Eastern District of Virginia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Man Pleads Guilty to Straw Purchasing Three FirearmsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Emporia man pleaded guilty today to straw purchasing three firearms.
According to court documents, Corey O’Neal Phipps, Jr., 23, straw purchased three firearms from a federal firearms licensee (FFL) in the Eastern District of Virginia for another individual. In making the purchase, Phipps, Jr. represented himself as the true buyer of the firearms, but immediately after he received the firearms, he transferred them to another individual and was paid for making the purchase.
Phipps, Jr. pleaded guilty to making false statements with respect to the purchase of a firearm. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison when sentenced on Dec. 2. 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.
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 U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston, Jr. accepted the plea. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachael C. Tucker and Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia T. Giles 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-108.
Virginia Pharmacy Agrees to Pay $100K in Civil PenaltiesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Partners Pharmacy of Virginia, LLC (“Partners Pharmacy”), located in Richmond, has agreed to pay $100,000 to settle civil penalty claims stemming from alleged record-keeping violations.
The United States alleged that Partners Pharmacy, a pharmacy that serves long-term care, skilled and assisted living communities, violated the Controlled Substances Act by failing to maintain complete and accurate records of controlled substances, failing to document transfers of Schedule II controlled substances, and failing to timely notify the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) of theft or losses of controlled substances.
Under the terms of a parallel administrative resolution, Partners Pharmacy entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the DEA under which the pharmacy has agreed to heightened compliance requirements.
“Ensuring compliance with the requirements of the Controlled Substances Act is the first step to avoiding drug diversion,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This office is committed to utilizing all remedies available to stop drug diversion and to working closely with our partners at DEA.”
“This settlement sends a clear message to all pharmacies that it is essential to dispense controlled substances in compliance with DEA’s record keeping requirements,” stated Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Washington Division. “DEA is dedicated to combatting the prescription drug abuse problem in Virginia and throughout the country and to hold all DEA registrants accountable.”
Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to combat the illegal distribution and abuse of controlled substances, including prescription medications. Under the CSA, entities registered with the DEA who purchase, distribute, dispense, transfer, or sell controlled substances must comply with inventory and documentation requirements. Regulations promulgated under the CSA require that each DEA registrant, including pharmacies, maintain complete and accurate records of each substance manufactured, received, sold, delivered, dispensed or otherwise disposed of by the registrant for two years. These requirements play a vital role in ensuring the appropriate handling, accounting, and distribution of controlled substances.
The resolutions obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the DEA’s Washington Division, Richmond District Office.
The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ilene Albala and Robert P. McIntosh. The civil claims settled by this Controlled Substances Act agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Seven-Time Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man, and seven-time prior convicted felon, pleaded guilty today to unlawfully possessing a firearm.
According to court documents, Paul Eric Sherrod Parham, 38, was walking in the area of 36th Street and Chestnut Avenue in Newport News on the evening of September 18, 2019. Parham had outstanding warrants at the time for abduction, larceny, assault and battery, and withholding a credit card belonging to another individual. An individual who knew Parham, and who was aware of Parham’s outstanding warrants, notified Newport News Police of Parham’s precise location. When officers encountered Parham, confirmed his identity and felony status, and began to take him into custody, Parham notified the officers that he was unlawfully carrying a loaded SCCY, CPX-1, 9mm semiautomatic handgun.
Parham pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Parham faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when sentenced on January 4, 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 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; Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division; and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter G. Osyf is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:20-cr-009.
Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Purchasing FirearmsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Washington, D.C. man pleaded guilty today to knowingly providing false information to a federal firearm licensee (FFL) in order to purchase multiple firearms.
“Hudson’s criminal conduct perfectly encapsulates the dangerous problem of illegally purchased firearms being trafficked in Virginia,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “In this case, there were two firearms found in the possession of convicted felons who were prohibited from owning a firearm. This created a major risk for our communities. We will continue to bring justice against those who perpetuate this dangerous trafficking and threaten to put our communities in danger.”
According to court documents, Marquette Hudson, 26, purchased eight firearms from or through two FFLs within the Eastern District of Virginia. To purchase these firearms, Hudson was required by law to fill out an ATF Form 4473 truthfully, to include providing his current residential address. However, on each occasion, Hudson listed his current residence as an address in Arlington when he did not live in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Police in Washington, D.C. later recovered six of the firearms purchased by Hudson from the Virginia FFLs, including two firearms recovered from convicted felons.
Hudson pleaded guilty to one count of knowingly making a false statement or representation of information required to be kept by an FFL when purchasing a firearm. Hudson faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison when sentenced on Dec. 11. 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.
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 Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, III accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas U. Murphy, II and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Hallmark 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-168.
Five Co-Defendants Sentenced in Peninsula-Based Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Five members of a Peninsula-based narcotics operation were sentenced over the last two days to a combined 51 years in prison and ordered to forfeit over $2,000,000 for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, large amounts of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine base in Hampton Roads.
“Our office will continue to diligently and aggressively prosecute those who distribute these dangerous and deadly substances,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “In addition to seeking the appropriate prison sentence for drug traffickers, our office will ensure that drug traffickers do not get to keep the ill-gotten gains they have made from poisoning the community. I want to thank our fellow federal, state, and local law enforcement partners for their coordinated work in Operation Cookout, which has led to apprehending these individuals and stopping the spread of dangerous substances.”
“Thanks to the investigative efforts of Homeland Security Investigations special agents and our law enforcement partners via Operation Cookout, we were able to take down one of the largest heroin and fentanyl trafficking rings in the region,” said Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. “I can confidently say that Operation Cookout helped save lives.”
According to court documents, Damarcus Mackie, 44, from Mississippi, acquired heroin and fentanyl in kilogram quantities, but would sell it, often through runners, in quantities as low as grams. Mackie also pressed heroin and fentanyl into pills to resemble pharmaceutical opioids like Oxycodone, and he distributed large quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine as well. Five co-conspirators maintained stash houses for Mackie at various times. In addition to those maintaining drug houses for him, Mackie directed at least four other co-conspirators in their drug acquiring and distribution activities. As part of his sentencing, Mackie was ordered to forfeit a money judgment of $1,314,120. Mackie also forfeited a Mercedes sedan as part of this case.
Marcid V. Byrd, 36, of Hampton, acquired cocaine in multi-kilogram quantities and sold cocaine by the ounce, the half-kilogram, and even by the kilogram. Byrd used a residence in Hampton to distribute cocaine to his co-conspirators, at least six of whom he supervised. On one occasion, Byrd demanded that one of his co-conspirators pay his drug debt to Byrd with a Draco firearm. When Byrd’s cocaine source dried up, Byrd tried to pool his money with Damarcus Mackie to obtain cocaine from Mackie’s source. As part of his sentencing, Byrd was ordered to forfeit a monetary judgment of $845,875, real property located in Hampton, as well as a 2016 BMW I8, valued at over $100,000.
Symphoni Wiggins, 39, of Hampton, allowed Damarcus Mackie to use her home as a stash house to store heroin and fentanyl. At Mackie’s direction, Wiggins would mix and prepare heroin and fentanyl with cutting agents and package it for distribution. At times, Wiggins would prepare over fifty grams of heroin/fentanyl a day for distribution through Mackie and his drug runners. Wiggins referred to herself as “the master mixer.”
Clarence Ford, 28, of Hampton, assisted Marcid Byrd with the distribution of cocaine and the collection and remission of drug proceeds. In addition to collecting cocaine proceeds from Byrd’s co-conspirators, Ford would also assist Byrd with his drug trafficking activities by checking for police surveillance.
Jill Hockaday, 54, from New Jersey, bought heroin in gram quantities for both personal use and redistribution. Damarcus Mackie served as the immediate source, and then later as an indirect source, for Hockaday’s heroin.
These sentences are part of a larger case that is focused on cracking down on the illegal distribution of narcotics throughout Virginia. Over 120 law enforcement officers from 30 law enforcement agencies in Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, California, and Texas have worked to execute this major operation. To date, 46 defendants have been charged in this case. Of those, 40 have admitted their criminal conduct and pleaded guilty. Six defendants are currently scheduled for trial.
This case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), Operation Cookout. 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.
The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, provides assistance to federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. This grant program is administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). There are currently 28 HIDTAs, which include approximately 18 percent of all counties in the United States and 66 percent of the U.S. population.
This case also 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; Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division; Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police; Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police; and Terry L. Sult, Chief of Hampton Police Division, made the announcement after sentencings by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter G. Osyf, Kevin P. Hudson, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy E. Cross prosecuted the cases.
The following law enforcement agencies provided significant assistance during the investigation and arrest operations: U.S. Marshals Service, Newport News Sheriff’s Office, Chesapeake Sheriff’s Office, York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Amarillo Police, and Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office. Approximately 30 law enforcement agencies assisted in the arrest operation in Virginia, North Carolina, and Texas.
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. 4:19-cr-47.
U.S. Attorney Announces over $860,000 Awarded to Provide Housing to Victims of Human Trafficking in VirginiaRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – United States Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger today announced that two victim services providers in the Commonwealth of Virginia received $866,676 from the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs and its component, the Office for Victims of Crime, to provide safe, stable housing and appropriate services to victims of human trafficking.
“Human trafficking is a barbaric criminal enterprise that subjects its victims to unspeakable cruelty and deprives them of the most basic of human needs, none more essential than a safe place to live,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Throughout this Administration, the Department of Justice has fought aggressively to bring human traffickers to justice and to deliver critical aid to trafficking survivors. These new resources, announced today, expand on our efforts to offer those who have suffered the shelter and support they need to begin a new and better life.”
The grant, awarded to Survivor Ventures, Inc. and Transitions Family Violence Services, will provide six to 24 months of transitional or short-term housing assistance for trafficking victims, including rental, utilities or related expenses, such as security deposits and relocation costs. The grant will also provide funding for support needed to help victims locate permanent housing, secure employment, as well as occupational training and counseling. Survivor Ventures, Inc. and Transitions Family Violence Services are among 73 organizations receiving more than $35 million in OVC grants to support housing services for human trafficking survivors.
“Human traffickers dangle the threat of homelessness over those they have entrapped, playing a ruthless game of psychological manipulation that victims are never in a position to win,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Deputy Assistant Attorney General for OJP Principal. “These grants will empower survivors on their path to independence and a life of self-sufficiency and hope.”
Human trafficking offenses are among the most difficult crimes to identify, and the scope of human trafficking victimization may be much greater than the limited data reflect. A new report issued by the National Institute of Justice, another component of the Office of Justice Programs, found that the number of human trafficking cases captured in police reports may represent only a fraction of all such cases. Expanding housing and other services to trafficking victims remains a top Justice Department priority.
The Office for Victims of Crime, for example, hosted listening sessions and roundtable discussions with stakeholders in the field in 2018 and launched the Human Trafficking Capacity Building Center. From July 2018 through June 2019, 118 OVC human trafficking grantees reported serving 8,375 total clients including confirmed trafficking victims and individuals showing strong indicators of trafficking victimization.
For a complete list of individual award amounts and jurisdictions that will receive funding, visit: https://www.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh241/files/media/document/htvictimsfactheet.pdf
The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Man Pleads Guilty to Threatening to Burn Down African American ChurchRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A North Carolina man pleaded guilty today to making a telephonic 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, 2020, several days after one of the church’s leaders took part in a public prayer vigil and peaceful demonstration for George Floyd.
Bareswill pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging a telephonic threat to use fire to kill, injure, or intimidate any individual, or unlawfully to damage or destroy a building. He faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison when sentenced on Nov. 12. 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; Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Anthony F. Zucaro, Jr., Interim Chief of Virginia Beach Police; and David Hutcheson, Chief of the Virginia Beach Fire Department, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Bosse is prosecuting 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.
MS-13 Members and Associates Arrested for Sex Trafficking a MinorRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Eleven members or close associates of the MS-13 gang were arrested this week relating to the sexual exploitation and physical abuse of a minor in northern Virginia and Maryland.
“Sex traffickers often prey upon the most vulnerable victims in our society, and when combined with the horrific abuses of a gang like MS-13, the effects can be devastating,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “I have personally handled the prosecution of MS-13 members in northern Virginia for over a decade, including for gang-controlled sex trafficking, and I have led meaningful outreach efforts with the Hispanic community in order to raise public awareness of these serious threats. As I’ve noted before, no one suffers more at the hands of MS-13 than other individuals of Central American birth or ancestry, and cases like this are proof of the need for community leaders to step up, acknowledge this reality, and work together to be part of the solution. I want to thank our law enforcement partners for conducting this complex investigation and arrest operation in a diligent and professional manner, and for their sustained commitment to eradicating MS-13 from our communities. These defendants are charged with heinous offenses, but are appropriately presumed innocent unless or until proven otherwise.”
According to court documents, in Aug. 2018, a 13-year-old identified as MINOR 2 ran away from a youth home in northern Virginia. Shortly after running away, MINOR 2 was introduced to members of MS-13. Members of the gang beat MINOR 2 26 times with a baseball bat as part of a gang initiation. Gang members then sex trafficked MINOR 2 in Virginia and Maryland using the currency of cash and drugs. While in Virginia, men lined up to have sex with her in a wooded area behind one target’s apartment complex. The men gave her drugs in exchange for sex. She also was harbored in various apartments in northern Virginia where men paid her and her handlers cash for sex.
“MS-13 is known for their violence and intimidation, but the horrific crimes alleged in this case show how their cruelty and depravity know no bounds,” said Robert E. Bornstein, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division. “The FBI and our community will not stand by while children are beaten, plied with drugs, and trafficked for sex. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to disrupt violent gang activity and bring justice on behalf of the innocent victims on whom they prey.”
According to court documents, MINOR 2 was later beaten again with a bat 26 times. After the second bat beating, MINOR 2 was transported to Maryland, where she was sold to numerous gang members and other customers in exchange for cash. Law enforcement recovered photographs and videos of MINOR 2 while being sexually exploited, along with numerous social media messages regarding the trafficking and sexual exploitation of MINOR 2.
“Today’s arrests are a prime example of the commitment and dedication of local police officers and federal agents to safeguard northern Virginia against crime and violence,” said Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Chief of Fairfax County Police. “The Fairfax County police department will continue to use every resource and leverage the full weight of our agency and our federal partners to prevent violence by interdicting organized crime and holding alleged criminal street gangs accountable.”
Below is a list of individuals arrested in this operation:
Name, Age
Hometown
Charges
Moises Orlando Zelaya-Veliz, 25
Woodbridge, VA
Sex trafficking a minor victim under the age of 14 in or effecting interstate commerce (“Sex Trafficking of a Minor”) (18 U.S.C. §§ 1591(a)(1), (b)(1), (c) and 2)
Sioni Alexander Bonilla Gonzalez, 20
Woodbridge, VA
Sex Trafficking of a Minor (18 U.S.C. §§ 1591(a)(1), (b)(1), (c) and 2) and Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering Activity through assault with a dangerous weapon (“VICAR Assault”) (18 U.S.C. §§ 1959(a)(3) and 2)
Carlos Jose Turicios Villatoro, 22
Woodbridge, VA
VICAR Assault (18 U.S.C. §§ 1959(a)(3) and 2)
Jose Eliezar Molina-Veliz, 20
Woodbridge, VA
Sex Trafficking of a Minor (18 U.S.C. §§ 1591(a)(1), (b)(1), (c) and 2)
Santos Ernesto Gutierrez Castro, 21
Woodbridge, VA
Sex Trafficking of a Minor (18 U.S.C. §§ 1591(a)(1), (b)(1), (c) and 2)
Luis Alberto Gonzales, 31
Greenbelt, MD
Sex Trafficking of a Minor (18 U.S.C. §§ 1591(a)(1), (b)(1), (c) and 2)
Reina Elizabeth Hernandez, 48
Hyattsville, MD
Sex Trafficking of a Minor (18 U.S.C. §§ 1591(a)(1), (b)(1), (c) and 2)
Nelson Ezequiel Caballero Portillo, 24
College Park, MD
Sex Trafficking of a Minor (18 U.S.C. §§ 1591(a)(1), (b)(1), (c) and 2)
Gilberto Morales, 31
Hyattsville, MD
Sex Trafficking of a Minor (18 U.S.C. §§ 1591(a)(1), (b)(1), (c) and 2)
Jonathan Rafael Zelaya-Veliz, 24
Hyattsville, MD
Sex Trafficking of a Minor (18 U.S.C. §§ 1591(a)(1), (b)(1), (c) and 2)
Orlando Alexis Salmeron Funez, 38
Riverdale, MD
Sex Trafficking of a Minor (18 U.S.C. §§ 1591(a)(1), (b)(1), (c) and 2)
If convicted, each defendant charged with sex trafficking of a minor faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison, and each defendant charged with VICAR assault faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison if convicted of that offense. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
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.
This case also 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; Robert E. Borstein, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office; Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police; and Jarad L. Phelps, Chief of Prince William County Police, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maureen C. Cain and Seth Schlessinger are prosecuting the case.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which is composed of FBI Agents and Task Force Officers from the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, the Fairfax County Police, the Arlington County Police, the Alexandria City Police, the Prince William County Police and other surrounding agencies. Investigative and tactical assistance has been provided by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement Removal Operations, the FBI Baltimore Field Office, FBI Norfolk Field Office, FBI Richmond Field Office, along with the Prince George’s County Police and the Montgomery County Police.
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-215.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Justice Department Reaches Proposed Consent Decree to Resolve Hampton Roads Regional Jail InvestigationRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia filed a complaint and a proposed consent decree with the Hampton Roads Regional Jail Authority.
The proposed consent decree would resolve the United States’ claims alleging unlawful conditions at the Hampton Roads Regional Jail in Portsmouth, Virginia. Under the proposed consent decree, the jail will develop and implement policies, procedures, and training regarding adequate medical and mental health care and appropriate housing for prisoners with serious mental illness. These measures include appropriate screening and assessment by qualified professionals, adequate treatment planning and suicide prevention practices, specialized mental health housing units, and a quality assurance program. Compliance with the proposed consent decree would be assessed by an independent monitor who will also provide technical assistance to the jail. The court for the Eastern District of Virginia will determine if the proposed consent decree is fair, adequate, reasonable, and necessary.
“This agreement will ensure that prisoners are no longer at risk of serious harm as a result of the Jail’s practices,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband, head of the Civil Rights Division. “We commend the Hampton Roads Regional Jail Authority for its willingness to make changes to ensure that prisoners receive necessary medical and mental health care.”
“We are pleased that the Hampton Roads Regional Jail Authority has agreed to address the deficiencies our investigation uncovered,” said U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger of the Eastern District of Virginia. “We look forward to continuing to work with the Hampton Roads Regional Jail to ensure that those incarcerated at the Jail receive adequate medical and mental health care, and that prisoners’ rights under the Constitution and the Americans with Disabilities Act are protected.”
The Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia initiated the investigation in December 2016 under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act, which authorizes the department to take action to address a pattern or practice of deprivation of constitutional rights of individuals confined to state or local government-run correctional facilities. The investigation was also initiated pursuant to Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In December 2018, the department provided the jail written notice of the alleged unlawful conditions and the minimum remedial measures necessary to address them. Specifically, the department concluded that there is reasonable cause to believe that the jail fails to provide constitutionally adequate medical and mental health care to prisoners, and places prisoners with serious mental illness in restrictive housing for prolonged periods of time under conditions that violate the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. The department also concluded that the jail’s restrictive housing practices discriminate against prisoners with mental health disabilities in violation of the ADA.
This matter is handled by attorneys with the Special Litigation Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the department via phone at (844) 644-0225 or by email at [email protected].
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt.
Inmate Sentenced to over Two Years for Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A former inmate of the Chesapeake City Jail was sentenced today to over two years in prison for conspiring to bribe a Chesapeake Sheriff’s Deputy to smuggle contraband, including cocaine and heroin, into the Chesapeake City Jail.
According to court documents, Jermarrieo Stigger, 35, paid Jenis Leroy Plummer to use his official position as Chesapeake Sheriff’s Deputy to smuggle heroin, cocaine, cell phones, e-cigarettes, and other contraband into the Chesapeake City Jail. From July 2017 through December 2018, Stigger knowingly and intentionally conspired with Plummer to engage in this scheme.
On numerous occasions throughout the conspiracy, Stigger arranged for Plummer to meet his girlfriend at various locations in Hampton Roads to pick up the contraband. At these meetings, Stigger’s girlfriend gave Plummer the illicit contraband in blue latex gloves. Plummer then smuggled the contraband into the jail and delivered the items to the inmate. In exchange for using his official position, Stigger’s girlfriend paid Plummer with cash, via CashApp, and via PayPal. Last year, the Chesapeake Sheriff’s Deputy was likewise sentenced to serve 30 months’ incarceration for his role in this scheme.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa E. O’Boyle and Joseph E. DePadilla 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-183.
DOJ Reaches Proposed Consent Decree with Hampton Roads Regional JailRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The Department of Justice today announced a proposed consent decree with the Hampton Roads Regional Jail Authority resolving the United States’ investigation into allegedly unlawful conditions at the Hampton Roads Regional Jail (Jail) in Portsmouth as outlined in the government’s December 2018 Notice.
Under the proposed consent decree, the Jail will develop and implement policies, procedures, and training regarding adequate medical and mental health care and appropriate housing for prisoners with serious mental illness. These measures include appropriate screening and assessment by qualified professionals, adequate treatment planning and suicide prevention practices, specialized mental health housing units, and a quality assurance program. The proposed consent decree would be overseen by an independent monitor to assess compliance and to provide technical assistance to the Jail. The court will determine if the proposed consent decree is fair, adequate, reasonable, and necessary.
“We are pleased that the Hampton Roads Regional Jail Authority has agreed to address the deficiencies our investigation uncovered,” said U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger of the Eastern District of Virginia. “We look forward to continuing to work with the Hampton Roads Regional Jail to ensure that those incarcerated at the Jail receive adequate medical and mental health care, and that prisoners’ rights under the Constitution and the Americans with Disabilities Act are protected.”
The Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia initiated the investigation in December 2016 under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), which authorizes the Department to take action to address a pattern or practice of deprivation of constitutional rights of individuals confined to state or local government-run correctional facilities. The investigation was also initiated pursuant to Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In December 2018, the Department provided the Jail written notice of the alleged unlawful conditions and the minimum remedial measures necessary to address them. Specifically, the Department concluded that there is reasonable cause to believe that the Jail fails to provide constitutionally adequate medical and mental health care to prisoners, and places prisoners with serious mental illness in restrictive housing for prolonged periods of time under conditions that violate the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. The Department also concluded that the Jail’s restrictive housing practices discriminate against prisoners with mental health disabilities in violation of the ADA.
“This agreement will ensure that prisoners are no longer at risk of serious harm as a result of the Jail’s practices,” said Eric Dreiband, Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division. “We commend the Hampton Roads Regional Jail Authority for its willingness to make changes to ensure that prisoners receive necessary medical and mental health care.”
This matter is handled by attorneys with the Special Litigation Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the Department via phone at (844) 644-0225 or by email at: [email protected].
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Indian National Sentenced for International Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Indian national was sentenced today to over a year in prison for his role in defrauding hundreds of people of at least $150,000.
“Anikkhan Yusufkhan Pathan participated in an international fraud scheme that victimized 200 hard-working Americans,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Pathan’s conspirators located in India exploited victims who were trying to pay mortgages and apply for loans. Individuals should not have to be worried about being scammed when trying to complete basic, and essential, financial tasks. The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those individuals who commit fraud and seek to profit from the financial hardship they cause their victims.”
According to court documents, Pathan, 29, while in this country on a student visa, conspired with individuals in India to defraud approximately 200 people located throughout the United States. In many cases, the conspirators identified people who had recently applied for a loan from a bank. In other cases, the conspirators learned which mortgage company held the deed to a victim’s home or claimed to represent a company the victim had recently done business with. In every case, the conspirators then tricked their victims into sending money to fictitious identities using money transfer services like MoneyGram and Western Union. Pathan used at least 67 fake IDs, each bearing the name of a different fictitious identity and his photograph, to collect the victim’s money from money transfer services throughout northern Virginia.
“The Office of the Inspector General continues its commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate criminal schemes aimed at taking advantage of American Taxpayers,” said Joseph V. Cuffari, Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
As part of the scheme, Pathan kept a portion of the victim’s money for himself and deposited the balance into bank accounts of unknown individuals or wire transferred the money to conspirators located in India. From April to September 2017, during the course of over 200 transactions, Pathan collected $150,000 sent by hundreds of victims located around the country.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Joseph V. Cuffari, Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachael C. Tucker and Assistant U.S. Attorney 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-20.
California Man Sentenced for Cocaine Trafficking and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A California man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for trafficking kilograms of cocaine and laundering narcotics proceeds and payments.
According to court documents, between November 2016 and June 2018, Eberardo Medina, 38, shipped approximately 15 kilograms of cocaine from California to New York for redistribution. A codefendant in New York would then traffic the cocaine to the Virginia region using a courier. The cocaine would often be picked up by a local reseller at Union Station, in Washington, D.C., who would redistribute the narcotics in the area, including in the Eastern District of Virginia.
Medina also utilized numerous individuals to launder narcotics proceeds and payments. Medina instructed individuals in California to either create bank accounts or use their existing accounts in order to launder money. Medina would provide the bank account information of those California-based accounts to his codefendant in New York. The codefendant in New York would then pay workers to deposit certain amounts of money into the California-based bank accounts in a classic structuring scheme meant to evade law enforcement. Once in California, the proceeds would be withdrawn and handed to Medina for a fee. During the conspiracy, Medina laundered at least $780,000 related to narcotics distribution.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). 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; Mark Herring, Attorney General of Virginia; Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington; Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division; Gary Hartman, Deputy Director of Washington/Baltimore HIDTA, Northern Virginia Financial Initiative; and M. Jay Farr, Arlington County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Karolina Klyuchnikova 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-51.
Cartel Recruiter Pleads Guilty to Heroin and Meth Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A North Carolina woman was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for her role in a large heroin and meth trafficking conspiracy that originated in Sinaloa, Mexico.
According to court documents, Delia Marie Salinez, 31, of Greensboro, was a recruiter and drug courier operating out of the conspiracy’s North Carolina distribution point. In March 2019, Salinez and two of her recruits packaged and drove roughly a kilogram of heroin and a kilogram of pure methamphetamine to Virginia Beach, where they thought they were going to sell the drugs. Instead, they were arrested during a SWAT takedown operation and the drugs were seized.
The other two couriers, Maricella Williamson and Kenya Godinez-Camacho, were sentenced to 65 and 60 months in prison, respectively.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). 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; Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division; and Anthony F. Zucaro, Jr., Interim 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. 2:19-cr-131.
More Members of Family-Run Heroin-Trafficking Ring Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Two Portsmouth men were was sentenced to a combined 21 years in prison for their respective roles in a family-run heroin-trafficking organization in which members trafficked at least one kilogram of heroin throughout Hampton Roads and sold handguns, rifles, and shotguns with their drugs.
According to court documents, Dominic Donta Jones, 27, and Raewkon Akil Pierce, 24, were members of the Jones DTO run by Malcolm Jones, Sr., Jones and Pierce’s father. The organization operated at least three drug premises, including the “Court,” a residence serving as the distribution point for Jones Sr.’s drugs—heroin, fentanyl, Acetyl fentanyl, crack, and powder cocaine. Since the beginning of 2017, the Court serviced 50 to 100 customers a day until authorities shut down the operation on Sept. 11, 2019. During that time, Jones and Pierce stayed at the Court, managed drug-trafficking efforts there, and stockpiled firearms there to protect their drug trade. Jones also sold a handgun during one of his heroin transactions, and that heroin turned out to be a mixture of fentanyl and Acetyl fentanyl.
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 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; Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division; and Col. K.L. Wright, Chief of Chesapeake Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorney William B. Jackson and 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-155.
Sex Traffickers Sentenced to Combined 81 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Six defendants have been sentenced to a combined 81 years in prison for their respective roles in the sex trafficking of a minor victim and an adult victim at multiple locations in Northern Virginia and Maryland in 2018 and 2019.
“Sex traffickers often prey upon the most vulnerable victims in our society and intentionally exploit those vulnerabilities,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The damage inflicted upon children through this form of sexual exploitation is immeasurable. The victim—survivors are subject to multiple forms of mental, physical, and emotional trauma, the scars of which never fully fade. The minor victim in this case was particularly vulnerable, and her traffickers used fear, coercion, and control to abuse and exploit her entire being for profit. We will remain dogged in our pursuit of all those who perpetrate this modern day slavery.”
From April 2018 through Jan. 14, 2019, five of the defendants sex trafficked a minor victim throughout Virginia and Maryland. The minor was housed at multiple hotels in Alexandria and Fairfax for the purposes of commercial sex, and the defendants advertised the minor victim through various means, including prostitution advertisements online on Bedpage.com, CityXGuide.com, and Backpage.com (shortly before it was seized by the federal government). They also advertised the minor victim through the communications platform WhatsApp by sending her picture out to a list-serve of known customers. As a form of grooming, the male defendants engaged in sexual intercourse with the minor. As a form of enticement, the defendants permitted the minor to keep about 50 percent of the commercial sex proceeds while the defendants collected the remaining 50 percent.
“These sentencings underscore the FBI’s commitment to holding accountable those who prey upon innocent victims for their own greed,” said James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division. “In full collaboration with our task force partners throughout the area, the FBI will continue to work tirelessly to stop criminals such as these, and prevent them from abusing children and vulnerable individuals while profiting from illicit acts. The FBI will remain focused on recovering victims and arresting the sex traffickers who exploit them, and we will not stop working to remove these offenders from the streets of our communities.”“Human traffickers treat human life like property, exploiting and extorting for profit,” said Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. “This case shows the callous greed traffickers exhibit, ensnaring children and forcing them into sexual exploitation. HSI is committed to investigating and seeking prosecution of human traffickers alongside our federal and local partners.”
“The actions of these defendants are quite frankly reprehensible as they've purposely preyed upon our most vulnerable and impressionable victims for far too long,” said Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Chief of Fairfax County Police. “From the onset of this investigation, federal prosecutors and agents teamed up with Fairfax County officers and detectives to methodically pursue justice for these young victims and worked to ensure no other families could be torn apart by the unspeakable conduct of our defendants.”
“The successful conclusion of this case was due, in part, to the collaborative efforts of law enforcement and prosecutors, in addition to, the courageousness of the victims,” said Jarad L. Phelps, Acting Chief of Police for Prince William County. “Sex trafficking targets our most vulnerable community members and it’s upon us all to report and investigate these matters efficiently to ensure the victims receive justice and begin the healing process. With each prosecution, a message is sent to sex traffickers that this type of exploitation will not be tolerated. We encourage any victim of trafficking to please come forward and take the brave step to stop this abuse.”
In January 2019, members of the conspiracy, including defendant Fatima Ventura Perez, recruited an adult victim to fly from Miami to Reagan National Airport to work in a brothel apartment in Laurel, Maryland. Ventura-Perez also sent out advertisements of the adult victim and the minor victim on her commercial sex customer listserve via WhatsApp, resulting in numerous men arriving at the apartment to have sex, with each victim being sexually exploited by over 50 men each. The minor victim and the adult victim were sold for sex out of that brothel apartment. On Jan. 14, 2019, law enforcement recovered both victims at the brothel apartment, which was leased by Ventura Perez.
Name, Age
Hometown
Charge(s)
Sentence
Elvis Pichardo Hernandez
Dominican Republic / Capitol Heights, MD
Sex trafficking of a minor
13 years
Jose David Reyes-Gonzalez
Dominican Republic / Laurel, MD
Sex trafficking of a minor
14 years
Daniel Palacios Rodriguez
Mexico / Greenbelt, MD
Two counts of sex trafficking of a minor
16 years
Alexandra Guzman-Beato
Dominican Republic / Silver Spring, MD
Sex trafficking of a minor
16 years
Juan Rufino Martinez-Dominguez
Dominican Republic / Newark, NJ
Sex trafficking of a minor
15 1/2 years
Fatima Ventura Perez
Dominican Republic / College Point, NY
Coercion and enticement
6 1/2 years
Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen C. Cain prosecuted the case along with Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwendelynn Bills of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.
Significant assistance was provided by the Prince George’s County Police Department, Montgomery County Police Department, New York Police Department, Newark Police Department, FBI Baltimore Field Office, FBI New York Field Office, and FBI Newark Field Office.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, composed of FBI agents and local, state and federal partners.
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-218.
Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Large-Scale Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A North Carolina man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for his role in a large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy rooted in Mexico, spanning the continental United States, and settling in Hampton.
According to court documents, Donald Lee Southerland, 49, pleaded guilty earlier this year to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, cocaine base and fentanyl. Over the course of approximately three to four years, Southerland is conservatively attributed with hundreds of thousands of U.S. dollars in drug proceeds as well as over 63 kilograms of heroin and more than 43 kilograms of marijuana among other significant quantities of illicit substances. Southerland’s biggest heroin customer lived in Hampton.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), Operation Cookout. 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.
The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, provides assistance to Federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. This grant program is administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). There are currently 28 HIDTAs, which include approximately 18 percent of all counties in the United States and 66 percent of the U.S. population.
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 Homeland Security Investigations Washington D.C.; Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division; Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police; Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police; Terry L. Sult, Chief of Hampton Police Division; Col. K.L. Wright, Chief of Chesapeake Police; and Hampton Commonwealth's Attorney Anton A. Bell made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Cross and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Hudson and Peter Osyf are prosecuting 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. 4:19-cr-47.
Former BBG Contracting Officer Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bribery and Honest Services Wire FraudRead the Press Release
A former contracting officer with the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) (now known as the U.S. Agency for Global Media) pleaded guilty today to conspiring to engage in a bribery scheme.
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, Special Agent in Charge Marc Meyer of the U.S. Department of State Office of Inspector General and Assistant Director in Charge Timothy R. Slater of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement.
Diane D. Sturgis, 61, of Glassboro, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States through bribery and wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady of the Eastern District of Virginia. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 17.
According to court documents, Sturgis served as a contracting officer for the BBG’s International Broadcast Bureau, Office of Contracts until September 2017. Sturgis, among other things, supervised several contracts awarded to a Virginia information technology and data management firm, including a blanket purchase agreement. In September 2014, the BBG and the Department of Defense used the firm’s blanket purchase agreement to issue a task order that subsequently served as a vehicle for procuring millions of dollars in services from the firm. In November 2014, Sturgis and the firm’s owner used the same task order to fill several contracting positions in Sturgis’ office in exchange for initial payments totaling at least $330,000. Sturgis and the firm’s owner agreed that the firm would nominally hire Sturgis’ relative to fill one of these positions in exchange for preferential treatment and the performance of official acts benefitting the firm.
Between December 2014 and June 2015, the firm issued four payments to Sturgis’ relative totaling $30,000. The relative performed no consulting work in exchange for these payments; instead, Sturgis prepared the periodic consulting reports and accompanying invoices for the relative and instructed the relative to save the periodic reports and invoices on the relative’s computer and then submit the invoices for payment. The firm sought approval for payments from the BBG, which Sturgis authorized and approved.
The Department of State, Office of Inspector General and the FBI investigated the case. Trial Attorney Edward P. Sullivan of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section is 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.
Couple Pleads Guilty to Distributing Narcotics in Hampton RoadsRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man and woman pleaded guilty today to a multi-year conspiracy to distribute narcotics in Hampton Roads.
According to court documents, Dontae Rashawn Parks, 36, and Shakera Semone Greene, 36, spent the last three years distributing cocaine, crack, and heroin cut with fentanyl to the Newport News community. In addition to narcotics, over $23,000 in U.S. currency, multiple firearms, ammunition, and a ballistic vest were seized during lawful searches of the couples’ residences.
Parks and Greene pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, cocaine, base, heroin, and fentanyl in Hampton Roads. Parks additionally pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Greene faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on Jan. 22, 2021. Due to his more significant role in the conspiracy and the additional firearms charge, Parks faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison when sentenced on Jan. 21, 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.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), Operation Undertow. 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, and Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge David J. Novak accepted the pleas. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter G. Osyf is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:20-cr-20.
Former CEO and Founder of Technology Company Charged in Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The CEO and co-founder of Trustify Inc. (Trustify), a privately-held technology company founded in 2015 and based in Arlington, Virginia, was charged in an indictment unsealed today for his alleged role 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 Timothy R. Slater of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement.
Daniel Boice, 41, of Alexandria, Virginia, was charged with five counts of wire fraud, one count of securities fraud, and two counts of money laundering.
The indictment alleges that, beginning in 2015, Boice fraudulently solicited investments in Trustify, a privately-held technology start-up company that connected customers with private investigators. Boice allegedly raised approximately $18.5 million from over 90 investors by, among other things, falsely overstating Trustify’s financial performance. The indictment also alleges that Boice made false statements to investors about the amount of investor funds that he would personally receive, while diverting a substantial amount of the investor money to his own benefit.
The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office is investigating the case. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission provided assistance and is also filing a civil complaint against the defendant for related conduct. Trial Attorney Blake Goebel of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell Carlberg of the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case. The department would also like to thank the Virginia State Corporation Commission for its assistance.
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.
Former CEO and Founder of Technology Company Charged in Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
The CEO and co-founder of Trustify Inc. (Trustify), a privately-held technology company founded in 2015 and based in Arlington, Virginia, was charged in an indictment unsealed today for his alleged role 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 Timothy R. Slater of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement.
Daniel Boice, 41, of Alexandria, Virginia, was charged with five counts of wire fraud, one count of securities fraud, and two counts of money laundering.
The indictment alleges that, beginning in 2015, Boice fraudulently solicited investments in Trustify, a privately-held technology start-up company that connected customers with private investigators. Boice allegedly raised approximately $18.5 million from over 90 investors by, among other things, falsely overstating Trustify’s financial performance. The indictment also alleges that Boice made false statements to investors about the amount of investor funds that he would personally receive, while diverting a substantial amount of the investor money to his own benefit.
The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office is investigating the case. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission provided assistance and is also filing a civil complaint against the defendant for related conduct. Trial Attorney Blake Goebel of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell Carlberg of the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case. The department would also like to thank the Virginia State Corporation Commission for its assistance.
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.
State Department Contractor Agrees to Pay Civil Penalties Under the Procurement Integrity ActRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Bernhardt Furniture Company, located in Lenoir, North Carolina, has agreed to pay $172,000 in civil penalties to settle allegations involving violations of the Procurement Integrity Act relating to the company’s receipt of competitor bid information and providing of gratuities to State Department employees in connection with a State Department contract.
The settlement resolves civil penalty claims against Bernhardt relating to criminal pleas entered by Bernhardt Vice President of Sales Steven Anstine, and State Department procurement officials Patricia DeLaughter and Davina Foster. From December 2016 to March 2017, in connection with a contract for the construction of the new Jakarta Embassy, Bernhardt received competitor bid information, including confidential bid prices and competitor’s design plans, on at least three separate occasions. In return, Bernhardt’s Anstine provided DeLaughter and Foster with meals and tickets to concerts and sporting events. Bernhardt, through its use of competitor’s confidential bid information, won the contract to provide furniture for the Jakarta Embassy; however, the conduct was discovered and the award was canceled before Bernhardt received any funds.
The resolutions obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Office of Inspector General for the Department of State.
The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin S. Starr. The civil claims settled by this settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Criminal Case No. 1:19-cr-205 (United States v. Patricia DeLaughter) and 1:19-cr-256 (United States v. Davina Foster) and on the website of the District of South Carolina or on PACER by searching for Criminal Case No. Case No. 2:19:cr-404 (D.S.C.) (United States v. Steven Anstine).
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Robbery and CarjackingRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Washington, D.C. man pleaded guilty today to his role in an armed robbery and carjacking that led to a high-speed police chase and resulted in injuries to two police officers.
According to court documents, Jovan Doir Johnson, 30, together with another individual, obtained a stolen vehicle at gunpoint in Arlington and then used it to rob a 7-Eleven in Lorton. On Aug. 28, 2019, both men fled the 7-Eleven traveling north on Interstate 95 before taking Interstate 495 toward the Wilson Bridge, where several Virginia State Police cruisers attempted to stop the stolen Prius as it approached the bridge. When one cruiser attempted to stop the stolen vehicle, the vehicle drove into the rear corner of the cruiser forcing it into the concrete medium barrier at a high rate of speed. The first cruiser’s air bag deployed and the trooper was taken to the hospital with injuries as a result of the impact. A second cruiser subsequently advanced and pushed the stolen vehicle into the concrete medium just before reaching the bridge. The resulting impact also caused the second cruiser’s driver airbag to deploy. The trooper driving that second cruiser was also taken to the hospital. The Fairfax County Police Helicopter assisted in the stop.
Johnson pleaded guilty to armed robbery and brandishing a firearm during two crimes of violence, and carjacking. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 14 years, and a maximum possible sentence of life in prison when sentenced on November 4. 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; James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office; Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police; M. Jay Farr, Arlington County Chief of Police; and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston, Jr. accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Walutes, Jr. is prosecuting the case.
This matter was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Safe Streets Violent Crime Task Force which is composed of Special Agents and detectives from law enforcement agencies within Northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force concentrates on investigating violent crimes and criminal threats within the Capital Region.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:19-cr-351.
Gas Station and Tobacco Store Owner Pleads Guilty to Cigarette TraffickingRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Lorton man pleaded guilty yesterday to participating in a conspiracy to traffic millions of dollars in contraband cigarettes.
According to court documents, Daniel K. Appiah, 65, owned and operated two companies that sold cigarettes between 2007 and 2020: a gas station and convenience store in Fredericksburg; and a tobacco store in Woodbridge. During the operation of his companies, Appiah received for each of them a “Certificate of Registration for the Collection of Virginia Sales and Use Tax,” which exempted Appiah from paying the Virginia sales and use tax when making business purchases. He thereafter opened business memberships at various wholesale clubs and with wholesale cigarette distributors in Virginia, and subsequently used those business memberships to make tax-free purchases of more than $7.2 million worth of Virginia-stamped cigarettes between 2015 and 2018. Appiah then sold and distributed more than $5.1 million worth of those cigarettes to cigarette traffickers whom he knew intended to smuggle those Virginia-stamped cigarettes out of the Commonwealth for re-sale as contraband cigarettes on the black market.
Appiah pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic in contraband cigarettes. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison when sentenced on November 6. 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, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Elliker 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-068.
Gang Leader Sentenced to 45 years for Racketeering Conspiracy and MurderRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A former leader of the Nine Trey Gangsters (NTG) was sentenced today to 45 years in prison for his role in a racketeering conspiracy that included the murder of 23-year-old Delante Eley.
According to court documents, Rashaun Antonio Taylor, aka “Diablo,” was a local leader of the Nine Trey Gangsters (NTG), a gang affiliated with the United Blood Nation. On March 11, 2014, after a series of incidents between Delante Eley and members of Taylor’s gang, Taylor followed Eley to his grandparents’ home, where Taylor shot and killed Eley. Two days later, Taylor and other NTG members were stopped by police while armed with a high powered Romanian-made semi-automatic rifle. Portsmouth Police detectives executed a search warrant on Taylor’s house and recovered gang paraphernalia and his cell phone. The FBI analyzed Taylor’s phone, which had been turned off for the two hours surrounding the murder, and found that nearly two hundred calls placed between the time of the murder and the traffic stop had been deleted. A confidential informant later videotaped a gang meeting led by Taylor, and several days later Taylor was overheard by the FBI and Portsmouth Police via a wire transmitter admitting to the murder.
“Taylor murdered Delante Eley in cold blood and nearly killed two others,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Taylor was the leader of approximately 40 gang members, and for years proudly proclaimed his gang affiliation. Violence was something he encouraged and personally dispatched. He bragged about this murder as his “first body,” and regularly robbed people and sold drugs as his sources of income. Threats of violence against fellow gang members, non-gang members, and even a probation officer were common for Taylor, who has spent a lifetime putting others, and this community, in fear. This significant sentence will prevent Taylor from taking another life, and will serve the purposes of general deterrence by putting others, especially those interested in gangs or currently in gangs, on notice of the consequences for taking human life and glorifying murder as a way to gain status and respect.”
On February 20, 2020, after a week-long trial, a jury convicted Taylor of racketeering conspiracy that included murder, the use of a firearm resulting in death, distribution of heroin, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), Operation Billy Club. 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; Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Angela Greene, Chief of Portsmouth Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John F. Butler, Andrew Bosse, and Joseph E. DePadilla 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-036.
Former Old Dominion University Student Pleads Guilty to Swatting ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Vienna man pleaded guilty today to charges related to his role in a conspiracy that conducted multiple swatting events targeting journalists, a Virginia university, a historic Virginia church, and a former cabinet official.
According to court documents, John William Kirby Kelley, 19, conspired with John Cameron Denton, a former leader of the Atomwaffen Division in Texas, and others to conduct “swatting” calls. Swatting is a harassment tactic that involves deceiving dispatchers into believing that a person or persons are in imminent danger of death or bodily harm and causing the dispatchers to send police and emergency services to an unwitting third party’s address.
Kelley managed the online chatroom where conspirators chose targets and orchestrated the swatting calls. Many of the conspirators held white supremacist views and targeted individuals because they were motivated by racial animus. Kelley communicated with these white supremacists and used racial epithets.
Kelley is a former student at Old Dominion University. In early November 2018, he asked conspirators to swat Old Dominion University, which conspirators did ultimately swat on Nov. 29 and Dec. 4, 2018. In response to the bomb threat on Nov. 29, 2018, university officials issued a shelter in place order and law enforcement were forced to search and clear every building on campus.
During the course of the conspiracy, members placed at least 134 swatting calls to jurisdictions across the country. In addition to the swatting calls against Old Dominion University, conspirators conducted two additional swatting calls in the Eastern District of Virginia, including a call to a former Cabinet official living in Northern Virginia in January 2019 and the Alfred Street Baptist Church in November 2018.
Kelley pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, interstate threats to injure. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison when sentenced on November 24. 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, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Liam O'Grady accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carina A. Cuellar is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-cr-154.
U.S. Attorney Announces MOU with Special Inspector General for Pandemic RecoveryRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – United States Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger and Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery Brian D. Miller today announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia has entered into Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Office of the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery (SIGPR).
“Fraudsters frequently prey upon vulnerable individuals during difficult times,” said Terwilliger. “We are working closely with various federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to guard against fraudulent pandemic profiteers, protect the public fisc, and ensure the rule of law and public safety is not eroded during this critical time. It is inevitable that fraudsters will attempt to take advantage of the $2.2 trillion CARES Act, and this partnership with SIGPR underscores EDVA’s commitment to criminally prosecuting and holding civilly liable those who attempt to take advantage during this historic pandemic. Special Inspector General Miller is an EDVA alum and SIGPR will be physically housed within 75 yards of our office and the District Court—it makes all the sense in the world to formally partner on this critical work for the American people.”
The purpose and mission of the MOU is to develop a cooperative effort to investigate and prosecute matters involving the making, purchase, management, and sale of loans, loan guarantees, and other investments made by the Secretary of the Treasury under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020, and the management by the Secretary of the Treasury of any program established under the CARES Act, in order to achieve just results while using all criminal and civil resources most efficiently.
“I look forward to working with United States Attorney Zach Terwilliger and his team in the Eastern District of Virginia to identify fraud, waste and abuse of the money provided under the CARES Act,” said Brian D. Miller, Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery. “We will bring to justice those who would steal CARES Act money, and recover money for the taxpayers. Taxpayers should expect nothing less.”
The MOU outlines four objectives: 1) To provide a coordinated response to CARES Act funding fraud, with an emphasis on organized criminal activity, as well as criminal and civil fraud affecting federal money, vulnerable victims, and fraud recidivists; 2) To facilitate legal process, case intake, and swift prosecution of CARES Act-related fraud; 3) To link and associate isolated CARES Act-related complaints with larger schemes and related unlawful activity; and 4) To deter future CARES Act funding fraud through an enhanced awareness of successful criminal prosecution and civil enforcement against individuals and companies involved in CARES-related financial fraud.
Two Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSA) – one from the Criminal Division and one from the Civil Division – will serve as liaisons to the EDVA-SIGPR partnership. These AUSAs will be direct points of contact for case-related inquiries from SIGPR. Additionally, a criminal paralegal will be assigned specifically to SIGPR investigations and prosecutions. EDVA will also provide forensic audit support for civil enforcement matters.
The MOU also calls for EDVA to create a streamlined, accelerated process for SIGPR investigations to obtain needed preliminary legal process, including grand jury subpoenas and court orders, subpoenas, and civil investigative demands.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Operation Cookout: Eight Plead Guilty to Heroin and Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Eight individuals pleaded guilty this week for their respective roles in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute large amounts of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine base in Hampton Roads.
In August 2019, over 120 law enforcement officers from 30 law enforcement agencies in Virginia, North Carolina and Texas executed a major operation that resulted in 35 defendants being arrested for their respective roles in the conspiracy, along with the seizure of 24 firearms, 30 kilograms of fentanyl, 30 kilograms of heroin, 5 kilograms of cocaine, and over $700,000 in cash.
To date, 46 defendants have been charged in this case. Of those, 38 have admitted their criminal conduct and pleaded guilty. Eight defendants are currently scheduled for trial.
Below is a list of the defendants who pleaded guilty this week:
Name, Age
Hometown
Charges
David Brandon Porter, 30
Hampton
Conspiracy to distribute and PWID 280 grams + cocaine base and 500 grams + cocaine
Russell Patrick Johnson, 50
Suffolk
Conspiracy to distribute and PWID 1 kg + heroin, 400 grams + fentanyl, and 500 grams + cocaine
April Loredo, 29
Newport News
Use of a communication facility in furtherance of drug trafficking
Iban Barreto Hernandez, 25
Riverside, California
Conspiracy to distribute and PWID 5 kg + cocaine and 1 kg + heroin
Carmen Suhey Miranda, 42
Newport News
Conspiracy to distribute and PWID 100 grams + heroin and cocaine
Felix Omar Rodriguez-Roig, 40
Newport News
Conspiracy to distribute and PWID 100 grams + heroin and cocaine
Lupe Camberos, 37
Portland, Oregon
Use of a communication facility in furtherance of drug trafficking
Kerry Christian, 54
Hampton
Conspiracy to distribute and PWID 500 grams + cocaine
According to the 88-count indictment, which was returned by a federal grand jury in February, the 46 defendants were involved in an alleged large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy that began in March 2016. The co-conspirators participated in various criminal acts throughout the alleged conspiracy, including armed drug distribution, while assuming and carrying out different roles such as a supplier, packager, transporter, financier, distributor, and facilitator throughout the life of the alleged drug trafficking ring.
The indictment alleges that the defendants and unindicted co-conspirators would purchase and receive narcotics from suppliers in Mexico, California, and New York, and would arrange for heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine base to be transported to and within the Eastern District of Virginia using hidden traps in privately owned vehicles, couriers, and semi-trailers, trucks, and recreational vehicles.
It was further part of the conspiracy that the defendants and co-conspirators would utilize various locations throughout Hampton Roads to possess and prepare for distribution heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine base, and to meet and discuss previous and future narcotics transactions. These various locations include houses and parking lots of businesses located in Newport News, Hampton, Suffolk, Carrolton, Yorktown, Lawrenceville, South Hill, and Richmond.
According to the indictment, throughout the life of the drug trafficking ring, the co-conspirators used at least 94 different telecommunication devices such as pre-paid cell phones, Facebook, and encrypted communications apps like FaceTime and WhatsApp to conduct the day-to-day operations, including negotiating prices, and arranging locations for purchasing and selling the drugs. Some of co-conspirators changed devices on a regular basis in an effort to thwart law enforcement surveillance. Typically, the cell phone numbers that were used were in pre-paid cell phones that did not need a subscriber’s name.
The 88-count indictment alleges various offenses, including conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, cocaine base, and fentanyl; conspiracy to launder money; felon in possession of a firearm; maintaining a drug-involved premises; use of a communication facility in furtherance of drug trafficking; interstate travel in aid of racketeering enterprises; and illegal re-entry by a previously deported or removed alien.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), Operation Cookout. 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.
The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, provides assistance to Federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. This grant program is administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). There are currently 28 HIDTAs, which include approximately 18 percent of all counties in the United States and 66 percent of the U.S. population.
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, Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Washington D.C., Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, Terry L. Sult, Chief of Hampton Police Division, Col. K.L. Wright, Chief of Chesapeake Police, and Hampton Commonwealth's Attorney Anton A. Bell, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin P. Hudson and Peter G. Osyf, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy E. Cross are prosecuting the case.
The following law enforcement agencies provided significant assistance during the investigation and arrest operation: U.S. Marshals, Newport News Sheriff’s Office, Chesapeake Sheriff’s Office, York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Amarillo Police, and Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office. Approximately 30 law enforcement agencies assisted in the arrest operation in Virginia, North Carolina and Texas.
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. 4:19-cr-47.
Man Pleads Guilty for Role in Illegally Straw Purchasing FirearmsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Maryland man pleaded guilty today to aiding and abetting the straw purchase of firearms.
According to court documents, D’Lanta Boone, 29, of Temple Hills, aided and abetted the straw purchase of seven firearms by providing his then-girlfriend with money and explicitly directing her as to which firearms to illegally purchase on his behalf. Police in Washington, D.C. recovered one of the illegally purchased firearms from a felon, and police in Prince George’s County recovered another of the illegally purchased firearms.
Boone faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison when sentenced on December 18. 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 Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, III accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas U. Murphy, II 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-153.
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Maryland man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
According to court documents, between May 2019 and February 2020, Romaine Dixon, 31, of Camp Springs, conspired to distribute cocaine. Dixon and his co-conspirators would travel out of state and ship cocaine back in large crates to the Eastern District of Virginia. Dixon was arrested in his vehicle in February 2020 for possession of approximately 25 kilograms of cocaine and $11,268.00 in cash. One of Dixon’s co-conspirators was also arrested that day in possession of 20 kilograms of cocaine and one and half kilograms of heroin
After the execution of search warrants at Dixon’s residence, law enforcement seized approximately $1,044,451 in cash, jewelry valued at approximately $244,125, one kilogram of cocaine, one kilogram of fentanyl, three firearms, and body armor piercing ammunition among other items. At another location associated with Dixon, law enforcement found kilogram wrappings and an AK-47.
Dixon pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute five kilograms of cocaine. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison when sentenced on December 4. 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; Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division; and Michael L. Chapman, Loudoun County Sheriff, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, III accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael P. Ben’Ary 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-156.
Former Gym Owner Sentenced to 30 Years for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The former owner of 9Round Gym in Peninsula Town Center was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for leading a large-scale drug trafficking organization on the Virginia Peninsula.
According to court documents, from 2013 to 2017, Alex Jermaine Burnett, 39, supervised a number of individuals in the distribution of cocaine, heroin, MDMA, marijuana and cocaine base or “crack.” This organization was receiving kilogram quantities of the narcotics and then distributing them throughout the Hampton Roads area, Newport News and James City County. During the course of the drug trafficking activities, Burnett began to receive information from former law enforcement officer, Deangelo Freeman. The law enforcement sensitive information alerted Burnett and his organization to the ongoing FBI investigation and compromised an undercover confidential informant.
Freeman previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum of 40 years in prison when sentenced on July 31.
Alex Burnett’s sentencing follows the 14 year sentence imposed on his father, Robert Burnett, 67, of Carrollton.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), Operation Brim Reaper. The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to the federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The principle 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; Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Terry L. Sult, Chief of Hampton Police Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric M. Hurt and Special Assistant Rebecca Dunnan of the Department of Justice Organized Crime and Gang Section are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:17-cr-111.
MS-13 Leader in El Salvador Charged with RICO and Terrorism OffensesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal indictment has been unsealed charging an MS-13 leader in El Salvador with a racketeering conspiracy and conspiring to provide material support to terrorists based on his role as a leader of La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13).
The defendant, Armando Eliu Melgar Diaz, 30, is the first MS-13 leader to face terrorism charges in the United States.
“In 2017, the President directed the Department of Justice to go to war against MS-13, and we did just that,” said Attorney General William Barr. “In coordination with our partners at the Department of Homeland Security, the Justice Department’s law enforcement components have successfully investigated, charged, and arrested command and control elements of MS-13 responsible for murder. Joint Task Force Vulcan’s operations have significantly degraded MS-13’s capabilities. While there is still work to be done, the Department of Justice remains committed to protecting Americans threatened by MS-13, and we will not rest until we have successfully defeated this transnational criminal organization.”
“MS-13 is a transnational gang of vicious predators that primarily preys on people and businesses in our nation’s vibrant immigrant communities,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Members of those communities should feel confident, as demonstrated today with this announcement, that members and associates of MS-13 that commit violent acts here will be held accountable.”
“Today’s announcements are the result of tremendous teamwork and coordination between prosecutors and law enforcement officers across the United States and Central America,” said John Durham, Director of Joint Task Force Vulcan. “MS-13 is a violent transnational criminal organization, whose criminal activities respect no boundaries. The only way to defeat MS-13 is by targeting the organization as a whole, focusing on the leadership structure, and deploying a whole-of-government approach against a common enemy.”
MS-13 has tens of thousands of members located in the United States, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and elsewhere. The organization is responsible for murders, extortion, violence, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and other crimes, and has been designated as a terrorist organization by the government of El Salvador.
“This enforcement action sends a clear message that the FBI and our law enforcement partners represented on the Violent Gang Safe Streets Task Forces remain aggressive in investigating and dismantling gang activity that brings violence and fear into our communities,” said Timothy R. Slater, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office. “We will use all available tools in our investigative and legal arsenal to disrupt MS-13’s leadership, take these violent offenders off the streets, and ultimately bring justice to the victims of these brutal acts.”
“Homeland Security Investigations is committed to leveraging its unique cross-border authorities to identify and bring to justice members of violent gangs and other transnational criminal organizations,” said Jerry Templet, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Nashville. “These violent transnational criminal networks threaten the safety and security of the law-abiding public, and HSI will continue to work with our federal, state and local partners to identify and seek prosecution of these dangerous individuals.”
According to court documents, Melgar Diaz moved to the United States from El Salvador in 2003, and settled in Virginia. After moving to Virginia, he joined the Gangster Locos Salvatruchas, also known as GLS, a clique of MS-13. In February 2013, Melgar Diaz was deported to El Salvador, but illegally returned to the United States in approximately August of 2013. In November 2016, Melgar Diaz was once again deported to El Salvador. He has resided in El Salvador since 2016.
After his return to El Salvador, Melgar Diaz allegedly continued to be an active member of MS-13. In approximately May 2017, Melgar Diaz allegedly became the Corredor, or leader, of the MS-13 East Coast Program. As Corredor, Melgar Diaz oversaw the activities of approximately 20 MS-13 cliques in the United States, including in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, California, Ohio, Rhode Island, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and the District of Columbia. Melgar Diaz allegedly also oversaw MS-13 activities internationally in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico. Melgar Diaz allegedly coordinated financing for MS-13 by collecting dues and drug trafficking proceeds, aided in trafficking cocaine and marijuana, facilitated communications between MS-13 leaders in El Salvador and cliques in the United States, and authorized acts of violence in the United States, including murder. The money Melgar Diaz allegedly received from members in the United States was used to support MS-13’s violent activities in El Salvador, including by purchasing weapons.
Melgar Diaz is currently in custody El Salvador, where he is facing drug trafficking and conspiracy to commit murder charges.
In August 2019, Attorney General Barr created Joint Task Force Vulcan 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 U.S. law enforcement agencies against MS-13 in order to dismantle the group.
The 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 U.S., for targeted prosecutions; and coordinated significant MS-13 indictments in United States Attorney’s Offices across the country, such as the Eastern District of New York, the Eastern District of Virginia, and the District of Nevada.
Federal prosecutors from the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Criminal Division, as well as 10 United States Attorney’s Offices have been assigned to serve the JTFV in full-time capacities: the Eastern District of New York; the Eastern District of Virginia; the District of Nevada; the Southern District of California; the District of Massachusetts; the Northern District of Ohio; the District of New Jersey; the Eastern District of Texas; the District of Utah; and the District of Columbia. In addition, all Department of Justice law enforcement agencies are involved in the effort – the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the 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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Timothy R. Slater, Assistant Director in Charge, FBI Washington Field Office; and Jerry Templet, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations Nashville, made the announcement after the indictment was unsealed.
Terwilliger would like to thank John Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, and Brian Rabbitt, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division, for their assistance with this case.
Terwilliger also recognizes the following U.S. Attorneys for their assistance in this prosecution: Donald Q. Cochran, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee; Ryan K. Patrick, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas; Erin Nealy Cox, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas; and R. Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Terwilliger would also like to thank Attorney General Raul Melara of El Salvador for the assistance of his office in the investigation, as well as investigators from El Salvador’s Policia Nacional Civil (“PNC”) Centro Antipandilla Transnacional (“CAT”) unit for their assistance.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin L. Rosenberg and Matthew W. Shepherd, and Assistant U.S. Attorney 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-103.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Former Federal Corrections Officer Sentenced for Lying to Federal AuthoritiesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND - A former corrections officer with the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Federal Correctional Institution in Petersburg was sentenced yesterday to 54 months in prison for willfully making false statements to federal agents during a federal criminal civil rights investigation.
On February 12, a federal jury convicted Chikosi Legins, 41, of willfully making materially false statements to federal investigators during their investigation of allegations that Legins had sexually assaulted a prisoner, B.L., on two occasions. Specifically, the jury found that Legins falsely denied that he had engaged in a sexual act with any inmate at any time at FCI-Petersburg, and that Legins lied about what he was doing with B.L. in an unattended office in the prison at the time B.L. said that Legins had assaulted him. The jury acquitted Legins of one count of depriving B.L. of his civil rights, one count of aggravated sexual assault, and two counts of sexual abuse of a ward.
“Legins abused the power and authority of his office to mislead law enforcement,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “When confronted by federal agents about alleged abuses, he lied - repeatedly and emphatically. His abuse and obstruction were a complete rejection of his law enforcement oath, and this prosecution and today's sentence demonstrate our commitment to protecting all members of our society.”
“The Department of Justice will ensure that those who willfully mislead officers to prevent justice for victims of civil rights violations are prosecuted,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.
“Legins lied to investigators in an attempt to cover up the truth. Today, justice is served. He will rightly serve time for his willful attempt to impede a civil rights investigation,” said Russell W. Cunningham, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Washington Field Office.
The jury heard evidence that, on one occasion, Legins took B.L. into an unmonitored, unstaffed office area of the prison after staff in the office had left for the day. Legins told federal investigators that he and B.L. were engaged in “conversation” while Legins tried to use a computer and printer in the office, but a BOP computer expert testified that computer records showed that no one had attempted to use the computer in question at that time. Evidence presented at trial included the testimony of a DNA expert, who testified that DNA matching Legins had been recovered from the victim and from the victim’s clothing.
This case was investigated by the Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General and FBI’s Richmond Division, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas A. Garnett and Trial Attorney Kathryn E. Gilbert of the Civil Rights Division.
Former Federal Corrections Officer Sentenced for Lying to Federal AuthoritiesRead the Press Release
A former corrections officer with the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Federal Correctional Institution in Petersburg, Virginia (FCI-Petersburg), was sentenced Tuesday to 54 months in prison for willfully making false statements to federal agents during a federal criminal civil rights investigation, announced the Department of Justice.
On Feb. 12, 2020, a federal jury convicted Chikosi Legins, 41, of willfully making materially false statements to federal investigators during their investigation of allegations that Legins had sexually assaulted a prisoner, B.L., on two occasions. Specifically, the jury found that Legins falsely denied that he had engaged in a sexual act with any inmate at any time at FCI-Petersburg, and that Legins lied about what he was doing with B.L. in an unattended office in the prison at the time B.L. said that Legins had assaulted him. The jury acquitted Legins of one count of depriving B.L. of his civil rights, one count of aggravated sexual assault, and two counts of sexual abuse of a ward.
“The Department of Justice will ensure that those who willfully mislead officers to prevent justice for victims of civil rights violations are prosecuted,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.
“Legins abused the power and authority of his office to mislead law enforcement,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “When confronted by federal agents about alleged abuses, he lied - repeatedly and emphatically. His abuse and obstruction were a complete rejection of his law enforcement oath, and this prosecution and today's sentence demonstrate our commitment to protecting all members of our society.”
“Legins lied to investigators in an attempt to cover up the truth. Today, justice is served. He will rightly serve time for his willful attempt to impede a civil rights investigation,” said Russell W. Cunningham, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Washington Field Office.
The jury heard evidence that, on one occasion, Legins took B.L. into an unmonitored, unstaffed office area of the prison after staff in the office had left for the day. Legins told federal investigators that he and B.L. were engaged in “conversation” while Legins tried to use a computer and printer in the office, but a BOP computer expert testified that computer records showed that no one had attempted to use the computer in question at that time. Evidence presented at trial included the testimony of a DNA expert, who testified that DNA matching Legins had been recovered from the victim and from the victim’s clothing.
This case was investigated by the Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General and FBI’s Richmond Division, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas A. Garnett and Trial Attorney Kathryn E. Gilbert of the Civil Rights Division.
California Business Man Sentenced to Prison for $25 Million FraudRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A California man was sentenced today to over 12 years in prison for orchestrating an investment fraud and money laundering conspiracy that caused losses of $25 million.
“Andrew B. Powers stole $25 million from nearly 60 people,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Powers is a con man of the worst sort. His fraud was long-running, well-organized, and relentless. He was motivated by greed and the desire to appear successful, when in fact, he intentionally stole from and deceived his victims for his own self benefit.”
According to court documents, Andrew B. Powers, 45, of Oak Park, and formerly a resident of Virginia, started CommuniClique, a company that he soon claimed had developed an application that allowed businesses to communicate electronically and seamlessly within their businesses, between businesses, and with clients. Powers falsely claimed yearly revenues of $2 million by 2009 and $180 million by 2019. He also falsely claimed to have a number of large corporate clients. In fact, CommuniClique had no revenues and no large corporate clients. In August 2018, after the Virginia State Corporation Commission had prohibited him from soliciting more investments in Virginia, Powers moved his fraud scheme to California. By 2019 he had defrauded investors of approximately $25 million. When he was indicted in July 2019, Powers was using investors’ money to rent a mansion in Palisades, California, overlooking the Pacific Ocean for approximately $35,000 per month.
“Powers created a fake company, cheated investors of tens of millions of dollars, and used it to fund a lavish lifestyle for himself,” said James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division. “The FBI is committed to rooting out fraud in all its forms, including investment fraud and money laundering schemes like the one Powers perpetrated, which can destroy companies, wipe out the life savings of families, and cost investors millions of dollars.”
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jack Hanly and Kimberly Shartar 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. 1:19-cr-213.
Alleged Dealer of Ghost Guns and Machinegun Conversion Devices ArraignedRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Fairfax man was arraigned in federal court here today on charges of dealing in firearms without a license and transferring a machinegun.
According to court documents, Davud Sungur, 20, has never had federal firearms license. Sungur allegedly sold weapons on multiple occasions to undercover detectives with the Fairfax County Police Department’s Organized Crime & Intelligence Bureau, who had learned he was selling firearms. Over the course of four separate transactions, Sungur sold detectives ammunition, magazines, and numerous firearms – some of which were “ghost guns” lacking serial numbers that Sungur claimed to have made himself – in exchange for cash.
According to court documents, on two of these occasions, Sungur allegedly also sold detectives devices he claimed to have made using a 3D printer that, after installation, would enable semi-automatic firearms to fire fully-automatically. The ATF tested the machine gun conversion devices and confirmed that they rendered a semi-automatic firearm capable of firing multiple rounds automatically with a single function of the trigger. Homeland Security Investigations executed a search warrant at Sungur’s residence immediately following his arrest and recovered additional evidence, including a MAC-11 subcompact machine pistol and a 3D printer.
Sungur is charged with dealing firearms without a license, and unlawful transfer of a machinegun. A jury trial is scheduled for November 9. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
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.; Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division; and Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Blanchard 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-162.
Mexican National with Convictions for Robbery and Kidnapping Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Mexican national with previous convictions for robbery and kidnapping pleaded guilty today to illegally reentering the United States.
According to court documents, from 2002 to 2003, Aureliano Escorcia-Martinez, 37, illegally entered the United States on six separate occasions, was apprehended each time on the border by the U.S. Border Patrol, and then voluntarily returned to Mexico. Sometime after his last voluntary return to Mexico, he illegally re-entered the United States for a seventh time and made his way to Virginia and committed serious crimes. For example, in June 2006, Escorcia-Martinez was convicted in the Circuit Court for Henrico County for robbery (sentenced to 15 years) and abduction/kidnapping (sentenced to 10 years). All but two years and five months of the sentences were suspended.
“Over the past 18 years, Mr. Escorcia-Martinez has illegally entered or attempted to enter the United States at least eight times, has been convicted of robbery and kidnapping, and was in custody this time for drunk driving,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This recidivist behavior reflects a blatant disregard for our nation’s laws and borders, and represents a clear threat to public safety. The Department of Justice is committed to prioritizing criminal immigration enforcement, and this case reflects that continuing commitment.”
In December 2009, Escorcia-Martinez was physically removed from the United States. Sometime later, Escorcia-Martinez again illegally reentered the United States for an eighth time.
In March, Escorcia-Martinez was incarcerated in the Henrico County jail for Driving While Intoxicated, and immigration authorities learned of his illegal return. Escorcia-Martinez was then indicted on the instant federal charges.
“This man committed serious crimes in our community — burglary, robbery, and driving under the influence,” said Lyle Boelens, Acting Washington Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). “His repeated egregious disregard for the law, including immigration law, demonstrates he is a threat to the public. ICE is committed to identifying and removing individuals who break our immigration laws and pose a threat to public safety.”
Escorcia-Martinez pleaded guilty to illegal reentry, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on November 16. 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 Lyle Boelens, Acting Washington Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), made the announcement after U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr., accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney S. David Schiller 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-65.
Man Sentenced for Illegally Straw Purchasing Multiple FirearmsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Washington, D.C. man was sentenced today to one year in prison for aiding and abetting the illegal straw purchase of five firearms.
According to court documents, Manuel Christopher Thomas, 28, and Paul Laurence Chambers, 21, aided and abetted the straw purchase of five firearms from federal firearm licensees in the Eastern District of Virginia by providing Joni Maria Metcalf, 35, money and explicitly directing her as to which firearms to illegally purchase on their behalf. Police in Washington, D.C. recovered one of the illegally purchased firearms from Thomas 11 days after it was straw purchased.
Previously, Chambers, also from Maryland, was sentenced to 9 months in prison for his role in this coordinated scheme to illegally straw purchase firearms.
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, 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 Liam O'Grady. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas U. Murphy II and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Kringer 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-019.
Former Atomwaffen Division Leader Pleads Guilty to Swatting ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former leader of the white supremacist group Atomwaffen Division pleaded guilty today to charges related to his role in a conspiracy that conducted multiple swatting events targeting journalists, a Virginia university, a historic Virginia church, and a former cabinet official.
According to court documents, John Cameron Denton, 26, of Montgomery, Texas, is a former leader of the Atomwaffen Division in Texas. From October 2018 to at least April 2019, Denton and several others conspired together to conduct “swatting” calls. Swatting is a harassment tactic that involves deceiving dispatchers into believing that a person or persons are in imminent danger of death or bodily harm and causing the dispatchers to send police and emergency services to an unwitting third party’s address.
“Swatting is a dangerous act with potentially tragic consequences,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Sending law enforcement and emergency responders rushing to an individual’s home, business, or place of worship, in an effort to target individuals because of their race or religious affiliation or simply to create chaos shows both criminal behavior and a complete disregard for public safety. This office is committed to locating and investigating individuals responsible for such threats, and when appropriate, will seek federal charges.”
According to court documents, Denton participated in a conspiracy that conducted three swatting calls that occurred here in the Eastern District of Virginia: a former Cabinet official living in Northern Virginia on Jan. 27, 2019; Old Dominion University on Nov. 29 and Dec. 4, 2018; and Alfred Street Baptist Church on Nov. 3, 2018.
Additionally, Denton chose at least two targets to “swat”: the New York City office of ProPublica, a non-profit newsroom that produces investigative journalism; and an investigative journalist that produced materials for ProPublica. Denton chose the two targets because he was furious with ProPublica and the investigative journalist for publishing his true identity and discussing his role in Atomwaffen Division.
“The FBI takes swatting seriously because it can have harmful consequences and puts innocent people and first responders at risk,” said James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Washington Field Office Criminal Division. “Putting the lives of others in danger by swatting is senseless and criminal. The FBI's Washington Field Office will continue to work with our partners to locate and apprehend those who are responsible for such threats.”
During the investigation, Denton unknowingly met with an undercover law enforcement officer and told the undercover officer about his role in the swatting conspiracy. Denton stated that he used a voice changer when he made swatting calls, and admitted that he swatted the offices of ProPublica and the investigative journalist. He also stated that it would be good if he was “raided” for the swatting because it would be viewed as a top tier crime, and he felt that his arrest could benefit Atomwaffen Division.
Denton pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, interstate threats to injure. He faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison when sentenced on November 17. 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 after Senior U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carina A. Cuellar is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-cr-154.
Two Members of Family-Run Heroin Trafficking Ring SentencedRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Two Portsmouth men were sentenced this week to a combined 33 years in prison for their roles in a family-run heroin-trafficking organization that trafficked at least one kilogram of heroin throughout Hampton Roads and sold handguns, rifles, and shotguns with the drugs.
According to court documents, Corey Luther Jones, 50, and Malcolm Dominic Jones, Jr., 25, were members of the Jones DTO run by Malcolm Jones, Sr., Corey Jones’s brother and Malcolm Jones, Jr.’s father. The organization operated at least three drug premises, including the “Court,” a residence serving as the distribution point for Jones’s drugs—heroin, fentanyl, Acetyl fentanyl, crack, and powder cocaine. Since the beginning of 2017, the Court serviced 50 to 100 customers a day until authorities shut down the operation on Sept. 11, 2019. During that time, Corey and Malcolm Jr. lived at the court, managed drug-trafficking efforts there, and stockpiled firearms there to protect their drug trade. Corey Jones was involved in more than 20 controlled purchases of heroin, fentanyl, and Acetyl fentanyl and sold several firearms during some of those deals—two rifles, including an AR-style rifle, two shotguns, and three handguns.
Corey Jones was sentenced to 20 years, while Malcolm Jones was sentenced to 13 years.
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 most hardest hit neighborhoods in Hampton Roads.
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; Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division; and Col. K.L. Wright, Chief of Chesapeake Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorney William B. Jackson and 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-155.
Former NFL Player Pleads Guilty to Fraud Involving WMATARead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former National Football League (NFL) player pleaded guilty today to orchestrating a conspiracy to defraud the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) of over $300,000.
Brian Carpenter, 59, of Centreville, played for the Washington Redskins, New York Giants, and Buffalo Bills in the early 1980s. According to court documents, Carpenter was the owner and operator of a Leesburg company called the Flintstone Group which facilitated the sale and distribution of janitorial products, including products that were specifically labeled and created from his time in the NFL, including an enzyme solvent named “Blitz” and degreaser citrus solvent called “DG-28.”
Carpenter established a relationship with at least two employees of WMATA who were assigned WMATA-issued credit cards as part of their roles as assistant superintendents for WMATA’s maintenance and custodial services division. Carpenter devised a scheme whereby the WMATA employees permitted him to charge their credit cards for supplies that were never in fact delivered. In these instances, Carpenter would retain a substantial portion of the amount charged from the sales for his own personal benefit and the employees received cash payments in exchange for permitting Carpenter to charge their cards. To make it appear that Carpenter ran a wholly legitimate business and to circumvent WMATA’s internal credit card controls, he used at least 10 different companies to process transactions from the credit cards, most of whom were not in the janitorial supply business and had never met the WMATA employees whose cards they charged. Carpenter then provided the WMATA employees with fake and fraudulent invoices representing that WMATA paid for and received all of the products it ordered.
When WMATA-Office of Inspector General began investigating the case, Carpenter provided investigators with altered invoices to make it appear that he had ordered or substituted all of the products that were charged to WMATA. In total, WMATA spent at least $310,000 on products that were never delivered.
Carpenter pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on December 15. 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, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office; and Geoffrey Cherrington, Inspector General for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jamar K. Walker and Heidi B. Gesch 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-362.
Darknet Vendor and Pharmacist Plead Guilty to Firebomb Attack PlotRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Maryland Darknet vendor and a Nebraska pharmacist pleaded guilty today to charges related to a conspiracy to use explosives to firebomb and destroy a competitor pharmacy.
According to court documents, from August 2019 through April 2020, Hyrum T. Wilson, 41, of Auburn, Nebraska, illegally mailed over 19,000 dosage units of prescription medications, including opioids, from his pharmacy in Nebraska to the Maryland residence of co-conspirator William Anderson Burgamy IV, 32, of Hanover. 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.
“Burgamy and Wilson carefully plotted a violent attack operation involving explosives, firearms, the Darknet, prescription opioid trafficking, cryptocurrency, and sophisticated money laundering,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Those potentially deadly plans were successfully thwarted during the early stages of the pandemic. This case highlights elements of EDVA’s national security, narcotics, cyber, financial, and violent crime work, all of which can only be performed with the tenacity and skilled investigative efforts demonstrated by our law enforcement partners.”
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.
“This investigation, conducted by the Hi-Tech Opioid Task Force and our partners, demonstrates the dedication and expertise of law enforcement to disrupt and dismantle violent attacks and illegal drug trafficking,” said James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division. “Burgamy and Wilson put thousands of illegal opioids in the hands of people across the country and their brazen and violent plot could have had deadly consequences. The selling of illicit drugs on the Darknet will not be tolerated. No matter where these criminals try to hide, the FBI will work to bring them to justice and protect our communities.”
According to court documents, Burgamy told Wilson 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.
“The opioid epidemic that has resulted in overdoses and deaths is a national public health crisis,” said Mark S. McCormack, Special Agent in Charge of the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Metro Washington Field Office. “Criminals who contribute to that crisis through their illegal actions such as illicit opioid distribution, whether online, on the Darknet, or through conventional drug distribution methods, will be brought to justice. The FDA is fully committed to dismantling illegal prescription drug distribution networks that misuse the internet at the expense of public health and safety.”
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 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 each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to use explosives, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and money laundering. Burgamy, who also pleaded guilty to a firearms offense, and Wilson both face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count when sentenced on November 20. 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; 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 Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III accepted the pleas. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh 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-150 and Case No. 1:20-cr-151.
American Contractor Charged as Part of Theft Ring Responsible for Stealing Government Equipment from U.S. Military Base in AfghanistanRead the Press Release
A three-count indictment was returned today in the Eastern District of Virginia, charging an American military contractor for her alleged role in a theft ring on a military installation in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbit of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger of the Eastern District of Virginia, and Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) John F. Sopko made the announcement.
The indictment charges Varita V. Quincy of Snellville, Georgia, with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to commit theft of property of a value to the United States; one count of theft of property of value to the United States, and one count of making false official statements.
According to the indictment, between late 2014 and mid-2015, Quincy, Larry J. Green of Chesapeake, Virginia, and others conspired to steal equipment and military material while working for a government contractor operating on Kandahar Airfield, in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Kandahar Airfield was used by U.S. military forces to support missions throughout Afghanistan. As alleged in the indictment, co-conspirator Green identified items of value he wanted to steal, such as vehicles, generators, refrigerators, and other equipment. He then negotiated the sale of those items with persons outside of the installation.
Green pleaded guilty Wednesday to participating in this theft ring. As a critical part of the conspiracy, Quincy created fictitious documents that allowed unknown and unvetted persons to access the installation and to remove the stolen items from the installation, thereby defeating vital security protocols and placing civilian and military personnel at risk. Quincy shared in the profits of the stolen items.
SIGAR investigated the case with help from Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID) and the 939th Military Police Detachment of the Indiana Army National Guard. Trial Attorneys Sasha N. Rutizer of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, Rosaleen O’Gara of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Kosky of the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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.
Justice Dept. Awards $2.2M for Innovative Community Policing ProjectsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The Department of Justice recently announced $2.2 million in grant funding to law enforcement agencies and stakeholders through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) Community Policing Development (CPD) Microgrants Program.
In the Eastern District of Virginia, the Virginia Department of State Police was awarded $83,137 for a police officer safety and wellness project.
“The CPD Microgrants Program is a critical resource to advance innovative community policing projects across the country,” said Phil Keith, Director of the COPS Office. “These strategic investments from the COPS Office pay huge dividends to state and local law enforcement agencies and the communities that they serve.”
CPD Microgrants Program funds are used to develop the capacity of local, state, and tribal law enforcement agencies to implement community policing strategies. Applicants were invited to propose demonstration or pilot projects to be implemented in their agency that offer creative ideas to advance crime fighting, community engagement, problem solving, or organizational changes to support community policing in one of the following areas:
- Human Trafficking
- Meeting Rural Law Enforcement Challenges
- Officer Safety and Wellness
- Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention
- School Safety
- Staffing and Allocation Studies
- Victim-Centered Approaches
- Violent Crime
- Youth Engagement
Funding through this program is available for the first time since 2018, following the successful removal of a nationwide injunction. These awards are being announced at a critical time for our country, when community policing strategies are very much needed to improve police and community relations.
The complete list of awards can be found here. To learn more about CPD Microgrants, please visit: https://cops.usdoj.gov/cpdmicrogrants. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit: www.cops.usdoj.gov.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Gang Member and Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, Davidro Leondre Smith, aka “Kastor Troy,” 30, is a five-time felon and member of the Norfolk-based Cream/200K/2K criminal street gang.
On July 26, 2019, Norfolk police officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a car driven by Smith, with fellow gang member Dequan McKee, aka “The General,” 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.
Smith faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when sentenced on November 10. 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.
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 U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas Miller accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney William B. Jackson 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-018.
American Contractor Pleads Guilty to Stealing Government Equipment on U.S. Military Base in AfghanistanRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – An American military contractor pleaded guilty today to his role in a theft ring on a military installation in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
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, and Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) John F. Sopko made the announcement.
Larry J. Green, 43, of Chesapeake, Virginia, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Miller to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and commit theft of property of value to the United States worth over $300,000; one count of theft of property of value to the United States; and one count of aiding and abetting the submission of false statements. Sentencing is set for Nov. 19, 2020.
Green admitted that, between April 2015 and July 2015, he and others conspired to steal and did steal property of value to the United States including generators and a truck. Green negotiated the sale of the stolen property with a third-country national middleman, who facilitated the sale of the items to unknown persons off of the military installation in Kandahar, Afghanistan. In order to effectuate the theft of a truck, Green admitted that he drove the truck off the military installation.
Green also admitted that, in order to effectuate the theft of generators, he aided and abetted one of his co-conspirators, a security badging and escort pass supervisor, in creating false official documents to facilitate both the entry of unknown and unvetted Afghan nationals and their vehicles on to the military installation, and the removal of the stolen property from the installation. The falsified documents were used to deceive security officers and gate guards and compromised the security of U.S. military and civilian personnel on the military installation.
SIGAR investigated the case with help from Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID) and the 939th Military Police Detachment of the Indiana Army National Guard. Trial Attorneys Sasha N. Rutizer of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, Rosaleen O’Gara of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Kosky of the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
American Contractor Pleads Guilty to Stealing Government Equipment on U.S. Military Base in AfghanistanRead the Press Release
An American military contractor pleaded guilty today to his role in a theft ring on a military installation in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
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, and Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) John F. Sopko made the announcement.
Larry J. Green, 43, of Chesapeake, Virginia, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Miller to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and commit theft of property of value to the United States worth over $300,000; one count of theft of property of value to the United States; and one count of aiding and abetting the submission of false statements. Sentencing is set for Nov. 19, 2020.
Green admitted that, between April 2015 and July 2015, he and others conspired to steal and did steal property of value to the United States including generators and a truck. Green negotiated the sale of the stolen property with a third-country national middleman, who facilitated the sale of the items to unknown persons off of the military installation in Kandahar, Afghanistan. In order to effectuate the theft of a truck, Green admitted that he drove the truck off the military installation.
Green also admitted that, in order to effectuate the theft of generators, he aided and abetted one of his co-conspirators, a security badging and escort pass supervisor, in creating false official documents to facilitate both the entry of unknown and unvetted Afghan nationals and their vehicles on to the military installation, and the removal of the stolen property from the installation. The falsified documents were used to deceive security officers and gate guards and compromised the security of U.S. military and civilian personnel on the military installation.
SIGAR investigated the case with help from Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID) and the 939th Military Police Detachment of the Indiana Army National Guard. Trial Attorneys Sasha N. Rutizer of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, Rosaleen O’Gara of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Kosky 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.
Owner of Virginia Company Pleads Guilty to $2.8 Million Medicaid FraudRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Texas woman pleaded guilty today to defrauding the Virginia Medicaid Program out of more than $2.8 million.
According to court documents, Katrina Lynch, 39, of Cypress, owned and operated A Tender Heart, LLC, a company based in Midlothian. A Tender Heart was enrolled with the Virginia Medicaid Program as a Service Facilitator, a Medicaid provider that ensures Medicaid recipients receive needed and required services. Between 2011 and 2018, Lynch routinely submitted bills to Medicaid for services that her company never provided. For example, Lynch submitted bills to Medicaid for services supposedly provided to Medicaid recipients that had died, recipients that were hospitalized, recipients that transferred to other Service Facilitators, and recipients that had not been visited by any company employees for months.
Lynch pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on December 1. 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; Mark R. Herring, Attorney General 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 David J. Novak accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Lee Martin 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. 3:19-cr-174.
Alleged Killer of Newport News Police Officer Charged in Federal CaseRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man made his initial appearance in federal court today on gun charges stemming from his alleged role in the death of a Newport News police officer in January.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Vernon Evander Green, II, 38, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of marijuana. Both charges stem from Green’s alleged involvement in a January traffic stop that led to the death of Newport News Police Officer Katie Thyne.
Green is scheduled for arraignment at 3 p.m. on Thursday at the federal courthouse in Norfolk.
Green is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and felony possession of marijuana. If convicted, Green faces a maximum penalty of 12 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 Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa R. McKeel and Howard J. Zlotnick are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:20-cr-35.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Cocaine and Crack Dealer Involved in Shootout Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to 16 years in prison for his role in trafficking five kilograms or more of cocaine and 280 grams or more of crack cocaine and for possessing with intent to distribute at least 28 grams of crack cocaine.
“Charles Algernon Boomer III has a criminal history that includes nearly 100 criminal charges, and more than 40 total convictions,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “In this case, Boomer trafficked wholesale amounts of powder and crack cocaine from two Portsmouth drug premises, one across the street from an elementary school. Boomer is precisely the type of defendant that has the full attention of this office and our investigative partners as we work together to rid our streets of criminals who pose a great danger to the safety of our communities.”
According to court documents, Boomer, 44, a 13-time felon with three drug-trafficking convictions, operated a drug premises across the street from an elementary school. That residence was the subject of a botched armed robbery in which Boomer's co-conspirator, who was providing security, exchanged gunfire with the would-be robbers and sustained gunshot wounds. Police caught Boomer trying to escape in a car while sitting on wholesale amounts of crack cocaine, powder cocaine, and marijuana, bundles of cash, and a gun loaded with an extended magazine was on the floorboard next to him. When Boomer exited the car, the arresting officer observed more cash falling out of Boomer's pant legs and recovered from Boomer's pockets even more cash and another magazine matching the gun.
Officers searched Boomer’s residence and observed more crack, powder cocaine, and marijuana in the kitchen sitting next to drug packaging and manufacturing materials, a bag of crack sitting in the driveway, and another bag of crack sitting in the backseat of a vehicle parked in front of the residence. They also recovered dozens of spent shell casings that were scattered throughout the inside and outside of the residence and observed bullet holes in the walls, furniture, and even the refrigerator.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), Operation Promotional Deceit. 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; Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division; and Angela Greene, Chief of Portsmouth Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. 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. 2:19-cr-191.