Eastern District of Virginia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Defense Contractor and Employees Plead Guilty to Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Hampton-based business owner and four employees have all pleaded guilty to engaging in an extensive procurement fraud scheme involving millions of dollars in government contracts targeting the Department of Defense and other federal government agencies.
According to court documents, from 2011 to 2018, Iris Kim, Inc., (aka I-Tek) owner Beyung S. Kim, 61, of Newport News, and employees Seung Kim, 30, of Newport News, Dongjin Park, 53, of Yorktown, Chang You, 61, of Yorktown, Pyongkon Pak, 53, of Toano, and Li-Ling Tu, 57, of China, engaged in a conspiracy and scheme related to certain government contracts for which I-Tek acted as a supplier of goods, including items for the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army, U.S. Coast Guard, and the National Guards of various states, among other agencies.
These government contracts had certain set-aside preferences and source of good requirements. The conspirators acted to defraud the U.S. and commit other substantive offenses by fraudulently importing goods into the U.S. that were made in China, in violation of the terms of these contracts. They then falsely relabeled these goods as if they were made in the U.S. Kim and his employees also acted through a separate nominee company to conceal the importing of goods from China and installed a nominee officer of I-Tek in order to be able to fraudulently qualify for certain set-aside contracts. The conspirators also submitted false documents and further falsely classified the value of the goods imported into the U.S. so as to avoid higher duties and taxes.
The five conspirators are scheduled to be sentenced mid-March. Each defendant faces a maximum term of five to seven 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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations; Chris Dillard, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s (DCIS) Mid-Atlantic Field Office; and Gregory Scovel, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge David J. Novak accepted the pleas.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian J. Samuels and D. Mack Coleman, and Trial Attorney Matthew P. Mattis of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The Defense Contract Audit Agency, the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Services, the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Regulatory Audit and Agency Advisory Services, Office of Trade, and the U.S. Department of State Office of Inspector General all provided significant assistance to this case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:20-cr-47.
Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced for Armed Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to over 18 years in prison for conspiring to traffic wholesale amounts of cocaine in and around Hampton Roads and to possessing several guns to protect his drug trade.
According to court documents, Daryl Keith Sills, 57, completed a nine-year federal sentence for conspiring to distribute multiple kilograms of cocaine. Two years later, he started up his drug trafficking operation again, distributing at least one kilogram of powder cocaine a month until his October 2019 arrest on the charges in this case.
During the investigation, DEA agents conducted three controlled buys from Sills, totaling 140 grams of cocaine. Informants observed Sills receive and store in his residence more than 10 kilograms of cocaine. At Sills’ arrest, law enforcement searched his Norfolk and Virginia Beach drug premises, recovering a total of nine firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, 713 grams of cocaine, and 74 grams of marijuana. Sills admitted to his years-long conspiracy and attributed 20 kilograms of historical cocaine weight to himself.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. Click here for more information about Project Guardian.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division; Larry D. Boone, Chief of Norfolk Police; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar.
Assistant U.S. Attorney William B. Jackson 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. 2:20-cr-2.
Former CEO and Founder of Technology Company Pleads Guilty to Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
The former chief executive officer (CEO) and co-founder of Trustify, Inc. (Trustify), a privately-held technology company founded in 2015 and based in Arlington, Virginia, pleaded guilty today to his involvement in a fraud scheme resulting in millions of dollars of losses to investors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement.
Daniel Boice, 41, of Alexandria, Virginia, pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud and one count of wire fraud before Senior United States District Judge T.S. Ellis III of the Eastern District of Virginia. Sentencing is scheduled for March 19, 2021.
According to admissions made in connection with the plea agreement, beginning in 2015, Boice fraudulently solicited investments in Trustify, a privately held technology start-up company that connected customers with private investigators. Boice raised approximately $18.5 million from over 90 investors by, among other things, falsely overstating Trustify’s financial performance. Despite representing to investors that their funds would go towards operating and growing Trustify’s business, Boice diverted at least $3.7 million for his own benefit and to fund his lifestyle. This included the purchase of a home in Alexandria, Virginia, travel by private jet, and furnishing a seaside vacation home.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office is investigating the case. Trial Attorney Blake Goebel of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell Carlberg of the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
Individuals who believe they may be a victim in this case should contact the Victim Witness Services Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at 703-299-3700 for more information.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Man Charged with Kidnapping and Carjacking with Intent to KillRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a Maryland man with the kidnapping and carjacking of a woman in Henrico County in September 2019.
According to allegations in the indictment, on Sept. 18, 2019, Devon Allen Odell Scott, 38, of Edgewood, abducted a woman for the purpose of committing a sexual assault on and robbery of that same victim, and after traveling from Maryland to Virginia in furtherance of that offense. In the course of the kidnapping, Scott forcibly carjacked the victim’s vehicle with the intent to cause death and serious bodily harm to that victim.
Scott is charged with carjacking and kidnapping. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; David W. Archey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and Eric D. English, Chief of Henrico County Police Division, made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas A. Garnett and Peter S. Duffey are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Illegal Alien with Numerous Criminal Convictions Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – An El Salvadorian national previously convicted of sexual battery, extortion, and larceny charges pleaded guilty today to illegally reentering the United States.
According to court documents, Francisco Edgardo Palacios-Arias, 24, first illegally entered the U.S. sometime before February 2015. Thereafter, between June 2015 and July 2017, Palacios-Arias was convicted of a series of offenses in Chesterfield County, to include a sexual battery conviction in June 2015; a conviction for extortion of a school employee in December 2016; and convictions for two counts of larceny, false identification of self to law enforcement, and possession of marijuana in July 2017.
Officers of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Palacios-Arias following this third set of convictions, and he was deported in March 2018. Palacios-Arias later illegally reentered the U.S., and returned to Chesterfield County. ICE officers arrested Palacios-Arias in Chesterfield in March.
Palacios-Arias is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 8, 2021. He faces a maximum penalty of two 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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Shawn Byers, Acting Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr. accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas A. Garnett 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. 3:20-cr-62.
Darknet Drug Vendor Arrested for Distributing Illicit Prescription DrugsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Georgia man made his initial appearance in federal court here today on charges of distributing illicit prescription drugs over the Darknet.
According to court documents, Cullen Roberts, 22, of Duluth, used the moniker “Pillpusher” to sell prescription opioids and other scheduled narcotics on a Darknet market called Yellow Brick. The FBI began investigating Roberts by conducting a series of undercover purchases of various types of prescription drugs via the Darknet.
Roberts was identified as “Pillpusher” when he was observed dropping off one of the packages addressed to the undercover agent at the U.S. Post Office in Cumming, Georgia. Agents subsequently intercepted a package sent by Roberts and discovered dozens of tablets of Tramadol. Agents also searched Roberts’s trash and recovered empty boxes that had contained oxycodone and alprazolam (brand name Xanax).
Roberts also has pending charges in Forsyth County, Georgia for making terroristic threats.
Roberts was arrested yesterday and is charged with distribution of controlled substances. If convicted, 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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division, made the announcement.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Hi-Tech Opioid Task Force. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service Atlanta, and the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office provided significant assistance with this investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Rumbaugh is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-mj-332.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Physician Sentenced to Prison for Extensive “Pill Mill” SchemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former Fairfax doctor was sentenced today to seven years in prison for leading and organizing an extensive and illegal prescription distribution conspiracy and a related health care fraud scheme.
According to court documents, Dr. Felicia Lyn Donald, 65, of Great Falls, organized, led, and operated a prescription “pill mill” from at least April 2016 through April 2020. Donald practiced medicine at For Women OB/GYN Associates and NOVA Addiction Center. Donald distributed over 1.2 million milligrams (mg) of Schedule II opioids at or above the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guideline for dosages that a practitioner should avoid, with a total street value of over $1.2 million, and illegally distributed at least 325,190 mg of oxycodone and other Schedule II controlled substances. Donald also committed health care fraud on numerous occasions in furtherance of her scheme.
“Donald flagrantly betrayed the public’s trust in the medical profession by unlawfully distributing highly addictive and potentially lethal drugs to patients and other individuals,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The Eastern District of Virginia will continue to prosecute doctors who abandon their medical oath and hold them accountable for choosing profits over patients’ lives.”
Donald admitted that she prescribed opioids to addicts and/or drug dealers who had traveled from out-of-state or long distances to her practice; individuals that informed Donald of their pending drug charges; individuals who Donald knew had failed urine toxicology screens; individuals who Donald knew were selling the pills that she prescribed to them; individuals who received from Donald opioids and alprazolam, which Donald admitted is a dangerous combination of drugs that could have killed or caused serious bodily injury to the ultimate users; paying certain employees, in part, with opioid prescriptions rather than through pay checks; and giving blank prescriptions to certain members of her medical office staff and other co-conspirators for their personal use.
Donald attempted to conceal her patterns of illegal prescribing by falsifying medical records to make it appear as though individuals who were never her patients received examinations and medical care, when in fact they had not, and engaging in Medicaid fraud. Donald fraudulently issued prescriptions to others in the names of at least nine unwitting individuals, none of whom were her patients. Donald also issued prescriptions for high doses of oxycodone to multiple women who were pregnant.
Following her guilty plea on May 4, the Court revoked Donald’s pretrial release on August 7 after the government learned and produced evidence indicating that Donald violated numerous conditions of her release pending sentencing, including: 1) Donald admitted that she “made it up” when informing the FBI and jail officials during her arrest that she was exposed to COVID-19; 2) Donald continued to practice medicine for profit; 3) Donald repeatedly communicated with co-conspirators following her guilty plea; 4) Donald made a false certification under penalty of perjury on May 16 to the Small Business Administration (SBA) to obtain a loan in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, including failing to inform the SBA about her guilty plea; and 5) Donald fraudulently used SBA loan and/or Cares Act Paycheck Protection Program COVID-19 loans to fund her personal-related expenses, including thousands of dollars in legal fees related to this case.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division; and Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh and Assistant U.S. Attorney Monika 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. 1:20-cr-100.
Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Investors in Carbon Credit SchemeRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Georgia man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud as part of a $1.7 million investment scheme.
According to court documents, Mark H. Loewen, 58, of Atlanta, was the President of World Wide Carbon, LLC (WWC), a business based in Atlanta that purported to sell investments related to carbon offset credits for profit. Loewen and his co-conspirators misled investors regarding WWC’s use of investor funds, return on investment, and risks of the carbon offset credit investment. In total, seven victims, including some in the Eastern District of Virginia and some who were elderly, invested $1,749,990 in WWC investments.
Loewen is scheduled to be sentenced on April 6, 2021. 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.
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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; David W. Archey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr. accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber 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. 3:20-cr-30.
Illegal Alien and Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to 4th Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – An illegal alien who has been deported from the U.S. at taxpayer expense on four occasions, pleaded guilty yesterday to once again illegally entering the United States.
According to court documents, Oscar O. Cabrera, 47, an El Salvadoran citizen, has illegally entered the U.S. at least five times. On each occasion, Cabrera has only come to the attention of law enforcement after committing further crimes while in the U.S. illegally. Cabrera was most recently deported in January 2017, after a felony conviction for illegally possessing a firearm. Cabrera also has seven misdemeanor convictions for various crimes, including discharging a firearm in a public place, and driving under the influence.
On February 13, Cabrera was arrested in Hanover County on charges that included identity theft and conspiracy to commit larceny. On November 9, he pleaded guilty to fraud-related charges. Thereafter, he was turned over to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to face federal criminal immigration charges.
Cabrera is scheduled to be sentenced on March 11, 2021. 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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Shawn Byers, Acting Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. District Judge David J. Novak accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Maguire 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. 3:20-cr-128.
Heroin and Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced for Role in Fatal OverdoseRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Triangle man was sentenced today to 90 months in prison for distributing heroin to a woman who fatally overdosed four days after she got out of substance abuse treatment.
According to court documents, Jeremy Bruce Jones, 31, was a prolific heroin and fentanyl dealer in Prince William County who for years sold dangerous narcotics to addicted persons in his community.
On March 15, 2019, law enforcement responded to Brianna Beatty’s residence and found her deceased. Detectives recovered heroin from the scene. A search of Beatty’s phone revealed that the day before, Beatty had met up with Jones and obtained drugs from him.
The investigation revealed that Beatty first bought heroin from Jones in January 2019 and was hospitalized after non-fatally overdosing. At the time, she was on probation, and she was sent to an in-patient substance abuse clinic in California for 30 days. She returned to Virginia on March 10, 2019. Four days later, Beatty bought heroine from Jones that contributed to her fatal overdose.
After law enforcement identified Jones, the ensuing investigation identified a network of heroin/fentanyl dealers extending from Woodbridge to the District of Columbia and Maryland. One such dealer was Darrell Pope, a former employee of the D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. Pope has pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division; and Jarad L. Phelps, Acting Chief of Prince William County Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Rumbaugh 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. 1:20-cr-30.
Woman Pleads Guilty to Aiming Laser Pointer at Police AircraftRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Henrico woman pleaded guilty today to aiming a laser pointer at a police aircraft while at the Robert E. Lee Monument during a period of civil unrest.
According to court documents, on June 4, Amanda Robinson, 33, traveled to the Robert E. Lee Monument traffic circle located in Richmond. While at the traffic circle, Robinson pointed her laser pointer at a 2006 Cessna aircraft flying above her location operated by police officers of the Metropolitan Aviation Unit. The Metropolitan Aviation Unit officers were conducting aerial surveillance patrols during a period of civil unrest. In aiming the laser pointer, Robinson struck the aircraft on at least two separate occasions and disrupted the pilot’s vision. Using an onboard camera, the police officers identified Robinson as the individual aiming the laser pointer and directed police units to her location. Upon arriving to the Robert E. Lee Monument traffic circle, police patrol units detained Robinson and recovered a green laser pointer from her possession.
The Metropolitan Aviation Unit is a multi-jurisdictional law enforcement aviation unit made up of the Henrico County Police Department, the Richmond Police Department, and the Chesterfield County Police Department that conducts aerial operations in the Central Virginia area.
Robinson is scheduled to be sentenced on March 23, 2021. She 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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jamie Mazzone, Mid-Atlantic Region Special Agent-In-Charge, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge David J. Novak accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert 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. 3:20-cr-120.
Sisters Plead Guilty to Distributing Spice and Laundering Drug ProceedsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two Mississippi women pleaded guilty today to their involvement in distributing wholesale quantities of synthetic cannabinoids—commonly known as “spice” or “K2”—and laundering millions of dollars in proceeds of the sale of that spice.
According to court documents, from 2017 through November 2019, sisters Kimberly Drumm, 51, Bonnie Turner, 49, of Olive Branch, and their co-defendant, Joseph Ruis, 55, of Los Angeles, were the leaders of a southern-California based wholesale spice manufacturing and distribution operation. The illicit business held itself out as Aroma Superstore, and maintained a professional-looking website through which buyers around the country, including in the Eastern District of Virginia, could order packages of different varieties and flavors of spice. Drumm, Turner, and Ruis concealed the proceeds of their spice distribution by moving their profits through a network of shell corporations.
The spice that Aroma Superstore sold almost uniformly contained chemicals listed as Schedule I controlled substances. The spice was sold in packages bearing the label “Not For Human Consumption” in an attempt to avoid regulatory or law enforcement scrutiny. The products were, in reality, intended to be consumed and induce a “high” similar to other controlled substances. The spice connected to this conspiracy caused an individual from New Hampshire, referred to in court documents as J.S., to fatally overdose.
Drumm’s primary role in the conspiracy was to manage the finances of the operation. She prepared the payroll for the employees, picked up payments from customers, and deposited them into bank accounts used in the conspiracy. For a time, she ordered the chemicals used in the spice. Drumm also rented a storage locker where the chemicals were stored.
Turner had two roles in the conspiracy. First, she opened bank accounts in her name for the various business entities involved in the conspiracy. Second, Turner worked in the spice warehouse. At the warehouse, Turner and her co-conspirators stored thousands of packages of spice, organized by their different flavors and scents, and bearing a wide variety of different images and logos on the labels as well as stickers signifying the weight of each package.
In May 2019, law enforcement searched locations used by Ruis, Drumm, and Turner for their business. In one warehouse location, agents seized approximately 30 kilograms of spice as well as a large volume of packaging material and equipment used in the distribution of the spice. At another warehouse location, law enforcement seized approximately 4,500 pounds of marijuana, approximately 300 kilograms of butane honey oil, lab equipment for the extraction of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and approximately $45,000. Law enforcement also searched the storage locker that Drumm had rented, and recovered approximately one kilogram of 5F-MDMB-PICA, a Schedule I chemical used to manufacture the spice.
Drumm and Turner each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count of distribution of Schedule I controlled substances. They are scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 17, 2021. They face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each of the counts. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division; Peter R. Rendina, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Robert P. Mosier, Fauquier County Sheriff, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston, Jr. accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine E. Rumbaugh and 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. 1:20-cr-76.
Richmond Man Sentenced for Distributing Heroin and FentanylRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for distributing a controlled substance containing heroin and fentanyl.
According to court documents, Tavarus Jermaine Williams, 40, was arrested on March 19 as part of a law enforcement focus on high violent crime areas of Richmond. In December 2019, law enforcement conducted two controlled purchases of narcotics from Williams. Lab testing confirmed that the substance purchased from Williams on both occasions was heroin mixed with fentanyl. During a search warrant executed on Williams’ residence, officers recovered a loaded Glock pistol with an extended magazine and 30 rounds of 9mm ammunition.
In the days following his arrest, Williams used another inmate’s PIN to place phone calls to his girlfriend. In these calls, Williams solicited his girlfriend to find information for the person he believed tipped off law enforcement to his drug activity, and concluded that someone needed to pay this person a visit. ATF agents promptly conducted an investigation to follow up on these phone calls.
At sentencing, Williams received enhancements under the sentencing guidelines for possessing a dangerous weapon for the firearm recovered during the search warrant and obstruction of justice for the phone calls.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division; and William C. Smith, Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Janet Jin Ah Lee 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. 3:20-cr-57.
Firebomb Attack Plotters Sentenced to Combined over 23 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Maryland Darknet vendor and a Nebraska pharmacist were sentenced today to a combined over 23 years in prison for their respective roles in a conspiracy to use explosives to firebomb and destroy a competitor pharmacy.
According to court documents, William Anderson Burgamy IV, 33, of Hanover, Maryland, told co-conspirator, Hyrum T. Wilson, 41, of Auburn, Nebraska, that he would never surrender to law enforcement, that if anyone showed up during the attack, he would “blast [his] [expletive] way out,” and that he would shoot bullets at anyone who attempted to confront or apprehend him, including the owner of the victim pharmacy. Prior to Burgamy’s arrest in April 2020, which uncovered and thwarted the firebombing plot, Burgamy and Wilson fully intended on the attack occurring after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted.
From August 2019 through April 2020, Wilson illegally mailed over 19,000 dosage units of prescription medications, including opioids, from his pharmacy in Nebraska to Burgamy’s residence in Maryland. Burgamy illegally sold prescription drugs through his Darknet vendor account to customers nationwide, including here in the Eastern District of Virginia, and claimed at one point that he made nearly $1 million total. Burgamy and Wilson laundered the proceeds of their scheme using Bitcoin cryptocurrency payments, wire transfers, and bundles of cash sent through the mail.
Given the profitability of the Darknet scheme, Wilson repeatedly hit limits, set by his distributor, on the amount of prescription drugs that he could obtain and provide to Burgamy. Consequently, Burgamy and Wilson developed an attack plot known as “Operation Firewood” to break into, steal the opiate supply of, and firebomb a competing pharmacy located in Auburn by using explosives. The goal of the attack plot was to destroy Wilson’s local competition, which Burgamy and Wilson believed would increase the volume of prescription drugs that Wilson’s pharmacy could obtain, thereby allowing Burgamy and Wilson’s drug trafficking operation to continue and expand.
Wilson created a “getaway” map and escape routes for Burgamy to use to help him evade law enforcement detection after the firebombing. Wilson instructed Burgamy to make the firebombing appear as though it was committed by a fictitious “pissed off husband” who learned about a fabricated affair involving the husband’s wife and a pharmacist from the victim pharmacy. Burgamy and Wilson also discussed obtaining and selling hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine for illegal distribution purposes in order to further profit from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Burgamy assured Wilson that if anything happened to him, he would take care of Wilson’s “family and bills,” and Wilson agreed to safeguard Burgamy’s life insurance information in the event Burgamy was killed during the attack. Burgamy and Wilson also agreed that Burgamy and another individual would carry multiple firearms during the attack and use explosives, specifically Molotov cocktails enhanced with Styrofoam as a thickening agent, to burn the victim pharmacy down. Law enforcement located eight unsecured fully loaded firearms in Burgamy’s residence, including AR-15 assault rifles and numerous high capacity magazines.
Burgamy and Wilson were sentenced to 168 months and 112 months in prison respectively.
This prosecution was part of an international enforcement operation targeting opioid traffickers on the Darknet. Operation DisrupTor, announced on September 22, was conducted across the United States and Europe and resulted in over 170 arrests worldwide, the seizure of weapons, drugs, and over $6.5 million.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Washington Field Office Criminal Division; Peter R. Rendina, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Mark S. McCormack, Special Agent in Charge, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Metro Washington Field Office; and Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the DEA’s Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh prosecuted both cases.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-cr-150 and Case No. 1:20-cr-151.
Chinese National Pleads Guilty for Role in $1.1 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Chinese national pleaded guilty today to his role in a $1.1 million fraud conspiracy involving gift cards.
According to court documents, Jin Hong, 38, of Richmond, was part of a wire fraud conspiracy in which members of the conspiracy contacted victims by telephone or through social media and assumed fictitious identities. The conspirators falsely claimed to be from the Internal Revenue Service or an employee of a financial institution and falsely told victims they were entitled to money or under some form of immediate financial threat, such as having their personal identification information compromised by known criminals. Hong and his co-conspirators used these ruses and others to trick the victims into purchasing gift cards and then sending the gift cards’ redemption codes to them. The redemption codes allow the gift cards to be redeemed without being in possession of the physical card.
Hong, along with co-conspirators Shouming Sun, He Li, Yuchen Zhang, and others, then used the fraudulently obtained redemption codes to purchase goods totaling approximately $1.1 million.
Hong is scheduled to be sentenced on April 7, 2021. 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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division; Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr, Chief of Fairfax County Police; and J. Russell George, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney William Fitzpatrick and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Viviana Vasiu are prosecuting the case.
This matter was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office's Transnational Organized Crime Task Force which is composed by FBI agents along with local, state, and federal partners. Significant investigative assistance was provided by the Fairfax County Police Department.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-cr-254.
Convicted Armed Robber Sentenced to 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for discharging a firearm during an armed robbery in Petersburg.
According to court documents, in November 2014, Deontae J. Hargrave, 28, committed an armed robbery of a 7-Eleven convenience store in Petersburg. When demanding money from the cashier, Hargrave fired a .40 caliber round of ammunition into the display case behind the cashier. Hargrave obtained approximately $40 and three packs of cigarettes from the robbery. Subsequently, Hargrave sent a threatening letter to a detective investigating a crime he was allegedly involved in.
In 2015, Hargrave pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a total of 237 months in prison. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed Hargrave’s convictions for the armed robbery (count one) and discharge of the firearm during the robbery (count two). The court, however, determined that the sentencing judge needed to more fully explain why he imposed a 15-year sentence on count two, as opposed to the mandatory minimum of 10 years. Following remand, sentencing judge again imposed a 15-year sentence on count two.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of a renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Simon 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. 3:15-cr-37.
Businesswoman Sentenced for $1M Fraud and Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake businesswoman was sentenced today to 42 months in prison and ordered to pay over $1 million in restitution for engaging in a fraudulent rental agreement scheme and embezzling monies entrusted to her for postage.
According to court documents, Tonya Saxby, 46, owned and operated Mail Solutions of Virginia LLC, which was an authorized dealer for Neopost (now Quadient), a mail, shipping and document solutions company in Connecticut. Neopost manufactured mail processing equipment that it leased through rental agreements to customers throughout the United States. In her capacity as an agent for Neopost, Saxby negotiated equipment rental agreements with Ferguson Enterprises, a company headquartered in Newport News, Virginia. In order to get business with Ferguson Enterprises, Saxby negotiated agreements with it for monthly rental payments that were significantly lower than Neopost’s pricing guidelines, knowing that Neopost would not have approved them. She created 82 false and fraudulent rental agreements, forged the signatures of Ferguson Enterprises employees onto them, and sent them to Neopost. Neither Neopost nor Ferguson Enterprises were aware of the fraudulent rental agreements.
According to court documents, Saxby earned $91,707.29 in commissions to which she was not entitled. When Neopost discovered the fraud, it reclaimed and disposed of the equipment it had delivered to Ferguson Enterprises, resulting in a loss to Neopost of $801,634.46. Saxby also embezzled monies provided to her by customers for the purpose of purchasing postage from the U.S. Postal Service to load onto postal meters installed on their equipment, resulting in a loss of $38,544.32 to the U.S. Postal Service, which had already loaded the postage. Saxby embezzled an additional $91,112.21 from customers that entrusted her with money to purchase postage.
The total loss sustained by victims as a result of Saxby’s fraud was $1,022,998.28.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Karl Schumann, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Peter R. Rendina, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan M. Salsbury 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. 2:20-cr-20.
Former Sailor Sentenced to Prison for Child Exploitation CrimeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former U.S. Navy Seabee was sentenced today to 109 months in prison for transporting images of child sexual abuse.
According to court documents, Martin Nieves Huizar, 37, of Arlington, was previously assigned to the U.S. Secretary of State's overseas travel communications detail. In January, upon returning from official government travel from Germany to Washington Dulles International Airport, Huizar was caught by Customs and Border Patrol Officers transporting images of child sexual abuse on his phones and tablet computer. Special Agents from Homeland Security Investigations then interviewed Huizar, who confessed to knowingly downloading and transporting images of child sexual abuse internationally.
Subsequent investigation revealed that Huizar had also engaged in online grooming of a 15-year-old girl in North Carolina via the social media platform, Instagram. While overseas on official government travel, Huizar made plans to meet up with the minor girl for sex shortly after his arrival back to the United States. Due to this investigation and prosecution, that meeting did not occur. Court records also revealed that Huizar previously had targeted other minor girls.
In addition to Huizar’s prison sentence, he will also be required to pay $40,100 in fines, pay $10,000 in restitution to the victims of the offense, serve a 10-year term of supervised release, and register as a sex offender upon release from the Bureau of Prisons.
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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ambassador Matthew Klimow, Acting Inspector General for the Department of State; and Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston, Jr.
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service assisted in the investigation.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell L. Carlberg 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. 1:20-cr-152.
Former Army Green Beret Pleads Guilty to Russian Espionage ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A former Army Green Beret pleaded guilty today to conspiring with Russian intelligence operatives to provide them with United States national defense information.
According to court documents, from December 1996 to January 2011, Peter Rafael Dzibinski Debbins, 45, of Gainesville, a former member of the U.S. Army, conspired with agents of a Russian intelligence service. During that time, Debbins periodically visited Russia and met with Russian intelligence agents. In 1997, Debbins was assigned a code name by Russian intelligence agents and signed a statement attesting that he wanted to serve Russia.
“Debbins today acknowledged that he violated this country’s highest trust by passing sensitive national security information to the Russians,” said John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security. “Debbins betrayed his oath, his country, and his Special Forces team members with the intent to harm the United States and help Russia. Debbins’s guilty plea represents another success in the Department’s continuing effort to counter the national security threat posed by our nation’s adversaries, including Russia.”
“Our country entrusted Debbins with the responsibility and training to protect it from its adversaries,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Debbins betrayed that trust and betrayed his fellow service members by conspiring to provide national defense information to Russian intelligence operatives. I would like to commend our investigative partners for their steadfast and dogged dedication to bringing Debbins to justice and holding him accountable for his crimes.”
From 1998 to 2005, Debbins served on active duty as an officer in the U.S. Army, serving in chemical units before being selected for the U.S. Army Special Forces. The Russian intelligence agents encouraged him to join and pursue a career in the Special Forces, which he did, where he served at the rank of Captain.
Over the course of the conspiracy, Debbins provided the Russian intelligence agents with information that he obtained as a member of the U.S. Army, including information about his chemical and Special Forces units. In 2008, after leaving active duty service, Debbins disclosed to the Russian intelligence agents classified information about his previous activities while deployed with the Special Forces. Debbins also provided the Russian intelligence agents with the names of, and information about, a number of his former Special Forces team members so that the agents could evaluate whether to approach the team members to see if they would cooperate with the Russian intelligence service.
“Debbins betrayed this nation and his fellow serviceman, putting Americans and our national security at risk by providing national defense information to Russia’s Intelligence Service,” said Steven M. D’Antuono, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office. “Despite being entrusted to protect his colleagues and U.S. national security, he chose to abuse this trust by knowingly providing classified information to one of our most aggressive adversaries. Today’s plea is an example of the zealous pursuit of justice that the FBI and our partners stand for and work tirelessly to achieve every day.”
“President Kennedy called the Green Berets ‘a symbol of excellence, a badge of courage, a mark of distinction.’ Mr. Debbins’ actions were a symbol of betrayal, a badge of cowardice, and a mark of treachery,” said Alan E. Kohler, Jr., Assistant Director of the FBI's Counterintelligence Division. “He pledged his allegiance to Russia, and in doing so, sold-out his country and fellow Green Berets. This case should serve as a reminder that the FBI and its investigative partners will stop at nothing to hold an individual accountable for their actions.”
Debbins is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 26, 2021. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas W. Traxler and James L. Trump, and Trial Attorney David Aaron of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, are prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Terwilliger and Assistant Attorney General Demers greatly appreciate the assistance of Army Counterintelligence, the FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office, the United Kingdom’s Metropolitan Police Service, and MI5.
Former Army Green Beret Pleads Guilty to Russian Espionage ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former Army Green Beret pleaded guilty today to conspiring with Russian intelligence operatives to provide them with United States national defense information.
According to court documents, from December 1996 to January 2011, Peter Rafael Dzibinski Debbins, 45, of Gainesville, a former member of the U.S. Army, conspired with agents of a Russian intelligence service. During that time, Debbins periodically visited Russia and met with Russian intelligence agents. In 1997, Debbins was assigned a code name by Russian intelligence agents and signed a statement attesting that he wanted to serve Russia.
“Our country entrusted Debbins with the responsibility and training to protect it from its adversaries,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Debbins betrayed that trust and betrayed his fellow service members by conspiring to provide national defense information to Russian intelligence operatives. I would like to commend our investigative partners for their steadfast and dogged dedication to bringing Debbins to justice and holding him accountable for his crimes.”
From 1998 to 2005, Debbins served on active duty as an officer in the U.S. Army, serving in chemical units before being selected for the U.S. Army Special Forces. The Russian intelligence agents encouraged him to join and pursue a career in the Special Forces, which he did, where he served at the rank of Captain.
“Debbins today acknowledged that he violated this country’s highest trust by passing sensitive national security information to the Russians,” said John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security. “Debbins betrayed his oath, his country, and his Special Forces team members with the intent to harm the United States and help Russia. Debbins’s guilty plea represents another success in the Department’s continuing effort to counter the national security threat posed by our nation’s adversaries, including Russia.”
Over the course of the conspiracy, Debbins provided the Russian intelligence agents with information that he obtained as a member of the U.S. Army, including information about his chemical and Special Forces units. In 2008, after leaving active duty service, Debbins disclosed to the Russian intelligence agents classified information about his previous activities while deployed with the Special Forces. Debbins also provided the Russian intelligence agents with the names of, and information about, a number of his former Special Forces team members so that the agents could evaluate whether to approach the team members to see if they would cooperate with the Russian intelligence service.
“Debbins betrayed this nation and his fellow serviceman, putting Americans and our national security at risk by providing national defense information to Russia’s Intelligence Service,” said Steven M. D’Antuono, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office. “Despite being entrusted to protect his colleagues and U.S. national security, he chose to abuse this trust by knowingly providing classified information to one of our most aggressive adversaries. Today’s plea is an example of the zealous pursuit of justice that the FBI and our partners stand for and work tirelessly to achieve every day.”
“President Kennedy called the Green Berets ‘a symbol of excellence, a badge of courage, a mark of distinction.’ Mr. Debbins’ actions were a symbol of betrayal, a badge of cowardice, and a mark of treachery,” said Alan E. Kohler, Jr., Assistant Director of the FBI's Counterintelligence Division. “He pledged his allegiance to Russia, and in doing so, sold-out his country and fellow Green Berets. This case should serve as a reminder that the FBI and its investigative partners will stop at nothing to hold an individual accountable for their actions.”
Debbins is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 26, 2021. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas W. Traxler and James L. Trump, and Trial Attorney David Aaron of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Terwilliger and Assistant Attorney General Demers greatly appreciate the assistance of Army Counterintelligence, the FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office, the United Kingdom’s Metropolitan Police Service, and MI5.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-cr-193.
Iowa Woman Sentenced for Trafficking Fentanyl and Heroin to VirginiaRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – An Iowa woman was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for her role as the out-of-state heroin and fentanyl supplier for convicted Hampton Roads trafficker Michelle Best.
“Selling fentanyl from a daycare where young children are present is not just extremely reckless and illegal, it is dangerous,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This case and this sentence should be a wake-up call to anyone trafficking dangerous drugs into Virginia: Our investigative partners follow the narcotics and the money wherever they lead, and our prosecutions reflect that. This district will bring the full force of the law against traffickers who endanger the lives of Virginians, wherever they are.”
According to court documents, in September 2017, Latosha L. Prather, 37, of Des Moines, sold two kilograms of heroin and fentanyl for $125,000 to Best from Prather’s home-based day care service in Des Moines. Agents and analysts traced approximately $100,000 in cash deposits from Best to Prather. In January 2018, Prather travelled from Des Moines to Virginia Beach, where she met with Best in a Wal-Mart parking lot to distribute another kilogram of heroin and fentanyl for $49,000. In March 2018, a Virginia SWAT team working with the DEA executed a search warrant at Best’s Croatan house and recovered nearly $42,000 in cash, approximately 352 grams of heroin laced with fentanyl, significant quantities of other narcotics, a commercial money counter, and a number of firearms.
Best was sentenced in March 2019 to 30 years in prison.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of the Virginia Beach Police Department, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys John F. Butler and Andrew C. 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. 2:19-cr-138. The case of United States v. Michelle Best, et al. can be found by searching for Case No. 2:18-cr-147.
Six Indicted for Bribery Scheme at Federal Prison in PetersburgRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal indictment was unsealed today charging six individuals with conspiracy to bribe staff members and receive bribes as staff members at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Petersburg to introduce drugs, cigarettes, and cellular telephones into the federal prison and to allow the running of an inmate gambling operation in violation of Bureau of Prison regulations.
According to the indictment, Stephen Taylor, 48, and Shanice Bullock, 28, who were employed at the prison in Petersburg, sought and received tens of thousands of dollars over the course of the conspiracy from inmate Dontay Cox, 37, and associates of Cox, including his mother, Kim Williams, 56, and girlfriend, Rameesha Smith, 36, to facilitate the introduction of the controlled substances, cigarettes, and cellular telephones.
According to the indictment, Cox worked alongside other inmates at FCI Petersburg, including fellow FCI Petersburg inmate Travian Taylor, 29, to run his contraband scheme inside the prison. FCI Petersburg inmates and their associates would then pay Williams, Smith, and another co-conspirator using a variety of methods. Stephen Taylor and Bullock were paid thousands of dollars via wire transfers from Walmart-2-Walmart.
All six defendants are charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Additionally, Stephen Taylor, Bullock, Williams, and Cox are charged with multiple counts of offering bribes to and receiving bribes by public officials. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison per count. Cox is also charged with possessing marijuana in the prison. If convicted, Cox 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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; David W. Archey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and Russell W. Cunningham, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, Washington Field Office, made the announcement after the indictment was unsealed.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth Simon, Jr. and Michael C. Moore 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. 3:20-cr-125.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Man Sentenced for COVID-19 Fraud Involving Paycheck Protection ProgramRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Ashburn man was sentenced today to 12 months in prison and two years of supervised release for defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a federal initiative designed to help businesses pay their employees and meet their basic expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“During a time of national crisis, the federal government set aside money to help struggling businesses pay their hardworking employees and keep their doors open,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Tarik Jaafar planned and executed a scheme to steal money from this essential program. This office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to make sure that federal economic assistance provides relief for beleaguered businesses and not profits for devious criminals.”
According to court documents, Jaafar, 43, conspired with his wife, Monika Magdalena Jaworska, to create four shell companies. These companies conducted no legitimate business and existed solely as a means to execute the scheme to defraud. From April 13 to May 6, Jaafar and Jaworska applied for 18 separate PPP loans in the names of the four shell companies valued at approximately $6.6 million, falsely claiming, among other things, that the businesses had employees and they needed the loans to pay their employees’ salaries. Jaafar and Jaworska fraudulently induced banks to distribute approximately $1.4 million in loans which they intended to use for their personal benefit.
“The Paycheck Protection Program was developed to aide small businesses during these challenging times,” said Hannibal “Mike” Ware, Inspector General of the Small Business Administration. “Our office will remain relentless in the pursuit of bad actors who seek to exploit SBA’s vital economic programs. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and commitment to seeing justice served.”
On June 20, Jaafar and Jaworska were arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport as they attempted to flee to Poland. The majority of the funds were recovered by the banks and by law enforcement. On August 25, Jaafar pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States.
“As we’ve seen in the aftermath of many disasters and crises, criminals will exploit any opportunity to take advantage of programs intended to help businesses and individuals confronted with hardship,” said James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division. “In this instance, funds intended to alleviate the effects of the ongoing pandemic were illicitly converted to personal use. Today's sentencing demonstrates the commitment of the FBI and its partners to combatting fraudulent activity. The FBI will continue to investigate allegations of those who attempt to defraud the government and take money away from those who are in legitimate need.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Shartar and William Fitzpatrick 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. 1:20-cr-185.
Jury Convicts Man of Receiving and Possessing Images of Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Virginia Beach man today on charges of receiving and possessing images of child sexual abuse.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, in July 2018, the FBI executed a search warrant at the residence of Bradley Jeffrey-Moe, 28, after an online undercover operation identified Moe as having made available dozens of images of child sexual abuse for download over various peer-to-peer networks. During the search, the FBI discovered five electronic devices which contained thousands of images of child sexual abuse, as well as digital records reflecting the use of peer-to-peer software to search for and download such images. When questioned by the FBI, Moe waived his rights and confessed that he had downloaded and viewed the images.
Jeffrey-Moe is scheduled to be sentenced on March 25, 2021. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Karl Schumann, Acting 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. Attorneys Anthony Mozzi and Michael Gill are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-165.
Gang Members Sentenced to Nearly 16 Years for Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Two local gang members were sentenced this week to nearly 16 years in prison combined for being felons in possession of firearms.
According to court documents, Davidro Leondre Smith, aka Kastor Troy, 30, and Dequan Leshawn McKee, aka The General, 23, both of Norfolk, are members of the Norfolk-based Cream/200K/2K criminal street gang.
In July 2019, Norfolk police officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a car driven by Smith, a five-time felon, with McKee in the passenger seat. Smith refused to stop and led several police vehicles on a high-speed chase. During the pursuit, Smith maneuvered around police vehicles stopped in the middle of the road and at one point drove in the opposite lane facing oncoming traffic. Smith and McKee finally abandoned the car in an apartment-complex parking lot, and police officers chased them on foot. While running from one of the officers, Smith drew his gun, brandished it, and tried to throw it into one of the apartments, but it bounced off the rear screen door. He then fought the pursuing officer, and was arrested after backup arrived. The arresting officer recovered from Smith roughly 7.1 grams of marijuana and 62 pills of varying colors and sizes, separated into three bags. Lab results confirmed the presence of Oxycodone.
The officers also recovered McKee’s handgun, which had been lying underneath the car’s front passenger floor mat, and his phone, which had been sitting on the front passenger seat, unlocked and recording on Facebook Live. The footage shows McKee sitting in the car’s passenger seat with his gun between his legs. It also shows McKee’s and Smith’s reactions at the moment the officers turned on their emergency lights to initiate the traffic stop—as they panic and discuss throwing drugs out of one of the car windows. Facebook friends of McKee who were viewing the live recording posted messages encouraging Smith and McKee to do so. McKee’s gun was one of 16 firearms that had been reported stolen from a federally licensed gun store a week earlier.
Smith was sentenced Tuesday to 120 months in prison, while McKee was sentenced today to 71 months.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), Operation Bloodline. 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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division; and Larry D. Boone, Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith.
Assistant U.S. Attorney William B. Jackson 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. 2:20-cr-18.
Virginia Return Preparer Indicted for Evading her Own Taxes and Not Filing Her ReturnsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Richmond, Virginia, returned an indictment charging a return preparer with tax evasion and failure to file individual income tax returns, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia.
According to the indictment, Willette J. Holland owned Tax Professionals, a tax preparation firm located in Richmond, Virginia. In August 2014, the IRS allegedly contacted Holland regarding her failure to file her 2010 through 2013 personal tax returns. Holland then allegedly presented false returns for those years, which understated her business income, gross receipts, and net profit, to an IRS Revenue Agent. In 2013 and 2014, Holland allegedly attempted to evade taxes by depositing income into a bank account held in the name of a nominee, thereby concealing her income from the IRS. Finally, in 2015 and 2016, Holland allegedly failed to file tax returns despite being required to do so by law.
If convicted, Holland faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison for each count of tax evasion and faces a maximum sentence of one year of incarceration for each count of failure to file individual income tax returns. She also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Terwilliger commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorneys Francine Davis and Michael C. Boteler of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Maguire, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Serial Fraudster Sentenced for Second Operation Homeless SchemeRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A previously convicted felon was sentenced today to 100 months in prison for conspiring to commit mail and bank fraud while on supervised release for a prior federal fraud conspiracy.
According to court documents, Gary Darnell Williams, 52, of Petersburg, organized and led a conspiracy to defraud several banks by stealing business checks from the mail and using those checks as exemplars to create counterfeit checks that he then recruited homeless individuals to cash. Williams undertook this crime just four months after completing a 10-year federal prison sentence for a nearly identical scheme. Over the course of six months, Williams stole business checks from the mail in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. He then recruited at least eight homeless individuals to cash at least 66 counterfeit checks totaling over $57,000 at financial institutions in Virginia and Pennsylvania. To recruit and retain these people, Williams rented them hotel rooms and supplied them with heroin. After successfully concealing these crimes from his federal probation officer, Williams absconded from supervision after he was charged with an unrelated state offense. Williams remained a federal fugitive until he was arrested driving two homeless check cashers to banks in October 2019. When arrested, Williams had 30 counterfeit checks purportedly drawn on five different business accounts totaling over $26,000.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Peter R. Rendina, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin G. Cooke prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 3:20-cr-71 and 3:10-cr-105.
Man Sentenced for Threatening to Burn Down African American ChurchRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A North Carolina man was sentenced today to two years in prison for making a threat to burn down an African American church in Virginia Beach.
According to court documents, John Malcolm Bareswill, 63, called a Virginia Beach church with a predominantly African American congregation, made racially derogatory remarks, and threatened to set the church on fire. The threatening call was placed on June 7, several days after one of the church’s leaders took part in a public prayer vigil and peaceful demonstration for George Floyd.
“John Malcolm Bareswill reacted to a prayer vigil and rally held in memory of George Floyd by threatening to burn down an African American church,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Answering the exercise of constitutional freedoms with threats of violence—especially threats that tap into a long and shameful history of racially-motivated violence against houses of worship—requires swift and certain justice. Bareswill’s threat terrified the adult Sunday school teachers who heard it and affected the entire church community. While this sentence cannot undo that harm, it sends an important message: Our community will not tolerate attempts to silence free speech or interfere with the free exercise of religion.”
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Karl Schumann, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Paul Neudigate, Chief of the Virginia Beach Police Department; and David Hutcheson, Chief of the Virginia Beach Fire Department, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Bosse prosecuted the case. Trial Attorney Kathryn Gilbert of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division provided significant assistance on 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. 2:20-cr-61.
Man Sentenced for Possessing Heroin and Fentanyl in ChesapeakeRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A New York City man was sentenced today to six and a half years in prison for possessing with intent to distribute a kilogram of heroin and a kilogram of fentanyl.
According to court documents, Jabulani Maitland, 36, travelled from New York in February 2020 and checked into a hotel in Chesapeake. Agents from Homeland Security Investigations received information that Maitland was in possession of a large quantity of drugs. Using this information, Maitland was approached by agents and questioned about drugs. Ultimately, Maitland agreed to allow agents to search his hotel room, and agents located a kilogram of heroin and a kilogram of fentanyl which were intended for further distribution in the Tidewater region.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric M. Hurt prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:20-cr-24.
Jury Convicts Hampton Roads Tax Preparer of FraudRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Norfolk woman today on 5 counts of wire fraud and 33 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false and fraudulent income tax returns.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Nikia Tull, 43, served as the co-owner and operator of YT Phoenix Enterprises, Inc., aka Phoenix Financial Tax Service, a tax preparation service. Between 2014 and 2018, Tull willfully aided and assisted in, and counseled and advised the preparation and presentation to the IRS of 33 federal income tax returns containing numerous false and fraudulent items. In 2019, Tull continued her fraud by submitting forged and fraudulently altered bank statements to FORA Financial LLC, a private lending company located in New York, in support of loan applications for thousands of dollars.
Tull is scheduled to be sentenced on April 12, 2021.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar accepted the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel P. Shean and Joseph L. Kosky 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. 2:20-cr-9.
Man and Woman Plead Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Stafford man and Herndon woman pleaded guilty today to charges arising from the recovery of a firearm and cocaine base, commonly known as crack cocaine, during the execution of a search warrant in Prince William County.
According to court documents, Christopher John Davis, Jr., 25, and Kenya Johnson, 25, conspired with each other and others to distribute cocaine base between June 2019 and October 2019. On Sept. 24, 2019, Davis and Johnson were together inside an apartment in Prince William County. At that time, Davis and Johnson possessed with intent to distribute approximately 7.2 grams of cocaine base and a firearm, which were recovered by law enforcement officers during the execution of a search warrant of the apartment.
Davis pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Johnson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base.
Davis and Johnson are scheduled to be sentenced on March 31, 2021. Davis faces up to life in prison and a mandatory minimum of five years in prison. Johnson faces up to 40 years in prison and 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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division; and Jarad L. Phelps, Acting Chief of Prince William County Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha Smalky and Cristina Stam are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-cr-197.
Man Sentenced for Possessing Significant Quantities of Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for possessing with the intent to distribute approximately 600 grams of crack cocaine.
According to court documents, Paul Cosmos Voskanyan, 35, had been wanted on felony warrants out of Virginia Beach since February 2018. In April 2019, members of the Virginia Beach Police Department tracked Voskanyan to a hotel in the City of Chesapeake. Chesapeake SWAT officers responded to assist with the arrest. Voskanyan eventually exited the hotel and made his way towards an unoccupied vehicle in the parking lot. Knowing his tendency to flee, officers moved in to take him into custody before he could enter the vehicle. Voskanyan tried to run and actively resisted their commands but was ultimately apprehended. Officers searched Voskanyan, a large duffel bag he had been carrying, and the vehicle he was about to enter. In total, law enforcement recovered approximately 630 grams of crack cocaine, $180,000 in cash, 16 grams of marijuana, 10 cell phones, and a Glock 17 firearm.
This case is part of Operation High Tide, a proactive, large-scale narcotics trafficking and firearms investigation that focused on high-impact targets driving crime in some of the hardest hit neighborhoods in Hampton Roads.
This case is also 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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division; Paul W. Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police; and Col. K.L. Wright, Chief of Chesapeake Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin Bird 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. 2:19-cr-170.
MS-13 Gang Members Charged with Multiple Violent CrimesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal indictment was unsealed here today charging three MS-13 gang members for their roles in multiple violent crimes including a 2017 murder in Charlottesville and two 2019 attempted murders in Prince William County.
According to allegations in the indictment, Andy Tovar, 31, of White Post, was the First Word or leader of the Guanacos Lil Cycos Salvatruchas (GLCS) clique of MS-13, while Roberto Cruz Moreno, 20, of Woodbridge, was a pasa de homeboy or soldier in the GLCS clique, and Kevin Perez Sandoval, 22, of Warrenton, was an observacion or associate in the GLCS clique.
In July 2017, Tovar allegedly authorized members and associates of the GLCS clique to travel from Prince William County to Charlottesville to murder an individual the GLCS clique believed was a rival gang member. At Tovar’s direction, on or about July 3, 2017, four members of the GLCS clique stabbed Victim-1 to death over 140 times using knives and a machete before they dumped Victim-1’s body in a river, burned his car, and fled back to Prince William County.
In March 2019, Cruz Moreno allegedly picked up three other members or associates of GLCS and Victim-2 and drove them to an isolated wooded area in Bristow, where one associate of GLCS shot Victim-2 multiple times and another associate of GLCS stabbed Victim-2 because members and associates of GLCS believed Victim-2 was disrespecting MS-13. Following the attempted murder, Cruz Moreno fled the scene with the three other GLCS participants and drove them to his residence.
In April 2019, local law enforcement officers in Fairfax County allegedly found Cruz Moreno, an illegal alien, in possession of the same firearm used to shoot Victim-2, and several grams of packaged cocaine in his vehicle with three other associates of GLCS. Cruz Moreno obtained the cocaine from Tovar and had been selling the cocaine on behalf of the clique earlier that day.
In August 2019, members and associates of GLCS identified Victim-3 as a rival gang member living in GLCS controlled territory and Tovar allegedly authorized members and associates of GLCS to kill Victim-3. On Aug. 12, 2019, Perez Sandoval and two members or associates of GLCS observed Victim-3 at a laundromat in Manassas and sought Tovar’s permission to kill Victim-3 at the laundromat. After Tovar allegedly granted permission to conduct the killing at the laundromat, Perez Sandoval drove the two members or associates of MS-13 to retrieve a firearm, and back to the laundromat area where Victim-3 was shot before Perez Sandoval drove them from the scene of the shooting.
Name, Age
Hometown
Charges
Andy Tovar, 31
White Post
Counts 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11
Roberto Cruz Moreno, 20
Woodbridge
Counts 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12-14
Kevin Perez Sandoval, 22
Warrenton
Counts 1, 4, 7, 9, 11
Count
Charge
1
Conspiracy to Participate in a Racketeering Enterprise
2-4
Conspiracy to Commit Murder in Aid of Racketeering Activity
5
Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine
6, 7
Attempted Murder in Aid of Racketeering Activity
8, 9
Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering Activity
10, 11
Using and Discharging a Firearm During a Crime of Violence
12
Possession With Intent to Distribute Cocaine
13
Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime
14
Possession of a Firearm by an Illegal Alien
Tovar, Cruz Moreno, and Perez Sandoval each face a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years and a maximum penalty of life in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; John J. Durham, Director of the Justice Department’s Joint Task Force Vulcan; Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division; Ron L. Lantz, Chief of Albemarle County Police; Douglas W. Keen, Chief of Manassas City Police; Jarad L. Phelps, Acting Chief of Prince William County Police; Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police; Michael P. Kochis, Chief of Warrenton Police; and Robert P. Mosier, Fauquier County Sheriff, made the announcement.
This case was brought by the Eastern District of Virginia in coordination with JTFV. In August 2019, Attorney General William Barr created JTFV to carry out the recommendations of the MS-13 subcommittee formed under the Attorney General’s Transnational Organized Crime Task Force, which was the result of President Trump’s February 2017 Executive Order directing the Departments of Justice, State, and Homeland Security, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to coordinate a whole-of-government approach to dismantle transnational criminal organizations, such as MS-13, and restore safety for the American people. The principal purpose of JTFV is to coordinate and lead the efforts of the Justice Department and United States law enforcement agencies against MS-13 in order to dismantle the group.
JTFV has successfully implemented the whole-of-government approach to law enforcement relating to MS-13; increased coordination and collaboration with foreign law enforcement partners, including El Salvador, Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala; designated priority MS-13 programs, cliques and leaders, who have the most impact on the United States for targeted prosecutions; and coordinated significant MS-13 indictments in U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country. In addition, all Department of Justice law enforcement agencies are involved in the effort – the FBI; DEA; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); U.S. Marshals Service; and the Bureau of Prisons. The Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations has also played a critical role in JTFV.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas U. Murphy II and Nicholas J. Patterson 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. 1:20-cr-18.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Jury Convicts Doctor of Scheme to Perform Unnecessary Surgeries on WomenRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Chesapeake doctor today on 52 counts related to his scheme to bill private and governmental insurers millions of dollars for irreversible hysterectomies and other surgeries and procedures that were not medically necessary for his patients.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Dr. Javaid Perwaiz, an obstetrician-gynecologist who has practiced in Hampton Roads since the 1980s, executed a scheme to defraud health insurance programs between at least 2010 and 2019. During that period, Perwaiz billed private and governmental insurers millions of dollars for irreversible hysterectomies and other surgeries and procedures that were not medically necessary for his patients. In many instances, Perwaiz would falsely tell his patients that they needed the surgeries to avoid cancer in order to induce them to agree to the surgeries.
“Dr. Perwaiz preyed upon his trusting patients and committed horrible crimes to feed his greed,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Dr. Perwaiz has a history of fraud including having his medical license and hospital privileges revoked. Nothing was going to stop him but the brave victims who testified against him and law enforcement. My thanks to the trial team for their outstanding work in what was a very complex case, and to our investigative partners for their efforts in helping bring Dr. Perwaiz to justice.”
The evidence at trial also demonstrated that Perwaiz falsified records for his obstetric patients so that he could induce their labor early, prior to the recommended gestational age that minimizes risk to the mother and baby, to ensure he would be able to conduct and be reimbursed for the deliveries. Perwaiz also violated the 30-day waiting period Medicaid requires for elective sterilizations by submitting backdated forms to falsely make it appear as if he had complied with the waiting period. Finally, Perwaiz billed insurance hundreds of thousands of dollars for diagnostic procedures that he only pretended to perform at his office.
“Not only did this doctor defraud our health care system out of millions of dollars, he did so by putting the health and safety of his patients at risk by performing unnecessary surgeries on women,” said Mark R. Herring, Attorney General of Virginia. “Doctors who take advantage of the trust their patients put in them must be brought to justice. I want to thank my team for their hard work on this egregious case and our local, state, and federal partners for their continued partnership in holding dangerous individuals accountable.”
The witnesses at trial included dozens of former patients, some of whom testified to the complications they continue to endure as a result of the unnecessary surgeries Perwaiz performed. Witnesses also included nurses who worked at the hospitals where Perwaiz performed his surgeries, who testified that they repeatedly complained about his practices to their supervisors.
“Doctors are in positions of authority and trust and take an oath to do no harm to their patients,” said Karl Schumann, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office. “With unnecessary, invasive medical procedures, Dr. Perwaiz not only caused enduring complications, pain and anxiety to his patients, but he assaulted the most personal part of their lives and even robbed some of their future. The brave patients and nurses who came forward and testified deserve our gratitude for helping end this horrible scheme. Let this case demonstrate the FBI’s commitment to hold accountable anyone who abuses their position of trust.”
“In his desire to line his pockets, Dr. Perwaiz callously ignored his patients’ health and well-being by conducting medically unnecessary and irreversible medical procedures,” said Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General. “Physicians who recklessly place patients at risk to boost their own profits will be held accountable for their actions.”
Perwaiz faces a maximum penalty of 465 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 31, 2021. 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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Karl Schumann, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Mark R. Herring, Attorney General of Virginia; Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; and Chris Dillard, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Mid-Atlantic Field Office, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith accepted the verdict.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth M. Yusi, E. Rebecca Gantt, and John F. Butler 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. 2:19-cr-189.
Man Indicted for Embezzling $380K from Federal Law Enforcement UnionRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a Quantico man with wire fraud in connection with his scheme to embezzle over $380,000 from his former union, which represented federal law enforcement officers.
According to allegations in the indictment, Arthur Penn, 64, served from 1999 through 2015 as the Chairman of the Fraternal Order of Police Defense Protective Service Labor Committee Pentagon, a local union that represented officers of the Pentagon Force Protection Agency. During his tenure, Penn allegedly routinely embezzled funds from the Union for his personal benefit, and spent the stolen funds on gambling, to pay for a personal trip to the Dominican Republic, and for his day-to-day living expenses. Penn sought to conceal and prevent the detection of his embezzlement by failing to make regular reports to Union members, by violating his obligation to file regular financial reports with the Department of Labor’s Office of Labor-Management Standards, and by siphoning off most of the embezzled funds through cash transactions, thereby avoiding the creation of financial records that would have revealed the fraud.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Mark Wheeler, District Director, Washington District Office, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards; and James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division, made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Burke 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. 1:20-cr-251.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Husband and Wife Sentenced for International Elder Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A husband and wife were sentenced today to a combined 92 months in prison for their roles in a sophisticated fraud scheme that primarily targeted elderly Americans.
According to court documents, Chirag Choksi, 36, who was sentenced to 78 months in prison, and Shachi Majmudar, 36, who was sentenced to 14 months, were members of a criminal conspiracy in which members used a variety of schemes, including impersonating law enforcement officers and other government officials, to trick and coerce victims into mailing and shipping cash to other conspiracy members by convincing the victims, a disproportionate number of whom were elders, that it was in their best interests to do so.
“The financial and emotional harm these scams cause elderly victims and their family members can be devastating,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The scope of fraud perpetrated through robocalls from overseas call centers is truly enormous. According to the Federal Trade Commission, in 2019 it received nearly 400,000 complaints alleging imposter fraud claims totaling $152.9 million, which government officials suspect substantially underestimates the extent of fraud because many victims do not report their losses. As seen from the evidence in this case, a disproportionate percentage of those victims are elderly. This office will continue to aggressively prosecute crimes involving elder fraud, and we are firmly committed to bringing the offenders to justice, no matter where they reside.”
These schemes generally started with automated “robocalls” from a call center in India that were designed to create a sense of urgency with unsuspecting recipients. The messages typically told the recipient that they had some sort of serious legal problem, and that if they did not immediately take a particular action demanded by the callers then there will be drastic consequences. Typically the recipients were threatened with arrest, significant financial penalties, or cessation of government benefits. The fraudsters almost invariably instructed the call recipient that, in order to prevent these dire consequences, the recipient must pay money, by wire transfer or cash, to some purported government entity. This conspiracy operated “money mule” cells in multiple states, including New Jersey, California, Indiana, Texas, Illinois and Minnesota. These money mules would receive parcels containing cash that had been sent by victims and then deposit the money in bank accounts controlled by conspirators.
“These fraudsters used fear, intimidation, and even posed as law enforcement to threaten seniors and swindle them out of their hard-earned money,” said James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division. “These scams can cause irreparable harm to the unsuspecting and trusting victims they target. The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to stop those who are targeting our senior communities. Regardless of whether the perpetrators live domestically or overseas, the FBI will work to bring them to justice.”
In one particular scheme involving a victim in Chesterfield County, members of the conspiracy impersonated DEA agents and advised the victim that they had found a vehicle located near the United States Southwest border that contained a large amount of cocaine and the victim’s bank information. The fraudsters then convinced that victim to surrender half the cash in her bank accounts as a sign of good faith until a thorough investigation had cleared her of any criminal activity.
According to court documents, Choksi and Majmudar worked as money mules for the Minnesota cell of this conspiracy for at least two months in 2019. Between May and June, Choksi and Majmudar received victim cash shipments at their home in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Choksi also used counterfeit driver’s licenses to pick up victim cash shipments from locations in and around Eden Prairie. Majmudar regularly tracked victim cash shipments. Once in hand, she and Choksi made video recordings of Choksi removing and counting the money, and then sent the videos to their conspiracy supervisor as proof of how much victim cash had been received. The two each then made multiple cash deposits into bank accounts controlled by conspiracy members.
In total, Choksi and Majmudar received or attempted to receive 11 shipments from 10 victims located in multiple states around the country. The total amount of victim cash in these packages was $132,200. Of the 10 victims who sent cash to the defendants, nine were between 66 and 86 years of age.
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.
The Eden Prairie Police Department (Minnesota) provided significant assistance with this investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Hood and Kaitlin G. Cooke 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. 3:19-cr-160.
Man Sentenced to over 10 Years for Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Vienna man was sentenced today to 130 months in prison followed by 20 years of supervised release for possessing images of child sexual abuse and the transfer of obscene material to minors.
According to court documents, in or around 2005, Alan Tabish, 37, met a 15-year-old victim over AOL Instant Messenger. After she had identified herself as a minor online, Tabish picked her up from her parents’ home and brought her to his home in Fairfax, where he provided her with alcohol and showed her pornography. Tabish then brought her to the basement of his home, where he recorded videos and images of himself engaging in sexually explicit conduct with her. The victim reported the crime in 2019.
Based on the information she provided, law enforcement identified Tabish and executed a warrant to search his home in Vienna. During the search, law enforcement found a hard drive containing nine images and two videos depicting Tabish engaging in sexual activity with the minor when she was 15 years old, including at least one video in which the victim appears to be unsteady and is struggling to keep her eyes open. Additionally, law enforcement recovered from the hard drive approximately 84 other online chats with individuals purporting to be minors, including one chat with a self-identified 14-year-old in which Tabish pressed her to discuss sexually explicit and personal topics and sent her sexually explicit images of himself, and another chat with a self-identified 13-year-old in which Tabish asked her about her sexual history and also sent her sexually explicit images of himself.
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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division; and Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston, Jr.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force which is composed of FBI Agents along with Detectives from Northern Virginia law enforcement agencies and the Washington Metropolitan Police Department. The task force is charged with identifying, investigating and disrupting child predators and those engaged in Human Trafficking.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney William G. Clayman prosecuted the case with assistance from former Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney Dougherty Russell.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-cr-45.
Man Pleads Guilty to Multi-Million Dollar Elder Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – An Arizona man pleaded guilty today to a massive investment fraud conspiracy that cost victims tens of millions of dollars.
According to court documents, Kent Maerki, 78, of Scottsdale, the founder of Dental Support Plus Franchise, LLC, and Janus Spectrum, LLC, made a multitude of misrepresentations about those businesses in materials used to solicit investments, including during appearances on radio shows and in a presentation about investments in wireless spectrum he called “Money From Thin Air.”
Maerki, who has been barred since 1984 from working in the securities industry, acknowledged that he and his conspirators used a team of salesmen to solicit investments in extremely risky businesses that ultimately failed; made numerous material misrepresentations about the claimed investment opportunities; and continued to sell the investments without disclosing that the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Virginia State Corporation Commission, and the Arizona State Corporation Commission were investigating the conspirators for fraud. Many of the victims in this scheme were elderly and losses exceeded $23 million, over $4 million of which went to Maerki.
Maerki pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit mail and wire fraud related to two investment schemes. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on March 15, 2021. 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.
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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Karl Schumann, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Peter R. Rendina, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa E. O’Boyle, Elizabeth M. Yusi, and Andrew Bosse 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. 2:19-cr-47.
Man Pleads Guilty in Connection with Fatal Fentanyl OverdoseRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Reston man pleaded guilty today to selling fentanyl to an individual who later overdosed on the drug and died.
According to court documents, Peter Andrew Romm, 35, regularly traveled to Baltimore to buy heroin and fentanyl that he then sold to customers in Northern Virginia. Romm sold the drugs in two forms: enclosed in small plastic capsules, and folded in small slips of paper. Romm’s customers included an individual identified in court documents as Individual 1. On October 7, 2019, Romm sold fentanyl to Individual 1 through a middle-man. Individual 1 later consumed the fentanyl and fatally overdosed; he was found dead in his home the next morning. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that the cause of Individual 1’s death was acute fentanyl poisoning.
As recently as February of this year, Romm was still traveling to Baltimore regularly to buy fentanyl. On February 11, Romm was arrested on his way back from Baltimore in possession of approximately 75 capsules of fentanyl. Only eight days later, on February 19, he was arrested again on his way back from Baltimore with another 72 capsules of fentanyl in his vehicle.
Romm pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and 400 grams or more of fentanyl; and one count of distribution of fentanyl. As part of his plea agreement, he admitted that the fentanyl he distributed caused Individual 1’s death.
Romm is scheduled to be sentenced on March 17, 2021, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Mark R. Herring, Attorney General of Virginia; and Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Rumbaugh and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Karolina Klyuchnikova 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. 1:20-cr-176.
Man Charged with Illegal Possession of Firearm and Destructive DeviceRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging a Henrico man with various charges including possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, possession of a destructive device, and receipt of images of child sexual abuse.
According to allegations in the indictment, on or about March 8, Ryan J. Millican, 22, knowingly aided and abetted the making of a false and fictitious written statement to Green Top Sporting Goods in connection with the acquisition of a Bravo Company Manufacturing Inc., Model BCM4, .556 caliber rifle.
According to allegations in the indictment, from on or about March 8 through April 25, Millican possessed a Bravo Company Manufacturing Inc., Model BCM4, .556 caliber rifle and accompanying ammunition. Millican was prohibited from possessing firearms due to a previous conviction of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
According to allegations in the indictment, on or about April 18, Millican knowingly made and possessed a Molotov Cocktail, which is a destructive device as defined by Title 26, United States Code.
According to allegations in the indictment, on or about June 14, Millican knowingly received child pornography.
Millican is charged with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person; making a false statement in connection with the acquisition of a firearm; possession of a destructive device; and receipt of child pornography. If convicted, Millican faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years on the child pornography charge, and a maximum penalty of forty-five years in prison on all charges. 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.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. Click here for more information about Project Guardian.
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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and David W. Archey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement.
This case is being investigated by FBI Richmond’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Henrico County Police Division.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter S. Duffey 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. 3:20-cr-122.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Two Virginia Men Convicted for Their Roles in Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury found two representatives of a purported investment company based in the United Kingdom guilty on Oct. 30 for their roles in an investment fraud scheme by which they stole at least $5 million from victim investors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger of the Eastern District of Virginia, Inspector in Charge Delany De Leon-Colón of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Criminal Investigations Group, Special Agent in Charge David Archey of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office and Mark C. Christie Chair of the Virginia State Corporation made the announcement.
After a four-day trial, James Michael Johnson, 69, of Richmond, Virginia and James Leonard Smith, 64, of Midlothian, Virginia, were convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering.
Brian Michael Bridge, 46, of London, England, a fugitive, was also charged in the superseding indictment. Sentencing for Johnson and Bridge is scheduled for March 5, 2021, before U.S. District Court Judge Henry E. Hudson for the Eastern District of Virginia. Co-conspirator Stuart Anderson, who pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme, is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 13.
According to evidence presented at trial, Johnson and Smith participated in a worldwide scheme through Chimera Group Ltd. The scheme operated as an advance fee scheme which involved the defendants as promoters who promised to pay the victims a sum of money at a later date in exchange for an upfront advanced payment. Among other misrepresentations, Johnson and Smith and their co-conspirators told potential victims that their principal payments would be protected based on letters of credit and other documents that purported to be from a large financial institution. However, these letters were fabricated. The evidence also showed that the defendants used escrow attorneys, who were themselves part of the scheme, in order to give the victims the appearance that their money would remain secure until the defendants’ promises had been kept.
The defendants stole at least $5 million from their victims.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Criminal Investigations Group, FBI’s Richmond Field Office and Virginia State Corporation Commission investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Vasanth Sridharan and Christopher Jackson of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael C. Moore of the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Man Sentenced for Role in International Drug Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Colorado man was sentenced today to 16 months in prison for participating in an international conspiracy to traffic pharmaceutical drugs into the United States and distribute those drugs throughout the country.
According to court documents, between October 2016 and November 2019, Shaun Michael Kohut, 36, received bulk shipments of pills sent into the United States from abroad by foreign-based actors. Following those actors’ instructions, Kohut would then mail smaller shipments of pills to buyers across the United States and receive payments for his services by accepting money remittances from customers via Western Union and other payment-processing systems.
According to court documents, Kohut is estimated to have been involved in the trafficking or attempted trafficking of close to 400,000 pills between October 2016 and November 2019, including substantial quantities of the Schedule IV opioid tramadol. Kohut came to the attention of federal law enforcement when a buyer in the Eastern District of Virginia was instructed to remit payment to Kohut for the unlawful purchase of alprazolam, also known as Xanax.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division; Peter R. Rendina, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Elliker and Heather H. Mansfield 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. 3:19-cr-159.
Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Images of Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man pleaded guilty today to possession of child pornography.
According to court documents, Zachary Clouse, 27, was originally identified by law enforcement in November 2016 when Canadian authorities found Clouse posting images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct to an Internet bulletin board. Clouse, aka Boylover9, asked for violent videos of children being sexually abused from other members of the forum, and posted the same. Later, in 2018, a Virginia Beach resident answered a Craigslist advertisement Clouse posted looking for a “sick perverted boyfriend.” Clouse texted the resident about trying to kidnap a child, so the resident reported Clouse to the Virginia Beach Police Department. Special Agents with Homeland Security Investigations interviewed Clouse, and he admitted to the Internet and Craigslist conduct. Law enforcement also searched Clouse’s cell phones and found additional images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
Clouse faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on March 16, 2021. 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.
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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Miller accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth M. Yusi is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-13.
Man Pleads Guilty to Brandishing a Firearm During RobberiesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Washington, D.C. man pleaded guilty today to brandishing a firearm during separate robberies of two banks and a shoe store in Northern Virginia in 2018 and 2019.
According to court documents, Freddie Lee McRae, 34, committed a series of robberies in 2018 and 2019. On Nov. 13, 2018, McRae robbed a Wells Fargo branch located in Alexandria. McRae handed a teller a note that demanded money, indicated he had a firearm, and threatened to “[k]ill [a]ll [b]ankers” if the teller did not comply. McRae pointed a firearm at two tellers before fleeing with approximately $8,750 in cash.
On Dec. 10, 2018, McRae robbed a Burke & Herbert branch located in Alexandria. McRae approached a teller, who asked if he wanted to make a deposit. McRae responded, “gimmie your money,” before lifting up his shirt and pulling a pistol from his waistband, which he pointed at the teller. As the teller gathered money, McRae racked the slide on the pistol and demanded all large bills. McRae fled with approximately $1,366 in cash.
On April 21, 2019, McRae robbed the Legend Kicks & Apparel store located in Arlington. McRae brandished a pistol and demanded that two store employees empty their pockets, which they did. McRae then ordered the employees to lie on the floor before taking approximately $2,160 in cash that belonged to the store. McRae fled the store on foot and the area by vehicle. When a law enforcement officer tried to pull over the vehicle, McRae stopped only briefly before leading law enforcement officers on a vehicle pursuit on the George Washington Memorial Parkway. McRae ultimately jumped out of his moving vehicle prior to it crashing and sinking into the Potomac River. McRae tried to flee law enforcement by jumping into the river, but officers pulled him out and placed him under arrest.
McRae also admitted to robbing a Bank of America branch in Springfield on Oct. 27, 2018; a BB&T branch located in Alexandria on Dec. 20, 2018; and a Capital One branch located in Bowie, Maryland, on Jan. 2, 2019. McRae further admitted to attempting to rob a Capital One branch located in Arlington on Feb. 11, 2019, and to obstructing justice by instructing an individual to destroy his cell phone and another individual to delete communications within a cell phone.
The bank robberies that McRae admitted to committing were investigated by the FBI as part of the “Beltway Bank Bandit” series.
McRae pleaded guilty to three counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He faces up to life in prison and a mandatory minimum of 21 years in prison when sentenced on Feb. 23, 2021. 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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division; Acting Chief Andy Penn, Arlington County Chief of Police; Michael L. Brown, Alexandria Chief of Police; and Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea.
This case was investigated by the FBI, Washington Field Office’s Northern Virginia Violent Crime Task Force which is composed of FBI Agents along with Detectives from Northern Virginia law enforcement agencies. Significant investigative assistance in this case was provided by the Arlington County Police and the Fairfax County Police. The task force is charged with identifying, investigating and disrupting the most egregious and violent criminal actors within Northern Virginia.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha Smalky and Alexander E. Blanchard 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. 1:19-cr-268.
Russian Cybercriminal Sentenced to Prison for Role in $100 Million Botnet ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Russian national was sentenced Oct. 30 to eight years in prison for his role in operating a sophisticated scheme to steal and traffic sensitive personal and financial information in the online criminal underground that resulted in an estimated loss of over $100 million.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Special Agent in Charge Matthew Miller of the U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office made the announcement after the sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III.
Aleksandr Brovko, 36, formerly of the Czech Republic, pleaded guilty in February to conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud. According to court documents, Brovko was an active member of several elite, online forums designed for Russian-speaking cybercriminals to gather and exchange their criminal tools and services.
“For over a decade, Brovko participated in a scheme to gain access to Americans’ personal and financial information, causing more than $100 million in intended loss,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This prosecution and the sentence imposed show the department’s commitment to work with our international and state counterparts to bring cybercriminals to justice no matter where they are located.”
“Aleksandr Brovko used his programming skills to facilitate the large-scale theft and use of stolen personal and financial information, resulting in over $100 million in intended loss,” said U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Our office is committed to holding these criminals accountable and protecting our communities as cybercrime becomes an ever more prominent threat. I also want to thank our prosecutors and investigative partners for their terrific work on this complex case.”
“This investigation is a prime example of the Secret Service’s investigative mission; to protect the U.S. financial infrastructure by pursuing counterfeit and financial crimes investigations,” said Special Agent in Charge Matthew Miller of the Secret Service Washington Field Office. “The Secret Service in alliance with state and local law enforcement is dedicated to effectively identifying those victimizing our communities and bringing them to justice.”
As reflected in court documents, from 2007 through 2019, Brovko worked closely with other cybercriminals to monetize vast troves of data that had been stolen by “botnets,” or networks of infected computers. Brovko, in particular, wrote software scripts to parse botnet logs and performed extensive manual searches of the data in order to extract easily monetized information, such as personally identifiable information and online banking credentials. Brovko also verified the validity of stolen account credentials, and even assessed whether compromised financial accounts had enough funds to make it worthwhile to attempt to use the accounts to conduct fraudulent transactions.
According to court documents, Brovko possessed and trafficked over 200,000 unauthorized access devices during the course of the conspiracy. These access devices consisted of either personally identifying information or financial account details. Under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, the estimated intended loss in this case has been calculated as exceeding $100 million.Senior Trial Attorney Laura Fong of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander P. Berrang, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kellen Dwyer prosecuted the case. In addition, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Cybercrime Intelligence Unit of the New York County District Attorney’s Office provided critical assistance. The Department of Justice also appreciates the significant cooperation and assistance provided by authorities in the Czech Republic.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
U.S. Marshals Operation Results in Recovery of 27 Missing Children in VirginiaRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced the completion of a five-day law enforcement effort, dubbed “Operation Find Our Children,” throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia that resulted in the recovery of 27 previously missing children. The operation also confirmed the location of six additional children previously reported as missing but subsequently discovered by the U.S. Marshals Service as being in the custody of their legal guardian.
Led by deputy U.S. Marshals from the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia, along with members of the U.S. Marshals Service Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force and special agents, police officers and detectives from numerous federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, more than 60 law enforcement investigators formed the primary team in Operation Find Our Children. They were joined by more than 50 employees from the Virginia Department of Social Services and a team of medical professionals and experts from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
The U.S. Marshals Service is leading the way in a nationwide effort to rescue and recover missing and exploited children, and aid in the prevention of human trafficking. Since 2005, the U.S. Marshals Service has recovered more than 2,000 missing children. Over the past five years, the agency has recovered missing children in 75 percent of the cases it has received. Of those recovered, 72 percent were recovered within seven days.
“The Department of Justice is dedicated to protecting the most vulnerable children in our society and ‘Operation Find Our Children’ does just that,” said Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen. “While this Virginia operation is the most recent recovery of endangered and missing children led by the U.S. Marshals Service this year, we have also recovered more than 440 kids in Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, Louisiana and other states. Because of this initiative, the recovered children are now out of harm’s way.”
“I can think of no more critical or satisfying mission for a law enforcement officer, than rescuing an endangered child,” said Nick E. Proffitt, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This operation brought together a formidable team that was, and is, determined to come to the aid of our youth and bring to justice those among us that choose to prey on these vulnerable children. I am proud of the Deputy Marshals in the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia and their partners for the work they accomplished this week – and the results speak for themselves; these 27 children are safe once again. I am deeply humbled and highly honored that our team in Eastern Virginia is a continuing part of this critical Marshals Service mission. We want the missing children across this great nation to know the U.S. Marshals Service will never stop looking for you, we will find you.”
“The U.S. Marshals Service has a legendary history of finding fugitives and bringing them to justice,” said Thomas L. Foster, U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Virginia. “Because of this specialized skill set, finding missing children is a natural extension of the Marshal’s mission. Although many of the 27 recoveries occurred in Virginia’s larger population centers, seven occurred in the Western District of Virginia to include Roanoke and Abingdon. This operation brought missing and exploited children to a place of safety and those who made the decision to prey upon them to justice.”
“What a tremendous testament to the power of cooperation and the mission of federal, state, and local law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia. “There is no greater mission than that of protecting and rescuing the most vulnerable. A huge debt of gratitude to the U.S. Marshal’s Service for their leadership of this operation and to all of the brave women and men of law enforcement who are responsible for saving these children.”
“There is no greater mission for law enforcement than rescuing an endangered child,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar of the Western District of Virginia. “I applaud the U.S. Marshals in the Western and Eastern Districts of Virginia for their leadership and willingness to leverage their expertise and partner with sister agencies to bring missing children home. We stand ready to investigate and prosecute any leads that come from this important operation.”
“The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children was pleased to support the U.S. Marshals Service and the many support organizations that helped find and rescue these children,” said John F. Clark, President and CEO of NCMEC. “Missing children are extremely vulnerable to being trafficked for sex and are at risk of further emotional and physical harm. Because of this operation, 27 children have been found and are now safe.”
“Virginia Department of Social Services prioritizes and supports the safety and well-being of the children and families in Virginia, and prioritizes work with partners in achieving these goals, including this collaboration with the U.S. Marshals Service and through partnership with the local departments of social services, (LDSS) including those that directly supported the operation,” said Director of the Division of Family Services, Kristin Zagar.
Significant assistance for Operation Find Our Children was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia, along with the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, U.S. Treasury Office of Inspector General, Metro Transit Police Department, Virginia State Police, Alexandria Sheriff’s Office, Chesterfield County Police Department, Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office, Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office, Hampton Police Department, Henrico County Police Department, Norfolk Police Department, Prince William County Police Department, Portsmouth Police Department, Richmond City Police Department, Roanoke City Police Department, Virginia Beach Police Department, and Virginia Department of Corrections.
U.S. Marshals Operation Results in Recovery of 27 Missing Children in VirginiaRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced the completion of a five-day law enforcement effort, dubbed “Operation Find Our Children,” throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia that resulted in the recovery of 27 previously missing children. The operation also confirmed the location of six additional children previously reported as missing but subsequently discovered by the U.S. Marshals Service as being in the custody of their legal guardian.
Led by deputy U.S. Marshals from the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia, along with members of the U.S. Marshals Service Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force and special agents, police officers and detectives from numerous federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, more than 60 law enforcement investigators formed the primary team in Operation Find Our Children. They were joined by more than 50 employees from the Virginia Department of Social Services and a team of medical professionals and experts from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
The U.S. Marshals Service is leading the way in a nationwide effort to rescue and recover missing and exploited children, and aid in the prevention of human trafficking. Since 2005, the U.S. Marshals Service has recovered more than 2,000 missing children. Over the past five years, the agency has recovered missing children in 75 percent of the cases it has received. Of those recovered, 72 percent were recovered within seven days.
“The Department of Justice is dedicated to protecting the most vulnerable children in our society and ‘Operation Find Our Children’ does just that,” said Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen. “While this Virginia operation is the most recent recovery of endangered and missing children led by the U.S. Marshals Service this year, we have also recovered more than 440 kids in Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, Louisiana and other states. Because of this initiative, the recovered children are now out of harm’s way.”
“I can think of no more critical or satisfying mission for a law enforcement officer, than rescuing an endangered child,” said Nick E. Proffitt, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This operation brought together a formidable team that was, and is, determined to come to the aid of our youth and bring to justice those among us that choose to prey on these vulnerable children. I am proud of the Deputy Marshals in the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia and their partners for the work they accomplished this week – and the results speak for themselves; these 27 children are safe once again. I am deeply humbled and highly honored that our team in Eastern Virginia is a continuing part of this critical Marshals Service mission. We want the missing children across this great nation to know the U.S. Marshals Service will never stop looking for you, we will find you.”
“The U.S. Marshals Service has a legendary history of finding fugitives and bringing them to justice,” said Thomas L. Foster, U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Virginia. “Because of this specialized skill set, finding missing children is a natural extension of the Marshal’s mission. Although many of the 27 recoveries occurred in Virginia’s larger population centers, seven occurred in the Western District of Virginia to include Roanoke and Abingdon. This operation brought missing and exploited children to a place of safety and those who made the decision to prey upon them to justice.”
“What a tremendous testament to the power of cooperation and the mission of federal, state, and local law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia. “There is no greater mission than that of protecting and rescuing the most vulnerable. A huge debt of gratitude to the U.S. Marshal’s Service for their leadership of this operation and to all of the brave women and men of law enforcement who are responsible for saving these children.”
“There is no greater mission for law enforcement than rescuing an endangered child,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar of the Western District of Virginia. “I applaud the U.S. Marshals in the Western and Eastern Districts of Virginia for their leadership and willingness to leverage their expertise and partner with sister agencies to bring missing children home. We stand ready to investigate and prosecute any leads that come from this important operation.”
“The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children was pleased to support the U.S. Marshals Service and the many support organizations that helped find and rescue these children,” said John F. Clark, President and CEO of NCMEC. “Missing children are extremely vulnerable to being trafficked for sex and are at risk of further emotional and physical harm. Because of this operation, 27 children have been found and are now safe.”
“Virginia Department of Social Services prioritizes and supports the safety and well-being of the children and families in Virginia, and prioritizes work with partners in achieving these goals, including this collaboration with the U.S. Marshals Service and through partnership with the local departments of social services, (LDSS) including those that directly supported the operation,” said Director of the Division of Family Services, Kristin Zagar.
Significant assistance for Operation Find Our Children was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia, along with the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, U.S. Treasury Office of Inspector General, Metro Transit Police Department, Virginia State Police, Alexandria Sheriff’s Office, Chesterfield County Police Department, Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office, Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office, Hampton Police Department, Henrico County Police Department, Norfolk Police Department, Prince William County Police Department, Portsmouth Police Department, Richmond City Police Department, Roanoke City Police Department, Virginia Beach Police Department, and Virginia Department of Corrections.
Pharmacist Sentenced to Prison for Prescription Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A licensed pharmacist who owned and operated CARE4U Pharmacy in Manassas was sentenced today to two years in prison and ordered to pay $53,100 in forfeiture for illegally distributing prescription drugs, including over 9,000 oxycodone pills, Adderall, and Xanax.
“Our office will continue to diligently prosecute those who abuse public trust and choose to put illegal profits over peoples’ lives, including pharmacists like George Stephen Appiah who decide to moonlight as a drug trafficker,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “In addition to seeking the appropriate prison sentence in these cases, our office will ensure that drug traffickers do not get to keep the ill-gotten gains they have made from poisoning the community.”
According to court documents, Appiah, 48, of Manassas, filled at least 128 fake or fraudulent prescriptions, including 85 prescriptions for oxycodone, brought to the pharmacy by his two co-conspirators (identified in court filings as CC-1 and CC-2). The forged prescriptions were written in the names of CC-1, CC-2, or any one of at least 37 other individuals. Appiah provided CC-1 and CC-2 the names and medical credentials of at least five unwitting doctors for use in forging the prescriptions, and provided templates of the doctors’ prescription pads, so that CC-1 and CC-2 could “Photoshop” the image and make the fake prescriptions look legitimate.
“The successful outcome of this investigation underlines the commitment of the FBI and its partners to combatting the opioid epidemic in our nation,” said James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division. “The public must have confidence in medical professionals who care for others, and the FBI will continue to investigate those who abandon their responsibilities and endanger others by engaging in criminal activity. The misuse of opioids can be deadly, and aggressively pursuing those who illegally distribute prescription drugs makes a positive and lasting impact on our communities.”
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division; and Jarad L. Phelps, Chief of Prince William County Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Rumbaugh 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. 1:20-cr-111.
U.S. Attorney Terwilliger Appoints Election Officers for EDVARead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – United States Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger announced today that a team of Assistant U.S. Attorneys across the Eastern District will lead efforts in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming general election.
“The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice.”
District Election Officer(s)
Division
Assistant U.S. Attorney Heidi Gesch
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Burke
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Schlessinger
Alexandria
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Elliker
Richmond
Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Stoker
Norfolk and Newport News
DEOs are responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights concerns in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open through election day.
Additionally, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Firefighter Pleads Guilty to Attempted Coercion and Enticement of MinorRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Pittsburgh man pleaded guilty today to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.
According to court documents, in November 2019, Brian Kosanovich, 58, a firefighter living in Pittsburgh, responded to a profile posted by an FBI undercover employee on Alt.com, which is a website that hosts a network of members interested in alternative forms of sexual relationships, including a variety of fetishes, kinks, BDSM, etc. The undercover officer’s profile indicated that she was a single mother with a 10-year-old daughter. After establishing contact on Alt.com, Kosanovich and the undercover officer began communicating via the Kik messaging application. Kosanovich and the undercover officer engaged in extensive conversations of a sexually explicit nature for several months, much of which focused on Kosanovich having sex with the 10-year-old as well as the mother. At several points, Kosanovich engaged in sexually explicit chats with the undercover officer who at the time was posing as the 10-year-old girl herself. Over the period of the investigation, Kosanovich sent the undercover officer nude “selfies” pictures, and a prepaid Visa card so that the mother could buy sex toys to use with the daughter. Ultimately, on February 18, Kosanovich traveled from Pittsburgh to Richmond for the stated purpose of having sex with the mother and daughter, and was arrested by FBI officials upon his arrival.
Kosanovich faces a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison, and a maximum possible sentence of life in prison when sentenced on March 3, 2021. 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.
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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and David W. Archey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian R. Hood 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. 3:20-cr-103.