”
Roberts is charged with various federal crimes, including filing a fraudulent claim against the United States, conspiring to defraud the United States, theft of government property, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Roberts’ initial court appearance on the indictment is scheduled for March. 13, 2024, at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
The Department of Defense Office of Inspector General and U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division is investigating the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Tanner Zumwalt of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Salt Lake City Resident Accused of Robbing a Credit Union is Arrested and ChargedRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City, Utah, returned an indictment February 21, 2024, charging a Salt Lake City man for allegedly robbing a credit union in West Valley City, Utah.
According to court documents, Joey Shaun Symond, 44, of Salt Lake City, entered Cyprus Credit Union in West Valley City on February 10, 2024, and passed the teller a handwritten note that read, “I got a gun hand over the money or your dead.” The teller complied. Symonds then took the money and left the bank on foot, leaving the note behind. Management at Cyprus Credit Union then called 911 and a West Valley City Police officer responded. That same evening, at 4:18 p.m. Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake received a phone call from a person identifying themselves as a relative of Symonds. The caller reported that Symonds had been at their residence and claimed to have robbed Cyprus Credit Union two hours prior. UPD responded to the area and located Symonds a short distance from the caller’s residence. West Valley City Police also responded and Symonds was identified as the same person in the robbery using a suspect description and surveillance images from inside Cyprus Credit Union. Symonds was taken into custody and a large amount of cash was seized during his arrest.
Symonds is charged with credit union robbery. His initial court appearance on the indictment was held on Feb. 23, 2024, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. A two-day jury trial is scheduled for April 26, 2024.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
An FBI Task Force Officer with the West Valley City Police Department is investigating the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Carlos Esqueda of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Utah Woman Accused of Assaulting Multiple Federal Officers is IndictedRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City, Utah, returned an indictment Feb. 14, 2024, charging a Salt Lake County woman with federal crimes after she allegedly assaulted multiple U.S. Marshals, while resisting arrest.
According to court documents, Melissa Lynn Trotter, 24, of Sandy, Utah, allegedly assaulted multiple federal law enforcement officers on February 7, 2024, during the arrest of a wanted fugitive. That evening, Deputy United States Marshals and Task Force Officers of the District of Utah’s Violent Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (VFAST) attempted to arrest a fugitive outside a CVS located in West Valley City, Utah. Trotter was in a vehicle with the fugitive when the fugitive exited the vehicle and entered the CVS. When the fugitive returned to the vehicle, officers surrounded it with their vehicles. While blocking the vehicle, officers activated their red and blue flashing emergency law enforcement lights, and some officers exited their vehicles and identified themselves as U.S. Marshals. Despite law enforcements calls to Trotter to turn the vehicle off and drop the keys outside the window, she refused to comply.
As alleged in court documents, Trotter placed the vehicle in reverse and forcibly tried to back out of the parking space. Trotter assaulted two federal officers by ramming the officers’ vehicle as they attempted to block her exit. Trotter then drove over a parking barrier and on the CVS parking lot customer sidewalk as she attempted to escape through a vacant stall. Trotter then rammed head-on into the front passenger side of another federal law enforcement vehicle, that had blocked that parking stall. A third Deputy U.S. Marshal positioned his vehicle to block Trotter from escaping. Subsequently Trotter stopped the vehicle and she and the fugitive were taken into custody.
Trotter is charged with three counts of assault upon a federal officer involving the use of a deadly weapon. Her initial court appearance on the indictment is scheduled for Feb. 16, 2024, at 11:45 a.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The U.S. Marshals Service is investigating the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Sundwall of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
Aneth Man Found Guilty of Murdering His Girlfriend in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal jury convicted a Utah man today for murder in the second degree while within Indian Country. The four-day trial took place before U.S. District Court Judge David Nuffer at the United States District Courthouse in Salt Lake City and was prosecuted by United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tad May and Tanner Zumwalt.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Randy Lansing, 40, of Aneth, Utah, unlawfully, deliberately and intentionally killed his girlfriend, Tammy Clark, while within Indian Country on April 23, 2022. The evidence presented at trial established Lansing drove Ms. Clark, her two young daughters and a second woman to McElmo Creek on April 23, 2022. When they reached the creek, Lansing parked his blue SUV and started drinking beer with Ms. Clark. Upon arrival, Lansing violently beat Ms. Clark in front of her two young daughters and the second woman while at McElmo Creek. Ms. Clark sustained injuries that included, but was not limited to, extensive facial swelling, brain hemorrhaging, and bruising; lacerations to her right frontal cheek and left ear; oral lacerations to the lips and inner cheek; fractured hyoid (neck) bone; fractured posterior ribs; and extensive blunt force trauma to her torso and extremities.
Evidence at trial showed that Ms. Clark’s beaten body was taken by the defendant from McElmo Creek to Aneth in the back of his SUV. Neighbors, including an EMT, called San Juan County Dispatch for an ambulance and performed life saving measures until the ambulance arrived and transported Ms. Clark to Blue Mountain Hospital where she was later pronounced dead.
“The strongest piece of evidence is Tammy Clark’s body. Tammy Clark’s body tells of the brutal beating she experienced during her last moments of life,” said U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins during closing arguments.
The case was investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office’s Monticello Resident Agency and Navajo Nation Police Department, Criminal Investigations.
Lansing’s sentencing is scheduled for May 17, 2024, before U.S. District Court Judge David Nuffer at the United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
Airline Passenger Sentenced After Taking a Straight Edge Razor on a PlaneRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Merrill Darrell Fackrell, 42, of Syracuse, Utah, was sentenced today to time served of over one year imprisonment, and three years’ supervised release by a U.S. District Court Judge as a result of a guilty plea. Fackrell admitted to taking a straight edge razor on a JetBlue flight in 2022.
According to court documents, Fackrell admitted that on November 21, 2022, during a JetBlue flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York en route to Salt Lake City Airport in Utah, he had taken a wood-handled straight edge razor with a one-to-two-inch blade on board the flight. In the statement in advance of plea, Fackrell further admitted that during the flight, he was seated next to a passenger and that he consumed several alcoholic beverages. Later in the flight, Fackrell told the passenger to pause the movie the passenger was watching, placed his hand in front of the screen, took the straight edge razor out of his carry-on bag and placed it inches from the passenger’s throat/neck. The passenger escaped, but Fackrell grabbed the passenger’s shoulder and attempted to stop the passenger. Another passenger observed the incident and convinced Fackrell to put the straight edge razor down. The passenger then took the razor off the seat and passed it off to be secured. See 2022 press release.
“Carrying a dangerous weapon on an aircraft is a serious offense. No one should be put in harm’s way by another passenger during a flight,” said U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah. “In the interest of passenger safety, individuals who carry a dangerous weapon on an aircraft will be prosecuted.”
An FBI Task Force Officer with the Salt Lake City Police Department is investigating the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael Kennedy of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
Salt Lake City Man Accused of Carjacking a U.S. Postal Service Truck and Causing Multiple Car Accidents is Arrested and ChargedRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City, Utah, returned an indictment today charging a Salt Lake City man with federal crimes after he allegedly carjacked a U.S. Postal Service truck from a postal employee and drove recklessly through Davis County.
According to court documents, Wilber Castellanos Hernandez, 32, a foreign national living in Salt Lake City, Utah stole a U.S. Postal Service mail truck at 594 North Redwood Road in Salt Lake City, on Feb. 5, 2024. According to witnesses, who called Salt Lake City Police Department, a suspicious man, later identified as Hernandez, was checking door handles and breaking into vehicles in the area. Upon officers’ arrival, witnesses and a postal employee told officers Hernandez had stolen his mail truck. When the postal employee saw Hernandez in his truck, and told Hernandez to get out of his vehicle, Hernandez pointed a knife at him and threatened him and other witnesses. One witness attempted to hit Hernandez with a piece of wood, but Hernandez was able to start the mail truck, using the keys that had been left in the vehicle, and flee from the area. The mail truck contained mail including letters and packages.
According to the complaint, the U.S. Postal Inspectors and postal employees tracked the stolen mail truck using GPS technology. Hernandez then drove recklessly through Davis County and was involved in several minor traffic accidents with other vehicles. The mail truck was located and stopped by assisting police officers in Davis County. Hernandez was subsequently taken into custody after refusing to get out of the mail truck. Several items within the mail truck were damaged, discarded or destroyed.
Hernandez is charged with carjacking, mail theft, and theft of government property. His initial court appearance on the indictment is scheduled for Feb. 15, 2024, at 10:45 a.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and an FBI Task Force Officer with the Salt Lake City Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Carlos Esqueda of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Romance Scammers Accused of Taking More than Love from Victims, Approximately $8MRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City, Utah, returned an indictment today charging seven defendants in a romance scam that cost victims around the United States and the world $8 million in losses.
The announcement, made on Valentine’s Day, comes as part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s ongoing efforts with law enforcement partners to raise awareness and prevent these crimes from taking place. Romance Scam PSA.
According to court documents, the defendants include, Bolanle Christina Odeyale, 39, Forney, Texas; Oghenemine Jeffrey Agbroko, 34, of Nigeria; Charles Owhonigho Emurotu, 40, of Ontario, Canada; Jimmy Iwezu, 44, of Forney, Texas; Lori Tsoritse, 38, of Nigeria; Christopher Onyedikachi Okereke, 38, of Nigeria; and Rukevwe Solomon Ologban, 44, of Grand Prairie, Texas.
As alleged in the indictment, from March 2018 through June 2019, the defendants worked with a group of individuals in the District of Utah, aka the Utah Money Transmitters, who agreed to help overseas operators launder money obtained from the romance scheme. The primary operators of the alleged romance scams are known as the “Yahoo boys,” and operated in Nigeria. The defendants either helped the Utah Money Transmitters source opportunities to work with Yahoo boys or helped them to transmit the fraud proceeds from the District of Utah to other places within the United States or abroad. Ultimately, the goal of the money laundering activities was to transmit the criminal proceeds to the Yahoo boys overseas, while paying a share of the financial gains to those who help move the funds along the way.
As alleged in the indictment, the Yahoo boys typically created a fictitious online persona and used the false persona to pursue online relationships with potential targets of the scam. Once gaining the victims’ trust, the Yahoo boys would use a false pretense, such as a need to buy a laptop for a child in college, the need to repair equipment, pay an emergency medical expense or debt to the government. Many of the victims were elderly and lost their life savings, family inheritances and retirement funds. In return for their generosity, the victims were often promised the money would be returned.
An essential role in the romance scam was the Utah Money Transmitters. By operating in the District of Utah, they opened accounts at United States financial institutions to be used to collect money from victims and to distribute money to the coconspirators, to conceal the ultimate destination of the funds and the Yahoo boys’ location and identities.
The defendants are charged with various federal crimes, including wire fraud, wire fraud conspiracy, and money laundering conspiracy. Their initial court appearance on the indictment will be scheduled for a later date and held before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
The FBI Salt Lake City Field Office is investigating the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Carl D. Lesueur of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
The FBI encourages those engaged in online relationships to review and become familiar with information about romance scams on its website FBI.gov. Additionally, if you or someone you know has been a victim, file a complaint with the FBI at .ic3.gov. For more information on romance scams, visit: https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/romance-scams.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.