Eastern District of Virginia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Norfolk Man Charged with Distributing Fentanyl and “Tranq” Mixture, Known as the Zombie DrugRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal grand jury indicted a Norfolk man today on charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute Fentanyl mixed with Xylazine, opening two drug-involved premises, possession with intent to distribute Fentanyl mixed with Xylazine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and being a convicted felon in possession of firearms.
According to allegations in the indictment, on or about February 17, 2023, William Griggs, 54, operated two drug-involved houses in the City of Norfolk where he stored and packaged fentanyl mixed with Xylazine for distribution in Norfolk, and stored and packaged cocaine.
Xylazine, also known as “Tranq,” is a powerful sedative that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved for veterinary use only. Xylazine and fentanyl drug mixtures place users at a higher risk of suffering a fatal drug poisoning. People who inject drug mixtures containing Xylazine also can develop severe wounds, including necrosis—the rotting of human tissue—that may lead to amputation. The combination is referred to on the street as the “Zombie” drug.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recently issued a public safety alert warning the American public of a sharp increase in the trafficking of Fentanyl mixed with Xylazine and the drug’s deadly effects. The FDA also published an alert to health care providers about the risks to patients exposed to Xylazine in illicit drugs.
If convicted of the allegations, Griggs faces up to life in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the DEA Washington Division; and Mark Talbot, Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after the grand jury returned an Indictment.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin M. Comstock is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-60.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
EDVA Announces Continued Availability of Grant Funding for Project Safe Neighborhood InitiativesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA), announced today the continued availability of approximately $325,000 in grant funding for Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) initiatives.
On March 10, 2022, EDVA announced the availability of $535,653 in grant funds to programs and initiatives that support the PSN violence reduction strategy. Since then, four organizations have received grants totaling approximately $500,000. The initiatives that received funding last year were:
- The City of Richmond RVA League for Safer Streets, which seeks prevention and intervention for young individuals who may be susceptible to or involved in gangs;
- Ballistic IQ technology for the police departments of the cities of Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, and Hampton;
- A three-year research grant on the impact of effectiveness of Group Violence Intervention by the George Mason Center for Evidence Based Policy; and
- Real Life Group Violence Intervention and services for individuals making re-entry into the community from correctional facilities.
EDVA’s PSN violence reduction strategy, which is supported by these initiatives, sets the following goals to reduce violent crime:
- Engage, collaborate, and invite community stakeholders to share responsibility in efforts to reduce violent crime.
- Build trust between law enforcement and the community through effective communication, regular interaction, and the support and protection of crime victims.
- Reduce accessibility and possession of handguns among minors.
- Reduce re-offending and break the cycle of re-victimization.
- Disrupt and dismantle the region’s most organized and violent gangs.
- Identify chronic violent offenders responsible for a disproportionate level of violent crime.
- Work with citizens in neighborhoods most impacted by violent crime on harm reduction strategies.
In the fall of 2021, the U.S. Attorney’s office formed a Grant Committee in collaboration with local, state, and community partners to help identify and allocate grant funds to programs and initiatives that support EDVA’s PSN violence reduction strategy. The Committee is currently prioritizing three regions impacted most by violent crime—Richmond, Newport News, and Norfolk—but will evaluate grant applications from across the Eastern District.
The U.S. Attorney and the PSN Grant Committee encourage organizations and local and state agencies whose programs support our PSN goals within the district to apply for the remaining grant assistance by visiting the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) website at https://www.dcjs.virginia.gov/grants/programs/fy-2023-project-safe-neighborhoods-psn-grant-solicitation. Applications must be submitted in the DCJS Online Grants Management System (OGMS) no later than 5:00 p.m. on May 26, 2023.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Arlington Doctor Charged with Illegally Distributing OxycodoneRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment this week charging an Arlington doctor with distributing tens of thousands of oxycodone pills for almost a decade for no legitimate medical reason.
According to allegations in the indictment, Kirsten Van Steenberg Ball, 68, was a primary care physician who operated a medical practice out of her home in Arlington. Ball allegedly conspired with her office manager to shield the fact that she was dispensing vast quantities of oxycodone to her patients—contrary to ordinary standards of medical care—from law enforcement and regulatory authorities.
The indictment alleges that Ball’s office manager, Candie Marie Calix, 40, of Front Royal, used an alias to disguise the fact that Calix was, herself, a patient of Ball. According to the indictment, Ball allegedly prescribed her office manager approximately 50,000 oxycodone pills over a period of approximately 10 years.
The indictment further alleges that the Virginia Department of Health Professions (DHP) investigated Ball twice: once in 2015 and once in 2021. Despite the two investigations, Ball did not change her prescribing practices. According to the indictment, examples of Ball’s prescriptions include the following:
- Prescribing a patient as many as 360 oxycodone 30-mg tablets per month;
- Prescribing similarly high quantities of oxycodone to close family members;
- Paying a patient to perform manual labor on Ball’s home while concurrently prescribing the patient oxycodone, ostensibly for long-term pain;
- Loaning a patient $40,000 while concurrently prescribing the patient oxycodone;
- Continuing to prescribe oxycodone to patients after they failed drug screens.
Ball is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone, and 21 counts of distribution of oxycodone. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Calix was sentenced to seven years in prison on September 28, 2022, for conspiring to distribute oxycodone.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division, made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Rumbaugh is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-CR-cr-80.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Oficial de inteligencia militar extranjero condenado por su papel en un concierto internacional de narcotráficoRead the Press Release
Un ex oficial colombiano de inteligencia militar fue condenado hoy a una pena de 12 años de prisión por su participación en un concierto para distribuir cocaína para su importación a Estados Unidos.
De acuerdo con documentos judiciales, desde agosto de 2017 hasta abril de 2018, Fabián Humberto Tovar Caicedo, de 41 años, un sargento del Servicio de Inteligencia del Ejército Nacional de Colombia, ayudó a una organización de narcotráfico y concertó para enviar cargamentos de miles de kilogramos de cocaína de Colombia a México para su importación final a Estados Unidos. Entre otros servicios corruptos que Tovar Caicedo ofrecía a la organización de narcotráfico, se incluyen la colocación en el puerto de Santa Marta de policías dispuestos a facilitar la exportación de cocaína a cambio de remuneración; la sugerencia de utilizar los mismos teléfonos que la DEA usa para seguridad; la puesta a disposición de su experiencia militar para encriptar dichos teléfonos para seguridad adicional y el intento de venderle una lista de cooperadores de la DEA a la organización de narcotráfico.
Tovar Caicedo coordinó múltiples reuniones en apoyo del ardid para distribuir la cocaína. Él y sus cómplices concertaron para enviar múltiples cargamentos, que comenzaron en unos 1.000 kilogramos y alcanzaron hasta 10.000 kilogramos de cocaína por cargamento. Según la declaración de los hechos, un miembro de la organización de narcotráfico viajó a México para negociar la entrega de la cocaína con un oficial de alto rango de las fuerzas armadas de México.
Uno de los cómplices de Tovar Caicedo, Fabián Andrés Leyton Vargas, se aprovechaba de su cargo como oficial de la Fuerza Aérea de Colombia del Ministerio de Defensa de Colombia para identificar a funcionarios de seguridad y del orden público en el puerto de Santa Marta y comunicarse con ellos para sobornarlos. Una vez que dichos funcionarios recibían sus pagos corruptos, ellos aseguraban que los contenedores contaminados con cocaína pasaran por el puerto sin inspeccionarse. Empleando este método, Leyton Vargas, junto con los cómplices Antonio Aldemar Ávila Acevedo y José Mauricio Castañeda Garzón, intentaron enviar 1,773 kilogramos de cocaína de Colombia a Guatemala en ruta hacia Estados Unidos en julio de 2017, así como 2,081 kilogramos de cocaína de Colombia a México en ruta hacia Estados Unidos en marzo de 2018. Las fuerzas del orden público colombianas incautaron ambos cargamentos antes de que pudieran salir del puerto.
Un acusado en una causa relacionada, José María Fragoso D’Acunti, aprovechándose de su cargo anterior con la Policía Nacional de Colombia, además de conexiones personales, identificó y sobornó a funcionarios de seguridad y del orden público en el puerto de Cartagena en Colombia, para apoyar al tráfico de cocaína por parte de su organización. Fragoso D’Acunti y sus cómplices planearon traficar cocaína en cantidades de cientos de kilogramos, con un valor de millones de dólares estadounidenses, a Europa, al causar que dicha cocaína se ocultara a bordo de contendores comerciales de embarque. En noviembre de 2018, en el puerto de Savannah, Georgia, las autoridades del orden público de EE. UU. incautaron 516 kilogramos de cocaína enviados de Cartagena por la organización de narcotráfico de Fragoso D’Acunti, en ruta a Amberes, Bélgica. La cocaína se había mezclado con piñas en un contendor de embarque. En diciembre de 2018, de nuevo en el puerto de Savannah, Georgia, las autoridades del orden público de EE. UU. incautaron otros 205 kilogramos de cocaína enviados de Cartagena por la organización de narcotráfico de Fragoso D’Acunti, también en ruta a Bélgica. La cocaína se había mezclado con limas en un contendor de embarque. En apoyo del concierto, Fragoso D’Acunti pagó mil millones de pesos colombianos, lo cual equivale a más de $300,000 dólares estadounidenses, de soborno a un oficial de seguridad portuaria.
Fragoso D’Acunti, Fabián Andrés Leyton Vargas y Antonio Aldemar Ávila Acevedo fueron condenados a 12 años de prisión. El cómplice José Mauricio Castañeda Garzón fue condenado a siete años y cuatro meses de prisión.
Las Fuerzas de Tarea contra la Delincuencia Organizada y los Delitos Asociados al Narcotráfico (OCDETF, por sus siglas en inglés) apoyó estas causas. OCDETF identifica, interrumpe y desarticula a organizaciones delictivas transnacionales, pandillas, narcotraficantes y lavadores de dinero de gran envergadura que amenazan a los Estados Unidos, mediante una estrategia multiinstitucional, dirigida por fiscales y basada en inteligencia, la cual moviliza el potencial de los organismos de seguridad federales, estatales y locales en contra de redes criminales.
El fiscal general auxiliar Kenneth A. Polite, Jr., de la División Penal del Departamento de Justicia, la fiscal de EE. UU. para el Distrito Este de Virginia Jessica D. Aber y el agente especial a cargo de la División de la DEA en Louisville (estado de Kentucky) J. Todd Scott hicieron el anuncio.
La División de la DEA en Louisville y la Oficina de la DEA en Cartagena investigaron el caso, con cuantiosa asistencia de la Unidad de Explotación de Documentos y de los Medios de la Oficina de Inteligencia Especial de la DEA; y la Unidad de Investigaciones Bilaterales de la División de Operaciones Especiales, además de las oficinas de la DEA en Bogotá, Panamá, Ciudad de Guatemala, San José (Costa Rica), Bruselas, Ciudad de México, Madrid, Fráncfort, Londres, París, Roma, La Haya, Viena, Hong Kong, Islamabad, Savannah, Detroit, Tampa – PANEX y Nueva Orleans. El Centro Nacional de Identificación de Objetivos de la Oficina de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza (CBP, por sus siglas en inglés) también brindó cuantiosa asistencia. La Policía Nacional de Colombia, la Policía Federal de Bélgica, el Zolfahndungsamt de Alemania, la Policía Nacional de los Países Bajos y la Guardia di Finanza de Italia también brindaron asistencia clave.
Los fiscales litigantes Douglas Meisel y Janet Turnbull de la Unidad de Narcóticos y Drogas Peligrosas (NDDS, por sus siglas en inglés) de la División Penal y el fiscal auxiliar de EE. UU. Anthony T. Aminoff del Distrito Este de Virginia procesaron la causa.
Los fiscales litigantes de NDDS Meisel y Teresita Mutton y el fiscal auxiliar de EE. UU. Aminoff del Distrito Este de Virginia están procesando la causa contra Fragoso D’Acunti.
Los fiscales auxiliares de EE. UU. Aminoff (entonces de la NDDS), Katie Rumbaugh y Dave Peters para el Distrito Este de Virginia procesaron la causa contra Leyton Vargas, Ávila Acevedo y Castañeda Garzón.
La Oficina de Asuntos Internacionales del Departamento de Justicia y la Agregaduría Judicial en la Embajada de EE. UU. en Bogotá brindaron cuantiosa ayuda para lograr la detención y extradición de los acusados.
Foreign Military Intelligence Official Sentenced for Role in International Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A former Colombian military intelligence official was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for his participation in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine for importation into the United States.
According to court documents, from August 2017 through April 2018, Fabian Humberto Tovar Caicedo, 41, a sergeant in the Colombian Army Intelligence, assisted a drug trafficking organization (DTO) and conspired to send multi-thousand-kilogram shipments of cocaine from Colombia to Mexico for eventual importation into the United States. Tovar Caicedo offered various corrupt services to the DTO, including providing police in the Port of Santa Marta willing to facilitate the export of cocaine in exchange for payment, suggesting the use of the same phones that the DEA uses for security, offering his military training to encrypt those phones for additional security, and attempting to sell a list of DEA cooperators to the DTO.
Tovar Caicedo organized multiple meetings in furtherance of the cocaine distribution scheme. He and his co-conspirators plotted to send multiple shipments, starting at 1,000 kilograms of cocaine and moving up to as many as 10,000 kilograms of cocaine per shipment. According to the statement of facts, a member of the DTO traveled to Mexico to negotiate the receipt of the cocaine with a high-ranking Mexican military official.
One of Tovar Caicedo’s co-conspirators, Fabian Andres Leyton Vargas, used his position as a Colombian Air Force officer in the Colombian Ministry of Defense to identify and contact security and law enforcement officials in the Port of Santa Marta for bribes. Once these officials received their corrupt payments, they would ensure that cocaine-laden cargo containers passed uninspected through the port. Using this method, Leyton Vargas, along with co-conspirators Antonio Aldemar Avila Acevedo and Jose Mauricio Castaneda Garzon, attempted to ship 1,773 kilograms of cocaine from Colombia to Guatemala en route to the United States in July 2017, as well as 2,081 kilograms of cocaine from Colombia to Mexico en route to the United States in March 2018. Colombian law enforcement seized both shipments before they could depart the port.
A related defendant, Jose Maria Fragoso D’Acunti, used his former position in the Colombian National Police, along with personal connections, to identify and bribe security and law enforcement officials in the port of Cartagena in Columbia to aid his organization’s cocaine trafficking. Fragoso D’Acunti and his co-conspirators planned to traffic multi-hundred-kilogram quantities of cocaine, valued at millions of United States dollars, to Europe by causing such cocaine to be secreted aboard commercial shipping containers. In November 2018, in the port of Savannah, Georgia, U.S. law enforcement seized 516 kilograms of cocaine sent by Fragoso D’Acunti’s DTO from Cartagena that were destined for Antwerp, Belgium. The cocaine was comingled with pineapples in a shipping container. In December 2018, again in the port of Savannah, Georgia, U.S. law enforcement seized an additional 205 kilograms of cocaine sent by Fragoso D’Acunti’s DTO from Cartagena, that were also destined for Belgium. The cocaine was comingled with limes in a shipping container. In support of the conspiracy, Fragoso D’Acunti paid 1 billion Colombian pesos, equivalent to more than $300,000 U.S., in bribe money to a port security officer.
Fragoso D’Acunti, Fabian Andres Leyton Vargas, and Antonio Aldemar Avila Acevedo were sentenced to 12 years in prison. Co-conspirator José Mauricio Castaneda Garzon was sentenced to seven years and four months in prison.
The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) supported these cases. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, and multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the DEA Louisville Division made the announcement.
The DEA Louisville Division and Cartagena Resident Office investigated the case, with substantial assistance from the DEA’s Office of Special Intelligence’s Document and Media Exploitation Unit and Special Operations Division’s Bilateral Investigations Unit, as well as the DEA’s offices in Bogota, Panama, Guatemala City, San Jose (Costa Rica), Brussels, Mexico City, Madrid, Frankfurt, London, Paris, Rome, The Hague, Vienna, Hong Kong, Islamabad, Savannah, Detroit, Tampa – PANEX, and New Orleans. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) National Targeting Center also provided substantial assistance. The Colombian National Police, the Belgian Federal Police, the German Zolfahndungsamt, the National Police of the Netherlands, and the Italian Guardia di Finanza also provided critical support.
Trial Attorneys Douglas Meisel and Janet Turnbull of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony T. Aminoff for the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case.
NDDS Trial Attorneys Meisel and Teresita Mutton and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aminoff for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case against Fragoso D’Acunti.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aminoff (then with NDDS), Katie Rumbaugh, and Dave Peters for the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case against Leyton Vargas, Avila Acevedo, and Castaneda Garzon.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Judicial Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of the defendants.
Disputanta Tax Return Preparer Pleads Guilty to Tax and COVID-19 FraudRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Disputanta woman pleaded guilty today to filing a false individual tax return, preparing false returns for her taxpayer customers, and defrauding two COVID-19 relief programs.
According to court documents, Sherika T. Carter, 40, was the owner and operator of Binn’s Tax Service LLC (Binn’s Tax) which has been in operation since at least the 2016 tax return filing season. Carter routinely prepared and submitted to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) individual income tax returns for Binn’s Tax’s customers. Between 2016 and continuing through 2021, she filed over 2,000 returns. Certain returns Carter prepared for her customers were fraudulent, as she added false items on the Schedules A, Schedules C, and residential energy credit forms accompanying the returns without the knowledge and consent of her customers. This resulted in her customers either receiving inflated refunds from the IRS or paying less taxes than were owed. Likewise, for tax year 2019, Carter prepared a false and misleading individual income tax return for herself, thereby fraudulently reducing her tax liability. In total, Carter’s crimes caused a tax loss to the IRS of at least $376,248.
Separately, Carter devised and repeatedly executed a scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program of finite funds intended for businesses and workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of this scheme, she submitted PPP applications to financial institutions that contained false supporting documentation, such as a false Schedule C that had never been filed with the IRS and which contained materially false information. Despite fraudulently obtaining three separate PPP loans for Binn’s Tax and herself, Carter further filed a fraudulent unemployment insurance/PUA application with the Virginia Employment Commission that contained false information about her employment status. Through this scheme, the defendant unlawfully recieved approximately $100,000 intended for businesses and workers suffering the effects of the pandemic.
Carter is scheduled to be sentenced on September 19, 2023. She faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kareem A. Carter, IRS Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office; and Troy W. Springer, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr. accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kashan K. Pathan and Mike Gill are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-45.
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Armed Robberies in Maryland and VirginiaRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Upper Marlboro, Maryland, man who had previously been convicted of a felony offense was sentenced today to over five years in prison for committing two armed robberies and one attempted armed robbery across Northern Virginia and Maryland.
According to court documents, in February 2021, Francis Ford, 53, robbed a Subway restaurant in Largo, Maryland, and a Papa John’s restaurant in Falls Church, and attempted to rob a Marathon gas station in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. On February 21, 2021, Ford and his co-conspirator, Jon Fleet, 62, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, drove to the Subway restaurant. Fleet entered the Subway and brandished a firearm at employees while Ford waited in the getaway vehicle. Once Fleet had completed the robbery, he fled the restaurant and Ford drove himself and Fleet away from the crime scene. On February 23, 2021, Ford and Fleet both walked into the Papa John’s restaurant together. Fleet pointed a firearm at an employee and demanded that the cash register be opened; Ford made employees believe that he was carrying a firearm by keeping his hand on his waistband as though a firearm was there. After the employee eventually produced a bag containing cash, Ford and Fleet fled the store. Finally, on March 7, 2021, Ford entered the Marathon gas station with a sawed-off shotgun and demanded that the store clerk produce cash from the register. The store clerk refused to give Ford any money and called the police, thwarting Ford’s efforts.
At the time of the robberies, Ford and Fleet were convicted felons and thus prohibited from possessing firearms.
In February of 2022, Fleet was sentenced to 17 years in prison in connection with these and other robberies across Virginia and Maryland.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division; Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police; and Malik Aziz, Chief of Prince George’s County Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cristina Stam and Bibeane Metsch prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-10.
Colombian Military Intelligence Official Sentenced for Role in International Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former Colombian military intelligence official was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for his participation in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine for importation into the United States. This defendant was the fifth to be sentenced in a multi-year investigation that lead to three indictments charging officials in the Colombian Army, Air Force, and National Police.
According to court documents, from August 2017 through April 2018, Fabian Humberto Tovar Caicedo, 41, a sergeant in Colombian Army Intelligence, helped organize a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that conspired to send multi-thousand-kilogram shipments of cocaine from Colombia to Mexico for eventual importation into the United States. Tovar Caicedo also offered various corrupt services to the DTO. He found a corrupt member of the police in the Port of Santa Marta willing to facilitate the export of cocaine in exchange for payment; he suggested buying the same phones that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) uses for security; he offered to use his military training to encrypt those phones for additional security; and he attempted to sell a list of DEA cooperators to the DTO.
Tovar Caicedo and his co-conspirators plotted to send multiple shipments, starting at 1,000 kilograms of cocaine, but moving up to as many as 10,000 kilograms of cocaine per shipment. A member of the DTO traveled to Mexico to negotiate the receipt of the cocaine with a corrupt, high-ranking Mexican military official.
One of the defendant’s co-conspirators was Fabian Andres Leyton Vargas, a Colombian Air Force officer, whom the defendant met at a military training in the United States. Leyton Vargas used his position in the Colombian Ministry of Defense to identify and contact security and law enforcement officials in the Port of Santa Marta to be targeted for bribes. Once these officials received their corrupt payments, they would ensure that cocaine-laden cargo containers passed uninspected through the port. Using this method, on July 27, 2017, Leyton Vargas, along with co-defendants Antonio Aldemar Avila Acevedo and Jose Mauricio Castaneda Garzon, attempted to ship 1,773 kilograms of cocaine from Colombia to Guatemala en route to the United States. Additionally, on March 27, 2018, the same defendants conspired to ship 2,081 kilograms of cocaine from Colombia to Mexico en route to the United States. Colombian law enforcement seized both shipments before they could depart the port.
As part of this multi-year investigation targeting corruption in Colombia’s ports, a fifth defendant, Jose Maria Fragoso D’Acunti, admitted to using his former position in the Colombian National Police, along with familial and other connections, to identify and bribe security and law enforcement officials in the port of Cartagena, Colombia, to aid his organization’s cocaine trafficking. The defendant and his co-conspirators planned to traffic multi-hundred kilogram quantities of cocaine, valued at millions of United States dollars, to Europe by causing such cocaine to be secreted aboard commercial shipping containers. On November 29, 2018, in the port of Savannah, Georgia, U.S. law enforcement seized 516 kilograms of cocaine sent by Fragoso D’Acunti’s DTO from Colombia, that were destined for Belgium. The cocaine was comingled with pineapples in a shipping container. On December 15, 2018, again in the port of Savannah, Georgia, U.S. law enforcement seized an additional 205 kilograms of cocaine sent by Fragoso D’Acunti’s DTO from Colombia that were also destined for Belgium. The cocaine was comingled with limes in a shipping container. In support of the conspiracy, Fragoso D’Acunti paid 1 billion Colombian Pesos, equivalent to more than $300,000 US Dollars, in bribe money to a port security officer.
Defendants Fragoso D’Acunti, Fabian Andres Leyton Vargas, and Antonio Aldemar Avila Acevedo were sentenced to 12 years in prison. Co-conspirator José Mauricio Castaneda Garzon was sentenced to seven years and four months in prison.
These prosecutions are part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia, Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the DEA Louisville Division made the announcement.
The DEA’s Louisville Field Division and Cartagena Resident Office investigated this case, with substantial assistance from the DEA’s Office of Special Intelligence, Document and Media Exploitation Unit, the DEA’s Special Operations Division and Special Operations Division – Bilateral Investigations Unit, as well as DEA’s offices in Cartagena, Bogota, Panama, Guatemala City, San Jose (Costa Rica), Brussels, Mexico City, Madrid, Frankfurt, London, Paris, Rome, The Hague, Vienna, Hong Kong, Islamabad, Savannah, Detroit, Tampa – PANEX, and New Orleans. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) - National Targeting Center also provided substantial assistance. The Colombian National Police, the Belgian Federal Police, the German Zolfahndungsamt, the National Police of the Netherlands, and the Italian Guardia di Finanza also provided critical support.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony T. Aminoff and Trial Attorneys Douglas Meisel and Janet Turnbull of the Department of Justice’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section prosecuted case 1:20-cr-181.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony T. Aminoff and Trial Attorney Teresita Mutton of the Department of Justice’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section prosecuted case 1:19-cr-282.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony T. Aminoff (then with the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section), Katherine Rumbaugh, and David Peters prosecuted case 1:18-cr-74.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Judicial Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of the defendants listed above.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-cr-181, 1:19-cr-282, and 1:18-cr-74.
Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking TurtlesRead the Press Release
Stanlee Fazi, 41, of Louisa, Virginia, pleaded guilty in federal court in Alexandria to trafficking turtles in violation of the Lacey Act. Sentencing is scheduled for July 26.
Fazi admitted that between July 31, 2017, and June 29, 2020, he illegally collected eastern box turtles from the wild and sold them on at least 27 occasions to buyers in California, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin. Fazi received approximately $12,700 using Facebook Marketplace for these sales. Many of Fazi’s purchasers, in turn, smuggled the turtles from the United States to Hong Kong and China for the illegal pet trade. Fazi acknowledged binding the turtles in socks and shipping them by FedEx from Fredericksburg.
The federal Lacey Act is the nation’s oldest wildlife trafficking statute and prohibits, among other things, transporting or selling wildlife in interstate commerce if the wildlife were illegally taken or possessed under state laws. The Commonwealth of Virginia also prohibits taking turtles from the wild or selling them. The maximum sentence under the Lacey Act is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) is a subspecies of the common box turtle (Terrapene carolina). The eastern box turtle is native to forested regions of the eastern United States, including Virginia, with some isolated populations in the Midwest. The turtles typically reach a length of up to six inches and can live more than 100 years. The turtles have a domed carapace, which can display radiated lines or spots. Turtles with colorful markings are particularly prized in the domestic and foreign pet trade market.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Offices of Law Enforcement in Baltimore and Vero Beach, Florida, conducted the investigation as part of Operation Middleman. The operation focused on the trafficking of reptiles from the United States to China.
The government is represented by Senior Trial Attorney Ryan Connors of the Environment and Natural Resource Division’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gordon Kromberg for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Russian Woman Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Animal DNARead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Russian national residing in Leesburg pleaded guilty today to smuggling animal DNA into the United States at Washington Dulles International Airport.
According to court documents, on August 19, 2022, Polina Perelman arrived at Dulles Airport from Russia. On her Customs Declaration, Perelman denied that she was importing any animals, animal products, or cell cultures. However, during an inspection of her luggage customs officers found a Styrofoam cooler labeled “Research Samples,” containing 19 small vials and tubes packed in dry ice. When asked about the vials and tubes, Perelman said that they contained cell lines and DNA samples that she planned to have sequenced in the United States for her research in Russia. Perelman said that the samples were suspended in a freezing/transport medium containing fetal bovine serum, which also contained dimethyl sulfoxide and Alpha Minimum Essential Medium to help preserve the samples.
Further, according to court documents, Perelman said that she was a researcher at the Institute of Molecular & Cellular Biology in Novosibirsk, Russia, and does genetic sequencing of animal and reptile DNA to study evolution. Perelman admitted that she failed to declare her possession of wildlife products and cell cultures because she was concerned that customs officials might think that the vials contained a disease agent, and that if she declared the samples, customs officials would seize the samples and ask her unwanted questions.
According to court documents, of the 19 samples that Perelman attempted to introduce into the United States, two contained biological material derived from Siberian crane and dhole, endangered species under U.S. law and protected by an international treaty known as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
Perelman is scheduled to be sentenced on August 24, 2023. She faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Edward Grace, Assistant Director of Law Enforcement for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Patricia T. Giles accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cristina Stam and Gordon Kromberg are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-55.
Felon Sentenced for Gang-Related Fentanyl Trafficking and Illegal Possession of a Semi-Automatic PistolRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Alexandria man was sentenced yesterday to over 10 years in prison for distributing thousands of fentanyl-laced pills.
According to court documents, Dashawn Dontia Blassingame, 24, between at least April of 2021 and May of 2022, conspired with others to distribute counterfeit pills bearing the appearance of pharmaceutically produced Oxycodone, but that in fact contained fentanyl. During that same time frame, the defendant also possessed firearms, including a semi-automatic pistol, while being prohibited from doing so due to his multiple prior felony convictions.
According to court records, the defendant and some of his co-conspirators were members of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips criminal street gang. The members of the conspiracy arranged for parcels containing thousands of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl to be mailed to Virginia from Arizona for further redistribution. The defendant was charged after a package containing over 7,000 counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, destined for the defendant and his co-conspirators, tore open in the ordinary course of mail delivery and was seized by law enforcement. The defendant and his co-conspirators worked together to distribute these pills containing fentanyl in Northern Virginia and elsewhere for a profit. Prior to his arrest on the federal charges, the defendant had multiple Virginia state convictions, including felony eluding of police, being a felon in possession of ammunition, and multiple convictions for felony possession of controlled drugs.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Prince William County Police Department provided significant assistance on this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Bredemeier and Heather Call prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-19.
Arizona Man Sentenced for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Tolleson, Arizona, man was sentenced yesterday to 30 years in prison for production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, Ethan Roberts, 28, met a then 14-year-old juvenile online in January 2022. The juvenile lived in Norfolk. Roberts engaged in sexually explicit conversations with the minor for a seven-month period, repeatedly asking her to create and send sexually explicit images of herself to him. In August 2022, Roberts traveled by bus from Arizona to Norfolk. He picked up the minor and the pair traveled back to Roberts’ apartment in Arizona. While in Arizona, the juvenile logged into her online gaming account. The juvenile’s friend noticed her online, and informed law enforcement. Using the information from her online gaming account, the FBI was able to locate and rescue the juvenile from Roberts’ apartment.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Michael C. Maslow, Acting Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Yusi prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
In 2021, EDVA launched “UnMasked,” a community-based educational outreach and prevention program in Virginia dedicated to raising awareness and educating the community about the prevalence of online sexual exploitation involving children and young adults. UnMasked is a multi-disciplinary partnership of local, state, federal, and non-profit stakeholders. The core curriculum is provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) NetSmartz program. To report an incident involving online sexual exploitation, call 1-800-843-5678 or submit a report at report.cybertip.org. To request an UnMasked event at your school or organization, please contact EDVA’s Community Outreach Coordinator at [email protected].
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-141.
Norfolk Church Youth Group Leader Sentenced for Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to 7 years in prison for traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.
According to court documents, Charles Willoughby III, 39, served as a youth group leader at New Life Worship Center (NLWC) in Norfolk. From 2006 to 2012, Willoughby routinely groomed minor teenage girls who were part of the church’s youth program in order to attempt to sexually abuse them. On June 26, 2012, Jane Doe, who was then 15 years old, and other youth group members boarded a chartered bus from NLWC to travel to Georgia for a national church youth group conference. Willoughby served as one of the chaperones. While on the bus there, Willoughby forced Jane Doe to engage in a sexual act. Jane Doe did not disclose the abuse until 2018, and other victims were identified after that disclosure.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Yusi and Megan Montoya prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc
In 2021, EDVA launched “UnMasked,” a community-based educational outreach and prevention program in Virginia dedicated to raising awareness and educating the community about the prevalence of online sexual exploitation involving children and young adults. UnMasked is a multi-disciplinary partnership of local, state, federal, and non-profit stakeholders. The core curriculum is provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) NetSmartz program. To report an incident involving online sexual exploitation, call 1-800-843-5678 or submit a report at report.cybertip.org. To request an UnMasked event at your school or organization, please contact EDVA’s Community Outreach Coordinator at [email protected].
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-96.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Hosts Second Community Hate Crimes Prevention PresentationRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Today, Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA), announced the completion of an event designed to help community members and leaders have a better understanding of hate crimes and how to report them to law enforcement.
Yesterday evening, EDVA hosted a presentation called “United Against Hate: Identifying, Reporting and Preventing Hate Crimes” at the Weinstein Jewish Community Center. Members of the Richmond community, as well as organizations representing those who are at risk of being targeted in hate crimes, were invited to the event. The goal of this event series is to empower community members to prevent and respond to hate crimes and incidents by meeting and facilitating conversations with the law enforcement members to whom they can direct questions and reports about hate crimes and hate incidents.
“Hate or bias-motivated crimes are some of important crimes that we prosecute in EDVA. All citizens of the Commonwealth and the nation, regardless of their background or identity, deserve to live freely and without fear of discrimination and violence,” said Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The United Against Hate event is only the beginning of many conversations and action steps that our office and our law enforcement partners are taking to increase public awareness about hate crimes and how to report them. EDVA, alongside community organizations such as the Weinstein JCC, encourage the community to come together to call out hatred, report all incidents of hate crimes, and help us create neighborhoods that are safe and welcoming to all.”
The speakers at the event included U.S. Attorney Aber and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen Anthony and Nick Durham. Speakers also included law enforcement professionals from the FBI Richmond Field Office and Virginia State Police.
Through hypothetical scenarios and video clips depicting real-life hate crime cases and stories, United Against Hate promotes robust interaction between community members and law enforcement participants. Program topics include defining hate crimes versus hate incidents; the importance of reporting unlawful acts of hate; providing options for responding to hate incidents when situations do not constitute a federal or state crime; and distinguishing unlawful conduct from protected First Amendment activity, including identifying protected speech versus speech that advocates violence or encourages people to commit hate crimes.
To request a United Against Hate presentation at your organization, house of worship, or school, please contact Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick Durham, EDVA Civil Rights Coordinator, at (703) 299-3700.
On May 27, 2021, Attorney General Garland issued a memorandum on “Improving the Department’s Efforts to Combat Hate Crimes and Hate Incidents,” which emphasized the importance of prioritizing community outreach around hate crimes. The United Against Hate presentation, developed by the Department’s Hate Crimes Enforcement and Prevention Initiative, is designed to meet that objective. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia applied for and was proud to be selected for the first national phase of this important program.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Woodbridge Man Sentenced for Distributing Narcotics to 14-Year-OldRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Woodbridge man was sentenced today to 52 months in prison for distributing a Schedule II controlled substance to a person under age twenty-one.
According to court documents, in April of 2022, Latae'veion Woods, 21, sold pills purporting to be Percocet to a 14-year-old, who died of a fentanyl overdose approximately five days after the distribution. Following the overdose death, officers found a clear plastic baggie containing four blue pills with markings consistent with 30 milligram Percocet pills in the juvenile’s pants. Analysis later showed that the pills actually contained fentanyl. Police also discovered text messages on the 14-year-old’s phone which revealed that Woods distributed pills to the juvenile on multiple occasions during March and April 2022. The messages further established that Woods instructed the juvenile how to redistribute the pills and directed him to resell the pills for a specific amount of money. No other messages were located on the juvenile’s phone to suggest he had any other source of supply for Percocet.
Messages also demonstrated that Woods offered to sell the juvenile a firearm, specifically, a Glock 19 or Glock 48 semiautomatic handgun. During a search warrant of Woods’ residence, law enforcement seized a Glock 48 handgun and a Glock-style semi-automatic “ghost” gun, both of which Woods admitted belonged to him.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; and Peter Newsham, Chief of Prince William County Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T. S. Ellis, III.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Hahn prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-226.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Reminds Healthcare Providers of ADA’s Effective Communication RequirementsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia announced today that it has sent a Dear Colleagues Letter reminding healthcare providers of the effective communication requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). To strengthen awareness and understanding of these requirements, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is inviting the public, including personnel at healthcare providers, to an informational meeting that will be held on June 6, 2023, at 1 p.m.
When Congress passed the ADA, it recognized that discrimination against individuals with disabilities persists in critical areas, including health services, which often involve high stakes communication. Through the ADA, Congress established a national mandate for the elimination of discrimination against individuals with disabilities by providing strong and enforceable standards. In support of these goals, the ADA and its implementing regulations require covered entities, including healthcare providers, to furnish appropriate auxiliary aids and services to individuals with communication disabilities without imposing a surcharge on the individual, including qualified sign language interpreters, computer-aided transcription services, and effective methods of making visually delivered materials available to individuals who are blind or have low vision.
The ADA requirements apply to a variety of healthcare providers, including those operated by either private entities or state and local governments, such as hospitals, nursing facilities, urgent care providers, physicians, dentists, optometrists, durable medical equipment retailers, infirmaries located at institutions of higher learning and correctional facilities, and local mental health agencies. Further, the ADA applies to all services that covered entities provide, including in-person medical services, telehealth appointments, electronic kiosks, and websites.
The Dear Colleagues Letter explains that “[p]ursuant to the ADA, healthcare providers are required to ensure that communication with people with disabilities is as effective as communication with people without disabilities.” Further, “healthcare providers may not decline to provide treatment to an individual solely because they have a disability and may need auxiliary aids and services.” The Dear Colleagues Letter also includes links to numerous Department of Justice publications that provide a detailed discussion of the ADA’s effective communication requirements, including publications on ADA.gov: “ADA Requirements: Effective Communication,” “ADA Business BRIEF: Communicating with People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing in Hospital Settings,” and “Guidance on Web Accessibility and the ADA.” In addition, the Dear Colleagues Letter provides links to settlement agreements that provide a roadmap to the steps that covered entities can take to comply with the ADA, including Settlement Agreements with Goochland Powhatan Community Services, Brookside Rehabilitation & Nursing Center, Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center, Rite Aid Corporation, and Lincare, Inc.
The Dear Colleagues Letter announces that at 1 p.m. on June 6, 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will be holding a virtual meeting for the public, including personnel at healthcare providers, to share information on the steps providers can take to comply with the ADA’s effective communication requirements, and provide an opportunity for questions and collaboration. The registration link for the meeting is here.
“Ensuring that healthcare providers are complying with the ADA by being accessible to individuals with communication disabilities is a critical mission of this Office,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber. “We look forward to meeting with personnel from healthcare providers so that we can discuss the ADA’s effective communication requirements in healthcare settings.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, through its Civil Rights Enforcement (CRE) Unit, and in partnership with the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, works to uphold the civil and constitutional rights of all Americans, particularly some of the most vulnerable members of our society. The Office vigorously enforces a variety of federal statutes that prohibit discrimination, including the ADA and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act, and Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974. The CRE Unit also enforces the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act and the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994, which protect military members as they enter and return from active duty.
For more information on the ADA, visit https://www.ada.gov or call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD).
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Salvadoran Man Convicted of Illegally Reentering U.S. After RemovalRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal jury convicted a citizen of El Salvador today of illegally reentering the United States after a prior removal.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Victor Manuel Romero-Diaz, 40, of El Salvador, was removed from the United States on December 12, 2011, after he was convicted of a felony offense for cocaine possession and distribution. In October 2022, immigration authorities found Romero-Diaz living in North Chesterfield, without having obtained permission to apply for reentry into the United States.
Romero-Diaz faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when sentenced on September 5, 2023. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Russell Hott, Field Office Director, for U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. District Judge David J. Novak accepted the verdict.
The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Gang Section provided assistance in this case. The Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería of El Salvador also provided significant assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carla Jordan-Detamore and Kaitlin G. Cooke are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-177.
Owner of the Sportsmans Grille in Williamsburg Charged with Tax FraudRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging a Williamsburg man with nine counts of tax fraud.
According to the indictment, Stephen G. Genakos, 62, is the sole owner and managing director of Sarantos, Inc., a Virginia Subchapter S corporation that does business as a restaurant, the Sportsmans Grille, in James City County. The indictment alleges that since 2016, Genakos skimmed more than $670,000 in U.S. currency from the Sportsmans Grille. During this period, he is alleged to have deposited more than $112,000 in currency in his personal bank accounts and gambled more than $502,000 with the Virginia Lottery.
The indictment further alleges that in 2020, Genakos listed the Sportsmans Grille for sale. In 2021, undercover agents from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) made contact with Genakos. During this operation, Genakos allegedly joked about his “magic book” and ultimately provided IRS agents the chance to view the true books and records of the Sportsmans Grille.
The indictment further alleges that for tax years 2016 through 2020, Genakos filed materially false tax returns for himself and his business, Sarantos Inc. He is charged with filing nine returns that understate his taxable income by more than $670,000 and caused a tax loss to the United States of approximately $113,163.
Genakos is charged with aiding and assisting in the preparation of materially false tax returns. If convicted, Genakos faces a maximum of 3 years in prison on each of the nine counts. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Kareem A. Carter, IRS Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office, made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mack Coleman and Brian Samuels are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:23-cr-37.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Fredericksburg Man Sentenced for Production and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Fredericksburg man was sentenced today to 19 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for production and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, from at least December 11, 2018, through April 8, 2019, Chad Michael Lehofer, 37, repeatedly engaged in sexually explicit discussions with a minor online and enticed and coerced the minor to produce sexually explicit pictures and videos and send them to Lehofer. After the minor tried to break off contact with him, Lehofer pretended to be a different person and continued to communicate with the minor online. Lehofer sent threatening messages to the minor, telling the minor that if the minor did not send him sexually explicit videos, he would expose the minor to others, including the minor’s mother and friends. Lehofer claimed to be watching the minor’s house and would send the minor messages indicating he knew the minor’s location and he would be waiting at the minor’s home. In response to these threats, the minor produced a sexually explicit video and sent it to Lehofer.
After obtaining a warrant to search Lehofer’s cell phone, law enforcement discovered that his phone contained numerous images and videos of child sexual abuse material involving prepubescent minors. Lehofer was previously convicted in Connecticut in 2006 for state offenses involving his sexual abuse of two minors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kenneth A. Polite, Jr., the Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division; and Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Nachmanoff.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zoe Bedell and Lauren Halper, as well as Trial Attorney Eduardo Palomo from the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
In 2021, EDVA launched “UnMasked,” a community-based educational outreach and prevention program in Virginia dedicated to raising awareness and educating the community about the prevalence of online sexual exploitation involving children and young adults. UnMasked is a multi-disciplinary partnership of local, state, federal, and non-profit stakeholders. The core curriculum is provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) NetSmartz program. To report an incident involving online sexual exploitation, call 1-800-843-5678 or submit a report at report.cybertip.org. To request an UnMasked event at your school or organization, please contact EDVA’s Community Outreach Coordinator at [email protected].
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-82.
Falls Church Man Sentenced for Possessing Unregistered SilencersRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Falls Church man was sentenced today to 3 years in prison for unlawful possession of unregistered silencers.
According to court documents, Hatchet Speed, 41, began panic buying firearms in early 2021. From February to May 2021, Speed purchased at least twelve firearms and spent more than $40,000 at stores that sold firearms, firearm accessories, and ammunition. According to court documents, the defendant began stockpiling weapons after participating in the incursion at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, a time when he anticipated civil war and spoke of the need for political violence.
In March 2021, during the midst of his firearm purchases, Speed purchased three silencers from a company in Georgia. While the silencers were marketed as “solvent traps” ostensibly to be used in cleaning the barrel of a firearm, they were actually designed to serve as silencers. The silencers were not registered to Speed in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required by law. By circumventing the registration requirements for silencers, Speed was able to take possession of the silencers within a week of purchasing them.
In early 2022, Speed met with an undercover employee of the FBI. During these meetings, Speed discussed his anti-Semitic, anti-government ideologies with the FBI undercover employee. Speed also discussed taking violent action in furtherance of his ideologies. Speed praised the approach of jihadists and suggested that their approach would be an effective way to “wipe out” the opposition, referring to Jewish people. Speed discussed his efforts to identify targets who were “reachable” by someone like him, stating that he thought about using a “mock trial” to decide which people to add to “the list.” During this discussion, Speed confirmed to the FBI undercover employee that he believed his “solvent traps,” meaning his unregistered silencers, would come in handy for this purpose.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Michael H. Glasheen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Counterterrorism Division; and Michael T. Weddel, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Traxler and Amanda Lowe prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-165.
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Role in Two Richmond Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for his role in two armed robberies.
According to court documents, Ricardo Horne, 41, and his co-defendants Michael Brown, 40, and Rashanda Booker, 38, both also from Richmond, robbed a Family Dollar on April 17, 2022 and a Dollar General on April 28, 2022.
On April 17, 2022, Horne and Brown forcefully grabbed a Family Dollar employee as he sought to empty trash prior to the store opening. Brown, holding a semiautomatic pistol that belonged to his sister, guided the employee to a safe inside the store and held him at gunpoint near the safe while emptying it. Horne stood watch and maintained control over a customer as well as another terrified Family Dollar employee. Altogether, they obtained approximately $10,000 from Family Dollar—money they used to buy high-end shoes at a boutique shoe store.
Between the two robberies in this case, Horne and Brown directed Booker to purchase new pistol for the second robbery. She did so on April 22, 2022. Six days later, Horne and Brown committed another armed robbery of a Dollar General. Brown entered the store carrying the semiautomatic pistol purchased by Booker alongside Horne. After Horne grabbed control of one of the employees, the two men took her to find the Dollar General manager who could open the safe. Brown held the manager at gunpoint near the safe while Horne maintained control of the other employee. Notably, several customers, including a woman and her young son, were shopping in the store at the time of the robbery.
A GPS tracker was installed inside some of the money taken from the Dollar General. Brown and Horne exited the store with the United States currency, entered Booker’s car, and then drove off. As Booker drove, Brown and Horne changed their clothing. Law enforcement began to follow the GPS tracker and discovered, Booker, Brown, and Horne in Booker’s Blue Toyota sedan. Among the items recovered by law enforcement were the clothing worn during the armed robbery of the Dollar General by Brown and Horne of the Dollar General, the Taurus, Model G3C, 9mm, semi-automatic pistol used during that robbery, and a Family Dollar bag.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and Rick Edwards, Acting Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth R. Simon, Jr. and Jessica Wright prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-122.
Felon Sentenced for Drug Trafficking Crimes and Gloucester County ShootingRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Gloucester man was sentenced yesterday to 35 years in prison for drug, firearms, witness tampering and retaliation and obstruction of justice convictions.
According to court documents, in August 2020, Nathan DeAlbert. Mattocks, 39, a previously convicted felon, was arrested after the Gloucester County Sheriff’s Office received an emergency call from an individual reporting that he was being shot at by a person following in another vehicle while driving on a main road in Gloucester County. Following an investigation, law enforcement identified a vehicle matching the description in which Mattocks was an occupant. Officers arrested Mattocks and discovered “Roxacet 30” pills containing fentanyl and a semi-automatic pistol in the vicinity of the crime scene connected to Mattocks.
After Mattocks was arrested and detained pending trial, he became aware of potential witnesses in his case that had provided information to law enforcement about the shooting and the defendant’s prior drug dealing. Mattocks approached a known violent gang member, while both were incarcerated, and asked this individual to find others who could get rid of these witnesses by killing them or otherwise making sure they would not appear in court. Mattocks offered to pay this gang member or provide the gang member with a large quantity of drugs for this service. Mattocks provided a note to the gang member with the names and information about the potential witnesses, one of which did testify at the July 2022 trial.
Further investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF); Gloucester County Sherriff’s Office; and other local law enforcement partners revealed Mattocks’ long history of dealing heroin, methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, among other dangerous controlled substances within the Middle Peninsula region.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Michael T. Weddel, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Washington Field Division; and Darrell W. Warren, Jr., Gloucester County Sheriff, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Samuels and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Kaplan prosecuted the case. Former Assistant United States Attorney Howard Zlotnick also provided assistance on this case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:21-cr-6.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Settles Lawsuit Against Virginia Towing Company for Unlawfully Auctioning Off Servicemembers’ VehiclesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Steve’s Towing, Inc., located in Virginia Beach, has agreed to pay $90,000 to settle a complaint that alleged that the company violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by failing to obtain court orders before auctioning off vehicles belonging to at least seven SCRA-protected servicemembers, including two vehicles belonging to a member of a Navy SEAL team who was deployed overseas. The complaint further alleged that the company engaged in a pattern or practice of violating the SCRA and had no policies, practices, or procedures in place to ensure SCRA compliance.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office launched its investigation after a Navy legal assistance attorney reported that Steve’s Towing, Inc., had towed two vehicles from a military base that belonged to a deployed Navy SEAL and then sold the vehicles without first obtaining court orders. One of the vehicles, a 1992 Toyota Land Cruiser HZJ73, contained evidence of the Navy SEAL’s military service, including a duffel bag of military uniforms and a Naval Special Warfare Development Group Sniper challenge coin. Under the SCRA, towing companies must determine whether a vehicle in their possession belongs to a servicemember; if that vehicle belongs to a servicemember, the towing company must obtain a court order prior to selling the vehicle.
“Servicemembers often rely heavily on their personal vehicles to commute to work and care for their families. A servicemember’s loss of a vehicle, therefore, can affect the military’s readiness,” said Jessica D. Aber, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “EDVA is dedicated to holding accountable businesses who do not uphold the right of servicemembers under the SCRA.”
“This case began with a member of a Navy SEAL team who returned home from an overseas deployment, only to find that a towing company had auctioned off two vehicles that he had parked at a military base,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This resolution will compensate all of the servicemembers whose vehicles were illegally taken from them while they were serving their country.”
Under the proposed consent order, which still must be approved by the Court, Steve’s Towing will pay $67,500 to the seven SCRA-protected servicemembers mentioned in the United States’ complaint, and will pay up to $12,500 to compensate additional SCRA-protected servicemembers whose vehicles Steve’s Towing may have sold without first obtaining court orders. The order also requires Steve’s Towing, Inc., to pay a $10,000 civil penalty to provide SCRA training to its employees, and to develop new policies and procedures consistent with the SCRA.
The resolutions obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section.
The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Deirdre G. Brou and Sean D. Jansen.
The civil claims settled by this Servicemembers Civil Relief Act agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
Servicemembers and their dependents who believe their SCRA rights have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations may be found at http://legalassistance.law.af.mil/. The department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section and U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the department has obtained over $481 million in monetary relief for over 147,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. Additional information on the Justice Department’s enforcement of the SCRA and other laws protecting servicemembers is available at www.servicemembers.gov.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Check Theft and Forgery SchemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Hanover, Maryland, man pleaded guilty today to his role in a check theft and forgery scheme involving at least 10 victims and nearly half a million dollars in loss.
According to court documents, Akinbobola Komolafe, 27, and other individuals stole checks from the U.S. mail, many of which had been mailed from the area around Glen Echo, Maryland. Komolafe and his co-conspirators then altered the checks to change the payment amount and the payee’s name. For example, Komolafe and his conspirators altered a check originally written for $43.20 to a medical practice to instead pay $40,000 to a co-conspirator. Another check involved in the conspiracy, originally written for $140.00 to a physician, was altered to pay $30,000 to a co-conspirator.
Komolafe was captured on surveillance footage at Wells Fargo bank branches in Falls Church and Arlington, depositing the fraudulent checks into the accounts of recruited co-conspirators. Komolafe was identified as the depositor of the checks by his distinct clothing, which matched that which he was wearing in posts on his social media accounts.
Once the fraudulent proceeds were deposited, Komolafe and others divided the proceeds among themselves and transferred the proceeds into other accounts to conceal the source of the proceeds. The conspiracy caused no less than approximately $486,716 in loss, and Komolafe personally obtained or shared in no less than $100,000 of that loss.
Komolafe is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28, 2023. He faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge T. S. Ellis III, accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary Ray and Katherine Rumbaugh are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-14.
Former U.S. Navy Ship Department Head Pleads Guilty to Attempted Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man pleaded guilty today to attempted production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, around October 2022, Christopher Paul Hetherington, 33, initiated sexually explicit conversation over the Internet with who he believed to be a 14-year-old girl, but who was actually an undercover law enforcement officer. Hetherington used a screen name of “sw0daddy” in his communications with the girl, referencing his then-employment as a Surface Warfare Officer for the U.S. Navy. Hetherington repeatedly asked the girl to send him sexually explicit photos of her and asked for reassurance that she was not affiliated with law enforcement. Over the phone, Hetherington detailed the sexual acts he wished to perform on and with her. After the call concluded, Hetherington encouraged the girl to show him her genitals over the Internet. In December 2022, Hetherington made plans to meet with the girl for sex. Instead, Hetherington was arrested at his home on December 21, 2022.
Hetherington is scheduled to be sentenced on August 9, 2023. He faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Mack Hickman, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask accepted the plea.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Victoria Liu is prosecuting 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 the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.
In 2021, EDVA launched “UnMasked,” a community-based educational outreach and prevention program in Virginia dedicated to raising awareness and educating the community about the prevalence of online sexual exploitation involving children and young adults. UnMasked is a multi-disciplinary partnership of local, state, federal, and non-profit stakeholders. The core curriculum is provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) NetSmartz program. To report an incident involving online sexual exploitation, call 1-800-843-5678 or submit a report at report.cybertip.org. To request an UnMasked event at your school or organization, please contact EDVA’s Community Outreach Coordinator at [email protected].
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-26.
Darknet Vendor Sentenced for Distribution of Fentanyl-Laced PillsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Scottsdale, Arizona, man was sentenced today to 78 months in prison for distributing fentanyl on the darknet.
According to court documents, from August 2021 through May 2022, John McKernan, 32, ran the darknet moniker “KingofKeys” on a darknet market. On this market, he advertised and sold pressed pills that he marketed as oxycodone, but that in fact contained fentanyl. In his profile on the market, McKernan told customers that the pressed pills tested negative for fentanyl. He also advertised pressed Xanax, Cialis, and MDMA. In addition to his distribution on the darknet, McKernan sold fentanyl-laced pills via encrypted messaging applications.
Between May 2022 and July 2022, law enforcement made controlled purchases from the defendant, which included over 450 counterfeit pills that the defendant purported to be oxycodone. The defendant received payment for the controlled substances in Bitcoin. Once received, law enforcement tested the pills, and all came back positive for the presence of fentanyl.
The darknet, also called the darkweb, is a portion of the Internet that hosts darknet markets or hidden commercial websites. A darknet market operates as a black market, selling or brokering transactions involving legal products as well as drugs, weapons, counterfeit currency, stolen credit card details, forged documents, unlicensed pharmaceuticals, steroids, and other illicit goods.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division; and Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the USPIS Washington Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T. S. Ellis, III.
The FBI Phoenix Division, USPIS Phoenix Division, and Scottsdale Police Department provided valuable assistance in this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Call prosecuted the case.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Hi-Tech Opioid Task Force, which is composed of FBI agents and task force partners, including special agents and officers of the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations, DEA, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and detectives from local assisting police agencies. The task force is charged with identifying and investigating the most egregious darknet markets, and the vendors operating on the marketplaces who are engaged in the illegal acquisition and distribution of controlled substances, to include fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other opioids.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-234.
Portsmouth Man Convicted of Sex Trafficking and Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Portsmouth man today on seven charges of sex trafficking, production of child pornography, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and unlawful possession of a firearm.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on April 30, 2022, Pierre De Romeo Smith, 40, met 16-year-old Jane Doe. The same day, he took sexually explicit photographs of her, as well as sexually suggestive photographs of her posed with the muzzle of a shotgun in her mouth. Several hours later, he posted these pictures of her on a commercial sex website, advertising her for commercial sex. For the following three weeks, the defendant continued to make her available for commercial sex—with as many as 30 “dates” a night—throughout the Hampton Roads area. He gave her amphetamines to keep her awake and confiscated the money from her dates.
On May 19, 2022, the Virginia Beach Police Department conducted an undercover commercial sex operation at a hotel in Virginia Beach where they encountered Jane Doe. When interviewing her at the hotel, detectives observed a text message on her phone from the defendant stating he was there. The defendant was observed arriving at the hotel’s parking garage and was arrested. In his car were multiple controlled substances, including fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine, and a Glock handgun, which the defendant was prohibited from possessing as a convicted felon.
Smith faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison up to a maximum penalty of life when sentenced on August 9, 2023. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Derek W. Gordon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Wilson Hanes accepted the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan Montoya and Rebecca Gantt are prosecuting the case.
This case was investigated by the Hampton Roads Human Trafficking Task Force, a collaboration between federal, state and local law enforcement and prosecutors, as well as nongovernmental organizations, working together to combat human trafficking in the Hampton Roads, Virginia region.
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 the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-122.
Final Defendant Sentenced for Million-Dollar Credit Card Fraud Scheme Involving Arlington Coffee ShopRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two Washington D.C. women and a Clinton, Maryland, man were sentenced for their roles in a conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
According to court documents, from at least May 2016 until Oct. 2016, Adiam Berhane, 50, conspired to carry out a fraud scheme with Tiffany Younger, 51, and Keith Lemons, 56, involving stolen credit card information that was used to purchase gift cards, expensive luxury goods, and other items from local retail stores. Berhane would obtain stolen identities of residents of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and elsewhere for the creation of fraudulent credit cards. The fraud caused over hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses to area retailers and financial institutions.
Younger and Lemons were recruited by Berhane to make purchases using fraudulent credit cards. As part of the scheme, items purchased with victims’ credit card information would sometimes be returned for refunds to bank accounts that Berhane controlled. In addition to fraudulently purchasing items and receiving fraudulent refund proceeds to her bank accounts, Berhane used fraudulent payment cards to purchase gift cards at retail stores which were then redeemed at her business, Caffe Aficionado, in Arlington. More than a third of Caffe Aficionado’s income from June 2013 to July 2016 came from a pattern of highly unusual redemptions of American Express gift cards, with the pattern beginning several months before Caffe Aficionado opened in approximately October 2013.
Following a December 2022 jury trial, Berhane was convicted of multiple charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, trafficking in unauthorized access devices, aggravated identity theft, unlawful possession of 15 or more access devices, and possession of access device-making equipment with intent to defraud.
On March 15, Berhane was sentenced to 10 years in prison for her role in the conspiracy. On March 15, Lemons was sentenced to time served and six months of home confinement for his role. On April 5, Younger was sentenced to 2 years of probation.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division; and Andy Penn, Arlington County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga.
This case was prosecuted with the assistance of the Montgomery County Police Department, the FBI Cyber Task Force, the U.S. Postal Office of the Inspector General, the U.S. Secret Service, and the U.S. Capitol Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bibeane Metsch and Jonathan S. Keim prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 1:20-cr-25, 1:22-cr-9, and 1:21-cr-27.
Sixth Defendant Pleads Guilty to Local “DMV Board” Dogfighting ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Westmoreland County man pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiring to engage in dogfighting.
According to court documents, from at least May 2015 through August 2020, Tarry Jeron “TJ” Wilson, 38, and other conspirators from Virginia, D.C., and Maryland, used a messaging app private group, which they generally referred to as “the DMV Board” or “the Board,” as a place where they and their associates could discuss training fighting dogs, exchange videos about dogfighting, and arrange and coordinate dog fights, away from the view of law enforcement authorities. Members of the DMV Board also used the messaging app to compare methods of killing dogs that lost fights, as well as to circulate media reports about conspirators who had been caught by law enforcement and discuss methods to minimize the likelihood that they would be caught themselves.
According to court documents, Wilson, who used the kennel name “City Limits,” regularly used the DMV Board to solicit fights for his dogs, and to notify his fellow dogfighters of the results of the fights that were arranged. In January 2019, Wilson entered his dog “City Limits Lil Bella” in a fight in Delaware. The fight lasted one hour and 12 minutes, before his dog lost the fight. Wilson later described on the DMV Board how, when his attempt to electrocute the dog failed, he simply shot her.
In June 2020, Wilson attended five dogfights, including two involving his own dogs. Wilson’s dog, “Thor,” won the first fight when the opposing dog quit 16 minutes into the fight. Wilson’s dog, “Red Alert,” won the last fight after 32 minutes when the opposing dog stopped moving. In August 2020, Wilson possessed eight pit-bull type dogs at his Warsaw residence, including four that bore scarring patterns that indicated previous involvement in dogfighting.
According to court documents, Wilson warned members of the DMV Board to be sure to confirm the death of the dogs that they try to kill upon losing a fight. He explained that one time, he and a co-conspirator thought that their dog had died in a fight, only to find that the dog returned to life. Further, Wilson provided on the DMV Board instructions on how to kill a losing dog and offered to drive to another conspirator’s house to hang the dog from a tree himself. Wilson told his fellow DMV Board members that he “loved” killing losing dogs.
According to court documents, in response to a news article posted to the DMV Board regarding an individual charged with running a dogfighting operation, Wilson warned: “People like dogs. They don’t like what we doing to them, though, I bet you that.”
In August 2022, Wilson and six others were indicted for a dogfighting conspiracy involving the DMV Board. Five of those six have previously pleaded guilty and been sentenced for dogfighting offenses.
Wilson is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20, 2023. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gordon D. Kromberg and Cristina C. Stam are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-154.
Texas Man Sentenced for Multi-State Drug Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Houston, Texas, man was sentenced today to 10.5 years in prison for distributing more than five kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride.
According to court documents, Elvis Elias Lopez, 28, along with his co-defendant Jamane Arvis Greene, 45, of Farmville, conspired to operate a multi-state drug trafficking operation to distribute large amounts of cocaine hydrochloride into the Richmond community.
As a result of this investigation, officers seized 18.9 kilograms of cocaine that were intended for distribution into the community, three firearms, and $1,127,835. Lopez and Greene forfeited the following items, either judicially or administratively: three firearms, all accompanying magazines and ammunition, $1,127,835 in U.S. Currency, 18kt yellow gold and stainless-steel Rolex wristwatch, 14kt yellow gold “Success Addictz” pendant, and a yellow gold large pave diamond “We Paid L*O Success Addictz" necklace.
On February 24, Greene was sentenced to 17 years in prison for his role in the conspiracy.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division; and Colonel Jeffrey S. Katz, Chesterfield County Police Department, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Janet Jin Ah Lee and Stephen E. Anthony prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-118.
Newport News Man Sentenced for Unlawful Purchase of a Firearm Used in Three Local ShootingsRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. –A Newport News man was sentenced today to 5 years in prison for the unlawful purchase and possession of a firearm that was used in three community shootings.
According to court documents, Khalil Rashad Armstrong, 22, asked his older cousin to purchase a handgun for Armstrong. Only 20 years old at the time, Armstrong was not old enough to purchase a handgun himself. Armstrong gave his cousin the money to purchase the firearm and selected the make and model. Around February 21, 2021, Armstrong’s cousin made false oral and written statements to a local licensed firearm dealer in order to straw-purchase the firearm for Armstrong. The firearm was recovered by police on July 27, 2021, at the crime scene of a local rival gang shootout approximately 125 days after it was purchased. Forensic ballistics confirmed the firearm had been used in two other shootings, once on May 2, 2021, resulting in property damage, and once on February 21, 2021, the same day it was purchased.
On May 12, Armstrong’s cousin and co-defendant, Destiny Na’iymah Davis, 23, of Newport News, pleaded guilty to a felony for her role in the unlawful straw-purchase of the firearm. According to court documents, the United States recommended a non-custodial sentence for Davis due to mitigating circumstances and her swift acceptance of responsibility for her role in the offense. Davis was sentenced to 18 months’ probation on December 5, 2022.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Mike Weddel, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Wilson Hanes.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Osyf prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:22-cr-12.
Hampton Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Defrauding Elderly Victims and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Hampton man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for defrauding victims in the Hampton Roads area out of more than $630,000 and evading the assessment of more than $50,000 in income taxes.
According to court documents, between 2013 and 2019, Clarence M. Rice Jr., 56, falsely represented to victims that he was going to receive a sizeable inheritance from his father’s death, under the condition that Rice paid off all his existing debts. He tricked victims into giving him large sums of money using the false representations that he needed the funds to obtain his inheritance.
As a result of his fraud scheme, Rice stole more than $350,000 from a 75-year-old retired bricklayer and more than $140,000 from an elderly blind man. In total, Rice obtained at least $632,017.44 in fraudulent proceeds from the scheme. As part of the plea, Rice agreed that his victims were of limited financial means and suffered substantial hardship from his fraud.
Despite earning income from his fraud scheme, Rice has not filed taxes since 2011. Between 2015 and 2019, he defrauded the IRS by living a cash lifestyle, negotiating checks from victims for U.S. currency instead of depositing them in bank accounts, hiding assets on prepaid cards, and lying to law enforcement about his income and assets. The approximate tax due and owing resulting from Rice’s failure to pay his personal income tax is $52,064.18.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Kareem Carter, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen.
Norfolk Police Department and Hampton Police Department provided significant assistance in this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Mack Coleman and Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Samuels prosecuted the case.
Combatting elder abuse and financial fraud targeted at seniors is a key priority of the Department of Justice. Elder abuse is an intentional or negligent act by any person that causes harm or a serious risk of harm to an older adult. It is a term used to describe five subtypes of elder abuse: physical abuse, financial fraud, scams and exploitation, caregiver neglect and abandonment, psychological abuse, and sexual abuse. Elder abuse is a serious crime against some of our nation’s most vulnerable citizens, affecting at least 10 percent of older Americans every year. Together with our federal, state, local and tribal partners, the Department of Justice is steadfastly committed to combatting all forms of elder abuse and financial exploitation through enforcement actions, training and resources, research, victim services, and public awareness. This holistic and robust response demonstrates the Department’s unwavering dedication to fighting for justice for older Americans.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:21-cr-60.
Matriarch Sentenced for Role in Violent Multimillion-Dollar Honduran Cocaine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Honduran woman was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for her participation in a large-scale conspiracy to traffic cocaine for importation into the United States.
According to court documents, from 2006 until 2015, Erlinda Ramos-Bobadilla, aka Chinda, 62, served as a leader in the Montes-Bobadilla drug-trafficking organization, or Los Montes, one of the largest drug-trafficking organizations then operating in Honduras. The Los Montes drug-trafficking organization was family-run and based in the town of Francia on the northeastern coast of Honduras. There, the organization received maritime and clandestine air shipments of cocaine from sources in South America. Individual shipments of cocaine usually carried hundreds of – and sometimes more than a thousand – kilograms of cocaine. After receiving a shipment of cocaine, Los Montes worked with other drug traffickers to transport the cocaine inland through Honduras into Guatemala and, eventually, Mexico, where the cocaine would then be imported into, and distributed within, the United States.
“The defendant and her family lead a dangerous drug cartel that brought thousands of kilograms of poisonous drugs into the U.S. from Honduras and left murder, corruption, violence, and terror in its wake. EDVA prioritizes the investigation, dismantling, and prosecution of organizations like The Los Montes cartel that destroy communities across nations,” said Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Today’s sentence would not have been possible without the coordinated efforts of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners who work tirelessly to stop illicit drugs and violence from infiltrating our neighborhoods.”
“Today’s sentencing reflects the Department of Justice’s commitment to holding traffickers like Romas-Bobadilla accountable and dismantling the trafficking organizations they support,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Criminal Division will continue to work tirelessly with our federal, state, and international partners to ensure that our communities are kept safe.”
Ramos-Bobadilla played an active leadership role in Los Montes. Among other responsibilities, she participated in the negotiation of cocaine transactions with other drug traffickers in Central and South America, managed the proceeds that the organization made from the sale of cocaine and, at times, paid sources of supply for cocaine that Los Montes purchased. Ramos-Bobadilla employed armed individuals to work at her direction and control, including by providing security for her and her cocaine shipments.
Ramos-Bobadilla also participated in procuring, planning, and arranging acts of violence, including murders, in furtherance of the conspiracy. For example, Los Montes and other Honduran drug-trafficking organizations conspired to finance the murder of the head of Honduras’ anti-drug trafficking agency in December 2009. In June 2013, along with her son, Noe Montes-Bobadilla, and another co-conspirator, Ramos-Bobadilla also participated in coordinating and directing the murder of a permanent resident of the United States in Tocoa, Honduras, in retaliation for perceived cooperation with the U.S. government.
In addition to her participation in these acts of violence, Ramos-Bobadilla engaged in bribery in furtherance of the conspiracy. Ramos-Bobadilla and her co-conspirators made payments to public officials in Honduras, including police officers and other law enforcement officials, to facilitate and protect the family’s drug-trafficking operations.
“The Montes-Bobadilla Drug Trafficking Organization terrorized and poisoned communities under Ramos-Bobadilla’s leadership,” said Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Washington Field Division. “Today’s sentencing is a testament to the capabilities and commitment by DEA to ensure that any domestic or foreign criminal who peddles deadly drugs into our neighborhoods and puts our families at risk will be held accountable.”
On Oct. 8, 2015, Ramos-Bobadilla and five co-conspirators were charged by indictment in the Eastern District of Virginia with conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine for importation into the United States. Three of Ramos-Bobadilla’s co-conspirators have been convicted and sentenced in this case:
Noe Montes-Bobadilla was sentenced in April 2019 to 37 years in prison. Arnulfo Fagot-Maximo was sentenced in May 2019 to 33 years in prison. Jose del Trancito Garcia-Teruel was sentenced in February 2022 to 13 years in prison. One co-conspirator, Tito Montes-Bobadilla, aka Alejandro Montes-Bobadilla, aka Pimpi, is deceased.
The Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) supported this case.
The DEA Washington Division investigated the case with assistance from FBI’s Washington Field Office, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., and the Virginia State Police. The Honduran National Police also provided substantial assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Ramos-Bobadilla.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas W. Traxler, Anthony T. Aminoff, and James L. Trump of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorneys Douglas Meisel and Janet Turnbull of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section prosecuted the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of New York, the Middle District of Florida, and the Southern District of Florida also provided assistance.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:15-cr-290.
Petersburg Armed Drug Trafficker Convicted by Federal JuryRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Petersburg man today of possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and cocaine hydrochloride, possession of firearms in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime, and possession of firearms by a convicted felon.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Melvin Leon Myrick, 24, crashed a Silver Nissan near Pine Forest Drive in Colonial Heights after fleeing an attempted traffic stop. When a Colonial Heights Police Department officer came upon the scene, Myrick exited the driver side door, went to the rear of the car, and then ran to the passenger door before fleeing into the woods.
An inventory search of the car resulted in the recovery of over 130 grams of methamphetamine and 45 grams of cocaine hydrochloride from passenger side floorboard, two loaded Glock, Model 22 semiautomatic pistols, an AK-style pistol, and digital scales. A search warrant obtained and executed on Myrick’s cellular phone revealed ongoing drug trafficking and connection to the firearms recovered from the Silver Nissan.
Myrick faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison for the possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and a maximum penalty of life in prison. For the conviction of possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, Myrick faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years in prison and maximum of life in prison. For the possession of firearms by a convicted felon he faces a maximum of 10 years in prison. Myrick will be sentenced on July 28. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Mike Weddel, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division; and William Anspach, Chief of Colonial Heights Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson accepted the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth R. Simon, Jr. and Peter S. Duffey are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-148.
Maryland Man Sentenced for Trafficking Firearms with Obliterated Serial NumbersRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Maryland man was sentenced today to 25 months in prison for trafficking firearms with obliterated serial numbers.
According to court documents, between September 2020 and October 2021, Chase O’Neil Pulliam, 25, purchased at least 49 firearms from federal firearms licensees throughout the Eastern District of Virginia. After purchasing the firearms, Pulliam transported the firearms across state lines to Maryland and Washington, D.C., where he re-sold the firearms to other individuals. At least two individuals who purchased firearms from Pulliam were convicted felons prohibited from possessing firearms. In furtherance of his firearms trafficking operation, an associate of Pulliam obliterated the serial numbers from approximately 35 firearms on Pulliam’s behalf.
At least eight of the firearms purchased and re-sold by Pulliam were recovered at crime scenes throughout Maryland and Washington, D.C. One of the firearms purchased and re-sold by Pulliam was recovered in connection with a domestic violence incident in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Another firearm purchased and re-sold by Pulliam was recovered during a joint federal and local narcotics investigation in the Washington, D.C.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Mike Weddel, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T. S. Ellis, III.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Patterson and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin W. Trundle prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-211.
Justice Department Announces Arrest of the Founder of One of the World’s Largest Hacker Forums and Disruption of Forum’s OperationRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The founder of BreachForums made his initial appearance today in the Eastern District of Virginia on a criminal charge related to his alleged creation and administration of a major hacking forum and marketplace for cybercriminals that claimed to have more than 340,000 members as of last week. In parallel with his arrest on March 15, the FBI and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) have conducted a disruption operation that caused BreachForums to go offline.
“Cybercrime victimizes and steals financial and personal information from millions of innocent people,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This arrest sends a direct message to cybercriminals: your exploitative and illegal conduct will be discovered, and you will be brought to justice.”
According to court documents unsealed today, Conor Brian Fitzpatrick, 20, of Peekskill, New York, allegedly operated BreachForums as a marketplace for cybercriminals to buy, sell, and trade hacked or stolen data and other contraband since March 2022. Among the stolen items commonly sold on the platform were bank account information, social security numbers, other personally identifying information (PII), means of identification, hacking tools, breached databases, services for gaining unauthorized access to victim systems, and account login information for compromised online accounts with service providers and merchants.
“Today, we continue our work to dismantle key players in the cybercrime ecosystem,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “Like its predecessor RaidForums, which we took down almost a year ago, BreachForums bridged the gap between hackers hawking pilfered data and buys eager to exploit it. All those operating in dark net markets should take note: Working with our law enforcement partners, we will take down illicit forums and bring administrators to justice in U.S. courtrooms.”
“People expect that their online data will be protected, and the Department of Justice is committed to doing just that,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Criminal Division. “We must and will remain vigilant to the threat posed by those who attempt to undermine our digital security. We will continue to disrupt the forums that facilitate the theft and distribution of personal information and prosecute those responsible.”
Fitzpatrick’s alleged victims have included millions of U.S. citizens and hundreds of U.S. and foreign companies, organizations, and government agencies. Some of the stolen datasets contained the sensitive information of customers at telecommunication, social media, investment, health care services, and internet service providers. For instance, on Jan. 4, a BreachForums user posted the names and contact information for approximately 200 million users of a major U.S.-based social networking site. Further, on Dec. 18, 2022, another BreachForums user posted details of approximately 87,760 members of InfraGard, a partnership between the FBI and private sector companies focused on the protection of critical infrastructure.
“The FBI will continue to devote all available resources to deter, disrupt, and diminish criminal enterprise activity,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “We will work alongside our federal and international partners to impose costs on malicious cyber actors around the world and continue to bring justice to those who victimize the American public.”
“Following the seizure of RaidForums last year, cybercriminals turned to BreachForums to buy and sell stolen data, including breached databases, hacking tools, and the personal and financial information of millions of U.S. citizens and businesses,” said Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office. “The FBI and our partners will not let cybercriminals and those who enable them profit from the theft of sensitive data while hiding behind keyboards. The arrest of Conor Fitzpatrick and the disruption of yet another criminal marketplace demonstrates the potency of our joint work to dismantle the digital structures that facilitate cybercrime.”
As part of the scheme, Fitzpatrick allegedly supported the activities of cybercriminals by creating and operating a “Leaks Market” subsection that was dedicated to buying and selling hacked or stolen data, tools for committing cybercrime, and other illicit material. To facilitate transactions on the forum, Fitzpatrick allegedly offered to act as a trusted middleman, or escrow service, between individuals on the website who sought to conduct these types of illicit transactions. In addition, Fitzpatrick allegedly managed an “Official” databases section through which BreachForums directly sold access to verified hacked databases through a “credits” system administered by the platform. As of Jan. 11, the Official database section purported to contain 888 datasets, consisting of over 14 billion individual records. These databases belong to a wide variety of both U.S. and foreign companies, organizations, and government agencies. Fitzpatrick allegedly profited from the scheme by charging for forum credits and membership fees.
“This case sends a clear message that illicitly stealing, selling, and trading the personal information of innocent members of the public will not be tolerated, and that malicious cyber actors will be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Stephen Niemczak of the HHS-OIG. “HHS-OIG and our law enforcement partners remain dedicated to protecting the American public and the integrity of government networks and data from these egregious cyberattacks.”
The BreachForums website has supported additional sections in which users discuss tools and techniques for hacking and exploiting hacked or stolen information, including in the “Cracking,” “Leaks,” and “Tutorials” sections. The BreachForums website also includes a “Staff” section that appears to be operated by the BreachForums administrators and moderators.
Fitzpatrick is charged with conspiracy to commit access device fraud. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Fitzpatrick’s arrest and the disruption of BreachForums comes nearly a year after the Department of Justice announced the seizure of a predecessor hacking marketplace, Raidforums, and unsealed criminal charges against RaidForums’ founder and chief administrator.
The law enforcement actions against Fitzpatrick and BreachForums are the result of an ongoing criminal investigation by the FBI Washington Field Office, FBI San Francisco Division, and HHS-OIG, with assistance provided by the U.S. Secret Service, Homeland Security Investigations New York Field Office, New York Police Department, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Peekskill Police Department. The U.S. Attorneys’ Office for the Northern District of California, the District of Maryland, and the Southern District of New York have also provided assistance in this matter.
The Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carina A. Cuellar for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case against Fitzpatrick.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Servicemember Sentenced to 30 Years for Directing Minors to Produce Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Surprise, Arizona, man was sentenced this week to 30 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, from summer of 2021 through March 2022, Elliott Velez, 38, used over 28 known fictitious social media accounts across multiple platforms to engage in sexually graphic conversations with girls under the age of 18. During these conversations with the victims, Velez would instruct them to engage in sexually explicit conduct, take photos or videos, and send the images to him. Velez would give explicit instructions on what he wanted them to do and who he wanted them to engage in sexually explicit conduct with, including other underage individuals. Review of just one account during the span of just one week Velez had engaged in over 7,000 lines of sexually graphic conversations with minors. Velez would use a recording device on his phone to ensure that he could keep these videos and images without the victim’s knowledge.
Velez was an active-duty Senior Master Sergeant in the Air Force who was located in Newport News during the time of his illegal conduct.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Derek W. Gordon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Heath prosecuted the case.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Norfolk Child Exploitation Task Force (NCETF), as part of Project Safe Childhood. The NCETF is composed of FBI agents and detectives from the Chesapeake Police Department, Hampton Police Division, and Newport News Police Department. Assistance in this matter was also provided by federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children. Tips regarding child exploitation can be provided to the task force at 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov.
In 2021, EDVA launched “UnMasked,” a community-based educational outreach and prevention program in Virginia dedicated to raising awareness and educating the community about the prevalence of online sexual exploitation involving children and young adults. UnMasked is a multi-disciplinary partnership of local, state, federal, and non-profit stakeholders. The core curriculum is provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) NetSmartz program. To report an incident involving online sexual exploitation, call 1-800-843-5678 or submit a report at report.cybertip.org. To request an UnMasked event at your school or organization, please contact EDVA’s Community Outreach Coordinator at [email protected].
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:22-cr-28.
Government Contractor Pays $742,500 to Settle False Claims Act Allegations in Obtaining Contracts Reserved for Eligible Small BusinessesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Advanced Systems Technology & Management, Inc. (AdSTM), a government contractor specializing in science and technology-based engineering and consulting located in McLean, and AdSTM’s former CEO, Bing Ran, also of McLean, agreed to pay $742,500 to settle allegations that AdSTM used alter ego companies to allow AdSTM to obtain contracts “set aside” for contractors participating in the Small Business Administration’s (SBA’s) 8(a) Program, after AdSTM was no longer eligible under the 8(a) Program.
“It is vital to the purpose of the SBA’s programs that government contracts set aside for disadvantaged small businesses are issued only to those companies that are eligible. EDVA encourages anyone to come forward with information about instances where the small business set aside program has been victimized,” said Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.
The settlement arises in connection with a lawsuit filed by a former AdSTM employee under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act. United States ex rel. Guan v. AdSTM, et al. The settlement resolves allegations that AdSTM and Ran conspired to fraudulently induce federal agencies to award multiple small business set-aside contracts to Qi Tech and Foredata for which they were not eligible because they were controlled by AdSTM and Ran after AdSTM was no longer eligible under the 8(a) program because of its size. Among other criteria, to be eligible to participate in the SBA’s 8(a) Program, a company must be (1) a small business, (2) at least 51% owned by U.S. citizens who are socially and economically disadvantaged, and (3) the management and daily operations of the company must be controlled by one or more individuals that are both socially and economically disadvantaged.
“We are very pleased with today’s announcement,” said Special Agent in Charge L. Scott Moreland of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Major Procurement Fraud Field Office. “This settlement, which is the result of great cooperative efforts among our law enforcement partners, is yet another example that misuse of the government contracting process will not go unchecked.”
A whistleblower suit, or qui tam action under the False Claims Act, is commenced by an individual, known as a “relator,” filing a complaint under seal in the U.S. District Court, and providing a copy of the complaint and other evidence to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The United States then has an opportunity to investigate the claims. The False Claims Act provides whistleblowers with a share of the government’s recovery. The relator here, a former AdSTM employee, will receive a share of the False Claims Act settlement.
The resolutions obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s Mid-Atlantic Field Office, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division Major Procurement Fraud Field Office, and the Defense Contract Audit Agency.
The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin Starr.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information from the civil lawsuit can be accessed on PACER by searching for No. 1:18-cv-795 (E.D. Va., Alexandria Div.).
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Leaders of North Carolina Drug-Trafficking Organization Convicted of Murder-for-Hire in NorfolkRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted four Greensboro men for their role in a murder-for-hire that resulted in the death of 59-year-old Norfolk resident, Lillian Bond, on April 19, 2016.
“This day has been a long time coming, especially for the family of Lillian Bond. This drug enterprise took the life of an innocent person, a woman well known to be kind and compassionate to her friends and family, and I hope that today’s verdict brings some measure of justice to her family,” said Jessica D. Aber, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “We are committed to continuing to work with our federal and state law enforcement partners to reduce the amount of drug-related violence in our communities.”
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Jaquate Simpson, 38, and Landis Jackson, 38, were the leaders of a long-running criminal enterprise responsible for distributing hundreds of kilograms of cocaine into central North Carolina and the Hampton Roads region.
On April 13, 2016, a Norfolk-based drug dealer failed to pay over $81,000 for a multi-kilogram delivery of cocaine. Simpson and Jackson’s organization retaliated by hiring a Nine Trey gang member, Kalub Shipman, 35, to kill the next person to exit a house associated with where the Norfolk dealer had been known to frequent. Shipman initially traveled to Virginia within hours of being offered the murder-for-hire contract with a fellow gang member. They conducted surveillance on the residence and then returned to Greensboro.
Shipman then recruited Nelson Evans, 32, to assist in the murder-for-hire, offering him a portion of the $10,000 Shipman would receive upon completion. Shipman and Evans traveled to Virginia on April 18, 2016. The following morning, at approximately 11:30 a.m., Shipman and Evans entered the Ingleside neighborhood of Norfolk and shot Lillian Bond as she was taking out the trash on Trice Terrace. Ms. Bond had been an employee of the Children’s Hospital for King’s Daughters for approximately 20 years and was described as a pillar in her community.
"The suspects in this case had a complete disregard for anyone but themselves, and because of pure greed, took an innocent woman’s life to send a message. While the family of Lillian Bond can never be made whole because of these men’s senseless actions, today’s convictions can hopefully bring her family some semblance of justice and closure," said Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Norfolk Field Office. "This case is a stark reminder of how gun violence devastates our local communities. The FBI is committed to continuing to work with our local, state, and federal partners to disrupt this type of crime and dismantle organized criminal enterprises."
The jury found each defendant guilty of the following charges:
Name
Charges
Jaquate Simpson, a/k/a
“Quay,” “J,” “Stacks,” “Predator”Continuing criminal enterprise; murder while engaged in continuing criminal enterprise; narcotics conspiracy; murder while engaged in a drug-trafficking offense; distribution of cocaine; use of a firearm resulting in death; conspiracy to commit murder for hire; murder for hire
Landis Jackson, a/k/a “Juve,” “Juvie”
Continuing criminal enterprise; murder while engaged in continuing criminal enterprise; narcotics conspiracy; murder while engaged in a drug-trafficking offense; distribution of cocaine; use of a firearm resulting in death; conspiracy to commit murder for hire; murder for hire
Kalub Shipman, a/k/a “Kato,” “Baydo”
Murder while engaged in a drug-trafficking offense; use of a firearm resulting in death; conspiracy to commit murder for hire; murder for hire; felon in possession of a firearm
Nelson Evans
Use of a firearm resulting in death; conspiracy to commit murder for hire; murder for hire
All four men face mandatory life sentences when sentenced. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Mike Goldsmith, Interim Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney accepted the verdict.
The case was investigated by the FBI Norfolk Field Office, Department of Homeland Security, DEA, United States Postal Inspection Service, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and the Police Departments of Norfolk, Greensboro, Thomasville, Winston-Salem, and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, the Sheriff’s Departments of Guilford and Davidson County, and the United States Marshals Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joe DePadilla, John F. Butler and Kristin G. Bird are prosecuting the case.
The case was investigated as part of four Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), Operation Burning Man, Operation Cash Cab, Operation Goodfellas and Operation Cardinal Sin. The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-90.
Former Department of State Employee Sentenced for Engaging in Illicit Sexual Conduct with Minors in the PhilippinesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former U.S. Department of State employee was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place.
According to court documents, Dean Edward Cheves, 63, served at the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines from 2017 to 2021. From December 2020 to March 2021, Cheves used a messaging application installed on his cell phone to chat with a 15- to 16-year-old Philippine minor, whom he paid to create and send to him sexually explicit images of the minor. Additionally, in February 2021, Cheves engaged in sex acts on two separate occasions with another 16-year-old Philippine minor, whom he met online. Cheves used his government-issued cell phone to film the sex acts on at least one of those occasions. The child sex abuse material that Cheves produced was found on the phone after it was seized from Cheves’ embassy residence in the Philippines. Cheves knew the ages of both minors at the time he engaged in the conduct.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Kenneth A. Polite, Jr., Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton.
The U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Office of Special Investigations investigated the case with valuable assistance provided by the DSS Regional Security Office, Homeland Security Investigations Attaché’s Office in the Philippines, and the Philippine National Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Pomerantz Halper and Zoe Bedell for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Trial Attorney Gwendelynn Bills for the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, 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 the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-177.
Former Department of State Employee Sentenced for Engaging in Illicit Sexual Conduct with Minors in the PhilippinesRead the Press Release
A former U.S. Department of State employee was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place.
According to court documents, Dean Edward Cheves, 63, served at the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines from 2017 to 2021. From December 2020 to March 2021, Cheves used a messaging application installed on his cell phone to chat with a 15- to 16-year-old Philippine minor, whom he paid to create and send to him sexually explicit images of the minor. Additionally, in February 2021, Cheves engaged in sex acts on two separate occasions with another 16-year-old Philippine minor, whom he met online. Cheves used his government-issued cell phone to film the sex acts on at least one of those occasions. The child sex abuse material that Cheves produced was found on the phone after it was seized from Cheves’ embassy residence in the Philippines. Cheves knew the ages of both minors at the time he engaged in the conduct.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia made the announcement.
The U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Office of Special Investigations investigated the case with valuable assistance provided by the DSS Regional Security Office, Homeland Security Investigations Attaché’s Office in the Philippines, and the Philippine National Police.
Trial Attorney Gwendelynn Bills of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Pomerantz Halper and Zoe Bedell for the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case.
This case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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 http://www.justice.gov/psc.
Texas Man Sentenced for $2 Million Medicare FraudRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Texas man was sentenced today to 66 months in prison for conspiring to defraud Medicare of more than $2 million by submitting thousands of fraudulent claims for durable medical equipment.
According to court documents, Jordan Thomas Broome, 37, was the owner and operator of Beach Medical Suppliers, LLC (“Beach Medical”), which had its storefront in Virginia Beach. Broome enrolled Beach Medical in Medicare in 2018 and thereafter submitted thousands of fraudulent claims for durable medical equipment such as back and knee braces. Working with other companies and individuals, Beach Medical would unlawfully obtain the personal identifying information of elderly Medicare beneficiaries, mail them braces that they never wanted or needed, and then submit fraudulent bills to Medicare. The scheme included a network of doctors who would “robo-sign” prescriptions for patients the doctors had never met. During the scheme, which lasted until federal agents executed a search warrant at Beach Medical in late 2020, Beach Medical obtained approximately $2,153,200.44 in fraudulent billings involving more than 2,000 Medicare beneficiaries.
Broome is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and a former Naval officer.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Wilson Hanes.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys E. Rebecca Gantt and Kevin P. Hudson prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-79.
Richmond Man Sentenced for Possession and Sale of Machinegun Conversion DevicesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to three years in prison for possessing and selling multiple machinegun conversion devices, also known as Glock switches, that are designed to convert firearms into fully automatic machineguns.
According to court documents, Zantias Tyler, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of possessing and transporting multiple machinegun conversion devices, which are illegal under federal law because they are designed solely to convert a firearm into a fully automatic weapon. In June 2022, the ATF Internet Investigations Branch identified a YouTube channel where Tyler showcased several videos promoting the manufacture and sale of devices specific to “Glock-Style” firearms, commonly referred to as “switches” or “Glock switches.”
Previously, in May 2022, Tyler had been stopped and questioned by Richmond police, and during that encounter, the officers recovered two Glock switches attached to Tyler’s key chain. Further investigation by the ATF intercepted packages mailed by Tyler containing more switches. Ultimately, two search warrants were executed on Tyler’s residence. In all, twelve conversion devices were seized by the ATF, along with a package of 30 additional device parts, two firearms, and evidence of dozens of online sales of these devices.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Michael T. Weddel, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division; Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Rick Edwards, Acting Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter S. Duffey prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-145.
Alexandria Small Business Owner Pleads Guilty to $900,000 Tax FraudRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Alexandria man pleaded guilty today to filing a false individual income tax return for the 2016 tax year.
According to court documents, Samer Najia was the owner and operator of Najia Systems, an information technology consultancy located in Alexandria. From 2012 to 2018, Najia knowingly filed false individual income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) that fraudulently represented that he had paid $229,279 in individual income taxes, when in fact he still owed that money to the IRS. To conceal the fraud, Najia provided false wage and tax statements to his accountant that misrepresented the taxes that he had paid to the IRS.
In addition to filing false individual tax returns, from 2012 through 2018, Najia willfully failed to satisfy his employment tax responsibilities. As the owner and operator of Najia Systems, Najia had an obligation to file employment tax returns. Despite knowing about this duty, Najia did not file employment tax returns for more than 24 quarters. Further, Najia was responsible for withholding and paying payroll taxes to the IRS. This consists of an employee portion comprised of Medicare, Social Security, and federal income taxes, and an employer portion comprised of Medicare and Social Security taxes. Despite collecting taxes from his employees, Najia did not timely pay either the employee or employer portions of the employment taxes to the IRS, resulting in a tax loss of $915,671.
Najia is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20, 2023. He faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Kareem A. Carter, IRS Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Morgan and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen McCarthy are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-45.
Two Men Plead Guilty to $1.3 Million Penny-Stock SchemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two men pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud in connection with a penny-stock manipulation scheme.
According to court documents, from at least November 2016 through October 2018, Phillip W. Offill, Jr., 64, of Dallas, Texas; Justin Wallace Herman, 52, of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania; and others conspired to misappropriate millions of shares of a publicly traded company that held mining claims in Arizona and Idaho. The defendants then fraudulently marketed the shares for sale through third parties, including call centers, who made materially false statements to potential investors, while manipulating the market so that the stock falsely appeared to be trading more actively than it actually was. As a result of the scheme, victim investors lost approximately $1.3 million.
Over a decade ago, in January 2010, Offill, a former attorney with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, was convicted during a jury trial in the Eastern District of Virginia for participating in multimillion-dollar pump-and-dump stock manipulation schemes. Offill was sentenced on April 23, 2010 to eight years in prison in connection with that case. Offill was serving a three-year term of supervised release when he committed the new offense to which he pleaded guilty yesterday.
Offill and Herman are scheduled to be sentenced on June 21, 2023. They each face a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kenneth A. Polite, Jr., Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston, Jr. accepted the guilty pleas.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Pedersen of the Eastern District of Virginia, and Trial Attorneys Andrew Tyler and Amanda Fretto Lingwood of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section at the Justice Department, are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-152.
Home Health Provider and Two Executives Agree to Pay $1 Million to Resolve Kickback and Pandemic-Relief Fraud AllegationsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Fairfax-based home health care company and two executives agreed to pay $1 million to resolve claims arising from an alleged kickback scheme designed to obtain referrals for home health and hospice patients.
The United States alleged that from 2012 to 2021, Pro Healthcare Servicing, LLC (Pro Health), its Chief Executive Officer, Erwin Cheng, and its Chief Administrator, Gloria Jiang, both of Ashburn, paid kickbacks to employees at various assisted living facilities and skilled nursing facilities throughout northern Virginia to induce those facilities to refer patients to Pro Health for home health and hospice services. Pro Health then billed Medicare for services rendered to those patients.
The United States further alleged that while Pro Health was engaged in the kickback scheme, the company fraudulently obtained pandemic-relief loans through the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program by falsely certifying that the company was not engaged in any illegal activity when applying for the loans.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William Hochul and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Ilene Albala.
The civil claims are allegations only; there has been no admission of liability.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Repeat Child Pornography Defendant SentencedRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man was sentenced today to ten years in prison for possession of child pornography.
According to court documents, David Hooke, 48, previously was convicted in 2016 in Franklin (Virginia) Circuit Court for possession of child pornography. After serving a brief period in jail, Hooke moved into the Onesimus Transition Center (OTC), a residential facility in Chesapeake for men who have been released from prison. In March 2021, the FBI received information that a computer user at OTC was sharing images of child pornography. In September 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at OTC. Hooke, who was on state supervision at the time, admitted to sharing images of child pornography online, and an analysis of his computers revealed numerous images of child pornography.
During the execution of the search warrant, another OTC resident and convicted sex offender, Morris Guy Warren, was also found to be in possession of child pornography. Warren was sentenced in federal court to ten years’ imprisonment in December 2022.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kenneth A. Polite Jr., Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Mark G. Solesky, Chief of Chesapeake Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Yusi and Trial Attorney Adam Braskich of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s 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 www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-61.
Alexandria Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Distribute Thousands of Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Alexandria man was sentenced today to 135 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute thousands of counterfeit pressed pills containing fentanyl in northern Virginia.
According to court documents, Alpha Amin Kamara, 25, engaged in a conspiracy to distribute thousands of fentanyl pills from May 2022 until his arrest on June 26, 2022. Kamara was serving a term of home confinement when he entered the conspiracy, following his release from the custody of the Bureau of Prisons just days earlier. He immediately began distributing fentanyl pills to customers in northern Virginia, which he obtained through the U.S. Postal Service from sources in Arizona and Washington state.
On June 26, 2022, while driving a stolen vehicle, Kamara led police on a chase at speeds in excess of 140 miles per hour on Interstate 95. The resulting crash led to the discovery of over 18,000 fentanyl pills in the back of the stolen vehicle.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T. S. Ellis, III.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachael C. Tucker prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-175.
Woman Sentenced for $5.8 Million COVID-19 Loan Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Stockbridge, Georgia, woman was sentenced today to 51 months in prison for conspiring with others to submit millions of dollars in fraudulent disaster-related loan applications in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to court documents, Nikki Mitchum, 45, participated in a conspiracy to obtain disaster-related loan benefits in the form of Small Business Administration (SBA) sponsored Economic Injury Disaster loans (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. These programs, initiated and expanded under the Cares Act, are designed to provide support for small businesses for expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nikki Mitchum and her co-conspirators, including Malik Mitchum, 27, and Jenna Mitchum, 27, of Hampton, submitted fraudulent claims for government benefits in the name of businesses that they falsely represented were struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Between March 2020 and May 2021, approximately 13 fraudulent applications for pandemic-related loan benefits were submitted using Nikki Mitchum’s information that contained false statements and misrepresentations about their income, employment, and claimed business entities. Nikki Mitchum is further linked to four other fraudulent loan applications by the IP address used to submit the applications. Finally, Nikki Mitchum is connected with 17 fraudulent loan applications submitted by other co-conspirators who paid kickbacks in an approximate amount of $204,000 to the companies owned and operated by Nikki Mitchum.
Malik and Jenna Mitchum previously pleaded guilty and were linked to more than $5.5 million in intended loss and caused approximately $1.4 million in actual loss to the United States and participating financial institutions. Malik Mitchum was sentenced to 51 months in prison and Jenna Mitchum was sentenced to 48 months in prison for their respective roles in the conspiracy. Nikki Mitchum has agreed to pay approximately $1.8 million in restitution to the United States for actual losses from her role in the conspiracy and is linked with intended fraud loss of more than $5.8 million.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.
This case was investigated by the Newport News Financial Crimes Task Force, a partnership between local, state and federal law enforcement to combat financial crimes on the Virginia Peninsula.
Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Mack Coleman prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:21-cr-85 and 4:22-cr-47.
Virginia Beach Naval Nurse Sentenced for Attempted Coercion of a MinorRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for attempting to coerce and entice a 14-year-old minor to have sex with him.
According to court documents, Curtis Wade Spencer, 44, was on active duty in the Navy Nurse Corps. On or about July 27, 2022, Spencer contacted who he believed to be a 14-year-old minor online and began to have sexually explicit conversations with the minor. Spencer also sent videos and photographs of his genitals to the purported minor. On August 17, 2022, Spencer left his workplace at the Langley Air Force Base Hospital and traveled to a prearranged meeting spot expecting to meet the minor for sex. Instead, Spencer was arrested as the 14-year-old minor he hoped to meet was an undercover agent.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Mack Hickman, Special Agent in Charge of the of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Victoria Liu prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-117.