Eastern District of Virginia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Ashburn Woman Convicted of $2.5 Million Pandemic FraudRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted an Ashburn woman today on charges of conspiracy, bank fraud, and money laundering.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Rose-Marie Nsahlai, 47, and her husband fraudulently obtained two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. The PPP was a program instituted by the U.S. Congress to help businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic continue to pay salaries or wages to their employees. Nsahlai carried out the scheme in connection with two of her husband’s businesses by creating fraudulent payroll documentation for each business, and then submitting that documentation in support of the PPP loan applications. The fraudulent documentation represented that her husband’s businesses had dozens of employees with over $17 million of annual payroll in 2019, when in fact they had few, if any, employees.
In total, Nsahlai and her husband fraudulently obtained approximately $2,501,753 in loan proceeds, and they then spent those funds on items unrelated to any legitimate PPP-related expense. Those items included the down-payment on a 7,000-square-foot home in Leesburg. Nsahlai’s husband pleaded guilty to this scheme in 2021.
Nsahlai faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison when sentenced on July 19. 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 Carter, IRS Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office; Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); Michael Serra, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC); and Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge for the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG), made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston, Jr. accepted the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan M. Harvey and David A. Peters 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. 1:21-cr-234.
Three Individuals Plead Guilty to Laundering Money from Massage Parlor ProstitutionRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk woman pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to engage in money laundering. Two Norfolk defendants pleaded guilty last week to the same charges.
According to court documents, Si Liu, 36, and her codefendants, Yang Gao, 33, and Ye Wang, 32, conspired to move and conceal proceeds obtained through prostitution. During the conspiracy, Gao, Wang and Liu worked as operators or managers of illicit, unregistered massage parlors located in Virginia Beach and Williamsburg, which derived revenues from the prostitution of female employees for money. Women were recruited online to work for the defendants. Female employees within the massage parlors performed sex acts for customers in exchange for cash payments.
Gao managed the day-to-day operations of the parlors, including collecting money obtained via commercial sex. Gao also provided transportation to women engaged in commercial sex and maintained the facilities, unlicensed massage parlors, utilized for commercial sex. Wang assisted Gao in the operation of the illicit commercial sex business. Liu helped facilitate the exploitation of women engaged in commercial sex, collected proceeds from the illegal activity, managed the web-based advertising of the illicit massage parlors, and encouraged women to perform sex acts by providing condoms and offering financial incentives.
Gao, Wang, and Liu split the prostitution proceeds with the women engaged in prostitution. Gao, Wang and Liu traveled to the massage parlors located in Virginia Beach and Williamsburg to collect prostitution proceeds, and then deposited a percentage of profits into various bank accounts. Money was then transferred to other members of the larger enterprise through cash deliveries and via mobile banking.
Pursuant to the plea agreements the defendants agreed to forfeit four vehicles, over $130,000 in US Currency, numerous items of jewelry, a gold bar; as well as three personal residences.
Gao and Wang previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in money laundering. Gao and Wang are scheduled to be sentenced on August 4. Liu is scheduled to be sentenced on August 11. Each defendant 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, Acting Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police; and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan Montoya and Matthew Heck 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.
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-108.
Federal Public Official Sentenced for Accepting BribesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A former General Services Administration (GSA) Official was sentenced yesterday to 30 months in prison for accepting bribes in exchange for directing government procurement contracts to government contractors.
According to court documents, Charles W. Jones, 59, was employed as a Supervisory Construction Control Representative with the GSA in Richmond. He had responsibility for the management and oversight of construction and renovation projects at certain federal buildings throughout the Norfolk, Richmond, and Alexandria areas. Beginning in approximately December of 2015 and continuing through August 2019, Jones received bribes totaling $411,192 from Daniel Crowe, in exchange for awarding them federal construction projects to his companies. In October of 2019, Jones received a cash payment from Jennifer Strickland, the President of SDC Contracting LLC, in exchange for awarding a contract valued at approximately $1,369,501.
Crowe and Strickland have previously pleaded guilty and have been sentenced to related charges.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Carol Fortine Ochoa, Inspector General, General Services Administration (GSA); Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Christopher Dillard, Special Agent in Charge for the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS); and Michael Butler, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.
The General Services Administration (GSA) Office of Inspector General provided significant assistance in this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Heck 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-66.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Fairfax man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, in March and April 2022, Calvin Ray Brown, 50, and a co-conspirator sold counterfeit pressed pills containing fentanyl to a Fairfax County Police Department confidential source and undercover detective on multiple occasions. When a search warrant was executed on Brown’s residence, officers recovered 999 counterfeit pressed pills containing fentanyl, approximately 723 grams of methamphetamine, over 500 grams of cocaine, and 665 grams of N,N-dimethylpentylone, a federally unscheduled substance similar to MDMA.
Officers also recovered $25,001 in cash, a loaded semi-automatic “ghost” gun, and a bulletproof ballistics vest. During an interview, Brown admitted that he and his co-conspirator had been distributing fentanyl pills, methamphetamine, MDMA, and crack cocaine since January 2021. He stated that, over the course of the conspiracy, they obtained about 1000 fentanyl pills every two weeks, and had also obtained 1 kilogram of methamphetamine and 8 kilograms of cocaine. Brown has a lengthy criminal history, which includes numerous convictions for drug trafficking, as well as a conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Brown is scheduled to be sentenced on June 26. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. 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 Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; and Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston accepted the plea.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Hahn 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-30.
Felon Sentenced for Possessing Firearm Used in Gilpin Court ShootingRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to 78 months in prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on February 19, 2021, T'Mar Green, 23, and another person were approached by law enforcement officers in Gilpin Court. When the officers asked if they could speak with them, both individuals began to run from the officers. While running, Green pulled out a firearm that he had in his possession and threw the loaded firearm near one of the residential buildings in the 100 block of St. James Street. Officers then detained Green and recovered the firearm.
After officers recovered the firearm, they were able to link it to a shooting which occurred on February 16, 2021, also in Gilpin Court. On that date, Green and others engaged in a shootout where Green shot and wounded another person with the same firearm he possessed on February 19, 2021. The victim was treated for his injuries at a local hospital. Green was previously prosecuted in State Court for the shooting.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Michael Weddel, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen E. Anthony prosecuted the case.
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.
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-15.
Felon Convicted of Possessing a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Richmond man last week on charges of possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Rashon Torrence, 26, a convicted felon, threw a firearm during a foot pursuit with a Richmond Police Department officer. Around midnight on January 3, 2022, officers saw a truck speeding in a residential area. The driver, later identified as Torrence, was wearing a black ski mask. The officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop of Torrence, and a brief vehicle pursuit ensued. Torrence then stopped the truck and ran, with an officer in pursuit. When Torrence got to a patch of trees, he made a throwing motion, and the officer saw a black object leave Torrence’s hand. After detaining Torrence, the officer went back to the trees and found a Ruger 9mm semi-automatic pistol.
Officers also recovered from Torrence 10 pills of methamphetamine and 44 pills of Clonazolam, a Schedule I controlled substance in Virginia. Torrence also had $352 in his pocket. The officers also recovered an additional 122 Clonazolam pills from a bottle near to where Torrence was arrested.
Torrence has a prior conviction for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
Torrence faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when sentenced on June 27. 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; Michael Weddel, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division; and Rick Edwards, Acting Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge David J. Novak accepted the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Wright and Stephen Miller 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-113.
Man Sentenced for Shooting Farmville Auto Dealership Owner during Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A New York man was sentenced today to 25 years in prison for committing an armed robbery in Farmville, during which he shot the victim in the leg.
According to court documents, on July 16, 2020, Herbert Young III, 54, committed an armed robbery of the Farmville auto dealership, Auto Connection. During the robbery, Young physically restrained the victim-owner’s hands using an electrical extension cord and a phone charging cord. When a customer entered the store, the victim attempted to free himself and flee. Before the victim could do so, Young shot at him and struck the calf area of the victim’s right leg.
Young then stole a 2000 BMW, which belonged to the Auto Connection and fled the scene. In addition to the 2000 BMW, Young took the victim’s cell phone as well as other property that belonged to the Auto Connection. DNA evidence obtained from the extension cord later tied Young to the armed robbery. Prior to his conviction in this case, Young had been previously convicted of three separate armed robberies and an aggravated assault where he shot the victim.
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 Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth R. Simon, Jr. and Michael R. Gill 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-77.
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Possession of Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – An Isle of Wight man was sentenced today to 81 months in prison for being a convicted felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
According to court documents, on June 27, 2018, Ronald Devon Matthews, 36, was convicted of carrying a firearm without a license, a felony, in Pennsylvania. On Dec. 7, 2021, Matthews was arrested after law enforcement executed a search warrant at his residence in Carrsville. During the search, deputies discovered a 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun and ammunition under a sofa in the den of the residence. Law enforcement also discovered two 9mm pistols, magazines, ammunition, and a bulletproof vest in a gun safe in Matthews’ bedroom.
From jail, Matthews made phone calls instructing an accomplice to clean out his storage unit in Franklin. The following day, deputies executed a search warrant on Matthews’ storage unit and discovered four rifles, four pistols, one shotgun, over 2,000 rounds of ammunition, 2.2 kilograms of marijuana, and a digital scale bearing methamphetamine residue. Two of the firearms were affixed with devices subsequently determined to be illegal “firearm silencers” or “firearm mufflers” by the ATF Firearms Technology Branch.
Matthews was sentenced to 81 months in prison with 3 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to forfeit 14 firearms and over 2,000 rounds of ammunition.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Darrell Logwood, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division; Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police; and Derek W. Gordon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.
Significant assistance was provided by the Isle of Wight Sherriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Darryl J. Mitchell prosecuted the case.
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.
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-110.
Two Men Sentenced for Laundering Proceeds of a Business Email Compromise SchemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two men were sentenced today to over 14 years in prison combined for money laundering as part of a business email compromise (BEC) scheme.
According to court documents, Onyewuchi Victor Ibeh, 33, of Mitchellville, Maryland, and Jason Eugene Joyner, 42, of Hyattsville, Maryland, participated in a scheme to launder the proceeds of a BEC scheme. In this scheme, conspirators infiltrate the computer systems of a victim company, including their email servers and email accounts, through phishing attacks or the use of malware. Once there, the conspirators impersonate the victim’s business partner and claim the business partner’s bank account information has changed. Intending to send the money to the business partner, the victim business instead sends the money to bank accounts controlled by the conspirators.
According to trial testimony, the network of accounts operated by defendants laundered about $13 million fraudulently obtained from numerous victim businesses between July 2016 and May 2020. Five of the defrauded businesses testified at trial, including one headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia. The co-conspirators laundered the proceeds of the scheme through various financial transactions using dozens of bank accounts that they directly and indirectly controlled. Joyner’s role in the scheme was to withdraw the proceeds of the fraud in cash, which he delivered to other conspirators, including Ibeh. Ibeh’s role in the scheme was to manage the money laundering by causing conspirators to open bank accounts, which he used to wire money domestically and internationally. Ibeh spent the proceeds of the fraud on luxury items, including a custom jewelry piece costing close to $40,000.
Ibeh was sentenced to 10 years and Joyner was sentenced to 51 months in prison. Ibeh and Joyner conspired with, among others, Anthony Ayeah and Mouaaz Elkhebri, both of whom have also been convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Michael Ray, Inspector in Charge of Cybercrime and National Security of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Matthew Stohler, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hood, Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell Carlberg, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Bagwell 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. 1:21-cr-200.
Three Individuals Sentenced for Firearm Straw Purchasing ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Three individuals were sentenced today and last week to 58 months in prison combined for engaging in a straw purchasing conspiracy.
According to court documents, from March 2020 through July 23, 2020, David Collins, 34, of Vineland, New Jersey, Cardel Howard, 36, of Norfolk, and Felicia Tyson, 36, also of Norfolk, conspired together to straw purchase firearms in Virginia Beach, and traffic the firearms to New Jersey. During the conspiracy, Tyson acted as a straw purchaser of firearms on behalf of others, including defendants Howard and Collins.
In total, Tyson purchased seven firearms and attempted to purchase an eighth firearm for other individuals. Howard directed Tyson as to which firearms to purchase and how much to charge others for firearms. Collins traveled from New Jersey to Virginia for the purpose of acquiring a firearm in Virginia, which he could not acquire on his own because he is a convicted felon and a resident of New Jersey. The investigation into this group began after law enforcement in New Jersey recovered a firearm during a shooting investigation and determined that the firearm was previously purchased by Tyson.
Collins was sentenced today to 22 months in prison. On February 15, Howard was sentenced to 22 months’ incarceration for his role in the conspiracy. On February 8, Tyson was sentenced to 14 months' incarceration for her role in the conspiracy.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Darrell Longwood, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Montoya prosecuted the case.
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.
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-76.
Man Extradited from Peru on International Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Belize City, Belize, man was extradited to the United States Tuesday on charges of laundering tens of millions of dollars of drug proceeds on behalf of notorious international drug trafficking organizations.
According to court documents, Jianxing Chen, 42, led and controlled a network of couriers who transported cash generated by the domestic sale of controlled substances. Some of the cash came from cocaine sales throughout the United States – including Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, as well as in the Eastern District of Virginia. At Chen’s direction, couriers transported drug money across the country to locations in New York City. From there it was laundered through a variety of methods until it, or its equivalent value, was remitted to drug trafficking organizations in Latin America, including Mexico. Chen received “contracts” to transport and launder this money through Xizhi Li, who was also prosecuted and convicted based on the same superseding indictment.
Below is a table of defendants also named in the superseding indictment along with their sentences:
Name
Charges
Conviction/Sentence
Xizhi Li
Counts 1-3 (drug trafficking and money laundering
Money laundering, 180 months
Jiayu Chen
Counts 1-3 (drug trafficking and money laundering
Money laundering, 60 months
Eric Yong Woo
Count 3 (money laundering)
Money laundering, 18 months
Jingyuan Li
Counts 1-3 (drug trafficking and money laundering)
Money laundering, 84 months
Tao Liu
Counts 1-14 (drug trafficking, money laundering, attempted identity fraud, bribery
Money laundering, bribery, 84 months
Chen was arrested in Lima, Peru, on June 14, 2021, based on the superseding indictment and held in that country until his extradition was approved and executed on February 21, 2023.
Chen is charged with conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, knowing and intending and having reasonable cause to believe it will be unlawfully imported into the United States, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, Chen faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and up to life imprisonment. 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; Wendy C. Woolcock, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Special Operations Division; J. Todd Scott, Special Agent in Charge for the DEA-Louisville; Frank. A. Tarentino III , Special Agent in Charge for the DEA-New York; Jessica Moore, Chief of the Criminal Investigations Division of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS); and James M. Gibbons, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David A. Peters and Michael P. Ben’Ary, along with Trial Attorneys Mary Daly, and Stephen A. Sola of the Justice Department’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, are prosecuting the case.
Significant assistance was provided by law enforcement partners in Australia, Guatemala, Mexico, and New Zealand.
The case was investigated as part of two Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), Operation Dark Castle and Operation Taishan Triangle. 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. 1:19-cr-334.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Henrico Man Sentenced on Drug Trafficking and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Henrico County man was sentenced today to 110 months in prison for drug trafficking and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to court documents, Anthony Sylvester Gaines, 42, rented an extended stay hotel room in Henrico County where he was storing and preparing numerous types of drugs for distribution. When the police searched the room pursuant to a search warrant, the police recovered approximately 132 grams of cocaine, 9 grams of heroin and fentanyl mix, 29 fake Oxycodone “M30” pills that contained fentanyl and 28 red and green tablets that contained methamphetamine. Additionally, the police seized a loaded 9mm semiautomatic pistol from the counter in the bathroom. Inside of Gaines’ vehicle which was parked in the parking lot of the hotel, the police recovered another loaded 9mm semiautomatic pistol along with two additional bags containing cocaine. Gaines was a convicted felon. Gaines was sentenced to 50 months of imprisonment on the drug distribution charge and 60 months consecutive on the firearm charge.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Rick Edwards, Acting Chief of Richmond Police Department; and Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia Norman prosecuted the case.
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.
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-94.
Former Newport News Police Officer Sentenced for Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A sixteen-plus year veteran of, and former sergeant with, the Newport News Police Department was sentenced today to 25 years in prison for the sexual exploitation of children and receipt of child pornography.
According to court documents, Michael Nicholas Covey, 39, of Newport News, used a child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purposes of producing a visual depiction of such conduct. In a separate investigation, child sexual assault images were found on a convicted sex offender’s electronic devices in Cincinnati, Ohio. Those images were submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in Alexandria. During the analysis of the images, NCMEC determined that the images may have been produced in Newport News. NCMEC forwarded the information to the Southern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which, in turn, contacted the FBI. Agents with the FBI were able to identify the child depicted in the images. Further investigation led the agents to the defendant, Michael Nicholas Covey. He was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on Friday, June 10.
According to court documents, Covey was originally indicted in June 2022 on three counts of sexual exploitation of a child. Law enforcement later discovered an additional cellular phone belonging to Covey that he had concealed in a container in the back of his patrol vehicle. New evidence on this phone led to additional charges of sexual exploitation of a second minor victim, as well as receipt and possession of child pornography counts in a superseding indictment filed in July 2022. Covey also received a sentencing enhancement for obstructing justice. Covey pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of receipt of child pornography last September.
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 Chief U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis.
Newport News Police Department provided significant assistance in this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa McKeel and Peter G. Osyf 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. 4:22-cr-48.
EDVA Announces Implementation of New Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy for CompaniesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia has implemented the new United States Attorney’s Offices’ Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy released earlier today.
The policy, which is effective immediately, details the circumstances under which a company will be considered to have made a voluntary self-disclosure (VSD) of misconduct to a United States Attorney’s Office (USAO), and provides transparency and predictability to companies and the defense bar concerning the concrete benefits and potential outcomes in cases where companies voluntarily self-disclose misconduct, fully cooperate and timely and appropriately remediate.
Under the new VSD policy, a company is considered to have made a VSD if it becomes aware of misconduct by employees or agents before that misconduct is publicly reported or otherwise known to the DOJ, and discloses all relevant facts known to the company about the misconduct to a USAO in a timely fashion prior to an imminent threat of disclosure or government investigation. A company that voluntarily self-discloses as defined in the policy and fully meets the other requirements of the policy, by—in the absence of any aggravating factor—fully cooperating and timely and appropriately remediating the criminal conduct (including agreeing to pay all disgorgement, forfeiture, and restitution resulting from the misconduct), will receive significant benefits, including that the USAO will not seek a guilty plea; may choose not to impose any criminal penalty, and in any event will not impose a criminal penalty that is greater than 50% below the low end of the United States Sentencing Guidelines (USSG) fine range; and will not seek the imposition of an independent compliance monitor if the company demonstrates that it has implemented and tested an effective compliance program.
The policy identifies three aggravating factors that may warrant a USAO seeking a guilty plea even if the other requirements of the VSD policy are met: (1) if the misconduct poses a grave threat to national security, public health, or the environment; (2) if the misconduct is deeply pervasive throughout the company; or (3) if the misconduct involved current executive management of the company. The presence of an aggravating factor does not necessarily mean that a guilty plea will be required; instead, the USAO will assess the relevant facts and circumstances to determine the appropriate resolution. If a guilty plea is ultimately required, the company will still receive the other benefits under the VSD policy, including that the USAO will recommend a criminal penalty of at least a 50% and up to a 75% reduction off the low end of the USSG fine range, and that the USAO will not require the appointment of a monitor if the company has implemented and tested an effective compliance program.
In cases where a company is being jointly prosecuted by a USAO and another DOJ component, or where the misconduct reported by the company falls within the scope of conduct covered by VSD policies administered by other DOJ components, the USAO will coordinate with, or, if necessary, obtain approval from, the DOJ component responsible for the VSD policy specific to the reported misconduct when considering a potential resolution. Consistent with relevant provisions of the Justice Manual and as allowable under alternate VSD policies, the USAO may choose to apply any provision of an alternate VSD policy in addition to, or in place of, any provision of its policy.
The Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC), under the leadership of United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams, requested that the White Collar Fraud Subcommittee of the AGAC, under the leadership of United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace, develop policies in response to the Deputy AG’s memo. The policy announced today was prepared by a Corporate Criminal Enforcement Policy Working Group comprised of U.S. Attorneys from geographically diverse districts, including U.S. Attorney Peace, as well as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Jessica Aber, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut Vanessa Avery, U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii Clare Connors, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California Stephanie Hinds, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia Christopher Kavanaugh, and U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Philip Sellinger. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Riedel, White Collar Crimes Coordinator for the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, also participated in the development of the policy.
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.
Maryland Man Sentenced for “DMV Board” Dogfighting ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Capitol Heights, Maryland, man was sentenced today to 2 years in prison for conspiring to engage in dogfighting.
According to court documents, from May 2015 through at least August 2020, Charles Edward Williams, III, 50, 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.
Williams entered multiple dogs into fights. For example, in March 2018, Williams entered a dog into a fight at a warehouse in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Law enforcement officers broke up the fight and apprehended several weapons and two injured dogs from the warehouse. They also arrested those who were present, including Williams.
In April 2019, Williams and coconspirator Michael Roy Hilliard, 37, of Fort Washington, Maryland, drove to Bunnlevel, North Carolina, with a dog belonging to Williams, so that he could enter the dog in a dog fight. The fight lasted less than 10 minutes before being won by the dog belonging to Williams. An unindicted conspirator shot and killed the dog that lost the fight.
In August 2022, Williams, Hilliard, and five others were indicted for a dogfighting conspiracy involving the “DMV Board.” In November 2022, Williams, Hilliard, and their co-defendants Derek Garcia and Ricardo Thorne pleaded guilty for their roles in the conspiracy.
Hilliard, Garcia, and Thorne are scheduled to be sentenced in March 2023. They each face 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, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.
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. 1:22-cr-154.
Woman Sentenced for Federal Witness Tampering in Relation to Trial for Gang-Related Murder and Multistate Drug Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Springfield woman was sentenced yesterday to 15 months in prison for witness tampering that occurred at the onset of a multi-week federal trial against four individuals relating to a murder, violent gang enterprise, and a drug trafficking conspiracy operating in Virginia, California, and several other states.
According to court documents, Keira Ta, 27, was a member of the Lady Tigers, which was a subset of a violent Northern Virginia Street gang called the Reccless Tigers. Gang members, over a number of years, engaged in a persistent pattern of intimidation and retaliation against anyone who were believed to have cooperated with law enforcement. Gang members labeled those who cooperated with law enforcement as “snitches,” and used social media to convey threats to witnesses and inform other gang-members of their identities. In retaliation, gang members committed assaults, attacked homes with Molotov cocktails, and even murdered an individual who testified against a member of the Reccless Tigers in a Commonwealth of Virginia case.
According to court records, criminal racketeering and other charges against numerous members of the Reckless Tigers gang led to a trial that commenced on April 11, 2022. The allegations in the trial included, among other things, that certain defendants were involved in the murder of a former Commonwealth witness as described above. On the evening of April 11, 2022, after speaking through a jail call to a leader of the gang who was a defendant in the trial, Ta posted to social media revealing the names of the government’s upcoming witnesses, labeling them each a “snitch” and instructing associates to “come watch the snitches snitching.” Thereafter, the trial was delayed and certain witnesses in the trial later refused to identify the leader of the gang in open court because of the defendant’s threat. On May 6, 2022, a jury convicted four defendants affiliated with the Reccless Tigers of numerous charges relating to a murder, a violent gang enterprise, and a drug trafficking conspiracy.
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 Michael Nachmanoff.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather D. Call and Ryan B. Bredemeier prosecuted the case.
The investigation into the Reccless Tigers criminal organization is a multi-jurisdictional OCDETF case involving the FBI Washington Field Office, ATF, HSI, IRS, U.S. Postal Service, U.S. Marshals Service, Fairfax County Police Department, Prince William County Police Department, City of Richmond Police, Montgomery County (MD) Police, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Falls Church Police, City of Alexandria Sheriff’s Office, Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office, Fairfax County Fire Marshal, Prince William County Fire Marshal, Stafford County Fire Marshal, City of Monterey Park (CA) Police, Garden Grove (CA) Police, Anaheim (CA) Police; Trinity County (CA) Sheriff’s Office, California Highway Patrol, DEA San Francisco Division – Reading Office, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, California Department of Food & Agriculture, California Department of Consumer Affairs Bureau of Cannabis Control, U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of California – Sacramento Office, U.S. Attorney’s Office Central District of California – Santa Ana and Riverside Offices, and the FBI’s Field Offices in Richmond, Los Angeles, and Sacramento.
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-100.
Violent Felon Pleads Guilty to Armed Robberies Across Virginia, Pennsylvania, and MarylandRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Maryland man pleaded guilty today to committing five different armed robberies of convenience stores, hotels, and banks between October 2021 and December 2021.
According to court documents, over the course of two months, Rickley Joshua Senning, 33, and Jesann Willis, 36, traveled throughout Ohio, Florida, Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania to commit armed robberies. At each location, Senning entered brandishing a firearm at employees. In total, 15 different victims were held at gunpoint. The Virginia armed robbery occurred at a jewelry store in Richmond. Senning held the business owner and the business owner’s son at gunpoint while Willis collected over $100,000 of jewelry belonging to the business. The robberies in Maryland and Pennsylvania took place at a mix of gas stations, convenience stores, and banks.
Senning is scheduled to be sentenced on June 6. He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for the armed robberies as well as a mandatory minimum of seven years and maximum of life in prison for brandishing a firearm during the jewelry store robbery. 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; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and Colonel Eric D. English, Chief of Henrico County Police Division, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth R. Simon, Jr. is prosecuting the case.
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.
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-28.
Second and Third Defendants Sentenced to Prison for Multimillion Dollar Schemes Involving Preparing False Tax Returns for Professional Athletes and PPP Loan FraudRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two California men have been sentenced to prison in a conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a federal loans initiative designed to help businesses pay their employees and meet expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Thanh Rudin, 58, was a principal of Mana Tax Services, a tax preparation business in the Los Angeles area. His coconspirator, Seir Havana, 46, was the company’s Vice President/Director and Chief Executive Officer. The defendants engaged in two fraud schemes using Mana tax. First, they prepared and filed with the IRS a series of false income tax returns on behalf of at least nine professional athletes. The false tax returns reported fictitious business and personal losses to generate refunds the athletes were not entitled to receive. They also filed amended tax returns for most of the athletes for prior years to correct what conspirators falsely characterized as “errors” made by their previous accountants. Mana Tax charged the athletes a fee of 30% of the resulting refunds issued by the IRS. The tax fraud scheme caused a total tax loss of more than $19 million.
Second, the defendants prepared and submitted false applications for PPP loans on behalf of small businesses, shell companies, and other business entities they controlled. The co-conspirators prepared fraudulent PPP loan applications for these firms in exchange for a fee of 30% of the resulting loan. The co-conspirators submitted fabricated tax returns to support the PPP loan applications, and some of the business owners never saw their loan applications before Mana Tax filed them. To obtain fraudulent PPP loans, the co-conspirators grossly inflated the number of employees and monthly payroll costs claimed on the applications. Some of the businesses were not eligible for any PPP loan funds at all because they did not have any payroll expenses.
During the investigation, the government seized more than $11.8 million from bank accounts containing PPP loan fraud proceeds controlled by the conspirators. In addition, Havana surrendered cashier’s checks worth approximately $5.6 million, representing a portion of the fees charged to professional athletes for the preparation of their false tax returns, and a portion of the fees charged for obtaining fraudulent PPP loans. The two schemes resulted in total losses of more than $44 million.
Havana, was sentenced today to 42 months in prison. Thanh Rudin was sentenced on February 10 to 34 months in prison. Thanh Rudin’s brother, Quin Rudin, was sentenced in October 2022 to 10 years in prison for his role in the scheme.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division; Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division; and Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter of the Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California and U.S. Small Business Administration provided assistance with the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly M. Shartar and Kimberly R. Pedersen for the Eastern District of Virginia and Assistant Chief David Zisserson of the Tax Division 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-116.
Woodbridge Man Pleads Guilty to Pandemic Unemployment Insurance FraudRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Woodbridge man pleaded guilty today to illegally obtaining pandemic unemployment benefits from the state of California.
According to court documents, from August 2020 to on or about September 28, 2020, Osman Kanu, 26, executed a scheme to defraud the California Employment Development Department (California EDD) by filing at least 15 fraudulent unemployment insurance (UI) applications using the personal identifying information (PII) of victims. On each of these applications, the defendant knowingly made false statements and false certifications to mislead California EDD. These included falsely submitting applications with the PII of real individuals without their permission or consent; falsely certifying the real individuals’ employment history and unemployment status; falsely certifying that the real individuals would receive the UI benefits; and falsely certifying the real individuals’ home addresses. Kanu committed this fraud from Virginia. He did not live in California during the scheme or qualify for California EDD benefits.
During a lawful traffic stop on Kanu’s vehicle, law enforcement discovered 15 visa debit cards with different names on each of them. After further investigation, federal law enforcement determined that the debit cards provided access to UI funds provided by California EDD and Kanu was arrested.
In total, California EDD funded $308,400 to the prepaid debit cards. The total intended loss was $628,708. In total, Kanu withdrew $178,000 from the prepaid debit cards between late August and September 2020.
The California EDD funds loaded on the prepaid debit cards were derived from the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program, and from funds made available by the Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator to provide grants to participating states, territories, and the District of Columbia to administer delivery of lost wages assistance. All these programs were intended to help workers suffering economic consequences from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kanu is scheduled to be sentenced on June 1. 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 Troy Springer, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Michael E. Nachmanoff accepted the plea.
The Arlington County Police Department provided assistance in this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carina A. Cuellar 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-32.
South Carolina Man Sentenced for Role in International Elder Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Duncan, South Carolina man was sentenced today to 51 months in prison for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
According to court documents, from around February 2020 through June 2020, Jeel Patel, 22, was part of an international fraud scheme originating from call centers in India that disproportionately targeted elders. These call centers would initially contact victims using automated robocalls designed to create a sense of urgency with the recipients. After making initial contact with victims, conspirators known as closers would impersonate government officials such as FBI or DEA agents. These closers would trick and coerce victims into wiring funds to bank accounts controlled by the conspiracy, or shipping parcels of cash to addresses to which conspirators had access. Couriers working for the conspiracy would retrieve the victims’ stolen money, save a portion for themselves, and forward the remainder to the call center operators in India.
Jeel Patel was one such courier, working for a defendant previously prosecuted by the Eastern District of Virginia (Case No. 3:21-cr-47) named Bhavinkumar “Sunny” Patel. Sunny Patel, 28, of Richmond, operated a cell of couriers in several states that was responsible for losses exceeding $3 million to more than 120 victims. On April 8, 2022, “Sunny” Patel was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
During the brief, four-month period that Jeel Patel worked for Sunny Patel, the defendant retrieved or attempted to retrieve 14 packages from 10 different victims, with total actual losses of $485,020. Jeel Patel also participated in repeated home pickups during which he traveled to the residences of two different 80-year-old victims located in Michigan and South Carolina, and under the guise of being a DEA official took the money directly from the victims.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. Senior District Judge Henry E. Hudson.
The Union County Sheriff's Office in South Carolina provided significant assistance on this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Hood and Kaitlin Cooke 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. 3:22-cr-92.
For-Profit Virginia School Settles False Claims Act Allegations Involving Military Veteran’s SchemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Pinellas Corporation (Pinellas), a for-profit school offering computer training courses in McLean and Richmond, and CEO and sole owner Paul Giordano, of Washington, D.C., agreed to pay $450,000 to settle allegations that Pinellas paid bonuses to consultants based on their success in securing enrollments of students receiving military veterans benefits.
Under the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 (Post-9/11 GI Bill), military veterans can receive tuition assistance from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to enroll as students at approved educational institutions. Their tuition assistance is paid directly to the educational institution. During the relevant period, education institutions could not be approved to enroll students receiving Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits “if the educational institution provides any commission, bonus, or other incentive payment based directly or indirectly on success in securing enrollments or financial aid to any persons or entities engaged in any student recruiting or admission activities or in making decisions regarding the award of student financial assistance.”
The United States alleged that from 2015 through 2016, Pinellas d/b/a New Horizons Computer Learning Center of Richmond Virginia, and New Horizons Computer Learning Center Of Washington, D.C., at Giordano’s direction, paid bonuses to consultants who recruited students receiving Post-9/11 GI Bill financial assistance based on their success in securing enrollments. The United States further alleged that, between August 15, 2015, and December 31, 2016, Pinellas falsely certified that it had exercised reasonable diligence in meeting all applicable requirements of Title 38 of the U.S. Code in submitting nearly 1,000 claims to the VA for Post-9/11 GI Bill payments.
The government alleged that because of the false certifications Pinellas made to the VA, the VA paid tuition payments to Pinellas that Pinellas was not eligible to receive, in violation of the Post-9/11 GI Bill and the False Claims Act.
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 Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, and VA’s Veterans Benefits Administration.
The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin Starr and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Krista Anderson. The civil claims settled by this False Claims Act agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil 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.
Norfolk Man Sentenced for Possessing a Firearm Used in an Attempted Malicious WoundingRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to 5 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on May 7, 2021, Louis Bernard Lee, III, 26, a former affiliate of the criminal street gang the United Blood Nation, was stopped by an Old Dominion University Police Department (ODUPD) officer for speeding. Lee had an outstanding warrant for an attempted malicious wounding that occurred on April 26, 2021. During the arrest, ODUPD discovered two firearms in Lee’s vehicle. Also recovered from the vehicle was a loaded 30-round extended clip and a loaded 50-round drum magazine. Lee was previously convicted of a felony in the City of Norfolk and was prohibited from possessing firearms.
Lee admitted he used one of the firearms recovered from the vehicle in a shooting on April 26, 2021. For the April 2021 shooting he was convicted in Norfolk Circuit Court for attempted malicious wounding, use of a firearm in a felony, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Lee was sentenced for those charges on December 22, 2021, and received a 4-year sentence.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ramin Fatehi, Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney; and Christopher Amon, 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 Arenda L. Wright Allen.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham M. Stolle and Assistant U.S. Attorney John F. Butler prosecuted the case. Stolle also serves as an Assistant Norfolk Commonwealth Attorney.
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.
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-85.
Man Pleads Guilty to Committing Assault with a Dangerous Weapon on the George Washington Memorial ParkwayRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Frederick, Maryland, man pleaded guilty yesterday to assault with a deadly weapon.
According to court documents, Juan Marcus Smith, 58, was driving on the George Washington Memorial Parkway when a motor vehicle accident occurred between his vehicle and a dump truck driven by the victim. Smith pulled in front of the dump truck and brought his vehicle to a complete stop in the righthand lane of the Parkway. He walked over to the victim’s truck, opened the driver’s side door, and brandished a knife while attempting to retrieve the keys to the victim’s dump truck. Smith then returned to his vehicle, recovered a baseball bat, and went back to the victim’s dump truck and struck the driver’s side window, shattering the window while the victim sat inside.
When officers with the United States Park Police arrived at the scene, they found Smith standing outside his vehicle holding the key to the dump truck in the air. They also recovered a folding knife from Smith’s pant pocket and a baseball bat from the back seat of Smith’s vehicle.
Smith is scheduled to be sentenced on May 25. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 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 Christopher Stock, Acting Chief of U.S. Park Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Patricia T. Giles accepted the plea.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa Levey-Weinstein and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bibeane Metsch 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-231.
Newport News Commercial Fisherman Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man pleaded guilty today to evading his federal income taxes.
According to court documents, Eric Bautista, 37, from approximately January 2017 through December 2020, Bautista worked and earned income as an independent contractor for various commercial fishing companies in the Hampton Roads region and elsewhere. He was paid over $500,000 for his work during this time. Bautista failed to file U.S. Individual income tax returns for tax years 2012 through 2020. He was levied by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), but took steps to evade his income taxes, including working under a stolen identity and dealing heavily in cash. For the years 2012 through 2020, Bautista owed a tax debt of over $170,000.
Bautista pleaded guilty to evasion of income taxed and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24. 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 Darrell J. Waldon, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Miller accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Samuels 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. 4:22-cr-95.
Man Arrested for Transporting Images of Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
A Virginia man was arrested last night on criminal charges related to his alleged transportation of images depicting the sexual abuse of children.
According to court documents, the investigation into James Gordon Meek, 53, of Arlington, was initiated from an investigative lead sent by Dropbox and ultimately received by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. That lead ultimately led to a court-authorized search of Meek’s residence in April 2022 by members of the task force, where law enforcement seized multiple devices that allegedly contained evidence of the transportation of images of child sexual abuse.
According to court documents, several of Meek’s devices allegedly contained images depicting children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and multiple chat conversations with users engaged in sexually explicit conversations where the participants expressed enthusiasm for the sexual abuse of children. In two of those conversations, a username allegedly associated with Meek received and distributed child sexual abuse materials through an internet-based messaging platform.
Meek is charged with transportation of child pornography. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
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 Wayne A. Jacobs of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division made the announcement.
Trial Attorney Whitney Kramer of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Bedell for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, with significant assistance from the Arlington County Police Department. The task force is comprised of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking.
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 criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Williamsburg Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering and Conspiracy Involving Labor TraffickingRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Midlothian man pleaded guilty today to conspiring to defraud and commit offenses against the United States, including human trafficking of individuals from Central America, benefiting from forced labor, money laundering, and harboring undocumented non-citizens.
According to court documents, George William Evans, 68, was the fifty-percent owner of a commercial laundry business, Northstar Holdings of Virginia LLC d/b/a Magnolia Cleaning Services, LLC. Evans participated in a conspiracy to harbor, transport, and benefit from the employment of undocumented noncitizens at the commercial laundry business he co-owned. Between the first quarter of 2018 and the first quarter of 2022, the business’s wage records reflect approximately 121 employees with alleged invalid or mismatched Social Security Numbers and wage payments of more than $1.2 million to these employees.
At the direction of Evans and his coconspirators, Magnolia Cleaning Services exploited undocumented noncitizens to work long hours in poor working conditions. In some cases, employees were threatened with deportation, physical harm, and harm to their families if they refused to work as directed. Some undocumented employees lived in the laundry facility without access to a kitchen or bathroom with a shower or bathtub. One employee was a child who was made to work night shifts while attending school during the day.
Evans pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud and commit offenses against the United States and engaging in a transaction in criminally derived property. Evans agreed to forfeit an amount not less than $3,938,630 to the United States - of which he agreed to pay $1,969,315 no later than thirty days before sentencing. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy offense and ten years in prison for the money laundering offense. 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.; Troy Springer, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington, DC Regional Office, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Wilson Hanes accepted the plea.
This investigation was conducted by the Hampton Roads Human Trafficking Task Force, a collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement and prosecutors, as well as non-governmental organizations, working together to combat human trafficking in the Hampton Roads Region.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian J. Samuels and D. Mack Coleman 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. 4:22-cr-92.
Leader of Marijuana Delivery Service Pleads Guilty to Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Washington D.C. man pleaded guilty today to laundering roughly $3,500,000 generated by the illegal sale of marijuana and THC.
According to court documents, Connor Pennington, 39, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit money laundering. Pennington was the Chief Executive Officer of JointVentures, LLC., a company that operated primarily under the name “Joint Delivery” as a delivery service of marijuana and THC products, including THC vape cartridges, wax, and edibles. JointVentures was never licensed as a medical marijuana dispensary in any state or the District of Columbia.
JointVentures operated the distribution and delivery side of the enterprise out of a residential building in downtown D.C., and delivered its products to customers using delivery drivers or cyclists. The business generated nearly $1.5 million in 2018 alone. By 2021, in just the first three quarters of the year, JointVentures generated well over $2.3 million in revenue. Pennington oversaw and approved of a scheme by which he and other representatives of the company deposited cash in denominations less than $10,000 into several bank accounts the company operated, thus allowing JointVentures to avoid scrutiny from the banks and to disguise the source of the cash.
Pennington is scheduled to be sentenced on May 2. He 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; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; and Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Rumbaugh and David A. Peters 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-127.
Prince William Drug Dealer Sentenced for Causing Multiple OverdosesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Dumfries man was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and serious bodily injury, and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents, on September 21, 2021, Michael Vaughn, 28, distributed cocaine laced with fentanyl at a party at an apartment in the Skyline area of Fairfax County. Six individuals took the substance, believing it to be cocaine. All six suffered overdoses and were transported to area hospitals. Five of the overdose victims were able to be saved by the administration of Narcan. However, the sixth individual died as a result of a fentanyl overdose. At trial, the evidence showed that Vaughn had intentionally added fentanyl to the cocaine. Additionally, Vaughn possessed approximately 60 additional grams of fentanyl powder at his residence when he was arrested on October 20, 2021.
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 Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston.
Significant assistance was provided by the Prince William County Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachael C. Tucker and Michael P. Ben’Ary 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. 1:21-cr-261.
New York Man Sentenced for Straw Purchasing and Unlawfully Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Brooklyn, New York, man was sentenced today to 72 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and aiding and abetting a straw purchase firearm transaction, both part of a large gun trafficking conspiracy.
According to court documents, Joseph Alexander Johnson, 38, spearheaded an interstate straw purchasing and gun trafficking conspiracy in which members were responsible for the illegal purchase, sale, and transport of at least 43 firearms, including AR-type firearms loaded with large-capacity magazines, between Virginia and New York. He organized and led the conspiracy, managing every aspect of it. As a felon, he could not lawfully obtain or possess a firearm, so he instead recruited at least three straw purchasers, all young women with no criminal records, to buy them for him. Once the straw purchasers obtained the guns and transferred them to him or his co-defendant, Tysohn Stevens, 39, of Brooklyn, New York, Johnson marketed the illegally purchased firearms over Facebook to many felons and gang members throughout Brooklyn.
Stevens pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and will be sentenced on February 24.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Christopher Amon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney William Jackson prosecuted the case.
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.
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-64.
Virginia Beach Man Sentenced for Possessing Unregistered SilencersRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for unlawfully possessing unregistered firearm silencers.
According to court documents, George Pickard, 23, built homemade silencers, but did not register them with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. On December 29, 2020, during a lawfully obtained search warrant, agents found at least four firearms at his residence, including an AR-15-style rifle, and the silencers equipped to two of the firearms. He also loaded two firearms with large-capacity magazines. Pickard kept LSD in the same residence as his firearms. He did all this while maintaining ties to extremist organizations, including Identity Evropa, the American Identity Movement, the Right Stuff, and the Patriot Front. Pickard also cohosts a podcast called “White Phosphorus” that depicts women, African Americans, Jews, and other current events in a negative and derogatory manner. In February 2020, Pickard brought the AR-15-style rifle and suppressor to a militia camp and made online threats against several minority groups, including that he wanted to “use a belt fed machine gun” on one minority group.
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 Elizabeth Wilson Hanes.
U.S. Marshal Services provided significant assistance in this case as part of the Norfolk Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Jackson and Joe DePadilla, as well as former Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Bosse, 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-87.
Virginia Beach Man Convicted of Attempted Sex Trafficking of a MinorRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Virginia Beach man today on charges of attempted coercion and enticement, attempted sex trafficking of a minor, obstruction of justice, and false statement to law enforcement officer.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Daniel Alan Puff, 38, negotiated to receive a sex act from a 13-year-old female, believing he was speaking to her mother. In fact, he was communicating with an undercover law enforcement agent (UC). The investigation began on March 29, 2022, when Puff contacted the UC and agreed to pay $60 in exchange for oral sex from what he believed was a 13-year-old female. On March 30, 2022, the UC directed Puff to the meeting location in Chesapeake. Puff arrived at the agreed-upon meeting location in Chesapeake and surveilled the area to check for the presence of law enforcement. Puff gave the $60 to the UC and stated the sex act he wished to engage in with the child. He was then arrested and taken into custody. While handcuffed in the back of a police vehicle, he deleted the text application from his phone and falsely claimed to a law enforcement agent that he was attempting to text someone.
Puff faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison when sentenced on June 22. 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 Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen accepted the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Montoya and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Victoria Liu are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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-44.
Two Men Plead Guilty to Five-Hour Armed Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake and a Suffolk man pleaded guilty today and earlier this week to their roles in a series of armed robberies of 7-Eleven establishments in the Cities of Newport News, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach.
According to court documents, just before midnight on July 24, 2019, and into the early morning hours of July 25, 2019, Deric Breon Simons, 23, Ronald Lee Brookins, Jr., 22, and a third individual conducted a series of armed robberies at 7-Eleven convenience stores. Beginning in Newport News, the three men entered the stores armed with a firearm, a knife, and a BB gun that resembled a real firearm. While brandishing their weapons, they demanded U.S. currency and commercial products from frightened employees. They committed three additional robberies, moving between Norfolk and Virginia Beach. During the fifth and final robbery, Brookins and the third co-conspirator entered the convenience store, while Simons remained in the getaway vehicle. In addition to the store employee, there were three customers inside the store at the time of the robbery. Fearing for everyone’s safety, an armed customer discharged his personal weapon, killing one co-conspirator and injuring Brookins.
Brookins pleaded guilty to his role in the robberies on January 24. Simons and Brookins are scheduled to be sentenced on June 1. They both face a mandatory minimum of 21 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; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police; Mike Goldsmith, Interim Chief of Norfolk Police; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Miller accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin Bird and Megan Montoya are prosecuting the case.
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.
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. 2:19-cr-168.
Four Men Convicted of Engaging in a Child Exploitation Enterprise for Participation in the “Rapey.su” WebsiteRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal court convicted a Bremerton, Washington, man yesterday on charges of engaging in a child exploitation enterprise.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, from around September to December 2020, Christopher William Kuehner, 38, was a prominent member of the website “Rapey.su,” which was dedicated to, among other things, child sexual exploitation. After becoming a member of the website, Kuehner repeatedly induced and enticed minor girls to produce child sexual abuse material for both him and the other members of the website.
Special Agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. field office seized and shut down the website in December of 2020.
Co-defendants, Jacob Royce Mullins, 20, of South Webster, Ohio, Kyle William Leishear, 43, of Bayonet Point, Florida, and Matthew Martin, 25, of Lancaster, Wisconsin pleaded guilty to their roles in the enterprise.
In a related case last year, a federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia also convicted Ashley Kolhoff, 22, of Port Clinton, Ohio, of production of child pornography for her participation on the Rapey.su website. Other users around the country have been prosecuted successfully in state and federal court for their conduct committed on the website.
Kuehner faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison when sentenced on April 25. Mullins and Martin also face a mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison when sentenced on April 25, as does Leishear when sentenced on May 9. 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 Derek W. Gordon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema announced the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Schlessinger and Trial Attorney Whitney Kramer of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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-120.
Four Men Convicted of Engaging in a Child Exploitation EnterpriseRead the Press Release
A federal court convicted a Washington state man yesterday for engaging in a child exploitation enterprise.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Christopher William Kuehner, 38, of Bremerton, was a prominent member of the website “Rapey.su,” which was dedicated to, among other things, child sexual exploitation. After becoming a member of the website, Kuehner repeatedly induced and enticed minor girls to produce child sexual abuse material for both him and the other members of the website.
In a related case last year, a federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia also convicted Ashley Kolhoff, 22, of Port Clinton, Ohio, of production of child pornography for her participation on the Rapey.su website. Other users around the country have been prosecuted successfully in state and federal courts for their conduct committed on the website.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents seized and shut down the website in December 2020.
Kuehner was convicted of engaging in a child exploitation enterprise. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 25. Co-conspirators Jacob Royce Mullins, 20, of South Webster, Ohio; Kyle William Leishear, 43, of Bayonet Point, Florida; and Matthew Martin, 25, of Lancaster, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty to their roles in the enterprise. Mullins and Martin are both scheduled to be sentenced on April 25. Leishear is scheduled to be sentenced on May 9. They each face a mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon of HSI Washington, D.C. made the announcement.
HSI Washington, D.C. investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Whitney Kramer of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Schlessinger for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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.
Midlothian Family Sentenced for Conspiracy for Years-Long Forced Labor of Pakistani WomanRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – Three Midlothian individuals were sentenced yesterday for conspiracy to commit forced labor for compelling the domestic labor of a Pakistani woman for 12 years.
Zahida Aman, 80, was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison, Mohammed Rehan Chaudhri, 48, to 10 years in federal prison, and Mohammad Nauman Chaudhri, 55, to 5 years in federal prison in the Eastern District of Virginia. Additionally, the Court ordered Aman and Rehan Chaudhri to pay the victim approximately $250,000 in restitution for back wages and other financial losses she incurred as a result of the defendants’ criminal conduct.
According to court documents, in 2002, the victim married Aman’s son, and the brother of defendants Nauman and Rehan Chaudhri. Thereafter, she lived in the home of the defendants. Over the next 12 years, the three defendants forced her to perform domestic services. To coerce that labor, the defendants verbally assaulted and physically abused the victim. The defendants slapped, kicked, and pushed the victim, even beat her with wooden board, and, on one occasion, hog-tied her hands and feet and dragged her down the stairs in front of her children. In addition, though the victim, a native of Pakistan, had temporary immigration status in the United States, defendant Aman took the victim’s immigration documents. Thereafter, defendants threatened the victim with deportation should she not obey their demands. The defendants also threatened to separate the victim from her children to coerce her labor.
Following a seven-day trial in May 2022, the jury convicted all of the defendants of conspiracy to commit forced labor, convicted two of the defendants of forced labor, and convicted Aman of document servitude.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shea Gibbons, Stephen Miller, and Heather H. Mansfield are prosecuting the case, along with Trial Attorney Leah L. Branch of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
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. 3:19-cr-85.
Man Sentenced for Distribution of Child Pornography while on Probation for Prior Sex OffenseRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Highland Springs man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for distribution of child pornography.
According to court documents, on or about April 12, 2022, Deric Wallace Peacock, 39, used Wickr, an encrypted messaging service, to distribute child pornography using his “vapastor” user account. At the time that Peacock distributed the child pornography, he was on probation for two prior state court convictions for procuring sex acts by computer of an individual believed to be under the age of 15. Prior to his incarceration stemming from his 2014 convictions, the defendant was a youth pastor at South Hopewell Church of God, which no longer exists.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Gibney.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carla Jordan-Detamore 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. 3:22-cr-109.
Virginia Man Convicted of Possessing Unregistered SilencersRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Falls Church man yesterday evening on charges of unlawful possession of unregistered silencers.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, 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.
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.
Speed faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison when sentenced on April 13. 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; Michael H. Glasheen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Counterterrorism Division; and Christopher Amon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff accepted the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Traxler and Amanda Lowe 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-165.
Chesterfield Man Sentenced for Scheme to Embezzle Funds in Law Firm Trust AccountRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Chesterfield man was sentenced today to 108 months in prison for conspiracy and wire fraud and ordered to pay over $1.2 million in restitution to victims.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Joshua Brian Romano, 40, owned various businesses that purchased, rehabilitated, and sold homes around Richmond. He funded this work via construction loans that were held in escrow in the trust account of a Chesterfield County law firm. The loans were earmarked for use by Romano only for the purchase and rehabilitation of specific properties, and only with the lender’s express approval for each disbursement. Acting at Romano’s direction, Lindsey Epps Passmore, 39, a paralegal at the law firm, disbursed $1.2 million of a lender’s funds held in trust for Romano’s projects without receiving the lender’s approval or by misleading the lender about how the funds were to be used. The funds were then used for purposes outside the scope of the agreements with the lender.
On November 30, 2022, Passmore was sentenced to serve 14 months in prison for her role in the scheme.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael C. Moore 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-26.
Round Hill Man Convicted of Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal judge convicted a Round Hill man yesterday on charges of receipt of child pornography and attempted destruction of evidence.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, from at least November 2019 through January 2022, Max Christian Frear, 35, used a peer-to-peer file-sharing program to receive child pornography. When the FBI executed a search of the defendant’s home, law enforcement found a damaged computer storage device in Frear’s toilet. The evidence showed that Frear tried to destroy the storage device by dunking it in liquid for his 3D printer, breaking it in half, and attempting to flush it down the toilet. The FBI was able to recover and examine the storage device, which contained 84 videos and more than 5,600 images depicting child sexual abuse. Many of those files depicted the sexual abuse of prepubescent minor victims, including infants and toddlers.
Frear faces a mandatory‑minimum penalty of 5 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on May 26. 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, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton rendered the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Halper and Trial Attorney Rachel Rothberg of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) are prosecuting the case.
Tis case was 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 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 http://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. 1:22-cr-183.
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Possession of Pistols, Ammunition, and Machine Gun Conversion DeviceRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to 92 months in prison for his illegal possession of firearms, including a machine gun conversion device, and ammunition as a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on July 14, 2021, Marquis Bonhomme, 23, was arrested by the Richmond Police Department (RPD) during a traffic stop, in which officers discovered that Bonhomme had outstanding arrest warrants. Prior to leaving the arrest scene, RPD officers observed a firearm magazine in plain view inside of Bonhomme’s vehicle and obtained a state search warrant.
A search of Bonhomme’s vehicle revealed a loaded Glock, Model 26, 9mm semi-automatic pistol; a Glock “switch” conversion device, which renders a pistol fully automatic when inserted to the rear of the firearm; a loaded Century Arms International, VSKA, 7.62 caliber, semi-automatic pistol, with a 35 round magazine; a 50 round drum magazine; and assorted 7.62 caliber and 9mm caliber ammunition. Federal agents later applied for and obtained a federal search warrant for Bonhomme’s Instagram accounts, which revealed numerous photographs of Bonhomme possessing other firearms, photographs and discussions related to Glock “switch” conversion devices, and his active involvement in illegal marijuana trafficking
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Christopher Amon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Division; and Richmond Police Department Acting Chief of Police Richard Edwards, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Hannah M. Lauck.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert 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-62.
Connecticut Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Fentanyl on the DarknetRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Winsted, Connecticut, man pleaded guilty today to participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl over the darknet.
According to court documents, from at least April 2020 through February 2021, Colby John Kopp, 23, and his co-conspirators used darknet marketplaces to conduct drug trafficking business. Kopp created, maintained, and controlled darknet marketplace accounts to further the Connecticut-based fentanyl distribution operation. As a darknet marketplace vendor, Kopp and other members of the conspiracy used the moniker “MadHatterPharma” to engage in the sale of counterfeit pressed pills containing fentanyl that the conspirators pressed themselves and then shipped to customers all over the country, including in the Eastern District of Virginia.
Kopp is scheduled to be sentenced on April 18. He faces a mandatory minimum 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. Attorney Rachael Tucker 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. 1:22-cr-109.
Arizona Man Pleads Guilty to Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Telleson, Arizona, man pleaded guilty today to production of child sexual abuse material.
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. The FBI was able to locate and rescue the juvenile through her use of her Nintendo Switch account.
Roberts is scheduled to be sentenced on April 19. 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; 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 Raymond A. Jackson accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Yusi is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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.
Two Brothers Sentenced for Conspiring to Distribute a Kilogram of CocaineRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man was sentenced today to 70 months in prison for conspiring with his brother to distribute a kilogram of cocaine.
According to court documents, Reginald Lamont Wilson, 42, conspired with his brother, John Samuel Shaw III, 46, to distribute a kilogram of cocaine to a confidential informant in Virginia Beach. This all while Wilson was serving a period of supervised release for a prior federal drug conviction.
Shaw was previously sentenced to 5 years in prison on November 9, 2022.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Derek W. Gordon, Acting Special Agent in Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew J. Heck, Kevin M. Comstock, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Victoria Liu 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-54.
Man Sentenced for Three Richmond Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to 14 years in prison after committing three armed robberies between January and February of 2022.
According to court documents, on January 6, 2022, Jaquan Rakim Roberts, 21, entered a Darbytown Mini Mart, located in 1581 Darbytown Road, Richmond, with a ski-mask covering his face. When he reached the register, Roberts brandished two semiautomatic pistols at the cashier and demanded money as well as Black and Mild cigars. Under threat, the Darbytown Mini Mart Cashier handed over two boxes of Black and Mild cigars as well as approximately $1,800.
Roughly a month later, on February 28, 2022, Roberts drove to the Darbytown Mini Mart again to commit another armed robbery. Roberts wore a ski-mask over his face this time as well, walked up to the counter, produced a semiautomatic pistol, and demanded money from the same Darbytown Mini Mart employee who was working during the previous armed robbery. Facing the threat, the cashier gave Roberts approximately $137. This time, however, the cashier included currency affixed with a law enforcement tracker as part of the United States currency she handed over to Roberts.
Roberts left Darbytown Mini Mart and headed up the road to Jack’s Place, located at 1881 Darbytown Road, Richmond, where he brandished two semiautomatic pistols and demanded a Jack’s Place employee to open the cash register and give him money. Because the cash register would not open, one of the employees gave Roberts $40 of his own money. Roberts then left.
Using the tracker, law enforcement apprehended Roberts and later executed search warrants at several residences associated with Roberts and on the car that he drove on February 28, 2022. During the execution of the residential search warrants, law enforcement recovered a loaded semiautomatic pistol and clothing, including the jacket worn during the first robbery of the Darbytown Mini Mart, and ski-masks similar to those worn during the robberies. During the execution of a search warrant on the car, law enforcement recovered two loaded semi-automatic pistols.
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 Colonel Eric D. English, Chief of Henrico County Police Department, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth R. Simon, Jr. 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-76.
Henrico Man Pleads Guilty in $1.1 Million COVID-19 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Henrico man pleaded guilty today to defrauding the Small Business Administration by obtaining over $1.1 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans on behalf of two defunct companies he owned.
According to court documents, throughout 2020 and 2021, Kortney T. Kelley, 45, filed at least four fraudulent applications for PPP loans on behalf of his two non-operational companies. As part of these loan applications, Kelley made numerous false representations and certifications about the operation of these two companies, including that the companies—which had no employees— together employed more than 140 workers and paid-out over $220,000 in monthly payroll expenses. Furthermore, Kelley submitted forged tax returns and other forged documentation purporting to substantiate his false claims that his companies paid substantial payroll expenses.
Kelley spent the loan proceeds on purposes unrelated to those authorized by the Small Business Administration (SBA), including spending at least $142,711 in loan proceeds at various casinos and on gaming, and transferring at least $834,077 in loan proceeds to Kelley’s personal brokerage accounts. Kelley made further false statements to the SBA in a loan forgiveness application, which resulted in the complete discharge of the loans.
Kelley also defrauded other COVID-19 related assistance programs. Kelley submitted a separate fraudulent application under the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program to the SBA on behalf of one of his defunct companies, containing a false certification that loan proceeds would be used exclusively on business expenses. As a result, the SBA disbursed $10,000 to Kelley’s business bank account. Moreover, Kelley submitted fraudulent claims to the Virginia Employment Commission for unemployment benefits. The application for unemployment benefits falsely stated that Kelley was laid off from his job as a sales manager of a company that Kelley exclusively owned.
Kelley is scheduled to be sentenced on May 31. He 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, and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge David J. Novak accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Avi Panth 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. 3:22-cr-35.
Richmond Man Sentenced for Using a Firearm while Trafficking DrugsRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced to five years in prison today for using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a serious felony drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on March 10, 2022, Deshan Harris, 21, possessed a concealed semiautomatic pistol while he possessed a half ounce of crack cocaine with intent to distribute it. Police encountered Harris after observing him leaving the area of the Carolina Express convenience store located in the North Highland Park area of Richmond.
According to information presented at sentencing, when the police stopped Harris’s vehicle, Harris failed to comply with the officers’ lawful requests during the traffic stop as Harris concealed the loaded, 9mm semiautomatic pistol under his leg. A subsequent search of Harris’ vehicle resulted in the seizure of 15.9 grams of cocaine, oxycodone pills, over an ounce of marijuana, a digital scale, packaging materials, $852 in U.S. currency and an extended magazine loaded with 9mm ammunition. A search of Harris’s person resulted in the recovery of $1,714 in U.S. currency.
Just eight days earlier, police had seized another loaded, concealed pistol from Harris. According to ballistic evaluations submitted to the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), Ti’Eric Brooks (Case No. 3:22-cr-79) straw purchased the pistol 28 days earlier. From the time of the pistol’s purchase until its recovery from Harris on March 2, 2022, that pistol had been used in a shooting at the Homewood Suites by Hilton in the City of Richmond and the shooting of a young man off Porter Street.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Christopher Amon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division made the announcement after U.S. District Judge David J. Novak imposed the sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olivia Norman and Jessica Wright are prosecuting the case.
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.
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-80.
Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Flight Attendant and Interfering with Flight CrewRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Miami, Florida, man pleaded guilty today to interfering with a flight crew and assaulting a flight attendant while onboard a United Airlines flight from Miami to Washington, D.C.
According to court documents, on October 4, 2022, Cherruy Loghan Sevilla, 24, was onboard United Airlines Flight 2116 flying from Miami International Airport (MIA) to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD). About an hour into the flight, Sevilla began to exhibit disruptive and erratic behavior, including wandering around the plane, running up and down the aisle, clapping loudly near the cockpit, and yelling obscenities. Sevilla refused to remain seated and laid on the floor in the aisle of the plane, preventing a flight attendant from walking up the aisle to her jump seat to prepare for landing. Suddenly, the defendant jumped up and lunged at this flight attendant, grabbing and twisting her right breast. A passenger, another flight attendant, and an onboard law enforcement officer attempted to pull the defendant off and subdue him. The defendant resisted and, in the struggle, twisted the arm of the second flight attendant.
Sevilla faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on April 21. 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 Michael H. Glasheen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Counterterrorism Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton accepted the defendant’s guilty plea.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Stefanie Schwartz and Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Withers 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-218.
Norfolk Man Convicted of Sexually Abusing 11-Year-OldRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Norfolk man last Friday on charges of abusive sexual contact of a minor.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, in 2019, Donald Gene Ferguson II, 51, was working as a civilian Department of Defense employee in Iwakuni, Japan. During the summer of 2019, while in military housing in Iwakuni, Ferguson forced an 11-year-old minor to touch his genitals. While the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) was investigating the abuse, they discovered Ferguson also sexually abused a 12-year-old in the summer of 2012 while living in Florida.
Ferguson faces a maximum penalty of life in prison when sentenced on May 9. 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 Mack Hickman, Special Agent in Charge of the NCIS Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after Chief U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis accepted the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Yusi and Trial Attorney Alicia A. Bove of the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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-49.
Herndon Man Charged with Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Herndon man made his first court appearance today on charges of production and attempted production of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, in and around May 2022, Vincent Joseph Sarikey, 34, allegedly repeatedly engaged in sexually explicit discussions with at least two persons who identified themselves as minors, each of whom he successfully persuaded to produce sexually explicit pictures of themselves and send to him. Sarikey is alleged to have then provided the images of at least one minor to another individual who shared his stated sexual interest in minors. These exchanges took place on several social media platforms, including Telegram, Twitter, and Discord under the monikers “John Lugne,” “@JLugne,” and “triadus#9325.” Charging documents also allege that Sarikey attempted to groom and entice the minors to record themselves engaging in sexually explicit activity and that he sent some of the minors sexually explicit images of himself. Moreover, Sarikey’s electronic devices contained hundreds of images and videos of child sexual abuse material.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation continues to attempt to identify additional victims. Anyone with information regarding these crimes is encouraged to call 1-800-CALLFBI or 1-800-225-5324.
Sarikey faces a mandatory minimum of 15 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’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division, made the announcement after Sarikey appeared in court.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura D. Withers is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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].
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from Northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking.
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-48.
El Salvadorian Citizen Convicted of Illegal Reentry after Aggravated FelonyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted an El Salvadorian citizen last week on charges of illegal reentry subsequent to an aggravated felony.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Jose Molina, 32, illegally reentered the United States after having been previously deported both in 2015 and in 2017. Molina was most recently deported in July 2017 after pleading guilty and serving a sentence in the Southern District of Texas. Molina was first found in Alexandria in February 2022 after an arrest by local law enforcement on unrelated charges. In a sworn affidavit upon his arrest by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement in October 2022, Molina admitted that he was a citizen of El Salvador, that he had been previously deported, that he reentered the United States in 2018, and that he did not have the permission of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission.
Molina faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on April 19. 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 made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston accepted the verdict.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina Clark and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Ray 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-209.