Eastern District of Virginia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Man Sentenced to Prison for $7 Million Options Trading SchemeRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to over 10 years in prison for his execution of a $7 million investment fraud scheme he operated for nearly a decade.
According to court documents, Leonard J. Cipolla, 71, was the founder, owner, and operator of Tate Street Trading, Inc., in Richmond. Between 2009 and 2019, Cipolla solicited more than $7 million in investment funds from more than 40 individuals located in Virginia, New York, and Washington, D.C. Cipolla convinced these individuals to provide him with their savings by assuring the investors that he was a highly experienced, highly successful trader in commodity futures and options. Cipolla promised his investors that he could guarantee them significant fixed rates of return on their investments, and that Cipolla’s management fee would be drawn only from the profits that Cipolla made over and above each investor’s promised rate of return. He also assured investors that Cipolla was qualified to manage tax-deferred retirement accounts, and that he would roll the investor’s existing Individual Retirement Account (IRA) into a Tate Street-managed, tax-deferred IRA. As time passed, Cipolla provided many of his investors with account statements that purported to show the investor’s principal was safely intact, and growing at the promised rate of return.
In reality, Cipolla pooled his investors’ savings as soon as those individuals’ personal checks, IRA roll-overs, and wires were deposited into his bank accounts. Cipolla used only a fraction of those pooled investment funds to trade in the futures market, and he ultimately lost nearly the entire amount of investor funds that he actually invested. Cipolla further dissipated the remainder of his investors’ savings on unauthorized expenses, to include making payments to earlier investors, and paying his own personal expenses.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; David Archey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and Peter R. Rendina, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Lee Martin and Thomas A. Garnett prosecuted the case.
As part of a parallel regulatory investigation, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission has filed a civil complaint alleging that Cipolla violated the Commodity Exchange Act (Case No. 3:19-cr-690).
Man Sentenced for Causing Opioid Overdose Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former Northern Virginia resident was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for the distribution of heroin that resulted in the death of a Leesburg man in March 2016.
According to court documents, John Jacob Stapleton, 33, who most recently resided in Fort Pierce, Florida, regularly obtained illegal opioids from sources of supply that he and others distributed to customers within Loudoun County and the greater Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area. In March 2016, Stapleton distributed heroin that resulted in the death of E.L., a former Loudoun County resident. A forensic toxicologist determined that E.L.’s blood and vitreous humor each contained a combination of morphine and 6-acetylmorhpine, and a forensic pathologist determined that E.L. died of heroin poisoning. Further investigation by law enforcement officials revealed that E.L. overdosed on heroin that another individual obtained directly from Stapleton.
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; Michael L. Chapman, Loudoun County Sheriff; and Gregory C. Brown, Leesburg Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David A. Peters and Raj Parekh prosecuted the case.
This matter was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Safe Streets/HIDTA Task Force which is composed of Agents and Task Force Officers from the Leesburg PD, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, the Fairfax County Police, the Prince William County Police, the Alexandria City Police, the Vienna Police Department, the Herndon Police Department, the Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security, and in cooperation with the DEA, ATF and USMS.
The task force’s mission is to effectively identify, disrupt and dismantle the most egregious gangs and criminal enterprises engaged in violence and narcotics distribution within Northern Virginia.
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-340.
Chief Operating Officer Sentenced for $25 Million Investment FraudRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Florida woman was sentenced today to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay over $25 million in restitution for engaging in an investment fraud conspiracy that victimized over 300 investors and caused approximately $25 million in losses.
“Raeann Gibson and her co-conspirators orchestrated and facilitated a massive scheme to defraud mostly elderly investors of approximately $25 million,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “In the end, Gibson and her co-conspirators left a wake of financial devastation that wiped out hundreds of vulnerable victims located throughout the country, including massive losses to victims located here in Hampton Roads.”
According to court documents, Gibson, 48, of Palm City, along with codefendant Daryl Bank and others, engaged in a conspiracy by which they operated an investment fraud scheme from approximately January 2012 through July 2017 in the Tidewater area and across the country. Gibson, who served as Chief Operating Officer of Dominion Investment Group, and her conspirators engaged in a nationwide fraudulent investment scheme that deceived hundreds of unsuspecting investors – most at or near retirement age – by convincing them to invest in companies owned and controlled by Daryl Bank. At Bank’s direction, Gibson then stole outright significant portions of investment funds to fund their criminal enterprise and Bank’s lavish lifestyle. For example, Bank caused numerous material misrepresentations and omissions to be made to several investors, including BC, who was blind and in his late 70s at the time he invested $20,000 of his retirement funds in an investment fraud called Prime Spectrum. Immediately upon receipt of BC’s funds, Bank and Gibson misappropriated 70 percent of the investment funds.
Gibson facilitated and supported this scheme in a variety of ways including creating numerous shell companies, laundering investment funds through multiple accounts, and speaking with, and often calming, uncomfortable investors who called with questions about their investments. At Bank’s direction, she stole millions of dollars from investors to pay herself and to support Bank’s lavish lifestyle. Gibson routinely wired funds to pay for Bank’s $100,000 monthly American Express bills and, in one instance, facilitated Bank’s purchase of an 8-carat diamond ring for Bank’s wife. This scheme was vast in its scope and defrauded over 300 investors and caused approximately $25 million in losses.
Combatting elder abuse and financial fraud targeted at seniors is a key priority of the Department of Justice. Elder abuse is an intentional or negligent act by any person that causes harm or a serious risk of harm to an older adult. It is a term used to describe five subtypes of elder abuse: physical abuse, financial fraud, scams and exploitation, caregiver neglect and abandonment, psychological abuse, and sexual abuse. Elder abuse is a serious crime against some of our nation’s most vulnerable citizens, affecting at least 10 percent of older Americans every year. Together with our federal, state, local and tribal partners, the Department of Justice is steadfastly committed to combatting all forms of elder abuse and financial exploitation through enforcement actions, training and resources, research, victim services, and public awareness. This holistic and robust response demonstrates the Department’s unwavering dedication to fighting for justice for older Americans.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); and Peter R. Rendina, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa E. O’Boyle, Andrew C. Bosse, and Elizabeth M. Yusi 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. 2:17-cr-126.
California Woman Sentenced for Fraud Scheme Against ImmigrantsRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A California woman was sentenced today to two years in prison for running a scheme to defraud Iranian nationals out of over $120,000 in exchange for guaranteed United States immigration benefits.
According to court documents, Helen Kennedy, 61, of Santa Ana, a naturalized United States citizen of Iranian descent, advertised her immigration business in Iranian publications, Iranian television, and in online advertisements. Kennedy’s ads were all placed in Farsi, the language of Iran, and she used her Iranian maiden name to advertise her business. Promising citizenship, green cards, and work authorization, Kennedy enticed Iranian nationals to become her clients in exchange for thousands of dollars in fees.
Court documents indicate that Kennedy also falsely indicated she was an immigration attorney. Kennedy was neither an attorney, nor did she have authorization to file any application on behalf of another person with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). In fact, Kennedy never even attempted to file a single application with the USCIS for any of her clients. Instead, Kennedy strung her clients along promising them the benefits would soon be coming, all while continuing to collect fees from them.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE), made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph L. Kosky 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-158.
University of Virginia Agrees to Settle Claims Associated with Federal GrantsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The University of Virginia, located in Charlottesville, has agreed to pay $1 million to settle claims that it did not properly account for certain rebates and credits the university received on purchases it made in connection with federal grants and awards (Federal Awards).
Under applicable provisions, universities can use money from Federal Awards to purchase materials for use in meeting the obligations of the Federal Award. The United States alleged that some rebates and discounts obtained on certain purchases by the university during the 2009 to 2017 time frame were not accounted for in reducing charges against Federal Award funding.
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; Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General; NASA Office of Inspector General; and Army Criminal Investigation Command. Support was provided by the National Science Foundation Office of Inspector General; Department of Education; Department of Commerce; and Department of Energy.
The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gerard Mene and Kristin Starr. The civil claims settled by this 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.
Great Dismal Swamp Shooter Sentenced to 30 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Suffolk man was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for assault with intent to commit murder and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, stemming from a May 2019 shooting in the Great Dismal Swamp, a National Wildlife Refuge.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Maurice Devonte Lee, 27, had a tumultuous multi-year relationship with the victim, which escalated to the attempted murder in the Great Dismal Swamp. On May 12, 2019, Lee stopped at his parents’ house, retrieved a 9 millimeter semi-automatic handgun loaded with hollow-point bullets, and hid it in his jacket pocket. Lee then lured the victim deep into the Great Dismal Swamp on the premise of having a picnic. After walking miles onto Lynn Ditch Road, Lee pulled out the firearm and shot the victim in the chest at point-blank range after accusing him of being “disloyal.” Lee threatened to shoot the victim again in the head if he told anyone what happened. After the victim begged for his life and convinced Lee not to shoot him again, Lee called 911. When the dispatcher asked how the victim was shot, Lee said that it was a “long story” and that he had been trying to shoot a bear. The victim suffered life-threatening injuries from the bullet but received emergency medical treatment and survived.
When first responders arrived to the scene, Lee continued to claim that he accidentally shot the victim because a bear was going to attack him. Once Lee admitted the bear story was untrue, he provided various versions of what happened. At trial, Lee represented himself and testified on his own behalf. The jury found him guilty on all counts. During the trial, Lee admitted to destroying evidence by throwing the victim’s phone in the swamp and wiping down the gun before first responders arrived. At sentencing, he received a guidelines enhancement for obstruction of justice, based on the Court’s conclusion that he had made false statements under oath at trial.
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; Edward Grace, Assistant Director of Law Enforcement for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John F. Butler and Elizabeth M. Yusi 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-106.
Man Sentenced for $3.9 Million International Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Suffolk man was sentenced today to over nine years in prison for his role in an international fraud conspiracy that stole over $3.9 million from hundreds of victims.
“William Onyebuchi Ogbonna was an organizer and leader of a large, international conspiracy to defraud hundreds of victims, many of who were elderly, of millions of dollars,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Elder justice has been a priority for this office for the past two years and this case is proof positive of that commitment. We are combatting these scams through education and awareness, deterrence, and prosecution.”
According to court documents, Ogbonna, 44, originally from Nigeria and now a naturalized citizen, spent at least three years conspiring with local, national, and international conspirators to steal over $3.9 Million from unwitting victims. The victims were subjects of lottery, inheritance, romance, and real estate scams, among other types of fraud, who were tricked into sending money to dozens of bank accounts Ogbonna opened in his name, in the fake name “Donald Miller,” and in the name of various business entities he created to further the scheme. Ogbonna would take a percentage, and then send the remaining money to Nigeria, China, and other countries. The majority of victims were elderly and many became destitute as a result of Ogbonna and his conspirators’ actions.
Combatting elder abuse and financial fraud targeted at seniors is a key priority of the Department of Justice. Elder abuse is an intentional or negligent act by any person that causes harm or a serious risk of harm to an older adult. It is a term used to describe five subtypes of elder abuse: physical abuse, financial fraud, scams and exploitation, caregiver neglect and abandonment, psychological abuse, and sexual abuse. Elder abuse is a serious crime against some of our nation’s most vulnerable citizens, affecting at least 10 percent of older Americans every year. Together with our federal, state, local and tribal partners, the Department of Justice is steadfastly committed to combatting all forms of elder abuse and financial exploitation through enforcement actions, training and resources, research, victim services, and public awareness. This holistic and robust response demonstrates the Department’s unwavering dedication to fighting for justice for older Americans.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth M. Yusi 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-084.
Chinese National Guilty of Laundering Millions for Mexican Drug CartelsRead the Press Release
A Chinese national pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with laundering more than $4 million in drug proceeds generated by large-scale cocaine trafficking in the United States.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department's Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia; Special Agent in Charge Wendy C. Woolcock of the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) Special Operations Division and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey T. Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division; Jason Crosby, Chief of the Criminal Investigations Division of the U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service (DSS); and Special Agent in Charge James Gibbons of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Chicago, Illinois, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea.
According to court documents, Xueyong Wu, 40, cultivated relationships with Latin American drug trafficking organizations to transport and launder their United States-based drug proceeds. Wu is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 29.
Much of this money was repatriated to Mexico through a complex series of international financial transactions. Wu received a percentage of the money involved in these transactions as compensation for organizing these laundering activities. Much of this money was generated through movement of cocaine or payment for cocaine that took place within the Eastern District of Virginia.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael P. Ben’Ary and David A. Peters, along with Trial Attorneys Steve Sola and Kerry Blackburn of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section 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.
Chinese National Guilty of Laundering Millions for Mexican Drug CartelsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Chinese national pleaded guilty today to laundering more than $4 million in drug proceeds generated by large-scale cocaine trafficking in the United States.
According to court documents, Xueyong Wu, 40, cultivated relationships with Latin American drug trafficking organizations to transport and launder their United States-based drug proceeds. Much of this money was repatriated to Mexico through a complex series of international financial transactions. Wu received a percentage of the money involved in these transactions as compensation for organizing these laundering activities. Much of this money was generated through movement of cocaine or payment for cocaine that took place within the Eastern District of Virginia.
Wu pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on September 29. 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; Wendy C. Woolcock, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Special Operations Division; Jeffrey T. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of DEA's Louisville, Kentucky Field Division; Jason Crosby, Chief of the Criminal Investigations Division of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS); and James Gibbons, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Chicago, Illinois, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael P. Ben’Ary and David A. Peters, along with Trial Attorneys Steve Sola and Kerry Blackburn of the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery 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. 1:20-cr-15.
Russian National Sentenced to Prison for Operating Websites Devoted to Fraud and Malicious Cyber ActivitiesRead the Press Release
A Russian national was sentenced today to nine years in prison for his operation of two websites devoted to the facilitation of payment card fraud, computer hacking, and other crimes before Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III in the Eastern District of Virginia.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Special Agent in Charge Matthew S. Miller of the U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office made the announcement.
According to court documents, Aleksei Burkov, 30, ran a website called “Cardplanet” that sold payment card numbers (e.g., debit and credit card numbers) that had been stolen primarily through computer intrusions, victimizing hundreds of thousands. Many of the card numbers offered for sale belonged to U.S. citizens. The stolen credit card data sold on Burkov’s site has resulted in over $20 million in fraudulent purchases made using U.S. credit card accounts.
Burkov also ran another website that served as an invite-only club where elite cybercriminals could advertise stolen goods, such as personal identifying information and malicious software, and criminal services, such as money laundering and hacking services. To obtain membership in Burkov’s cybercrime forum, prospective members needed three existing members to “vouch” for their good reputation among cybercriminals and to provide a sum of money, normally $5,000, as insurance. These measures were designed to keep law enforcement from accessing Burkov’s cybercrime forum and to ensure that members of the forum honored any deals made while conducting business on the forum.
Burkov was arrested at Ben-Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, Israel in December 2015. An Israeli district court approved his extradition in 2017. He was extradited to the United States from Israel on Nov. 11, 2019, after appeals to the Israeli Supreme Court and the Israeli High Court of Justice were denied. On Jan. 23, 2020, he pleaded guilty to one count of access device fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud, identity theft, computer intrusions, wire fraud, and money laundering.
Senior Trial Attorney Laura Fong of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kellen S. Dwyer and Alexander P. Berrang of the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the defendant’s extradition from Israel.
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.
Russian National Sentenced for Operating Websites Devoted to Fraud and Malicious Cyber ActivitiesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Russian national was sentenced today to nine years in prison for his operation of two websites devoted to the facilitation of payment card fraud, computer hacking, and other crimes.
“Aleksei Burkov’s massive fraud victimized hundreds of thousands of people and resulted in over $20 million in losses,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Tackling global cybercrime means holding accountable leaders like Burkov who have allowed cybercrime to become organized and hyper-specialized. I want to thank our prosecutors and investigative partners for their terrific work on this complex case.”
According to court documents, Burkov, 30, ran a website called “Cardplanet” that sold payment card numbers (e.g., debit and credit card numbers) that had been stolen primarily through computer intrusions. Many of the card numbers offered for sale belonged to United States citizens. The stolen credit card data sold on Burkov’s site has resulted in over $20 million in fraudulent purchases made using United States credit card accounts.
Burkov also ran another website that served as an invite-only club where elite cybercriminals could advertise stolen goods, such as personal identifying information and malicious software, and criminal services, such as money laundering and hacking services. To obtain membership in Burkov’s cybercrime forum, prospective members needed three existing members to “vouch” for their good reputation among cybercriminals and to provide a sum of money, normally $5,000, as insurance. These measures were designed to keep law enforcement from accessing Burkov’s cybercrime forum and to ensure that members of the forum honored any deals made while conducting business on the forum.
Burkov was arrested at Ben-Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, Israel in December 2015. An Israeli district court approved his extradition in 2017. He was extradited to the United States from Israel on Nov. 11, 2019, after appeals to the Israeli Supreme Court and the Israeli High Court of Justice were denied. On January 23, 2020, Burkov pleaded guilty to one count of access device fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud, identity theft, computer intrusions, wire fraud, and money laundering.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Brian A. Benczkowski, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Matthew S. Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, III. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kellen S. Dwyer and Alexander P. Berrang prosecuted the case, along with Senior Trial Attorney Laura Fong of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section.
The Office of International Affairs of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division provided significant assistance in securing the defendant’s extradition from Israel.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:15-cr-245.
Previously Deported Aggravated Felon Sentenced for Returning to U.S.Read the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Front Royal man was sentenced late yesterday to ten months in prison for illegally reentering the United States after previously being deported following an aggravated felony conviction.
“Castillo Garcia was convicted of reckless driving and five separate drunk driving offenses in a seven-year period,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “After serving a prison sentence, he was removed from the United States, only to illegally return. Castillo Garcia has consistently demonstrated a complete lack of regard for the safety of others by repeatedly—at least five times—taking to the roads drunk, and has shown a blatant disregard for America’s state and federal laws over the course of two decades. Defendants like Castillo Garcia represent a significant threat to public safety, and cases such as this one are precisely why we prioritize criminal immigration prosecutions and value the critical federal, state, and local law enforcement, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), collaboration here in the Eastern District.”
According to court documents, Jose Guillermo Castillo Garcia, 45, is a Salvadoran national who previously entered the United States illegally and was convicted of five DWIs and multiple felonies, one of which constituted an “aggravated felony” as defined by federal law, before being deported in 2007. Despite being barred from returning, Castillo Garcia clandestinely reentered the United States. In 2018, he was convicted of a sixth DWI in his absence after failing to appear in court in Fairfax County.
“Castillo Garcia repeatedly flouted the law, as evidenced by his multiple reckless and drunk driving convictions—each instance putting the community at risk—and by his choice to reenter the country after being ordered removed,” said Lyle Boelens, Acting Director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington Field Office.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Lyle Boelens, Acting Director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, III. Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Blanchard 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-14.
Pharmacist Pleads Guilty to Prescription Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A licensed pharmacist who owned and operated CARE4U Pharmacy in Manassas pleaded guilty today to illegally distributing prescription drugs, including oxycodone, Adderall, and Xanax, by filling fake or fraudulent prescriptions.
According to court documents, between November 2016 and July 2018, George Appiah, 47, of Manassas, filled at least 128 fake or fraudulent prescriptions, including 85 prescriptions for oxycodone, brought to the pharmacy by his two co-conspirators (identified in court filings as CC-1 and CC-2). Appiah provided CC-1 and CC-2 the names and medical credentials of at least five unwitting doctors for use in forging the prescriptions, and provided templates of the doctors’ prescription pads, so that CC-1 and CC-2 could “Photoshop” the image and make the fake prescriptions look legitimate.
Appiah pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on October 23, 2020. 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 Barry M. Barnard, Chief of Prince William County Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, III accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Rumbaugh is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-cr-111.
Man Sentenced to Prison for Gun Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Maryland man was sentenced today to over one year in prison for his role in a conspiracy to straw purchase 31 firearms.
“Emmanuel Ndjongo illegally straw-purchased 31 firearms,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Only two of those firearms have been recovered, and the whereabouts of the remaining 29 firearms are unknown. Ndjongo’s conduct is the quintessential definition of firearms trafficking, and is precisely the type of criminal conduct we are pursuing with Project Guardian-DMV. It should be abundantly clear now to all: If you straw purchase firearms in the Eastern District of Virginia, you will be subject to felony prosecution. I want to commend the tremendous work of our investigative partners at ATF for their outstanding efforts on this important case.”
According to court documents, Ndjongo, 22, of Bowie, Maryland, and his then-girlfriend, Alexus Jordon, 23, of Alexandria, conspired to straw purchase 31 firearms from Federal Firearm Licensees (FFLs) in Virginia. Jordon purchased six of the firearms at FFLs in Virginia. Ndjongo used Jordon’s name to order the remaining firearms online from an FFL located in North Carolina, and had these firearms shipped to various FFLs in Virginia.
“Straw purchasing is a favored practice among criminals to illegally move firearms from a seemingly legitimate purchaser to individuals who use these weapons in the commission of violent crimes. Today’s sentencing affirms that there will consequences when lawbreakers engage in this behavior,” said Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Washington Field Division. “ATF and our law enforcement partners will aggressively pursue those who engage in criminal straw purchasing and we applaud U.S. Attorney Terwilliger for his continued efforts to curb firearm violence in the Eastern District of Virginia.”
Once the firearms arrived in Virginia, Jordon picked up the firearms and gave them to Ndjongo, who sought to sell the firearms to other individuals. Local law enforcement in Washington, D.C. and Prince George’s County, Maryland have recovered two of the firearms unlawfully purchased during this conspiracy, both of which had altered or destroyed serial numbers.
Jordon was previously sentenced for her role in this straw purchasing conspiracy.
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 T.S. Ellis, III. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas U. Murphy II and Philip Alito 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-343.
Man Sentenced to Prison for Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A man with citizenship in Lebanon and the United States was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for child exploitation offenses.
According to court documents, George A. Nader, 61, admitted that he arranged to transport a 14-year-old boy from Europe to Dulles International Airport for purposes of illegal sexual conduct in early 2000. Nader had met the boy in Prague, Czech Republic, and later brought him to his residence in Washington, D.C. Nader also admitted that, in September 2012, he possessed or accessed with intent to view video images of child sexual abuse while he was in New York.
Nader had previously been convicted of transporting child pornography into the Eastern District of Virginia in 1991.
In addition to his prison sentence, Nader was ordered to pay a fine of $25,000, and $150,000 in restitution to a minor victim.
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 Leonie M. Brinkema. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay V. Prabhu prosecuted the case. Additional assistance was provided by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa L. Chong, Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Young, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Fong.
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 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.
The United States Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern District of New York, the District of Columbia, and the Northern District of California provided valuable assistance to the investigation, as did the Czech National Police, the Pacific Grove Police Department in California, and the FBI’s San Francisco and New York Field Offices.
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-201.
North Carolina Based Cartel Manager Pleads Guilty to Heroin and Methamphetamine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A High Point, North Carolina woman pleaded guilty today to her role in an international drug-trafficking organization.
According to court documents, Vanessa Garcia, 34, was the manager of a Mexican-based drug cartel’s North Carolina distribution point for heroin and methamphetamine. She maintained a drug premises in High Point, where she stored wholesale amounts of drugs and recruited and supervised co-conspirators who trafficked the drugs and drug proceeds to communities outside the state, including to Hampton Roads. Three of her co-conspirators were arrested in Virginia Beach in possession of roughly one kilogram of heroin and one kilogram of methamphetamine, which they had transported from Garcia’s stash house at her direction. Garcia was arrested late last year in Detroit with 700 grams of heroin in her possession. After pleading guilty and being sentenced there, she was transferred to federal custody here to face this conspiracy charge.
Garcia pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Garcia faces a mandatory minimum penalty of ten years and a maximum of life in prison when sentenced on Oct. 26, 2020. 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 Force (OCDETF), Operation Fallen Angel. 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 Senior U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar 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-22.
WikiLeaks Founder Charged in Superseding IndictmentRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal grand jury returned a second superseding indictment today charging Julian P. Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, with offenses that relate to Assange’s alleged role in one of the largest compromises of classified information in the history of the United States.
The new indictment does not add additional counts to the prior 18-count superseding indictment returned against Assange in May 2019. It does, however, broaden the scope of the conspiracy surrounding alleged computer intrusions with which Assange was previously charged. According to the charging document, Assange and others at WikiLeaks recruited and agreed with hackers to commit computer intrusions to benefit WikiLeaks.
Since the early days of WikiLeaks, Assange has spoken at hacking conferences to tout his own history as a “famous teenage hacker in Australia” and to encourage others to hack to obtain information for WikiLeaks. In 2009, for instance, Assange told the Hacking At Random conference that WikiLeaks had obtained nonpublic documents from the Congressional Research Service by exploiting “a small vulnerability” inside the document distribution system of the United States Congress, and then asserted that “[t]his is what any one of you would find if you were actually looking.”
In 2010, Assange gained unauthorized access to a government computer system of a NATO country. In 2012, Assange communicated directly with a leader of the hacking group LulzSec (who by then was cooperating with the FBI), and provided a list of targets for LulzSec to hack. With respect to one target, Assange asked the LulzSec leader to look for (and provide to WikiLeaks) mail and documents, databases and pdfs. In another communication, Assange told the LulzSec leader that the most impactful release of hacked materials would be from the CIA, NSA, or the New York Times. WikiLeaks obtained and published emails from a data breach committed against an American intelligence consulting company by an “Anonymous” and LulzSec-affiliated hacker. According to that hacker, Assange indirectly asked him to spam that victim company again.
In addition, the broadened hacking conspiracy continues to allege that Assange conspired with Army Intelligence Analyst Chelsea Manning to crack a password hash to a classified U.S. Department of Defense computer.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Assange is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each count except for conspiracy to commit computer intrusion, for which he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, and Stacey R. Moy, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Washington Field Office Counterintelligence Division, made the announcement. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kellen S. Dwyer, Thomas W. Traxler, Alexander P. Berrang, and Gordon D. Kromberg, and Trial Attorneys Adam L. Small and Nicholas O. Hunter of the Justice Department’s National Security Division are prosecuting the case.
Assange is currently detained in the United Kingdom on an extradition request from the United States. Assange’s extradition to the United States is being handled by the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and UK authorities, including the Home Office and the Crown Prosecution Service for England and Wales.
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. 1:18-cr-111.
WikiLeaks Founder Charged in Superseding IndictmentRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a second superseding indictment today charging Julian P. Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, with offenses that relate to Assange’s alleged role in one of the largest compromises of classified information in the history of the United States.
The new indictment does not add additional counts to the prior 18-count superseding indictment returned against Assange in May 2019. It does, however, broaden the scope of the conspiracy surrounding alleged computer intrusions with which Assange was previously charged. According to the charging document, Assange and others at WikiLeaks recruited and agreed with hackers to commit computer intrusions to benefit WikiLeaks.
Since the early days of WikiLeaks, Assange has spoken at hacking conferences to tout his own history as a “famous teenage hacker in Australia” and to encourage others to hack to obtain information for WikiLeaks. In 2009, for instance, Assange told the Hacking At Random conference that WikiLeaks had obtained nonpublic documents from the Congressional Research Service by exploiting “a small vulnerability” inside the document distribution system of the United States Congress, and then asserted that “[t]his is what any one of you would find if you were actually looking.”
In 2010, Assange gained unauthorized access to a government computer system of a NATO country. In 2012, Assange communicated directly with a leader of the hacking group LulzSec (who by then was cooperating with the FBI), and provided a list of targets for LulzSec to hack. With respect to one target, Assange asked the LulzSec leader to look for (and provide to WikiLeaks) mail and documents, databases and pdfs. In another communication, Assange told the LulzSec leader that the most impactful release of hacked materials would be from the CIA, NSA, or the New York Times. WikiLeaks obtained and published emails from a data breach committed against an American intelligence consulting company by an “Anonymous” and LulzSec-affiliated hacker. According to that hacker, Assange indirectly asked him to spam that victim company again.
In addition, the broadened hacking conspiracy continues to allege that Assange conspired with Army Intelligence Analyst Chelsea Manning to crack a password hash to a classified U.S. Department of Defense computer.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Assange is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each count except for conspiracy to commit computer intrusion, for which he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, 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. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kellen S. Dwyer, Thomas W. Traxler, Alexander P. Berrang, and Gordon D. Kromberg, and Trial Attorneys Adam L. Small and Nicholas O. Hunter of the Justice Department’s National Security Division are prosecuting the case.
Assange is currently detained in the United Kingdom on an extradition request from the United States. Assange’s extradition to the United States is being handled by the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and UK authorities, including the Home Office and the Crown Prosecution Service for England and Wales.
Virginia Married Couple Arrested for COVID-Relief Loan FraudRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Ashburn woman made her initial appearance in federal court this afternoon for conspiracy to commit wire fraud after allegedly submitting false loan applications in connection with the COVID-19 outbreak that resulted in the disbursement of over $1.4 million in proceeds under the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”).
Monica Magdalena Jaworska, 43, and her husband and co-defendant, Tarik Jaafar, 42, were arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport on June 20, 2020, as they were attempting to flee to Poland. According to court documents, between April and May 2020, Jaworska and Jaafar submitted eighteen PPP loan applications containing materially false statements to twelve financial institutions in the names of four business entities. Relief provided by the CARES Act authorized up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain permissible expenses, including payroll costs, rent, and utilities. The applications submitted by Jaworska and Jaafar allegedly were false because they claimed certain payroll tax returns were filed with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for each of the four businesses, when they were not in fact filed with the IRS.
As a result of the false statements, three financial institutions disbursed four loans totaling $1,438,500. While some of the funds were subsequently frozen, Jaafar was able to withdraw at least $30,000 in cash.
If convicted, Jaworska and Jaafar each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Department of Justice remains vigilant in detecting, investigating, and prosecuting wrongdoing related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the leadership of Attorney General William Barr, U.S. Attorneys appointed Coronavirus Fraud Coordinators to work with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners to protect the public from scammers who are attempting to prey upon fears. The Department is also committed to preventing hoarding and price gouging for critical supplies during this crisis. To address this, Attorney General Barr created the COVID-19 Hoarding and Price Gouging Task Force. If you think you are a victim of a scam or attempted fraud involving COVID-19, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via email at [email protected]. Members of the public in the Eastern District of Virginia are also encouraged to call 804-819-5416, or email [email protected] to reach their local Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the Criminal Division for the FBI’s Washington Field Office; and Hannibal “Mike” Ware, Inspector General of the Small Business Administration (SBA), made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Fitzpatrick and Kimberly Shartar are prosecuting the case.
Agents from the FBI’s John F. Kennedy International Airport Resident Agency, which included agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, assisted in the arrest.
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-167.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Tennessee Man Sentenced for Traveling to Virginia to Sexually Abuse MinorsRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Tennessee man was sentenced today to 16 years in prison for traveling from Tennessee to Henrico County in order to meet up with and sexually abuse two minor children.
According to court documents, Thomas Monti, 73, of Murfreesboro, used the moniker “Master Thorn” to reach out online to an undercover FBI agent posing as an adult with access to two minor children. Monti detailed his interest in engaging in sexual acts with the children, to include graphic and violent sadomasochistic conduct. The explicit chats continued for approximately two months until October 2019, when Monti made the 10-hour trip from Tennessee to Virginia to meet the purported woman and the children in Henrico County. His intent was to live with the woman and the children for a time in order to engage in various forms of sexual abuse.
Upon arriving at a restaurant in Henrico County on the afternoon of October 3, agents with the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force arrested Monti. In his car were handcuffs, plastic ties, chains, metal skewers, ball gags, various sex toys, and candy.
Monti previously worked as a teacher since 1972 and served as an assistant principal from 1996 to 2007 in the Nashville, Tennessee area.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and David W. Archey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel E. Fishel prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-154.
Former Music Teacher Guilty of Producing Images of Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A former Richmond City Public Schools elementary music teacher pleaded guilty today to producing images of child sexual abuse.
According to court documents, Kellen Thomas Donelson, 32, came to the attention of law enforcement in 2019 for uploading multiple images of child pornography via Snapchat and Kik Messenger. During a court-authorized search of his home and electronic devices in December 2019, law enforcement discovered additional images and videos of child sexual abuse.
According to the statement of facts, Donelson admitted that he produced several images and videos of child pornography using his personal cell phone, including with a victim as young as 4 years old.
Donelson was arrested on Dec. 5, 2019. At the time of his arrest, he was employed as an elementary school music teacher with Richmond City Public Schools and an Associate Minister/Music Director at Mount Hope Baptist Church.
Donelson pleaded guilty to production of child pornography. He faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison when sentenced on Sept. 28, 2020. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. 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-055.
Serial Robber Sentenced to 30 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A serial robber who calls himself “Mula” was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for robbery and brandishing a gun during a robbery.
According to court documents, Christopher Tatum, 30, of Henrico, committed seven robberies of convenience stores in Henrico County throughout the months of April and May 2019. In each of the robberies Tatum wore similar gloves, pants, and shoes, and was always armed with a firearm. In at least two of the robberies, Tatum had an accomplice who entered the store with him. This accomplice would also help Tatum by scouting locations and occasionally providing Tatum with a firearm to use. During a search of Tatum’s home, law enforcement found the matching clothes, including a pair of distinct yellow gloves on which Tatum had drawn a symbol and his nickname “Mula.” Law enforcement also discovered a firearm under Tatum’s mattress.
Tatum’s criminal history includes two prior convictions for robbery in the State of New York. He was released from his previous period of incarceration for the second robbery in December 2017.
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, and David W. Archey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen E. Anthony prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-146.
DOJ Announces $42M to Combat Illegal Manufacture and Distribution of Methamphetamine and OpioidsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – United States Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger and the Department of Justice‘s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) today announced nearly $42 million in funding to support state-level law enforcement agencies in combating the illegal manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and prescription opioids, including $1 million to the Virginia State Police.
“Virginia continues to see a rise in overdose deaths from opioids,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger. “Illicitly produced fentanyl and fentanyl analogues like carfentanil and acetyl fentanyl are being trafficked at alarming rates on the streets of the Commonwealth. Pills bought on the street and on the dark web are often counterfeit and contain fentanyl or fentanyl analogues, often killing those unaware of the presence of these highly potent drugs. Now, in addition to the rise in the number of opioid-related overdose deaths, Virginia is witnessing an increase in methamphetamine overdoses. This grant enables our law enforcement partners at the Virginia State Police to continue their work fighting against the spread of opioids and methamphetamines in our communities across the Commonwealth.”
“In 2018, an average of three Virginias died of an opioid overdose daily,” said Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent. “State Police has spent the past decade committing investigative and personnel resources to address the opioid crisis impacting so many communities across the Commonwealth. The COPS AHTF grant enables State Police special agents and our 37 multi-agency drug task force coordinators to not only sustain existing efforts, but to do so even more strategically through advanced, data-driven analytics and investigative tools.”
Drug overdose deaths and opioid-involved deaths continue to increase in the United States. Deaths from drug overdose are up among both men and women, all races, and adults of nearly all ages, with more than three out of five drug overdose deaths involving an opioid. More than 130 people die every day in the United States after overdosing on opioids, while methamphetamine continues to be one of the most commonly misused stimulant drugs in the world and is the drug that most contributes to violent crime.
“This funding is a critical step towards providing State Police with the advanced skills, technical capabilities, and analytical support they need in order to turn the tide on the record number of fatal opioid-related overdoses afflicting families and communities across Virginia,” said Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Brian Moran. “We are appreciative of the COPS Office for recognizing Virginia’s investigative and prosecutorial needs to continue our fight against the opioid epidemic.”
The COPS Office is awarding more than $29.7 million in grant funding to 14 state law enforcement agency task forces through the Anti-Heroin Task Force Program (AHTF). AHTF provides three years of funding directly to state-level law enforcement agencies with multijurisdictional reach and interdisciplinary team (e.g., task force) structures, in states with high per capita rates of primary treatment admissions for heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and other opioids. This funding will support the location or investigation of illicit activities through statewide collaboration related to the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil or the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids.
“The scourge of opioid and methamphetamine use continues to take a devastating toll on our nation’s communities,” said COPS Office Director Phil Keith. “By providing these resources to law enforcement to help combat the further spread, the COPS Office is demonstrating our commitment to this Administration’s priority of reducing drug use and protecting our citizens from this public health and safety crisis.”
Through the COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP), the COPS Office is also awarding $12 million to 12 state law enforcement agencies. These state agencies have demonstrated numerous seizures of precursor chemicals, finished methamphetamine, laboratories, and laboratory dump seizures. State agencies are being awarded three years of funding through CAMP to support the location or investigation of illicit activities related to the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine, including precursor diversion, laboratories, or methamphetamine trafficking.
The AHTF and CAMP funding has a tremendous impact on state investigative and seizure work. During the five month period between October 2019 and February 2020, current AHTF grantees reported the seizure of over $4 million in cash and 1,213 firearms. Similarly, for CAMP, grantees reported seizures of more than $7 million in cash and 1,577 firearms.
The complete list of Anti-Heroin Task Force Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/ahtf-award
The complete list of COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program award recipients, including funding amounts, can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/camp-award
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1994, the COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 135,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training and technical assistance. 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.
MS-13 Members Sentenced to Prison for Violent 2018 AttackRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two MS-13 members were sentenced today to over a combined 28 years in prison for their roles in a December 2018 shooting and stabbing that occurred in Four Mile Run Park.
“Yes, Northern Virginia has a gang problem,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “I have personally handled the prosecution of MS-13 members in Alexandria for over a decade. By burying their heads in the sand and lacking courage to address a problem because they mistakenly deem it to be politically incorrect, various community leaders in Northern Virginia simply refuse to acknowledge the gang problem to the detriment of the same Hispanic community they claim to be defending. No one suffers more at the hands of MS-13 than other individuals of Central American birth or ancestry. MS-13 gang members extort minority owned businesses in their own communities, sexually traffic first generation American juveniles, and brutally assault and even murder Hispanic boys and girls who they believe have disrespected the gang. This case is proof positive of the need for community leaders in Northern Virginia to acknowledge this reality and work to be part of the solution. We cannot prosecute MS-13 out of existence. The community must play a significant role to protect our youth from joining the gang in the first place. I believe that together we can eliminate the gang problem in Northern Virginia.”
According to court documents, Juan Francisco Rivera-Pineda, 25, and Jefferson Noe Amaya, 25, both of Alexandria, are members of the Pinos Locos Salvatrucha (PLS) clique of MS-13, which operates in Chirilagua, an area in Alexandria near the border of Arlington.
On Dec. 30, 2018, Rivera-Pineda and Amaya shot and stabbed a 40-year-old victim while the victim and his two friends were in Four Mile Run Park. The victim’s nephew had been warned by PLS not to sell drugs in PLS territory without paying rent. On the night of the shooting, Rivera-Pineda, Amaya, and a third unidentified suspect confronted the victim in the park, shooting him in the throat and arm, and stabbing him in the torso. The victim was transported to the hospital where he underwent surgery and survived.
“Today's sentencings send a clear message that the FBI and the Safe Streets Task Force remain aggressive in investigating and dismantling gang activity that brings violence and fear into our communities,” said James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office. “The FBI will continue steadfastly in its goal to take these violent offenders off the street and ultimately bring justice to the victims of these brutal acts.”
Rivera-Pineda and Amaya each pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering activity, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Rivera-Pineda was sentenced to 161 months in prison, and Amaya was sentenced to 177 months. Each sentence included a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), Operation Blue Heat. 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.
This matter was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Safe Streets/HIDTA Task Force – Northern Virginia, which is composed of FBI Agents, along with Detectives from the Fairfax County Police, Alexandria City Police, Prince William County Police, Arlington County Police, Alexandria Police Department, Alexandria Sheriff’s Office, Vienna Police Department, Herndon Police Department, along with Agents from the Department of Homeland Security Enforcement Removal Operations, the USMS, and the Northern Virginia Gang Task Force. The task force is charged with investigating, disrupting and dismantling the most egregious and violent gangs operating in Northern Virginia to include MS-13.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; M. Jay Farr, Arlington County Chief of Police; and James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton. Assistant U.S. Attorney Morris Parker and Natasha Smalky 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-225.
Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against Stafford County, Virginia, over Blocking of Islamic CemeteryRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced that it has filed a lawsuit alleging that Stafford County, Virginia, violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) by enacting overly restrictive zoning regulations prohibiting an Islamic organization from developing a religious cemetery on land it had purchased for that purpose.
“The United States of America must and will remain a nation committed to the right of all people to practice their faith free from unjustified governmental restrictions. Indeed, this nation exists to provide sanctuary to people seeking the religious freedom that is too often denied in other parts of the world, and the Department of Justice is committed to protecting the fundamental right of people of all faiths to practice their religion free from illegal governmental interference,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “That right protects the freedom of faith communities to use their land for religious purposes, including for cemeteries, houses of worship, and religious schools.”
“Honoring and burying the dead is a sacred religious act for many faith traditions,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The complaint that was filed in this case demonstrates this office’s commitment to ensuring that those of all faiths are not substantially burdened by improper local government actions in practicing their religious rituals.”
The complaint, filed in the Eastern District of Virginia, alleges that the county passed an ordinance in 2016 that blocked the All Muslim Association of America from developing an Islamic cemetery on a 29-acre parcel of land that it owns. When the association bought the property, it complied with all of the state and local requirements for use as a cemetery. But after learning of the association’s plans, the county amended its ordinance to require that cemeteries be no closer than 900 feet from private wells and certain types of streams, thus preventing the association from using its property as a cemetery. The United States’ complaint alleges that this requirement is far more restrictive than the Virginia Department of Health’s 100-foot distancing standard, has no legitimate health justification, imposes a substantial burden on the association’s religious exercise, and is not narrowly tailored to achieve a compelling governmental interest.
The complaint seeks injunctive relief, including a court order that the county allow the association to build its cemetery in conformity with the prior ordinance.
RLUIPA is a federal law that protects religious institutions from unduly burdensome or discriminatory land use regulations. In June 2018, the Justice Department announced its Place to Worship Initiative, which focuses on RLUIPA’s provisions that protect the rights of houses of worship and other religious institutions to worship on their land. More information is available at www.justice.gov/crt/placetoworship.
In July 2018, the Department of Justice announced the formation of the Religious Liberty Task Force. The Task Force brings together department components to coordinate their work on religious liberty litigation and policy, and to implement the Attorney General’s 2017 Religious Liberty Guidance.
Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination in land use or zoning decisions may contact the Civil Rights Division Housing and Civil Enforcement Section at (800) 896-7743, or through the complaint portal on the Place to Worship Initiative website. More information about RLUIPA, including questions and answers about the law and other documents, may be found at http://www.justice.gov/crt/about/hce/rluipaexplain.php.
Doctor Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Distribution of Adderall, OxycodoneRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Fairfax medical doctor was sentenced today to 10 years in prison and fined $30,000 for illegally diverting Adderall and oxycodone to six different patients, including a patient who suffered from opioid addiction and later died of a drug overdose.
“Doctors represent one of the key first lines of defense in thwarting the opioid crisis,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Though armed with a license to practice medicine, Dr. Gurpreet Singh Bajwa discarded his fundamental oath—first, do no harm— by engaging in criminal conduct and in doing so exposing his patients to potentially grave consequences in the process. Dr. Bajwa defines what we commonly refer to as a “dirty doc,” and his prosecution and sentence should send a very clear message to any other medical practitioners contemplating risking patient lives out of greed that you will face swift and certain consequences for your nefarious, unethical, and criminal conduct.”
As part of his sentence, Bajwa will be prohibited from practicing medicine for three years after he is released from prison. The doctor had previously surrendered his medical license in May 2019.
"Physicians who put their own greed above the health and safety of their patients only inflame the ongoing opioid epidemic," said James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division. "The FBI and our partners will continue to combat the illegal actions of trusted medical professionals who over-prescribe these highly addictive drugs to the detriment of their patients."
According to court documents, Dr. Bajwa, 49, temporarily lost his medical license in 2012 following an investigation by the Virginia Department of Health Professions (DHP) into his prescription practices. After his license was reinstated, he significantly reduced the quantity of pain medications he prescribed, and switched over to stimulants, benzodiazepines, and sedatives.
Generally, at no point during any of his patients’ visits did Bajwa or any of his staff receive, review, or request prior medical files; obtain medical histories; conduct physical examinations; discuss the cause of any attention disorder or what might properly address such a condition; discuss any alternatives to treatment; or obtain and analyze urine samples to ensure his patients were taking their medications as directed.
Beginning in summer 2018, two undercover law enforcement officers posed as patients and made appointments to see Bajwa. At each visit, Bajwa prescribed the undercover officers a 30 day supply of Adderall—despite the undercover officers showing up to two weeks prior to the end of the previous 30 day period. One of the officers told Bajwa that she was a fitness model and needed Adderall for her workouts, which is not a legitimate use for the substance. The undercover officer also asked Bajwa to prescribe her extra pills that she could give to a “friend” and he readily agreed.
One of the patients to whom Bajwa prescribed significant quantities of prescription drugs had a history of high blood pressure, among other health conditions. Nevertheless, Bajwa wrote her monthly prescriptions for the maximum dose of Adderall, a schedule II stimulant.
In 2016, the CDC and the FDA issued warnings cautioning against prescribing opioids and benzodiazepines (including Xanax) together because of the increased risk of fatal overdose. Nevertheless, on multiple occasions, Bajwa wrote prescriptions to patients for both oxycodone—a powerful Schedule II opioid—and Xanax.
One of Bajwa’s patients, N.J., suffered from heroin addiction. N.J.’s mother told Bajwa two or three times that N.J. was abusing drugs, and yet Bajwa continued to prescribe controlled substances to N.J. In November 2017, Bajwa prescribed both oxycodone and Xanax to N.J., despite knowing of N.J.’s drug addiction, and despite the increased danger of combining the two medications. In January 2018, N.J. was dismissed from a rehabilitation program after he was caught abusing drugs Bajwa prescribed him. N.J. died of a drug overdose a short time later.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), Operation Knuckle Ball. 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; James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office; and Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Rumbaugh prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-cr-60.
DOJ Files Lawsuit Against Stafford County over Blocking of Islamic CemeteryRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The Justice Department today announced that it has filed a lawsuit alleging that Stafford County violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) by enacting overly restrictive zoning regulations prohibiting an Islamic organization from developing a religious cemetery on land it had purchased for that purpose.
“Honoring and burying the dead is a sacred religious act for many faith traditions,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The complaint that was filed in this case demonstrates this office’s commitment to ensuring that those of all faiths are not substantially burdened by improper local government actions in practicing their religious rituals.”
The complaint, filed in the Eastern District of Virginia, alleges that the County passed an ordinance in 2016 that blocked the All Muslim Association of America from developing an Islamic cemetery on a 29-acre parcel of land that it owns. When the Association bought the property, it complied with all of the state and local requirements for use as a cemetery. But after learning of the Association’s plans, the County amended its ordinance to require that cemeteries be no closer than 900 feet from private wells and certain types of streams, thus preventing the Association from using its property as a cemetery. The United States’ complaint alleges that this requirement is far more restrictive than the Virginia Department of Health’s 100-foot distancing standard, has no legitimate health justification, imposes a substantial burden on the Association’s religious exercise, and is not narrowly tailored to achieve a compelling governmental interest.
“The United States of America must and will remain a nation committed to the right of all people to practice their faith free from unjustified governmental restrictions. Indeed, this nation exists to provide sanctuary to people seeking the religious freedom that is too often denied in other parts of the world, and the Department of Justice is committed to protecting the fundamental right of people of all faiths to practice their religion free from illegal governmental interference,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “That right protects the freedom of faith communities to use their land for religious purposes, including for cemeteries, houses of worship, and religious schools.”
The complaint seeks injunctive relief, including a court order that the County allow the Association to build its cemetery in conformity with the prior ordinance.
RLUIPA is a federal law that protects religious institutions from unduly burdensome or discriminatory land use regulations. In June 2018, the Justice Department announced its Place to Worship Initiative, which focuses on RLUIPA’s provisions that protect the rights of houses of worship and other religious institutions to worship on their land. More information is available at www.justice.gov/crt/placetoworship.
In July 2018, the Department of Justice announced the formation of the Religious Liberty Task Force. The Task Force brings together Department components to coordinate their work on religious liberty litigation and policy, and to implement the Attorney General’s 2017 Religious Liberty Guidance.
Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination in land use or zoning decisions may contact the Civil Rights Division Housing and Civil Enforcement Section at (800) 896-7743, or through the complaint portal on the Place to Worship Initiative website. More information about RLUIPA, including questions and answers about the law and other documents, may be found at http://www.justice.gov/crt/about/hce/rluipaexplain.php.
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.
Nigerian Businessman Pleads Guilty to $11 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Nigerian entrepreneur who operated a group of companies known as the Invictus Group pleaded guilty today to a computer based intrusion fraud scheme that caused $11 million in losses to his victims.
According to court documents, Obinwanne Okeke, 32, and other conspirators engaged in a conspiracy from approximately 2015 to 2019 to conduct various computer based frauds. The conspirators obtained and compiled the credentials of hundreds of victims, including victims in the Eastern District of Virginia and elsewhere. As part of the scheme, Okeke and others engaged in an email compromise scheme targeting Unatrac Holding Limited, the export sales office for Caterpillar heavy industrial and farm equipment. In April 2018, a Unatrac executive fell prey to a phishing email that allowed conspirators to capture login credentials. The conspirators sent fraudulent wire transfer requests and attached fake invoices. Okeke participated in the effort to victimize Unatrac through fraudulent wire transfers totaling nearly $11 million, which funds were transferred overseas.
Okeke pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Okeke faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on October 22. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
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 U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Samuels and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Mattis 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. 4:19-cr-084
Murderer of Virginia State Police Special Agent Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Weems man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for his illegal possession of a firearm that was used to kill Virginia State Police Special Agent Michael Walter in May 2017.
“As a front line law enforcement officer protecting the citizens of Virginia, Special Agent Walter risked his life to protect the people of Richmond,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “From his time as a United States Marine who participated in Operation Desert Storm, to his many years as a veteran Virginia State Police Special Agent, and as the founder of the non-profit youth Blackhawk wrestling program, Special Agent Walter’s life was one of service. As a loving husband and father to his three children, Special Agent Walter was loved, adored, and idolized by his friends, family, and by all that knew him. Due to Travis Ball’s selfish and brutal crime, the Walter family, the Virginia State Police, and the Commonwealth of Virginia will never be the same. At a time of unprecedented and appropriate focus on interactions between individuals and law enforcement, we must not lose sight of the ultimate sacrifice given by the good and honorable law enforcement officers, and their surviving loved ones, who protect and serve for the rest of us.”
According to court documents, on May 26, 2017, Travis Ball, 30, shot and killed Special Agent Walter during a traffic stop in the Mosby Court public housing community in Richmond. At the time of the murder, Ball possessed a FIE, model Titan, .25 caliber, semi-automatic pistol. Believing that he was wanted in Lancaster County for a probation violation, Ball resisted arrested and shot Special Agent Walter once in the head. Text messages found on Ball’s cellphone later revealed that two days prior to the murder he told his girlfriend he was not going back to jail and would “end up killing something.” On May 27, 2017, Special Agent Walter died from the gunshot wound inflicted by Ball.
The sentence imposed in this case will run consecutive to the 36 year sentence for capital murder that Ball received in the City of Richmond Circuit Court related to the murder of Special Agent Walter.
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, 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 Henry E. Hudson. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erik S. Siebert and Stephen E. Anthony prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-128.
MS-13 Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Role in Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Maryland man pleaded guilty today to driving three men associated with MS-13 who had just committed an armed robbery away from the scene of the crime.
“MS-13 is a transnational gang of vicious thugs 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 in court, that members and associates of MS-13 that commit violent acts here will be held accountable.”
According to court documents, Willian Alexis Benavides Pena, 26, is a member of MS-13’s Pinos Locos Salvatruchos (“PLS”) clique. On the morning of Aug. 18, 2017, several PLS members and associates travelled from Maryland to Herndon at the direction of the clique’s then-leader in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Some of those individuals, wearing masks and brandishing firearms, proceeded to rob a store in the 1100 block of Elden Street of approximately $19,500. Those men then entered a neighboring restaurant and kept its patrons and staff on the floor for several minutes before fleeing through the rear exit. Benavides Pena, knowing that a robbery had been committed, drove three of the armed robbers away from the scene and back to Maryland.
“This guilty plea is an example of the FBI and Safe Streets Task Force's continued work and commitment to dismantling MS-13 and ending the gang's violence that affects our communities,” said James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division. “The violence perpetrated by MS-13 members and associates will not be tolerated, and we thank our law enforcement partners who work every day to bring violent criminals to justice.”
Benavides Pena pleaded guilty to acting as an accessory after the fact to a Hobbs Act robbery. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when sentenced on September 22. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“This case, which started at the local level with detectives from Herndon Police Department and Northern Virginia Regional Gang Task Force, exemplifies the tremendous investigative cooperation among local, state, and federal partners in combatting violent crime in our communities,” Maggie DeBoard, Chief of Herndon Police Department said. “Our community remains safer today due to the arrest and conviction of this dangerous individual.”
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), Operation Blue Heat. 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.
This matter was investigated by the FBI, Washington Field Office’s Northern Virginia Safe Streets/HIDTA Task Force which is composed of FBI agents working in partnership with local, state and federal agencies within Northern Virginia. The Herndon Police Department provided significant investigative assistance in this matter. The Northern Virginia Safe Streets/HIDTA Task Force is charged with investigating, disrupting and dismantling the most egregious and violent gangs and drug trafficking enterprises operating in Northern Virginia to include MS-13. Information regarding gang activity within Northern Virginia can be referred to the FBI by calling 202-278-2000 or tips.fbi.gov.
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; Maggie A. DeBoard, Town of Herndon Police Chief; and Marcus G. Jones, Montgomery County Chief of Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Liam O'Grady accepted the plea. 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-123.
High Society Hit Squad Gang Member Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A member of a Petersburg gang called High Society Hit Squad, or H$2X, was sentenced today to nearly six years in prison for possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony.
According to court documents, Daekwon Castelle, aka Dae Stackcz, 22, of Petersburg, was arrested in September 2019, just five months after he pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding involving a firearm, and was released from state custody. At the time of his arrest, Castelle was in possession of a loaded .45 caliber firearm with a round in the chamber. Additionally, at the time of arrest, Castelle was in possession of a distribution quantity fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance and nearly $800 in cash.
Testimony at today’s sentencing hearing showed that between April 2019 and the date of Castelle’s arrest in September 2019, he distributing cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, pills, and marijuana. Testimony also showed that Castelle was often armed when he was dealing drugs.
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 Kenneth A. Miller, Director of Public Safety, Petersburg Bureau of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Mastandrea-Miller prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:20-cr-005.
Former DIA Analyst Sentenced for Leaking Classified Information to JournalistsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former employee of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for leaking classified information to two journalists in 2018 and 2019.
“When our nation’s secrets are published, in print or online, those secrets are made available to all of our adversaries,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Frese’s choice to betray his oath to his country had real consequences and caused actual harm to the safety of this country and its citizens.”
According to court documents, Henry Kyle Frese, 31, of Alexandria, was employed by DIA as a counterterrorism analyst from February 2018 to October 2019, and held a Top Secret//Sensitive Compartmented Information security clearance. United States government agencies have confirmed that in the spring and summer of 2018, News Outlet 1 published eight articles, all authored by the same journalist (Journalist 1) that contained classified NDI that related to the capabilities of certain foreign countries’ weapons systems. These articles contained classified intelligence from five intelligence reports (the Compromised Intelligence Reports) made available to appropriately cleared recipients in the first half of 2018. The topic of all of these initial five Compromised Intelligence Reports – foreign countries’ weapons systems – was outside the scope of Frese’s job duties as an analyst covering CT topics. The media articles, and the intelligence reporting from which they were derived, both contained information that is classified up to the TS//SCI level, indicating that its unauthorized disclosure could reasonably be expected to result in exceptionally grave damage to the national security. The intelligence reporting was marked as such.
“Frese repeatedly passed classified information to a reporter, sometimes in response to her requests, all for personal gain,” said John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security. “When this information was published, it was shared with all of our nation’s adversaries, creating a risk of exceptionally grave harm to the security of this country. His conviction and sentence demonstrate the Department’s commitment to the investigation and prosecution of such betrayals by clearance holders as part of our mandate to protect our citizens and defend the national security of the United States.”
According to court documents, Frese and Journalist 1 lived together at the same residential address from January 2018 to November 2018. Throughout 2018 and 2019, Frese and Journalist 1 “followed” each other on Twitter, and on at least two occasions Frese re-Tweeted Journalist 1’s tweets announcing the publications of articles containing NDI classified at the Top Secret level.
“The American people expect those entrusted with our nation's most sensitive secrets to keep those secrets safe. Mr. Frese did just the opposite,” said Alan E. Kohler, Jr., Assistant Director of the FBI's Counterintelligence Division. “The FBI is committed to protecting the national security interests of the United States and will vigorously pursue investigations into current and former clearance holders who leak classified information.”
In or about April of 2018, Journalist 1 introduced Frese to a second journalist (Journalist 2). Subsequently, Frese began texting and speaking with Journalist 2 by telephone. Between mid-2018 and late September 2019, Frese orally transmitted NDI classified at the Top Secret level to Journalist 1 on 12 separate occasions, and orally transmitted NDI classified at the Secret level to Journalist 1 on at least four occasions. Frese knew the information was classified at the Secret and Top Secret levels because the intelligence products from which he had learned the classified information had visible classification markings as to the classification level of the information, and the intelligence products accessed by Frese were stored on secure, classified government information systems.
“When Mr. Frese chose to provide classified information to members of the media, he violated his oath to serve the United States as a trusted government employee,” said Timothy R. Slater, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Washington Field Office. “Put in the hands of our adversaries, this information causes damage and harm to our country. This investigation and today's sentencing serve as a reminder that unauthorized disclosures of classified information is a crime, and will not be tolerated.”
In relation to one of the 12 times Frese orally transmitted Top Secret NDI to Journalist 1, in or about mid-April to early May 2018, Frese accessed an intelligence report unrelated to his job duties on multiple occasions, which contained NDI classified at the Top Secret//SCI level (Intelligence Report l). A week after Frese accessed Intelligence Report 1 for the second time, Frese received an April 27, 2018 Twitter Direct Message (DM) from Journalist 1 asking whether Frese would be willing to speak with Journalist 2. Frese stated that he was “down” to help Journalist 2 if it helped Journalist 1 “progress.” During the same April 27, 2018, Twitter exchange, Journalist 1 indicated that a certain United States military official told Journalist 2 that the official was not aware of the subject matter discussed in Intelligence Report 1. Frese characterized the official’s denial as “weird” and commented on the source of information contained within Intelligence Report 1.
Several days after the April 27, 2018, Twitter exchange, Frese searched on a classified United States government computer system for terms related to the topics contained in Intelligence Report 1. A few hours after searching for terms related to the topic of Intelligence Report l, Frese spoke by telephone with Journalist 1, and several hours later he spoke by telephone with Journalist 2. Immediately after the call with Journalist 2, Journalist 1 called Frese. During at least one of the calls with Journalist 1 and Journalist 2, Frese orally passed Top Secret NDI derived from Intelligence Report 1. Approximately 30 minutes after Frese spoke with the two journalists, Journalist 1 published an article (Article 1) which contained Top Secret NDI, orally communicated by Frese and derived from Intelligence Report 1 classified at the Top Secret//SCI level.
On at least 30 separate occasions in 2018, Frese conducted searches on classified government systems for information regarding the classified topics he discussed with Journalists 1 and 2. On multiple occasions in 2018 and 2019, Frese conducted searches on classified government systems because of specific requests for information from Journalists 1 and 2.
Additionally, between early 2018 and October 2019, Frese communicated with an employee of an overseas CT consulting group (Consultant 1) via social media. On at least two occasions, Frese transmitted classified NDI related to CT topics to Consultant 1, using a social media site’s direct messaging feature.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Neil Hammerstrom and Danya E. Atiyeh, and Trial Attorney Jennifer Kennedy Gellie of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section 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-304.
Former DIA Analyst Sentenced for Leaking Classified Information to JournalistsRead the Press Release
A former employee of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for leaking classified information to two journalists in 2018 and 2019.
“Frese repeatedly passed classified information to a reporter, sometimes in response to her requests, all for personal gain,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “When this information was published, it was shared with all of our nation's adversaries, creating a risk of exceptionally grave harm to the security of this country. His conviction and sentence demonstrate the Department’s commitment to the investigation and prosecution of such betrayals by clearance holders as part of our mandate to protect our citizens and defend the national security of the United States.”
“The American people expect those entrusted with our nation's most sensitive secrets to keep those secrets safe. Mr. Frese did just the opposite,” said Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler Jr. of the FBI's Counterintelligence Division. “The FBI is committed to protecting the national security interests of the United States and will vigorously pursue investigations into current and former clearance holders who leak classified information.”
“When our nation’s secrets are published, in print or online, those secrets are made available to all of our adversaries,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Frese’s choice to betray his oath to his country had real consequences and caused actual harm to the safety of this country and its citizens.”
“When Mr. Frese chose to provide classified information to members of the media, he violated his oath to serve the United States as a trusted government employee,” said Timothy R. Slater, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Washington Field Office. “Put in the hands of our adversaries, this information causes damage and harm to our country. This investigation and today's sentencing serve as a reminder that unauthorized disclosures of classified information is a crime, and will not be tolerated.”
According to court documents, Henry Kyle Frese, 31, of Alexandria, was employed by DIA as a counterterrorism analyst from February 2018 to October 2019, and held a Top Secret//Sensitive Compartmented Information security clearance. United States government agencies have confirmed that in the spring and summer of 2018, News Outlet 1 published eight articles, all authored by the same journalist (Journalist 1) that contained classified NDI that related to the capabilities of certain foreign countries’ weapons systems. These articles contained classified intelligence from five intelligence reports (the Compromised Intelligence Reports) made available to appropriately cleared recipients in the first half of 2018. The topic of all of these initial five Compromised Intelligence Reports – foreign countries’ weapons systems – was outside the scope of Frese’s job duties as an analyst covering CT topics. The media articles, and the intelligence reporting from which they were derived, both contained information that is classified up to the TS//SCI level, indicating that its unauthorized disclosure could reasonably be expected to result in exceptionally grave damage to the national security. The intelligence reporting was marked as such.
According to court documents, Frese and Journalist 1 lived together at the same residential address from January 2018 to November 2018. Throughout 2018 and 2019, Frese and Journalist 1 “followed” each other on Twitter, and on at least two occasions Frese re-Tweeted Journalist 1’s tweets announcing the publications of articles containing NDI classified at the Top Secret level.
In or about April of 2018, Journalist 1 introduced Frese to a second journalist (Journalist 2). Subsequently, Frese began texting and speaking with Journalist 2 by telephone. Between mid-2018 and late September 2019, Frese orally transmitted NDI classified at the Top Secret level to Journalist 1 on 12 separate occasions, and orally transmitted NDI classified at the Secret level to Journalist 1 on at least four occasions. Frese knew the information was classified at the Secret and Top Secret levels because the intelligence products from which he had learned the classified information had visible classification markings as to the classification level of the information, and the intelligence products accessed by Frese were stored on secure, classified government information systems.
In relation to one of the 12 times Frese orally transmitted Top Secret NDI to Journalist 1, in or about mid-April to early May 2018, Frese accessed an intelligence report unrelated to his job duties on multiple occasions, which contained NDI classified at the Top Secret//SCI level (Intelligence Report l). A week after Frese accessed Intelligence Report 1 for the second time, Frese received an April 27, 2018 Twitter Direct Message (DM) from Journalist 1 asking whether Frese would be willing to speak with Journalist 2. Frese stated that he was “down” to help Journalist 2 if it helped Journalist 1 “progress.” During the same April 27, 2018, Twitter exchange, Journalist 1 indicated that a certain United States military official told Journalist 2 that the official was not aware of the subject matter discussed in Intelligence Report 1. Frese characterized the official’s denial as “weird” and commented on the source of information contained within Intelligence Report 1.
Several days after the April 27, 2018, Twitter exchange, Frese searched on a classified United States government computer system for terms related to the topics contained in Intelligence Report 1. A few hours after searching for terms related to the topic of Intelligence Report l, Frese spoke by telephone with Journalist 1, and several hours later he spoke by telephone with Journalist 2. Immediately after the call with Journalist 2, Journalist 1 called Frese. During at least one of the calls with Journalist 1 and Journalist 2, Frese orally passed Top Secret NDI derived from Intelligence Report 1. Approximately 30 minutes after Frese spoke with the two journalists, Journalist 1 published an article (Article 1) which contained Top Secret NDI, orally communicated by Frese and derived from Intelligence Report 1 classified at the Top Secret//SCI level.
On at least 30 separate occasions in 2018, Frese conducted searches on classified government systems for information regarding the classified topics he discussed with Journalists 1 and 2. On multiple occasions in 2018 and 2019, Frese conducted searches on classified government systems because of specific requests for information from Journalists 1 and 2.
Additionally, between early 2018 and October 2019, Frese communicated with an employee of an overseas CT consulting group (Consultant 1) via social media. On at least two occasions, Frese transmitted classified NDI related to CT topics to Consultant 1, using a social media site’s direct messaging feature.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Danya E. Atiyeh, Neil Hammerstrom and Trial Attorney Jennifer Gellie for the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the National Security Division prosecuted the case.
Man Sentenced to Prison for Autotrader Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to seven years in prison for his role in orchestrating an Autotrader fraud scheme that caused over $575,000 in losses to the victims.
According to court documents, John Baron Royal, 51, advertised high-end, luxury vehicles for sale on Autotrader.com, including Range Rovers, Mustangs, BMWs, and Mercedes-Benz SUVs. Royal used aliases to advertise the vehicles for sale and to extract payment for the vehicles from his victims. Ultimately, Royal failed to provide the victims with the vehicles. Unwitting victims agreed to purchase the vehicles from Royal who promised that he would have the vehicles shipped to the victims’ desired locations. To conceal his role in the fraud, Royal used a number of aliases, supplied his accomplices with burner phones, and used technology to disguise his voice. When the victims complained about not receiving the vehicles, Royal and others at Royal’s direction, sent a series of lulling communications to the victims to convince them that delivery of their respective vehicles was imminent. Royal also directed one of his co-conspirators to impersonate other individuals to communicate with the victims about delivery of a 2015 Range Rover.
In addition to these fraudulent misrepresentations, Royal sent pictures to the victims of fake and fraudulent documentation leading the victims to believe that Royal owned the vehicles for sale when, in fact, Royal did not own the vehicles. To further conceal his role in the fraud, Royal directed a number of other individuals to open bank accounts in the name of shell entities to receive the victims’ funds. Royal’s fraud was detected after he and an associate falsely reported a vehicle stolen to the Leesburg Police Department. After fraudulently reporting the vehicle stolen, Royal and his associates immediately left their residence in Leesburg and moved to Atlanta, Georgia. Intended losses to the victims were more than $575,000.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Matthew S. Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office; Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office; and Gregory C. Brown, Leesburg Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamar K. Walker 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-252.
Dentists Agree to Pay Civil Penalties Under Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Dr. Gary Hartman, Dr. Arnold Berger, and Dr. Paul Berger, of Virginia Beach, have agreed to pay a combined $30,000 to settle allegations that they violated the Controlled Substances Act (“Act”) by issuing and filling prescriptions with no legitimate medical purpose.
The Government alleged that dentists Dr. Gary Hartman and Dr. Arnold Berger, and then-retired dentist Dr. Paul Berger, wrote prescriptions for Schedule II and Schedule IV substances with no legitimate medical purpose. Dr. Hartman and Dr. Arnold Berger allegedly wrote prescriptions for controlled substances, including opioids, to each other and in Dr. Hartman’s case, to Dr. Paul Berger. All three would fill the prescriptions and bring the majority of the opioids to Dr. Hartman.
Dr. Hartman and Dr. Arnold Berger previously pleaded guilty to violating the Act. The settlements resolve their civil liability under the Act as well as Dr. Paul Berger’s civil liability under the Act.
Separately, Drs. Hartman and Arnold Berger surrendered their DEA registrations.
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 Drug Enforcement Administration.
The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Clare P. Wuerker. The civil claims settled by this 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.
Justice Department Files Civil Action to Support Major Expansion of Arlington National CemeteryRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice filed today a civil action on behalf of the Department of the Army for the taking of roadways owned or operated by Arlington County, Virginia, by eminent domain for the purpose of expanding Arlington National Cemetery. The taking and relocation of these roadways, together with future planned acquisitions from the Commonwealth of Virginia, will establish a single, contiguous parcel of land south of the existing cemetery. The incorporation of this land into the cemetery will create a 49-acre contiguous parcel available for cemetery development.
When completed, the Arlington National Cemetery Southern Expansion Project will provide for approximately 60,000 additional burial sites, including an above ground columbarium. The expansion will extend the timeline for Arlington National Cemetery to continue as an active military cemetery. The total project cost, including the related Defense Access Roads Project, is estimated at $420 million, and Congress already has appropriated $280 million in Project-related funding.
The expansion project will benefit Arlington County and its residents by, among other things, burying overhead power lines and incorporating the Air Force Memorial and surrounding vacant land into Arlington National Cemetery. The project will transform Columbia Pike from South Oak Street to Washington Boulevard by re-aligning and widening it. The project includes street-scape zones with trees on both sides of Columbia Pike, adding a new dedicated bike path, and widening pedestrian walkways. The project also provides for the construction of a new South Nash Street.
“Earlier this month, we recognized the 76th anniversary of D-Day and we remembered the heroism, service, and sacrifice of American servicemen and women in the defense of freedom,” said Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “But every day the ultimate sacrifice of America’s men and women is commemorated at Arlington National Cemetery, our nation’s most hallowed ground. With today’s civil action, we are proud to assist with this important expansion of Arlington Cemetery, which may now continue to serve as a burial ground for America’s fallen well into the future.”
“As part of the Expansion Project, the Department of the Army and others worked to realign roads and real estate to ensure a much needed expansion of Arlington National Cemetery so that this space can continue being a hallowed resting ground for our nation’s service members,” said U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia. “As someone whose grandfather will forever reside at ANC with so many of his friends, brothers, and sisters of the greatest generation, it is particularly meaningful to assist in facilitating this expansion and seek court approval for just compensation for Arlington County.”
June 15, 2020 marks the 156th anniversary of Arlington National Cemetery, which was established as a military cemetery in 1864 during the American Civil War.
Congress authorized the Department of the Army to acquire land, including acquisition by condemnation, if necessary, for the expansion of Arlington National Cemetery. Congress gets its authority from the U.S. Constitution that allows the taking of public county property for a public use. In turn, the government must pay just compensation for the property. Acquisition by condemnation is an open and transparent process that assures fair treatment for landowners and taxpayers alike. The government here is providing just compensation in the form of substitute facilities, including a realigned and redesigned Columbia Pike and the construction of a new South Nash Street.
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.
Former CEO Pleads Guilty to Embezzling $8M Intended for Injured ChildrenRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former Arlington business executive pleaded guilty today to embezzling nearly $8 million that was intended to settle claims by children who alleged they were victims of medical malpractice.
According to court documents, Joseph E. Gargan, 59, of Round Hill, was the Chief Executive Office of the Pension Company, Inc., an Arlington business that would execute settlement agreements entered into between civil litigants. Specifically, the Pension Company was hired to transfer money from civil defendants to plaintiffs and to purchase annuities on behalf of minor plaintiffs.
The United States government entered into settlement agreements with plaintiffs in six separate matters. Each of these cases involved children who either claimed to be injured as a result of medical malpractice or who suffered the loss of a parent through alleged medical negligence that occurred at a hospital or clinic operated or insured by the federal government. The settlement agreements required the United States to pay the plaintiff a sum of money and to purchase an annuity on behalf of the injured child. From December 2015 to August 2019, the United States transferred a total of $15,925,000 to the Pension Company to purchase the annuities and execute the six settlement agreements. Gargan embezzled $6,925,000 of this money.
In addition, Gargan embezzled money from a hospital located in New York that was part of a civil settlement with a minor child. The settlement called for, among other things, $3,825,000 to be paid by the hospital to a trust to pay for the care and ongoing medical treatment of the child. The settlement agreement also provided that a portion of the $3,825,000 be paid to a structured settlement broker who would then purchase an annuity which would generate future income for the trust. The Pension Company was retained as the structured settlement broker. From October 2018 to March 2020, the hospital paid the Pension Company a total of $1,032,750 to fund the purchase of an annuity on behalf of the trust. Gargan embezzled all $1,032,750.
In some cases, Gargan attempted to conceal his criminal activity by creating false documents purporting to show that he had purchased the annuities when, in fact, he had embezzled and converted that money to his own use. Gargan also made payments to the plaintiffs falsely claiming the payments were proceeds from an annuity, when, in fact, the payments were made only to conceal his criminal conduct.
The total amount embezzled by Gargan is $7,957,750.
Gargan pleaded guilty to embezzlement of government funds and wire fraud and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison when sentenced on September 23. 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 U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston, Jr. accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Fitzpatrick 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-110.
DOJ Observes 15th Annual World Elder Abuse Awareness DayRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Today, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger joined Attorney General William P. Barr and the entire Department of Justice in observing the 15th Annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.
The Department echoes voices around the world condemning elder abuse, neglect and exploitation.
“As our nation and its elders continue to meet the challenges of this pandemic, we are doing everything in our power to identify and prosecute the fraudsters who try to exploit our seniors,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Combatting elder abuse and financial fraud remains one of our top priorities, and we continue to fight for justice in these important cases.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for our country and the world, but among those most severely affected by the threat of the novel virus are our senior citizens. During this time when seniors are most vulnerable and isolated from their families and loved ones by social distancing and quarantine restrictions, bad actors have immediately exploited this international tragedy to prey on the elderly through a whole host of scam and fraud schemes. As the world takes this day to remember the elderly during these uncertain times, the Department of Justice remains relentlessly committed, through its department-wide Elder Justice Initiative, to prevent and prosecute fraud on America’s seniors.
The Department will aggressively prosecute fraudsters exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic and targeting seniors offering them fake testing kits and fake help obtaining stimulus and Paycheck Protection Program Funds. To identify and combat this fraud, the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia joined federal and state law enforcement partners in March 2020 to form the Virginia Coronavirus Fraud Task Force. The task force reviews and investigates all credible leads of fraud associated with the coronavirus pandemic, focusing on schemes to exploit vulnerable populations, including the elderly. The task force has also prioritized outreach to enable seniors to identify and guard against fraud schemes during the pandemic. On this day dedicated to recognizing our seniors, the Department of Justice sends a strong message that we continue the fight to keep seniors safe a top priority.
Earlier this year Attorney General Barr declared “Prevention and Disruption of Transnational Elder Fraud” to be an Agency Priority Goal, making it one of the Department’s four top priorities. Over the last year, the Eastern District of Virginia has brought federal charges in eight cases of elder fraud, including the following transnational schemes:
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- U.S. v. Choksi, et al., 3:19-CR-160 - Choksi and his wife, Majmudar, served as money mules for Indian call centers that impersonated law enforcement officials to trick and coerce victims into mailing cash by convincing the victims that it was in their best interests to do so. The scheme generally started with “robocalls”, designed to create a sense of urgency with unsuspecting recipients. Callers told recipients that they had some sort of serious legal problem, and that if they did not immediately take a particular action, then there would be drastic consequences, including arrest, significant financial penalties, or cessation of government benefits. The fraudsters told recipients that, to prevent these dire consequences, the recipients must pay money, by wire transfer or cash, to some purported government entity. The conspiracy operated cells in multiple states, including New Jersey, California, Indiana, Texas, Illinois and Minnesota.
- U.S. v. Anikkhan Yusufkhan Pathan, 1:20-CR-20 - Pathan served as a money mule for Indian call centers that contacted victims by phone and, through various schemes, induced them to send money by wire transfers to various aliases. The schemes included variants of loan fraud, through which conspirators promised new loans and/or loan consolidation. Once victims provided their bank information, conspirators deposited worthless checks and directed victims to immediately withdraw the credited funds and wire them to a separate account. Conspirators also contacted victims through mass mailings and, posing as the victims’ true mortgage lenders, directed victims to begin making their mortgage payments to accounts controlled by conspirators. Finally, conspirators contacted victims by phone and, posing as employees of Microsoft, advised victims that their computers contained fatal viruses that would cause irreparable harm if victims did not immediately remit payment for repair.
- U.S. v. William Onyebuchi Ogbonna, 2:19-CR-84 - Between October 2016 and March 2019, Ogbonna participated in a conspiracy to defraud between 80 and 100 elderly U.S. victims. To facilitate this scheme, conspirators contacted victims and falsely claimed that the victims were due a large inheritance or had won a foreign lottery. Conspirators told victims they would receive large sums in return for up-front payments of the associated taxes and fees. Conspirators also perpetrated business email compromise scams by compromising business emails and then contacting business clients and employees and requesting a transfer of funds. In all cases, conspirators directed victims to wire money to various bank accounts, including accounts opened by Ogbonna. After receiving these proceeds, Ogbonna transferred a portion of those proceeds via cashier’s checks and wires to conspirators in China and Nigeria.
- United States v. Nena Kerny Kochuga, 2:19-cr-22 - Kochuga executed a Jamaican lottery scheme that targeted elderly victims, who she and conspirators would contact by phone. Kochuga told victims that they had won the lottery and were required to pay purported taxes and fees to claim the winnings. She directed victims to mail and wire money to her residential and post office box addresses in Virginia. Kochuga then sent money to conspirators in Jamaica and Ghana via Western Union wire transfers, keeping a portion for herself. Through this conduct, Kochuga and her conspirators defrauded numerous victims of at least $50,000. According to local media coverage, Kochuga has targeted elderly victims with similar lottery scams for most of the past decade. In September 2019, Kochuga was sentenced to over two years in prison and ordered to pay over $64,000 in restitution to her victims.
Reflecting its commitment to prioritizing cases involving the elderly, the Department has taken the following actions:
- National Elder Fraud Hotline: 833-FRAUD-11
Earlier this year Attorney General Barr launched a National Elder Fraud Hotline. Staffed by experienced case managers who provide personalized support to callers, the hotline serves to assist elders and caretakers who believe they have been a victim of fraud by reporting and providing appropriate services.
- Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force: Established in June 2019 to combat foreign elder fraud schemes, the Strike Force is composed of the Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and six U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along with FBI special agents, Postal Inspectors, and numerous other law enforcement personnel. Since its inception, prosecutors in Strike Force districts brought cases against more than 140 sweep defendants.
- Annual Elder Justice Sweep: In March of this year, the Attorney General announced the largest coordinated sweep of elder fraud cases in department history. The Department, together with every U.S. Attorney’s office, charged more than 400 defendants, causing over $1 billion in loss through fraud schemes that largely affected seniors. The Eastern District of Virginia ranked fourth nationally in the number of criminal cases charged during this sweep after charging 16 defendants in 8 separate cases.
- Money Mule Initiative: Since October 2018, the Department and its law enforcement partners began a concentrated effort across the country and around the world to disrupt, investigate, and prosecute money mule activity used to facilitate fraud schemes, especially those victimizing senior citizens. In 2019 actions were taken to halt the conduct of more than 600 domestic money mules, exceeding a similar effort against approximately 400 mules in the previous year. The Eastern District of Virginia brought two criminal cases against money mules who knowingly received elderly victims funds as part of large-scale Indian call center cases.
- Holding foreign-based perpetrators and those that flee the United States accountable: Transnational criminal organizations are targeting our elder population in schemes including mass mailing fraud, grandparent scams, romance scams, lottery and sweepstakes scams, IRS and Social Security Administration imposter scams, and technical-support scams. Through the above criminal actions, the Eastern District of Virginia has identified and continues to pursue justice against the overseas actors responsible for targeting and deceiving elders.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
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DOJ Filing Supports Major Expansion of Arlington National CemeteryRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The Department of Justice filed today a civil action on behalf of the Department of the Army for the taking of roadways owned or operated by Arlington County, Virginia, by eminent domain for the purpose of expanding Arlington National Cemetery.
The taking and relocation of these roadways, together with future planned acquisitions from the Commonwealth of Virginia, will establish a single, contiguous parcel of land south of the existing cemetery. The incorporation of this land into the cemetery will create a 49-acre contiguous parcel available for cemetery development.
When completed, the Arlington National Cemetery Southern Expansion Project will provide for approximately 60,000 additional burial sites, including an above ground columbarium. The expansion will extend the timeline for Arlington National Cemetery to continue as an active military cemetery. The total project cost, including the related Defense Access Roads Project, is estimated at $420 million, and Congress already has appropriated $280 million in Project-related funding.
The expansion project will benefit Arlington County and its residents by, among other things, burying overhead power lines and incorporating the Air Force Memorial and surrounding vacant land into Arlington National Cemetery. The project will transform Columbia Pike from South Oak Street to Washington Boulevard by re-aligning and widening it. The project includes street-scape zones with trees on both sides of Columbia Pike, adding a new dedicated bike path, and widening pedestrian walkways. The project also provides for the construction of a new South Nash Street.
“Earlier this month, we recognized the 76th anniversary of D-Day and we remembered the heroism, service, and sacrifice of American servicemen and women in the defense of freedom,” said Jeffrey Bossert Clark, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “But every day the ultimate sacrifice of America’s men and women is commemorated at Arlington National Cemetery, our nation’s most hallowed ground. With today’s civil action, we are proud to assist with this important expansion of Arlington Cemetery, which may now continue to serve as a burial ground for America’s fallen well into the future.”
June 15, 2020 marks the 156th anniversary of Arlington National Cemetery, which was established as a military cemetery in 1864 during the American Civil War.
“As part of the Expansion Project, the Department of the Army and others worked to realign roads and real estate to ensure a much needed expansion of Arlington National Cemetery so that this space can continue being a hallowed resting ground for our nation’s service members,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “As someone whose grandfather will forever reside at ANC with so many of his friends, brothers, and sisters of the greatest generation, it is particularly meaningful to assist in facilitating this expansion and seek court approval for just compensation for Arlington County.”
Congress authorized the Department of the Army to acquire land, including acquisition by condemnation, if necessary, for the expansion of Arlington National Cemetery. Congress gets its authority from the U.S. Constitution that allows the taking of public county property for a public use. In turn, the government must pay just compensation for the property. Acquisition by condemnation is an open and transparent process that assures fair treatment for landowners and taxpayers alike. The government here is providing just compensation in the form of substitute facilities, including a realigned and redesigned Columbia Pike and the construction of a new South Nash Street.
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.
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-cv-667.
U.S. Attorney Announces over $1.8M in DOJ Grants Related to COVID-19Read the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – United States Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger today announced that various jurisdictions across the Eastern District of Virginia have recently been awarded over $1.8 million in Department of Justice grants to respond to the public safety challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19.
The grants, to Prince William County ($343,909), City of Richmond ($477,498), City of Virginia Beach ($258,160), City of Newport News ($335,673), City of Hopewell ($34,117), and Fairfax County ($402,297), are available under the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, authorized by the recent stimulus legislation signed by President Trump. The Justice Department is moving quickly, awarding grants on a rolling basis and aiming to have funds available for drawdown as soon as possible after receiving applications.
“Those on the front lines of the public safety response to the coronavirus have our support, gratitude, and utmost respect,” said Terwilliger. “The Department of Justice provides this funding with significant flexibility, so that state and local departments can use it in the ways that best benefit their officers and their community.”
The grants come on the heels of a separate DOJ grants of nearly $14 million to the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services ($10,832,775), City of Petersburg ($98,689), City of Alexandria ($113,197), County of Hanover ($39,736), City of Suffolk ($97,120), Town of Leesburg ($38,812), County of Stafford ($112,153), James City County ($34,507), City of Chesapeake ($386,783), Henrico County ($214,763), Chesterfield County ($185,482), City of Norfolk ($564,663), Manassas City ($41,306), Fredericksburg ($43,658), and Loudoun County ($114,472) announced in May, and to the cities of Portsmouth ($251,760), Hampton ($160,366), and the counties of Arlington ($136,727) York ($45,881) and Spotsylvania ($90,846) announced last week.
“The outbreak of COVID-19 and the public health emergency it created are sobering reminders that even the most routine duties performed by our nation’s public safety officials carry potentially grave risks,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs. “These funds will provide hard-hit communities with critical resources to help mitigate the impact of this crisis and give added protection to the brave professionals charged with keeping citizens safe.”
The Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding (CESF) Program allows States, U.S. Territories, the District of Columbia, units of local government, and federally recognized tribal governments to support a broad range of activities to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus. Funded projects or initiatives may include, but are not limited to, overtime, equipment (including law enforcement and medical personal protective equipment), hiring, supplies (such as gloves, masks, sanitizer), training, travel expenses (particularly related to the distribution of resources to the most impacted areas), and addressing the medical needs of inmates in state, local, and tribal prisons, jails, and detention centers.
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.
Texas Man Sentenced for Cocaine Trafficking and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Houston man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for conspiring to distribute up to 15 kilograms of cocaine and conspiring to commit money laundering.
According to court documents, between June 2014 and November 2016, Naleth Vongsengchanh, 51, engaged in a conspiracy to traffic kilogram quantities of cocaine to the Virginia region for redistribution and to launder the proceeds. In the beginning of the conspiracy, Vongsengchanh resided in the Virginia region and sold cocaine locally before moving to Houston. Beginning in January 2015, Vongsengchanh began providing other individuals with kilogram quantities of cocaine to be couriered from Texas to the Virginia region by car.
Additionally, Vongsengchanh and his spouse, Oksana Vovk, utilized numerous bank accounts to launder the drug proceeds stemming from the cocaine trafficking. One of the utilized accounts was for an illegitimate business known as Stylish Traveler LLC through which Vongsengchanh and Vovk laundered over $78,000. In addition to the laundering of the proceeds, Vongsengchanh received payment for cocaine via other individuals transporting bulk cash currency for him and Vovk from the Virginia region to Texas.
Vongsengchanh is a career offender with a lengthy criminal history to include felony convictions for voluntary manslaughter while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and two convictions for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.
Voyk pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering and was sentenced to over two years in prison.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), Operation Russian Roulette. 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 for Virginia; Nick Proffitt, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Virginia; Colonel James Morris, Vienna Chief of Police; Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police; Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field; Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; Michael L. Brown, Alexandria Chief of Police; and M. Jay Farr, Arlington County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney General 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-33.
Man Arrested for Threatening to Burn Down African American ChurchRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A North Carolina man was arrested today on a charge related to his alleged threat to burn down an African American church in Virginia Beach.
John Malcolm Bareswill, 63, who lives in Catawba, North Carolina, and works in Virginia Beach, is scheduled to make his initial appearance in federal court today in Norfolk at 2 p.m.
According to court documents, Bareswill allegedly called a Virginia Beach church with a predominantly African American congregation, made racially derogatory remarks, and threatened to set the church on fire. The threatening call was placed on June 7, several days after one of the church’s leaders took part in a public prayer vigil and peaceful demonstration for George Floyd.
“Our office takes seriously any threat to the lives and well-being of our fellow citizens,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Threats meant to silence or intimidate people because of their race or religion, like the one allegedly made here, have our highest priority. “No one should be made to fear for their safety or the safety of their church for speaking out, and we will seek justice for victims of those who allegedly violate that right.”
According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, on June 7, a church member informed the Virginia Beach Police Department that between approximately 10:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m, a male caller had called the church’s land line telephone. According to witnesses, the call was placed on speakerphone and overheard by two adult members of the church and also several children. The caller stated words to the effect of “you [racial slur] need to shut up”, and threatened to set fire to the church.
“The FBI’s highest priority is protecting the communities we serve,” said Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Division. “We take all threats of violence seriously and will respond quickly to intervene, working with our law enforcement partners to keep Hampton Roads safe. As always, we encourage the public to remain vigilant and report threats or suspicious activities immediately to the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at https://www.fbi.gov/tips.”
Bareswill is charged with making a telephonic threat to use fire to kill, injure, or intimidate any individual, or unlawfully to damage or destroy a building. If convicted, Bareswill faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Division, Tony Zucaro, Jr., Acting Chief of the Virginia Beach Police Department, and David Hutcheson, Chief of the Virginia Beach Fire Department, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Bosse 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-mj-230.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Man Arrested for Sextortion Scheme Involving Minor ChildrenRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Warrenton man was arrested today for his alleged role in a sextortion scheme involving minor children.
According to court documents, Filippo Parlagreco, 35, allegedly sought and obtained via a social media application sexually explicit images of an 11-year-old minor, threatened to disseminate the images if the minor did not produce more, and then shared sexually explicit images of the minor with others via encrypted messaging applications. As alleged in the complaint, law enforcement identified the minor victim after another minor victim notified the police that the defendant had posted photos of her undressed on a social media application without her consent, and demanded additional images from her as a condition of taking the photos down.
Parlagreco is charged with sexual exploitation of children. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and James A. Dawson, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office, made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwendelynn Bills is prosecuting the case.
This case is being 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. 1:20-mj-155.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Businessman Sentenced to Prison for $1.4 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A North Carolina man was sentenced today to over six years in prison for his role in orchestrating an investment fraud scheme that caused over $1.4 million in losses to multiple victims.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Anthony Eric Mitchell, 52, of Charlotte, was one of the two managing principals of a company called Aura Exchange LLC (AURA). Mitchell and his co-conspirator, Armando Almirall, through AURA, promised their clients that they could help obtain funding for a host of business purposes, such as real estate transactions and television projects. Instead, Mitchell and Almirall spent large portions of their clients’ funds on personal expenses, including trips to casinos, concert tickets, stays at beach resorts, cash withdrawals, and wire transfers overseas on speculative investments.
In order to induce the victims to provide AURA with money, Mitchell and Almirall made numerous fraudulent misrepresentations. The two promised clients that they were guaranteed to receive their initial equity deposits back when, in fact, none of the victims ever received any money from AURA. Mitchell and Almirall claimed that AURA had offices in Zurich, London, and New York when no such offices existed. Mitchell and Almirall also falsely claimed that AURA controlled valuable precious metals, such as nickel wire, that could be “monetized” in order to generate huge profits.
Mitchell and Almirall also maintained a website for AURA that contained a number of misrepresentations, including claims that AURA was an industry leader in a number of fields, that AURA was an international business with access to hundreds of financiers, and that AURA could turn around funding to its clients in as little as 24 hours. AURA never made any money for any of its clients, and in fact, victims of the fraud suffered losses of at least $1.47 million.
In October 2019, Mitchell was convicted on all counts after a five-day jury trial. Mitchell was also ordered to pay full restitution to the victims of the crime.
Mitchell’s business partner and co-conspirator, Armando Almirall, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and was sentenced to over five years in prison in February 2020.
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 Anthony J. Trenga. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamar K. Walker and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell L. Carlberg prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:19-cr-101.
Former DEA Official Pleads Guilty to Elaborate $4M Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) public affairs officer pleaded guilty today to defrauding at least a dozen companies of over $4.4 million by posing falsely as a covert officer of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
According to court documents, Garrison Kenneth Courtney, 44, of Florida, falsely claimed to be a covert officer of the CIA involved in a highly-classified program or “task force” involving various components of the United States Intelligence Community and the Department of Defense. According to the false story told by Courtney, this supposed classified program sought to enhance the intelligence gathering capabilities of the United States government. In truth, Courtney had never been employed by the CIA, and the task force that he described did not exist.
To accomplish the fraud, Courtney approached numerous private companies with some variation of this false story, and claimed that the companies needed to hire and pay him to create what Courtney described as “commercial cover,” i.e., to mask his supposed affiliation with the CIA. Courtney also fraudulently claimed that the companies would be reimbursed in the future for these salary payments, sometimes by the award of lucrative contracts from the United States government in connection with the supposedly classified program.
Courtney went to extraordinary lengths to perpetuate the illusion that he was a deep-cover operative. Among other things, he falsely claimed that his identity and large portions of his conduct were classified; directed victims and witnesses to sign fake nondisclosure agreements that purported to be from the United States government and that forbade anyone involved from speaking openly about the supposedly classified program; told victims and witnesses that they were under surveillance by hostile foreign intelligence services; made a show of searching people for electronic devices as part of his supposed counterintelligence methods; demanded that his victims meet in sensitive compartmented information facilities (SCIFs) to create the illusion that they were participating in a classified intelligence operation; and repeatedly threatened anyone who questioned his legitimacy with revocation of their security clearance and criminal prosecution if they “leaked” or continued to look into the supposedly classified information. Courtney further created fake letters, purporting to have been issued by the Attorney General of the United States, which claimed to grant blanket immunity to those who participated in the supposedly classified program.
As a further part of the scheme, Courtney created a fraudulent backstory about himself, claiming that he had served in the U.S. Army during the Gulf War, had hundreds of confirmed kills while in combat, sustained lung injuries from smoke caused by fires set to Iraq’s oil fields, and that a hostile foreign intelligence service had attempted to assassinate him by poisoning him with ricin. All of these claims were false.
Courtney also convinced several real governmental officials that he was participating in this “task force,” explained that they had been selected to participate in the program, and then used those officials as unwitting props falsely to burnish his legitimacy. For example, he directed his victims to speak with these public officials to verify his claims, and separately instructed the government officials as to exactly what to say. Courtney thereby created the false appearance to the victims that the government officials had independently validated his story, when in fact the officials merely were echoing the false information fed to them by Courtney. At times, Courtney also convinced those officials to meet with victims inside secure government facilities, thereby furthering the false appearance of authenticity.
Through the scheme, Courtney also fraudulently gained a position working as a private contractor for the National Institutes of Health Information Technology Acquisition and Assessment Center (NITAAC), a branch of NIH that provides acquisition support services to federal agencies. Once he had installed himself at NITAAC, Courtney gained access to sensitive, nonpublic information about the procurements of other federal agencies being supported by NITAAC. Courtney thereafter used that information to attempt to corrupt the procurement process by steering the award of contracts to companies where he was then also on the payroll, and used the false pretext of national security concerns to warp the process by preventing full and open competition.
Courtney pleaded guilty to wire fraud and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison when sentenced on October 23. 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; Brian A. Benczkowski, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; 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. Attorneys Matthew Burke, Heidi Boutros Gesch, and Raj Parekh, and Todd Gee, Deputy Chief of the Department of Justice’s Public Integrity Section, are prosecuting the case.
Investigative agency partners include CIA OIG; Intelligence Community OIG; National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency OIG; Air Force Office of Special Investigations; U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit (MPFU); Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s (DCIS) Mid-Atlantic Field Office; Department of Justice OIG; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) OIG; and Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Washington Field Office.
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-84.
Former DEA Official Pleads Guilty to Elaborate $4 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A former Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) public affairs officer pleaded guilty today to defrauding at least a dozen companies of over $4.4 million by posing falsely as a covert officer of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Special Agent in Charge James A. Dawson of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division made the announcement
Garrison Kenneth Courtney, 44, of Tampa, Florida, pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge Liam O'Grady. Sentencing has been scheduled for Oct. 23, 2020.
According to court documents, Courtney falsely claimed to be a covert officer of the CIA involved in a highly-classified program or “task force” involving various components of the United States Intelligence Community and the Department of Defense. According to the false story told by Courtney, this supposed classified program sought to enhance the intelligence gathering capabilities of the United States government. In truth, Courtney had never been employed by the CIA, and the task force that he described did not exist.
To accomplish the fraud, Courtney approached numerous private companies with some variation of this false story, and claimed that the companies needed to hire and pay him to create what Courtney described as “commercial cover,” i.e., to mask his supposed affiliation with the CIA. Courtney also fraudulently claimed that the companies would be reimbursed in the future for these salary payments, sometimes by the award of lucrative contracts from the United States government in connection with the supposedly classified program.
Courtney went to extraordinary lengths to perpetuate the illusion that he was a deep-cover operative. Among other things, he falsely claimed that his identity and large portions of his conduct were classified; directed victims and witnesses to sign fake nondisclosure agreements that purported to be from the U.S. government and that forbade anyone involved from speaking openly about the supposedly classified program; told victims and witnesses that they were under surveillance by hostile foreign intelligence services; made a show of searching people for electronic devices as part of his supposed counterintelligence methods; demanded that his victims meet in sensitive compartmented information facilities to create the illusion that they were participating in a classified intelligence operation; and repeatedly threatened anyone who questioned his legitimacy with revocation of their security clearance and criminal prosecution if they “leaked” or continued to look into the supposedly classified information. Courtney further created fake letters, purporting to have been issued by the Attorney General of the United States, which claimed to grant blanket immunity to those who participated in the supposedly classified program.
As a further part of the scheme, Courtney created a fraudulent backstory about himself, claiming that he had served in the U.S. Army during the Gulf War, had hundreds of confirmed kills while in combat, sustained lung injuries from smoke caused by fires set to Iraq’s oil fields, and that a hostile foreign intelligence service had attempted to assassinate him by poisoning him with ricin. All of these claims were false.
Courtney also convinced several real governmental officials that he was participating in this “task force,” explained that they had been selected to participate in the program, and then used those officials as unwitting props falsely to burnish his legitimacy. For example, he directed his victims to speak with these public officials to verify his claims, and separately instructed the government officials as to exactly what to say. Courtney thereby created the false appearance to the victims that the government officials had independently validated his story, when in fact the officials merely were echoing the false information fed to them by Courtney. At times, Courtney also convinced those officials to meet with victims inside secure government facilities, thereby furthering the false appearance of authenticity.
Through the scheme, Courtney also fraudulently gained a position working as a private contractor for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Information Technology Acquisition and Assessment Center (NITAAC), a branch of NIH that provides acquisition support services to federal agencies. Once he had installed himself at NITAAC, Courtney gained access to sensitive, nonpublic information about the procurements of other federal agencies being supported by NITAAC. Courtney thereafter used that information to attempt to corrupt the procurement process by steering the award of contracts to companies where he was then also on the payroll, and used the false pretext of national security concerns to warp the process by preventing full and open competition.
Investigative agency partners include CIA Office of Inspector General (OIG); Intelligence Community OIG; National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency OIG; Air Force Office of Special Investigations; U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit; Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s Mid-Atlantic Field Office; Department of Justice OIG; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services OIG; and Naval Criminal Investigative Service Washington Field Office.
Deputy Chief Todd Gee of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Burke, Heidi Boutros Gesch, and Raj Parekh 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.
Cocaine Supplier Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking in Hampton RoadsRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A North Carolina man pleaded guilty today for his role in a cocaine-trafficking conspiracy targeting Virginia communities.
According to court documents, Razagin Kaseen Lee, 46, of Elizabeth City, was the North Carolina-based cocaine source of supply for the family-run Jones Drug-Trafficking Organization based in Portsmouth. The organization’s leader, Malcolm Jones, Sr., was recently sentenced to 24 years in prison for his part in the conspiracy, and co-conspirators Corey Jones, Dominic Jones, Raewkon Pierce, and Malcolm Jones, Jr., have all pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced next month.
Lee participated in this conspiracy for almost four years before he was caught. In September 2019, law enforcement officers searched his Elizabeth City residence and recovered more than 3.2 kilograms of cocaine, two 9mm handguns, more than $213,000 in cash, and two luxury vehicles, all of which are subject to forfeiture.
Lee pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Lee faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison when sentenced on September 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; Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division; Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police; Col. K.L. Wright, Chief of Chesapeake Police; Larry D. Boone, Chief of Norfolk Police; Eddie M. Buffaloe, Jr., Chief of Elizabeth City Police; and Tommy Wooten II, Pasquotank County Sheriff, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson 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-15.
Seven Foreign Nationals Charged in Maritime Drug Trafficking InterdictionsRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Seven foreign nationals who were detained by the U.S. Coast Guard in international waters have been charged for their respective roles in attempting to smuggle hundreds of kilograms of cocaine and marijuana into the United States.
Since November 2018, members of the DEA Hampton Post of Duty, in partnership with DEA Bogota, Homeland Security Investigations Norfolk, and the Hampton Police Division, have been investigating maritime smuggling operations based on the Pacific coast of Colombia.
According to court documents, in May 2020, members of the investigative team learned of an operation to transport over 400 kilograms of cocaine from the area of Punta Aji on the west coast of Colombia to an awaiting vessel being dispatched from Central America.
On May 16, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter Confidence detected a Go-Fast Vessel (GFV) with no indicia of nationality 123 nautical miles southeast of Punta Naranjo, Panama, in international waters. As USCG personnel approached the GFV, the crew of the GFV began to jettison fuel barrels and packages into the ocean.
After gaining positive control of the GFV, a USCG boarding team encountered Colombian nationals Dalmiro Camacho, 55, Marcos R. Salas, 28, and Yivio C. Valencia, 33, and subsequently recovered 14 bales containing approximately 494 kilograms of cocaine from the ocean.
In a separate case, according to court documents, in May 2020, members of the investigative team learned of a GFV that was planning to transport nearly 1,500 kilograms of marijuana from the area of Punta Aji to an awaiting vessel being dispatched from Central America. On May 19, USCG Cutter James detected a GFV with no indicia of nationality located in the area of 83 nautical miles southwest of El Cacao, Panama, in international waters.
After gaining positive control of the GFV, a USCG boarding team encountered Costa Rican nationals Junior Smith-Meria, 28, Juan Emiliano Sanchez-Cascante, 30, Julio Cesar-Flores, 22, and Manfred Deihann Hidalgo-Ching, 28, and subsequently seized approximately 88 bales containing approximately 1,500 kilograms of marijuana.
The defendants are charged with the manufacture, distribution, or possession of a controlled substance on a vessel. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), Operation Fuhz. 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; Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Terry L. Sult, Chief of Hampton Police Division, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric M. Hurt is prosecuting the cases.
Investigative participation and assistance was provided by Newport News Sheriff’s Office, York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office, Newport News Police Department, and the Virginia State 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 Nos. 4:20-mj-52 to 58.
U.S. Attorney Announces over $685K in DOJ Grants Related to COVID-19Read the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – United States Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger today announced that various jurisdictions across the Eastern District of Virginia have recently been awarded over $685,580 in Department of Justice grants to respond to the public safety challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19.
The grants, to the cities of Portsmouth ($251,760), Hampton ($160,366), and the counties of Arlington ($136,727) York ($45,881) and Spotsylvania ($90,846), are available under the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, authorized by the recent stimulus legislation signed by President Trump. The Justice Department is moving quickly, awarding grants on a rolling basis and aiming to have funds available for drawdown as soon as possible after receiving applications.
“Those on the front lines of the public safety response to the coronavirus have our support, gratitude, and utmost respect,” said Terwilliger. “The Department of Justice provides this funding with significant flexibility, so that state and local departments can use it in the ways that best benefit their officers and their community.”
The grants come on the heels of a separate DOJ grants of nearly $13 million to the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services ($10,832,775), City of Petersburg ($98,689), City of Alexandria ($113,197), County of Hanover ($39,736), City of Suffolk ($97,120), Town of Leesburg ($38,812), County of Stafford ($112,153), James City County ($34,507), City of Chesapeake ($386,783), Henrico County ($214,763), Chesterfield County ($185,482), City of Norfolk ($564,663), Manassas City ($41,306), Fredericksburg ($43,658), and Loudoun County ($114,472) announced in May.
“The outbreak of COVID-19 and the public health emergency it created are sobering reminders that even the most routine duties performed by our nation’s public safety officials carry potentially grave risks,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs. “These funds will provide hard-hit communities with critical resources to help mitigate the impact of this crisis and give added protection to the brave professionals charged with keeping citizens safe.”
The Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding (CESF) Program allows States, U.S. Territories, the District of Columbia, units of local government, and federally recognized tribal governments to support a broad range of activities to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus. Funded projects or initiatives may include, but are not limited to, overtime, equipment (including law enforcement and medical personal protective equipment), hiring, supplies (such as gloves, masks, sanitizer), training, travel expenses (particularly related to the distribution of resources to the most impacted areas), and addressing the medical needs of inmates in state, local, and tribal prisons, jails, and detention centers.
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 Sentenced to Prison for Multiple Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to 21 years in prison for participating in armed robberies of a Lyft driver, a Papa John’s Pizza delivery person, and the clerk of a Sunoco gas station.
According to court documents, Darrell R. Pittman, 21, planned and executed a series of armed robberies in Hampton, Newport News and Richmond. During Pittman’s robbery spree, he pointed a firearm at each victim and made threats of violence. In the Hampton and Newport News robberies, Pittman stole vehicles at gunpoint and eventually led police on high speed pursuits through residential neighborhoods. Additionally, Pittman and four accomplices were involved in an accident following a shoplifting incident at a Kohl’s department store in Newport News. The crash resulted in the death of a 78-year-old woman. Pittman escaped from the accident scene and was the subject of a manhunt in Hampton Roads. With the assistance of the media and the public, Pittman was apprehended by the U.S. Marshals Service working in conjunction with ATF and the Newport News Police Department.
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; Nick Proffitt, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Virginia; Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police; Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division; Humberto I. Cardounel, Jr., Chief of Henrico County Police Division; and Terry L. Sult, Chief of Hampton Police Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Franker prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:19-cr-035.