Eastern District of Virginia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Hampton, Virginia, Return Preparer Indicted for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
A Hampton, Virginia, tax preparer was arrested yesterday on a federal grand jury indictment charging him with aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns, theft of government funds, and failing to file tax returns, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard Zuckerman of the Department of Justice’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger of the Eastern District of Virginia. The March 9, 2020, indictment was unsealed following the arrest.
According to the indictment, from 2013 through 2019, Carl L. Burden prepared tax returns for clients in Hampton and the surrounding counties. Burden allegedly falsified those returns by fraudulently claiming dependents, residential energy credits, deductions, and child and dependent care expenses, in order to inflate the refunds sought from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Burden also allegedly directed a portion of a fraudulently obtained refund to be directly deposited to his bank account. The indictment also alleges that during this period, Burden did not file his own tax returns.
If convicted, Burden faces a statutory maximum sentence of ten years in prison for theft of public money, three years in prison for each count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false return, and one year in prison for each count of failing to file a tax return. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Terwilliger commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, who investigated the case, and Trial Attorneys Grace Albinson and Francesca Bartolomey of the Tax Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Samuels, who are prosecuting this case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Newport News Tax Preparer Indicted for False ReturnsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Newport News, Virginia, returned an indictment today charging a tax preparer with aiding and assisting the preparation of false returns, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia.
According to the indictment, Angela C. Harper owned At Ease Tax Services, a tax preparation business that she operated from her home and hotel rooms in the Newport News area. Between 2014 and 2018, Harper allegedly falsified clients’ tax returns by claiming false credits and deductions in order to inflate their refunds. Harper also allegedly did not sign as preparer on the returns or provide copies of the returns to clients.
If convicted, Harper faces a statutory maximum sentence of three years in prison for each count. She also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Terwilliger commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorneys Francine Davis and Michael C. Boteler of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Samuels, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the Division’s website.
Former Newport News Airport Director Convicted of Multiple ChargesRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Maryland man late yesterday on twenty-three charges of intentional misapplication of funds, money laundering, false declaration, perjury, and obstruction of justice.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Kenneth R. Spirito, 47, was the Executive Director of the Newport News / Williamsburg International Airport from 2009-2017. In 2014, Spirito led and organized an effort for a start-up airline, People Express Airlines, Inc. (PEX) to obtain a $5 million loan from TowneBank that was guaranteed by the Peninsula Airport Commission (PAC), operators of the airport. Spirito intentionally misapplied various state and federally regulated funds to provide the cash collateral for the TowneBank loan.
When PEX suspended operations in September 2014, the PAC had to make payment on the loan default. Spirito subsequently provided false information to the Federal Aviation Administration regarding the source of the loan payments. In 2019, Spirito provided false testimony in a civil deposition regarding his role in the decision to do the loan guarantee and the funds he used as collateral.
Spirito faces maximum penalties ranging from ten to twenty years in prison across each count of conviction when sentenced on June 10, 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, Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, and Jamie Mazzone, Regional Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson accepted the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa R. McKeel and Brian J. Samuels are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:19-cr-43.
Former Inmate of Chesapeake City Jail Pleads Guilty to Bribing DeputyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A former inmate of the Chesapeake City Jail pleaded guilty today to conspiring to bribe a Chesapeake Sheriff’s Deputy to smuggle contraband – including cocaine and heroin – into the Chesapeake City Jail.
According to court documents, Jermarrieo Stigger, 34, paid Jenis Leroy Plummer to use his official position as Chesapeake Sheriff’s Deputy to smuggle heroin, cocaine, cell phones, e-cigarettes and other contraband into the Chesapeake City Jail. From July 2017 through December 2018, Stigger knowingly and intentionally conspired with Plummer to engage in this scheme.
On numerous occasions throughout the conspiracy, Stigger arranged for Plummer to meet his girlfriend at various locations in Hampton Roads to pick up the contraband. At these meetings, Stigger’s girlfriend gave Plummer the illicit contraband in blue latex gloves. Plummer then smuggled the contraband into the jail and delivered the items to the inmate. In exchange for using his official position, Stigger’s girlfriend paid Plummer with cash, via CashApp, and via PayPal.
Stigger pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right, and he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on June 18, 2020. Deputy Plummer previously pleaded guilty to the same charge. 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. Attorneys Joseph E. DePadilla and Melissa E. O’Boyle are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-183.
Large-Scale Cocaine Supplier Pleads Guilty to Drug and Firearms DistributionRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Washington, D.C. man pleaded guilty today to supplying approximately 70 kilograms of cocaine to over 30 customers and for selling firearms.
According to court documents, Simeon Olayemi Orekoya, 47, distributed approximately 70 kilograms of cocaine between January 2017 and December 2019, which was then resold in Virginia and surrounding areas. He also sold cocaine and four firearms to undercover law enforcement officers during the investigation. Two of the firearms did not have serial numbers. Orekoya has five prior felony convictions.
Orekoya pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison when sentenced on July 24. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), Operation Mo Money. 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; Henry P. Stawinski III, Chief of Prince George’s County Police; Marcus Jones, Montgomery County Chief of Police; Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division; Timothy M. Dunham, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office; Timothy Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Baltimore Field Division; Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division; and M. Jay Farr, Arlington County Chief of Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston, Jr. accepted the plea. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Karolina Klyuchnikova 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-71.
Doctor Pays Civil Penalties for Violating the Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Richmond physician agreed to pay $24,000 in civil penalties for forging prescriptions for controlled substances for her own use in violation of the Controlled Substances Act.
On at least six occasions, Dr. Tanja Zlatkovic Zanin obtained blank prescription forms from her place of employment, forged the signatures of two physicians, and wrote, for her own use, prescriptions for Adderall, a Schedule II controlled substance. Under the terms of a parallel administrative resolution, Dr. Zanin entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the DEA under which she is not permitted to purchase or distribute controlled substances for twenty-four months. Dr. Zanin admitted to her misconduct and took full responsibility for her actions.
The Controlled Substances Act regulates individuals and companies that manufacture, distribute and dispense controlled substances. The law aims to protect the public’s health and safety from dangers posed by highly addictive or dangerous controlled substances, including the diversion or improper use of such substances, while also ensuring that patients have access to pharmaceutical controlled substances for legitimate medical purposes.
The resolutions obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the DEA’s Richmond District Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ilene Albala and Robert P. McIntosh handled the Controlled Substances Act civil penalty matter. The administrative action was handled by John E. Beerbower of the DEA Office of Chief Counsel’s Diversion & Regulatory Litigation Section.
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.
Woman Sentenced to Prison for Armed Drug DealingRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Hampton woman was sentenced today to over seven years in prison for possessing cocaine for distribution while possessing a firearm.
According to court documents, Marquita Meredith, 37, was convicted for distributing cocaine from her residence in Hampton. Meredith, who is the mother of seven children, was pregnant during the drug conspiracy and had children in her residence during drug sales in 2018 and 2019. In January 2019, officers recovered over an ounce of cocaine from Meredith’s residence. Children were at the home at the time of the search warrant. Prior to the drug sales and search warrant, Meredith possessed over half an ounce of cocaine and a firearm during a November 2017 traffic stop in Newport News.
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 Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy E. Cross 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-061.
Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced for Illegally Selling FirearmsRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to eight years in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
“Under Attorney General Barr’s leadership, we are 100 percent committed to Project Guardian and keeping illegally trafficked firearms out of the hands of convicted felons and out of our communities,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The trafficking of firearms poses a serious threat to public safety and the safety of our law enforcement partners. Simply put, convicted felons have forfeited their Second Amendment right to bear arms, and those who choose to illegally traffick firearms will be investigated, prosecuted, and held accountable for their actions.”
According to court documents, in August 2018, Shakil R. Bland, 30, a previously convicted felon, sold several firearms to an undercover agent with ATF. Bland sold two semi-automatic firearms and a 50-round drum magazine to an individual he believed was coming from out of state to purchase firearms. In October 2018, Bland also sold the same undercover agent an additional semi-automatic handgun and extended magazine.
“Anyone who is trafficking firearms poses a serious threat to the safety of every community those firearms pass through,” said Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Washington Field Division. “We are glad to see that these guns were taken off of the street and that this defendant is being held accountable for his dangerous actions. Now there is still more work to do and others like him to stop. Through Project Guardian and our partnerships with law enforcement and prosecutors, we will continue working tirelessly to disrupt and prevent firearms trafficking.”
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 U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather H. Mansfield prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-079.
Man Indicted for Producing Images of Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a Bluemont man with producing and distributing child pornography.
According to the indictment, Kevin Hewlett, 35, allegedly filmed himself engaging in sex acts with a minor female whom he met when working as a farrier for her horses. Court documents further allege that Hewlett later sent that video to the minor over a social media application.
Hewlett is charged with production of child pornography and distributing or attempting to distribute child pornography. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
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; Timothy M. Dunham, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office; and Michael L. Chapman, Loudoun County Sheriff made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel Smith, III, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwendelynn Bills are prosecuting the case.
This matter was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which is charged with identifying and investigating child predators and those individuals and criminal enterprises engaged in Human Trafficking.
FBI encourages anyone who believes they have any additional information relating to this defendant to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or https://www.fbi.gov/tips.
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-64.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Felon Pleads Guilty to Hampton Roads Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man with a previous federal drug-trafficking conviction pleaded guilty today to conspiring to traffic wholesale amounts of cocaine in and around Hampton Roads and to possessing several guns to protect his drug trade.
According to court documents, in 2014, Daryl Keith Sills, 56, completed a nine-year federal sentence for conspiring to distribute multiple kilograms of cocaine. Two years later, he started up his drug trafficking operation again, distributing at least one kilogram of powder cocaine a month until his October 2019 arrest on the charges in this case.
In 2018, DEA conducted three controlled buys from Sills, totaling 140 grams of cocaine. In 2019, informants observed Sills receive and store in his residence more than 10 kilograms of cocaine. At Sills’ arrest, law enforcement searched his Norfolk and Virginia Beach drug premises, recovering a total of nine firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, 713 grams of cocaine, and 74 grams of marijuana. Sills admitted to his years-long conspiracy and attributed 20 kilograms of historical cocaine weight to himself.
Sills pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, and two counts of possessing firearms in furtherance of drug-trafficking crimes. He faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of life when sentenced on June 8. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division; James A. Cervera, Chief of Virginia Beach Police; and Larry D. Boone, Chief of Norfolk 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-002.
Doctor Pleads Guilty to Illegal Distribution of Adderall, OxycodoneRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Fairfax medical doctor pleaded guilty today to illegally diverting Adderall and oxycodone to six different patients, including a patient who suffered from opioid addiction and later died of a drug overdose.
According to court documents, Dr. Gurpreet Singh 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 he 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 case 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.
Bajwa pleaded guilty to five counts of distribution of Adderall, and one count of distribution of oxycodone and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on May 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; Timothy M. Dunham, 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 U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema 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-060.
Under DOJ Call to Action, EDVA a National Leader in Elder JusticeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – United States Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger joined Attorney General William P. Barr, FBI Director Christopher A. Wray, and Chief Postal Inspector Gary R. Barksdale today in announcing the largest coordinated sweep of elder fraud cases in history.
This year, prosecutors across the Department of Justice charged more than 400 defendants, far surpassing the 260 defendants charged in cases as part of last year’s sweep. In each case, offenders allegedly engaged in financial schemes that targeted or largely affected seniors. In total, the charged elder fraud schemes caused alleged losses of over $1 billion.
“Americans are fed up with the constant barrage of scams that maliciously target the elderly and other vulnerable citizens,” said Barr. “I want to thank the men and women of the Department’s Consumer Protection Branch, which coordinated this effort, and all those in the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and Criminal Division who worked tirelessly to bring these cases. The Department is committed to stopping the full range of criminal activities that exploit America’s seniors.”
“The Eastern District of Virginia is on the frontlines of combatting elder abuse and financial fraud through both criminal prosecutions and community outreach,” said Terwilliger. “With federal, state, local, and community partners, we are educating our elders to empower them to avoid the devastating financial and emotional harms that flow from these pernicious crimes. For those who have been exploited, we continue to work tirelessly to ensure that justice is done.”
This interactive map provides information on the elder fraud cases highlighted by today’s sweep announcement.
EDVA ranked fourth nationally in the number of criminal cases charged during the sweep, while also participating in important community outreach events at Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, and at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Williamsburg, as well as supporting local task forces in Fairfax County, Hampton Roads, and Richmond.
Here in EDVA, Elder Justice efforts are led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin G. Cooke, who serves as the District’s Elder Justice Coordinator.
Below are case summaries of several noteworthy elder abuse cases recently prosecuted in EDVA. For more information on a particular case, please click the link for the full press release on our website.
- U.S. v. Anikkhan Yusufkhan Pathan - Pathan served as a money mule for Indian call centers that affected hundreds of elderly Americans. These call centers contacted victims by phone and, through various schemes, induced them to send money by wire transfers to various aliases. The schemes include 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. Although the conspiracy affected hundreds of victims, Pathan is responsible for losses caused to approximately 10 victims totaling approximately $150,000. Pathan pleaded guilty in February, and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29.
- U.S. v. Gregory J. Ziglar – Ziglar ran an extensive home improvement loan scheme from approximately 2014 through 2018 through which he victimized approximately 24 victims/households, with the vast majority of victims being in their 60s and 70s. Ziglar claimed he could facilitate obtaining home improvement loans for promised renovations and, after fraudulently obtaining loan proceeds, diverted portions of the funds and failed to complete the promised work. Ziglar fraudulently made use of the identities of various contractors in obtaining the loans, which resulted in the loss of over $521,000.
- United States v. John Michael Gatchell – Gatchell pleaded guilty on April 18 to exploiting an elderly man’s diminished mental capacity to defraud him of nearly $157,000. Gatchell facilitated a marriage between the elderly man and a woman with whom Gatchell had a long-term relationship in order to gain access to the elderly man’s money and property. Gatchell induced the elderly man to make a down payment on a Jaguar that Gatchell and a family member drove for about 10 months before it was repossessed by the lender when the loan went into default. Gatchell also induced the elderly man to obtain two mortgage loans and then diverted most of the proceeds to the benefit of himself and others. He subsequently induced the elderly man to sell the property that secured the loans and again diverted most of the proceeds to himself and others. Gatchell used these fraudulently diverted monies to purchase concert series tickets, pay delinquent bills, and make a security deposit and advance rent payments for a house he leased, among other things. Gatchell was sentenced to six years in prison in September 2019.
- United States v. Nena Kerny Kochuga - 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.
- U.S. v. Sandra Payne - Payne pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft based on her theft of over $22,000 from an elderly victim. Payne was employed by the victim to provide home health care to the victim’s spouse. Over a five-month period, Payne used the victim’s credit and debit cards to make unauthorized purchases of personal goods at various retailers. Payne was sentenced in June 2019 two years in prison.
- U.S. v. Alberto Cortes Gomez - From at least April 2011 through June 2018, Cortes was the leader of a conspiracy that stole financial information from at least 360 victims and caused losses of nearly $2 million. Cortes and his co-conspirators would steal credit cards and other identifying information from customers at retail stores across the country, then use that information to purchase electronics and other items that were then shipped for subsequent resale. Cortes would travel in rental vehicles to locations with high volumes of retail activity, often in interstate corridors such as I-95 through North Carolina and Virginia. The conspirators would then distract shoppers, mostly elderly women, steal their wallets, and then alter means of identification to then pose as those shoppers when purchasing electronics and other expensive items. In January, Cortes was sentenced to over seven years in prison and ordered to pay over $1.9 million in restitution to his victims.
- U.S. v. Leonard Cipolla – Cipolla 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 30 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. Cipolla faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on April 29.
- U.S. v. William Onyebuchi Ogbonna - Between October 2016 and March 2019, Ogbonna allegedly participated in a conspiracy to defraud between 80 and 100 U.S. victims, the majority of whom were 60 years of age and older. 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.
Elder Fraud Hotline
Attorney General Barr also announced the launch of a National Elder Fraud Hotline, which will provide services to seniors who may be victims of financial fraud. The Hotline will be staffed by experienced case managers who can provide personalized support to callers. Case managers will assist callers with reporting the suspected fraud to relevant agencies and by providing resources and referrals to other appropriate services as needed. When applicable, case managers will complete a complaint form with the Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) for Internet-facilitated crimes and submit a consumer complaint to the Federal Trade Commission on behalf of the caller. The Hotline’s toll free number is 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311).
For the second year, the Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners also took comprehensive action against the money mule network that facilitates foreign-based elder fraud. Generally, perpetrators use a “money mule” to transfer fraud proceeds from a victim to ringleaders of fraud schemes who often reside in other countries. Some of these money mules act unwittingly, and intervention can effectively end their involvement in the fraud. The FBI and the Postal Inspection Service took action against over 600 alleged money mules nationwide by conducting interviews, issuing warning letters, and bringing civil and criminal cases. Agents and prosecutors in more than 85 federal district participated in this effort to halt the money flow from victim to fraudster. These actions against money mules were in addition to the criminal and civil cases announced as part of this year’s elder fraud sweep.
These outreach efforts have helped to prevent seniors from falling prey to scams and have frustrated offenders’ efforts to obtain even more money from vulnerable 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. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER.
Man Pleads Guilty to Multiple Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Vienna man pleaded guilty today to multiple charges related to his possession of images of child sexual abuse and attempted transfer of obscene material to minors.
According to court documents, in 2005, Alan Tabish, 36, met a 15-year-old girl online. Tabish picked up the minor girl from her parents’ residence, and drove her to his home, where he provided her with alcohol and then recorded images and videos of himself engaging in sexual conduct with her. The victim reported the incident in 2019, which led law enforcement to discover the images and videos on a computer hard drive in Tabish’s home. Additional online chats were recovered from this hard drive in which Tabish sent sexually explicit images of himself to individuals who identified themselves as minor girls.
Tabish pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography and the attempted transfer of obscene material to minors and faces a sentence of 7 to 12 years in prison when sentenced on June 23. 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; Timothy M. Dunham, 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 U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston, Jr. accepted the plea. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney William G. Clayman is prosecuting the case.
This matter was investigated jointly by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and the Fairfax County Police Department. The task force is charged with identifying and investigating child predators and those individuals and criminal enterprises engaged in human trafficking.
Assistance in the prosecution has been provided by former Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney Dougherty Russell.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-cr-045.
Woman Sentenced for Cocaine Conspiracy and Multiple Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Nigerian woman was sentenced today to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay over $377,000 in restitution for leading a conspiracy to import more than five kilograms of cocaine into the United States, as well as to her role in a separate bank fraud scheme, and to making false statements relating to fraudulent claims submitted to Medicaid for reimbursement.
“Temitope Ayoni Olaiya, aka “Tammy”, engaged in multiple schemes carried out against the United States, implicating our healthcare system, financial system, our borders, and drug enforcement regime,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Despite coming to this country legally more than a decade ago and living on a green card, Olaiya chose to flout the law in pursuit of a diverse portfolio of criminal activities.”
According to court documents, Olaiya, 41, who resided in Hyattsville, Maryland, and is a legal permanent resident, recruited men from the greater Washington, D.C. area to act as drug couriers; i.e., to travel to foreign countries to obtain drugs to bring back into the United States. Olaiya opened bank accounts in the couriers’ names, assisted them in obtaining passports and visas, and booked their travel arrangements. The couriers that Olaiya recruited traveled primarily to São Paulo, Brazil, where they picked up kilogram quantities of cocaine hidden in the lining of soft-sided briefcases or attaché cases. Altogether, law enforcement seized nearly seven kilograms of cocaine at three different United States airports from three separate couriers recruited by Olaiya.
In addition to the cocaine importation scheme, Olaiya also submitted falsified and fraudulent claims to the D.C. Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF), a health care benefit program funded by Medicaid. Olaiya worked as a personal care aide for various home health agencies in the Washington D.C. area, and in order to receive payment for services rendered, Olaiya was required to submit timesheets signed by her clients documenting the services rendered. Instead of submitting time sheets for time actually worked providing health care services, Olaiya recruited Medicaid recipients to act as her “patients” and to sign her falsified timesheets in return for a small amount of money as a kickback. On multiple occasions, Olaiya billed DHCF for home health services she claimed to have provided while she was out of the country.
Separate and apart from the cocaine importation and the home health services scheme, Olaiya also used her African goods business in Maryland to carry out a bank fraud. Olaiya used accounts with payment platforms Square and Stripe to make fraudulent charges on stolen credit card numbers. Between June and December 2017, Olaiya submitted, or caused to be submitted, $381,500 in fraudulent credit card charges to the Stripe account. Thereafter, Olaiya switched over to Square, and in the course of about two months, racked up more than $100,000 in fraudulent charges. When Square informed Olaiya that the true account holder had challenged the transaction, Olaiya created handwritten, falsified invoices documenting items purportedly purchased by the account holder, and provided the fake invoices to Square.
This case was prosecuted as part of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Operation Girl From Ipanema. 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; Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O'Grady. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Rumbaugh prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:19-cr-294 and 1:19-cr-323.
Former Atomwaffen Division Member Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A white supremacist and former member of the Atomwaffen Division was sentenced today to one year in prison for possessing firearms while being an unlawful drug user and making a false statement in order to illegally purchase a firearm.
According to court documents, in October 2017, Andrew Jon Thomasberg, 21, of McLean, purchased a semiautomatic rifle and claimed to be the true purchaser. In fact, Thomasberg knew this statement was false and that he was purchasing the gun for a third party. He transferred that firearm to that third party after purchasing it. Thomasberg also possessed at least four firearms while unlawfully using controlled substances, including marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, and opium.
According to court documents and testimony, Thomasberg, who has a prior criminal conviction for a dangerous firearms offense, was associated with white supremacist organizations, such as Vanguard America, Atomwaffen Division, and Patriot Front. In text message communications, while Thomasberg possessed firearms and was a regular drug user, he glorified racially motivated violence and referred to mass shooters as “saints.” Additionally, Thomasberg informed law enforcement that only one day before he was arrested, he had submitted an application to join Patriot Front. Patriot Front is “a white supremacist group whose members maintain that their ancestors conquered America and bequeathed it to them alone.”
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 Larissa Knapp, Special Agent in Charge, Counterterrorism, FBI Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony W. Mariano and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Walutes, Jr. prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:19-cr-337.
Straw Purchaser Convicted for Role in Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Chester man yesterday on charges related to his straw purchase of six firearms.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Brandon Andrea Powell, 41, purchased six firearms at three federally licensed firearms dealers in the Richmond area during August and September 2015. When purchasing the firearms, Powell falsely stated that he was the actual purchaser of the firearms, when in fact, he was straw purchasing them for an individual named Trenton Pointer. Pointer provided the guns to Abdul Shashid Davis, who in turn, sold them to an undercover New York City Police Detective.
Powell was convicted of making a false statement to acquire a firearm. He faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison at sentencing. 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.
Pointer and Davis were charged, convicted, and sentenced in New York State for their role in this scheme.
Nine other federal defendants have been sentenced for making false statements in connection with this scheme:
Name, Age
Hometown
Felony Conviction
Sentence
Cherie Elanda Wyatt, 42
Richmond
False Statement to Acquire Firearm
1 year of probation
Kevin Edward Wilson, 29
Powhatan
False Statement to Acquire Firearm
2 years of probation, 180 days of home detention
Denise Michelle Sinkford, 41
Richmond
False Statement to Acquire Firearm
2 years of probation, 180 days of home detention
Shanta Teisha Brown, 29
Richmond
False Statement to Acquire Firearm
2 years of probation, 60 days of home detention
Evelyn Jean Collins-Chandler, 54
Richmond
Conspiracy to Make False Statements to Acquire Firearm
2 years of probation, 60 days of home detention
Ebony Danielle Clarke, 34
Richmond
False Statement to Acquire Firearm
3 years of probation, 210 days of home detention
Jeremy Durand Lewis, 35
Chesterfield County
False Statement to Acquire Firearm
2 1/2 years in prison
Yolanda Lisa Stone, 47
Richmond
False Statement to Acquire Firearm
2 years of probation, 7 months of home detention
Jeffrey Quinton Toole, 56
Richmond
False Statement to Acquire Firearm
13 months in prison
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. Click here for more information about Project Guardian.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge David J. Novak accepted the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael C. Moore is prosecuting the case.
Special assistance in this investigation and prosecution was provided by the New York City Police Department and the New York County District Attorney’s 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 Nos. 3:18-cr-37, 56, 77, 86, 110, 120, 138, 154, and 3:19-cr-13.
Man Pleads Guilty to Traveling to U.K. to Sexually Abuse MinorRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Franklin man pleaded guilty today to charges related to his travel to the United Kingdom in May 2019 to sexually abuse a minor victim.
According to court documents, in May 2018, Joshua R. Hatfield, 23, began an online relationship with Jane Doe, a 14 year-old living in the United Kingdom. After the two discussed engaging in sexual intercourse, Hatfield, traveled to the minor victim’s home in May 2019 and stayed there for several days. Despite knowing the victim was a minor, Hatfield engaged in sexual acts with her. After returning home, Hatfield informed the minor victim that he had contracted a sexually transmitted infection, although he had in fact traveled to the United Kingdom already knowing that he had this untreated infection.
Hatfield pleaded guilty to travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. He faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison when sentenced on July 24. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Miller accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth M. Yusi and E. Rebecca Gantt are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-186.
MS-13 Members Plead Guilty to Violent 2018 AttackRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two MS-13 members pleaded guilty today to their respective roles in a December 2018 shooting and stabbing that occurred in Four Mile Run Park on the border of Alexandria and Arlington.
According to court documents, Juan Francisco Rivera-Pineda, 25, and Jefferson Noe Amaya, 24, both Alexandria residents, are members of the Pinos Locos Salvatrucha (PLS) clique of MS-13, which operates in the northern Virginia area of Arlington County and Alexandria City known as Chirilagua.
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 back. The victim was transported to the hospital where he underwent surgery and survived.
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 and face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison when sentenced on April 24. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Timothy M. Dunham, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office; and M. Jay Farr, Arlington County Chief of Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Morris Parker and Natasha Smalky are prosecuting the case.
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.
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.
Former Atomwaffen Division Leader Arrested for Swatting ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former leader of the white supremacist group Atomwaffen Division was arrested today on charges related to his alleged role in a conspiracy that conducted multiple swatting events that occurred here in the Eastern District of Virginia.
John Cameron Denton, 26, of Montgomery, Texas, is allegedly a former leader of the Atomwaffen Division in Texas. Denton was arrested this morning in Montgomery and will make his initial appearance at 2 p.m. CST before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy K. Johnson at the federal courthouse in Houston.
According to court documents, from November 2018 to at least April 2019, Denton and several co-conspirators, including John William Kirby Kelley, allegedly conspired together to conduct “swatting” calls. Swatting is a harassment tactic that involves deceiving dispatchers into believing that a person or persons are in imminent danger of death or bodily harm and causing the dispatchers to send police and emergency services to an unwitting third party’s address.
According to court documents, Denton allegedly participated in a conspiracy that conducted three swatting calls that occurred here in the Eastern District of Virginia: a Cabinet official living in Northern Virginia on Jan. 27, 2019; Old Dominion University on Nov. 29, 2018; and Alfred Street Baptist Church on Nov. 3, 2018.
Additionally, Denton allegedly chose at least two other targets to “swat”: the New York City office of ProPublica, a non-profit newsroom that produces investigative journalism; and an investigative journalist that produced materials for ProPublica. Denton allegedly chose the two targets because he was furious with ProPublica and the investigative journalist for publishing his true identity and discussing his role in Atomwaffen Division.
During the investigation, Denton unknowingly met with an undercover law enforcement officer and allegedly told the undercover officer about his role in the swatting conspiracy. Denton allegedly stated that he used a voice changer when he made swatting calls, and allegedly admitted that he swatted the offices of ProPublica and the investigative journalist. He also allegedly stated that it would be good if he was “raided” for the swatting because it would be viewed as a top tier crime, and he felt that his arrest could benefit Atomwaffen Division.
Denton is charged with conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, interstate threats to injure. If convicted, he and faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Timothy M. Dunham, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carina A. Cuellar is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-mj-84.
Convicted Murderer of VSP Special Agent Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Lancaster County man who was convicted of the murder of a Virginia State Police Special Agent pleaded guilty today to possession of a firearm as a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on May 26, 2017, Virginia State Police Special Agent Michael Walter and Richmond Police Department Officer Christopher Duane encountered Travis Aaron Ball aka “Wiz”, 30, and another individual in a vehicle on the 1900 block of Redd Street in the Mosby Court public housing community.
During that encounter, the law enforcement officers learned that Ball and the driver were not residents of the Mosby Court public community. Believing that Ball and the driver were violating the public housing trespassing policies, the officers asked both individuals to step out of the vehicle. As Ball stepped out of the vehicle, he possessed a .25 caliber semi-automatic pistol.
It was later determined that Ball knew he was a convicted felon at the time of his possession of the firearm, as he had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.
In October 2018, Ball was sentenced in Richmond Circuit Court to 36 years in prison for the capital murder of Virginia State Police Special Agent Michael Walter.
Ball pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when sentenced on May 21. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
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; Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division; Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent; and William Smith, Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erik S. Siebert and Stephen E Anthony are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-128.
Woman Pleads Guilty to False Statement Regarding Sexual AssaultRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake woman pleaded guilty today to lying to Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) investigators about an alleged sexual assault that occurred aboard Naval Station Norfolk.
According to court documents, in July 2018 Miranda H. Overton, 21, made a report to NCIS alleging that an active duty Navy sailor sexually assaulted her. After opening an investigation into the alleged assault, the alleged perpetrator was interviewed, and he explained that he had consensual sex with Overton after they met on an online dating application. Investigators then obtained surveillance video from the day of the alleged assault revealing that Overton and the sailor kissed in the elevator immediately prior to the alleged assault. Furthermore, investigators obtained Overton’s statement during her sexual assault forensic examination where she admitted that prior to meeting with alleged perpetrator they agreed to have sexual intercourse. Investigators subsequently interviewed Overton a second time during which she admitted her allegation was false and had made another false allegation in the past. Overton admitted that she fabricated the allegation out of fear that her significant other would end their relationship if the significant other became aware that Overton had sex with the sailor.
Overton pleaded guilty to making a false statement or representation made to a department or agency of the United States and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison when sentenced on June 3. 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 Cliff Everton, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Miller accepted the plea. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Heck 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-004.
Man Arrested for Attempting to Blow up Vehicle at PentagonRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Arkansas man will make his initial appearance in federal court at 2 p.m. today on charges relating to his alleged attempt at blowing up a vehicle at the Pentagon yesterday.
According to court documents, Matthew Dmitri Richardson, 19, of Fayetteville, was discovered in the Pentagon North Parking lot yesterday morning by a Pentagon Police Officer on patrol. The officer allegedly observed Richardson standing next to a vehicle striking a cigarette lighter to a piece of fabric that was inserted into the vehicle’s gas tank.
After the officer approached Richardson, the defendant allegedly told the officer he was going to “blow this vehicle up” and “himself”. When the officer attempted to detain Richardson, Richardson pulled away and ran across the parking lot towards Virginia State Route 110 and onto Virginia State Route 27. A subsequent review of surveillance camera footage showed that Richardson jumped over a fence into Arlington National Cemetery. Richardson was later found by the Pentagon Force Protection Agency Police Emergency Response Team near Arlington House.
According to court documents, after a search of Richardson, officers allegedly discovered a cigarette lighter, gloves, and court documents related to Richardson’s arrest on or about February 22 for two counts of felony assault on a law enforcement officer in Arlington County.
According to court documents, the owner of the vehicle is an active duty servicemember and does not know Richardson.
Richardson is charged with maliciously attempting to damage and destroy by means of fire, a vehicle used in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Woodrow G. Kusse, Chief of Pentagon Police, made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Embroski and Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc J. Birnbaum 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-mj-86.
Woman Arrested for Assaulting a Federal Air MarshalRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A North Carolina woman made her initial appearance in federal court today on charges of allegedly assaulting a Federal Air Marshal.
According to allegations detailed in the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, on February 22, Dana Ghazi Mustafa, 27, assaulted a Federal Air Marshal on board United Airlines flight 933 that departed from Frankfurt, Germany, and landed at Dulles International Airport.
According to court documents, at some point during the flight, flight attendants were alerted to the activation of a flight lavatory smoke detector, encountered Mustafa in the lavatory and directed her to not smoke aboard the aircraft and return to her seat. After flight attendants observed Mustafa crying and visibly upset, Mustafa stated that she was flying home to see her family, but they had died in a car accident caused by a drunk driver.
After being relocated a second time, a Federal Air Marshal observed Mustafa leave her seat and walk to the rear of the plan while striking the flint of a lighter. As a flight attendant attempted to stop Mustafa from entering the lavatory, Mustafa pushed the flight attendant and tried to close the lavatory. At that time, two Federal Air Marshals interceded. Mustafa allegedly refused to comply and was combative, including resisting being handcuffed, yelling, and kicking at the Federal Air Marshals.
After being handcuffed and relocated next to a Federal Air Marshal, Mustafa stated that, “I’m going to stab everyone on this plane. Then kill myself. I’m Palestinian! That’s how we get down.”
Upon landing at Dulles International Airport, an FBI agent interviewed Mustafa about the incident, including her statement regarding her family being killed by a drunk driver. Mustafa allegedly admitted the story was a lie.
Mustafa is charged with assaulting a federal officer and faces a maximum penalty of eight years in prison, if convicted. 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.
Mustafa is scheduled for a preliminary hearing tomorrow at 2 p.m. at the federal courthouse in Alexandra.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Larissa Knapp, Special Agent in Charge, Counterterrorism Division, FBI Washington Field Office, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Blanchard is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:20-mj-82.
Pain Doctor Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Prescribing OpiatesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Henrico man was sentenced today to 57 months in prison for unlawfully prescribing Oxycodone and Tramadol to patients at a Richmond-area pain management practice.
According to court documents, Dr. Zeljko Stjepanovic, 59, worked in a pain management practice, initially in Fredericksburg and later in Henrico County. Stjepanovic admitted that between 2014 and 2018 he wrote prescriptions for several patients without assessing the individual needs of those patients, and that his prescribing practices were outside the usual course of his professional practice and were without any legitimate medical purpose.
Authorities opened an investigation of Stjepanovic following numerous complaints from area pharmacies about his prescribing practices. As part of that investigation, two undercover officers, Patient 1 and Patient 2, made a total of four visits to Stjepanovic.
On at least two of those occasions, Stjepanovic prescribed Tramadol for Patient 1, but put the prescription in the name of Patient 2. Before the first instance, Stjepanovic notified both Patient 1 and Patient 2 that he knew what he was doing was illegal, but he proposed doing it nonetheless. On one of these occasions, Patient 1 was not even present when Stjepanovic wrote the Tramadol prescription. At no point did Stjepanovic or anyone working on his behalf ever obtain a medical history for Patient 1, conduct any physical examination or range of motion test for the patient, discuss causes of pain or what might alleviate it, consider any non-medicine based alternative treatments, or obtain or analyze any urine samples. Stjepanovic maintained no records for his treatment of Patient 1 on these two occasions.
On both of the occasions when Stjepanovic wrote a prescription for Patient 1 in the name of Patient 2, Stjepanovic also wrote a prescription for Oxycodone for Patient 2. As was the case with Patient 1, at no point did Stjepanovic or anyone working on his behalf ever obtain a medical history for Patient 2, conduct any physical examination or range of motion test for the patient, discuss causes of pain or what might alleviate it, consider any non-medicine based alternative treatments, or obtain or analyze any urine samples. Nonetheless, Stjepanovic falsely reported in his records for Patient 2 that he had done these things.
In addition, because Stjepanovic was concerned that writing prescriptions for Tramadol and Oxycodone for the same person might alert others to his scheme, he instructed Patient 2 what to tell the pharmacy if questioned about the two prescriptions.
Numerous other patients explained that their encounters with Stjepanovic were much the same as the ones he had with the undercover officers. Thus, patients stated that Stjepanovic performed either no or perfunctory examinations, changed medications because of concerns he would be caught by DEA rather than for legitimate medical reasons, steered these patients from certain pharmacies for fear he would get in trouble for his prescriptions, and made knowingly false entries in his files for the patients.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen W. Miller and Janet Jin Ah Lee prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-027.
Former DMV Program Manager Admits to Bribery ConspiracyRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A former Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) employee pleaded guilty today to his role in a seven-year bribery conspiracy involving the DMV’s Virginia Rider Training Program (VRTP).
According to court documents, Bruce A. Biondo, 63, of Mechanicsville, was the former Program Manager of the VRTP, and worked for the DMV from 1988 until 2018.
Beginning in at least 2011 and continuing to March 2018, Biondo admitted he accepted bribes from outside contractors, including a $15,000 payment from the sham sale of a motorcycle in 2011, additional cash payments totaling over $74,000 between February 2014 and February 2018, and the use of a Ford F-450 pick-up truck for personal purposes. In exchange, Biondo agreed to perform and performed official actions to benefit the preferred VRTP contractors who provided the bribes.
Biondo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud through bribery and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison when sentenced on July 14. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; David W. Archey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; Michael C. Westfall, Virginia State Inspector General; Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent; and Joseph Hill, DMV Assistant Commissioner for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance made the announcement after U.S. District Judge David J. Novak accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Maguire is prosecuting the case.
This case stems from a complaint received by Virginia DMV. The DMV’s Internal Audit Office and Law Enforcement Division conducted an investigation and found sufficient cause to refer the case to the Office of the State Inspector General and federal authorities.
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-18.
Treasurer of Multiple Political Action Committees Sentenced for Filing False Reports with the FECRead the Press Release
A Virginia political consultant who served as the treasurer of multiple Political Action Committees (PACs) was sentenced today to one year and a day in prison followed by two years of supervised release for lying to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) about approximately $32,500 in payments of Political Action Committee (PAC) money that he directed to himself and a close friend.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger of the Eastern District of Virginia, and Assistant Director in Charge Timothy R. Slater of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement.
U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady sentenced Scott B. Mackenzie, 66, today after Mackenzie’s Oct. 22, 2019 conviction. Judge O’Grady also ordered Mackenzie to pay $172,000 in restitution.
From 2011 through 2018, Mackenzie was the treasurer of approximately 52 PACs, including Conservative StrikeForce, Conservative Majority Fund, Tea Party Majority Fund and Conservative Majority SuperFund. In that role, Mackenzie was responsible for complying with campaign finance laws and regulations and filing accurate disclosure reports with the FEC that detailed the PACs’ true income and expenditures.
Person A was a resident of Winchester, Virginia, who had a personal relationship with Mackenzie and with whom Mackenzie shared a joint bank account. Between October 2011 and June 2014, Mackenzie caused approximately $32,500 in payments to Person A from bank accounts belonging to Conservative StrikeForce, Conservative Majority Fund and Conservative Majority SuperFund. Mackenzie falsely reported to the FEC that Person A received these payments for work that Person A had purportedly provided to Conservative StrikeForce and Conservative Majority Fund. In fact, as Mackenzie knew, Person A—an umbrella retailer with no experience in political fundraising—did not provide any of the purported services to these PACs. The funds were deposited into the bank account that Mackenzie shared with Person A.
In addition, Mackenzie made false statements to the FEC to conceal the unlawful use of funds raised by Conservative Majority Fund and Tea Party Majority Fund to pay at least $172,200 in legal fees that Conservative StrikeForce and affiliated companies had incurred from defending a civil lawsuit brought by a former gubernatorial candidate for Virginia.
Finally, Mackenzie admitted that he participated in a scheme to use conduits (also known as straw donors) to contribute to candidates running for federal public office. Mackenzie used conduits to make these contributions in order to evade limits that federal law placed on individual campaign contributions, as well as prohibitions against corporate contributions.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Bill Gullotta and John Taddei of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly R. Pedersen of the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case. Former PIN trial attorney Molly Gaston provided significant assistance in the case.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Man Sentenced to Prison for Straw Purchasing 35 FirearmsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Maryland man was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for straw purchasing 35 firearms, including guns that were recovered by law enforcement after being used in violent crimes in Washington, D.C. and Maryland.
“Juan Zimmerman illegally straw-purchased 35 firearms, including guns that were used in a homicide and a domestic violence shooting,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Only six of the firearms have been recovered, and the whereabouts of the remaining 29 firearms are unknown. Zimmerman’s conduct in this case is the quintessential definition of firearms trafficking, and is precisely the type of criminal conduct we are pursuing with Project Guardian-DMV. 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, Zimmerman, 26, used a fraudulently obtained Virginia identification card to purchase 35 firearms from various Federal Firearms Licensees throughout the Eastern District of Virginia between June and August 2018. After purchasing the firearms, Zimmerman transferred the firearms to others, including his cousin, who trafficked the firearms across state lines to Maryland and Washington, D.C. to other individuals. Four of the firearms Zimmerman illegally purchased have been recovered by law enforcement after being used in a number of violent crimes, including at least one homicide and one domestic violence shooting.
“This investigation demonstrates how individuals criminally abuse the process of purchasing firearms,” said Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division. “Anyone engaged in straw purchasing and trafficking firearms threatens the safety of our communities. ATF will continue to work tirelessly with our partners, both law enforcement and prosecutors, to ensure that these offenders are caught and held accountable.”
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. Attorney Nicholas U. Murphy and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Trigger 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-265.
Child Sex Offender Sentenced for Fifth Failure to Register ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Woodbridge man was sentenced today to three years in prison and 15 years of supervised release for failing to register as a sex offender after traveling across state lines.
According to court documents, Alexander Morris, aka Alexander Luna, 42, was previously convicted of engaging in felony sexual conduct with a minor in 2002 and again in 2004, requiring him to register as a sex offender in any jurisdiction where he resides. He was subsequently convicted of failing to register as a sex offender in the state of Maryland on four occasions between 2005 and 2009. In 2011, Morris disappeared from his residence in Maryland and traveled to Woodbridge, where he had been living under a different name and without registering as a sex offender until law enforcement located and arrested him in September 2019.
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 Nick Proffitt, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Virginia, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior Judge T.S. Ellis, III. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney William G. Clayman 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-308.
4Xon Gang Member Sentenced for Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond gang member was sentenced today to five years in prison for possession of a firearm as a convicted felon.
According to court documents, in August 2019, Richmond Police Department (RPD) officers observed Terrell Clarke-Conley, 22, as the passenger in a vehicle on a traffic stop at the intersection of Westwood Avenue and Chamberlayne Avenue in Richmond. The officers identified Clarke-Conley as a wanted fugitive, and after being stopped, Clarke-Conley attempted to flee when officers asked him to step out of the vehicle. Following a brief struggle, RPD officers recovered a Glock, Model 19X, 9mm caliber, semi-automatic pistol, loaded with 19 rounds in a high-capacity magazine, in Clarke-Conley’s possession. At the time of his possession of the firearm, Clarke-Conley had previously been convicted of a felony.
During the sentencing, the Court determined that Clarke-Conley was a 4Xon gang member, a gang located in the Highland Park area of Richmond. In imposing a five-level upward sentencing variance, the Court focused on several other incidents involving Clarke-Conley’s firearm possession and his involvement in the 4Xon gang.
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.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. Click here for more information about Project Guardian.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; David W. Archey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; and William C. Smith, Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-129.
Jury Convicts Man for Racketeering Conspiracy Involving MurderRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Portsmouth man today on charges of a racketeering conspiracy that included the murder of 23-year-old Delante Eley.
Rashaun Taylor, aka “Diablo”, 32, was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, discharge of a firearm resulting in death, felon in possession of a firearm, and distribution of heroin.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Taylor was a local leader of the Nine Trey Gangsters (NTG), a gang affiliated with the United Blood Nation. On March 11, 2014, after a series of incidents between Delante Eley and members of Taylor’s gang, Taylor followed Eley to his grandparents’ home, where Taylor shot and killed Eley. Two days later, Taylor and other NTG members were stopped by police while armed with a high-powered Romanian-made semi-automatic rifle. Portsmouth Police detectives executed a search warrant on Taylor’s house and recovered gang paraphernalia and his cell phone. The FBI analyzed Taylor’s phone, which had been turned off for the two hours surrounding the murder, and found that nearly two hundred calls placed between the time of the murder and the traffic stop had been deleted. A confidential informant later videotaped a gang meeting led by Taylor, and several days later Taylor was overheard by the FBI and Portsmouth Police via a wire transmitter admitting to the murder.
Taylor faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison when sentenced on May 20. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Operation Billy Club. The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Angela Greene, Chief of Portsmouth Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson accepted the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John F. Butler, Andrew C. Bosse, and Joseph E. DePadilla are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-36.
Former Head of Airline Sentenced to Prison for FraudRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Suffolk man was sentenced today to two years in prison for fraud in connection with the failure of People Express Airlines in 2014 and the filing of a false income tax return.
According to court documents, Michael Morisi, 59, was the former president of People Express Airlines, Inc. (PEX), which engaged in failed start-up operations at the Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport. Morisi led the push to get PEX operational, despite a failed track record of obtaining private investments and significant outstanding liabilities. A switch to a focus on the public commitment of funds led to PEX obtaining a $5 million loan from TowneBank that was guaranteed by the Peninsula Airport Commission (PAC). The loan was funded in June 2014. Within a month, PEX had drawn down nearly the entire loan amount. PEX operated for approximately three months before suspending service due. In the aftermath of the suspension of operations, various creditors sought repayment from PEX in 2014 and 2015.
At the same time, Morisi opened new bank accounts to receive insurance proceeds and avoid the seizure of funds. Morisi provided false representations to creditors (including the PAC, which paid over $4 million to satisfy the TowneBank loan) claiming that no funds were available. He made large purported back salary payments to himself and other executives in lieu of paying creditors. When the first bank account was made subject to a state tax lien, Morisi moved accounts again so that he could receive and divert additional insurance proceeds. He also filed false tax returns for three years omitting income and failed to file returns for two additional years.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa R. McKeel and Brain J. Samuels 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-044.
Former DIA Employee Pleads Guilty to Leaking Classified National Defense Information to JournalistsRead the Press Release
An employee of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) pleaded guilty today to charges related to his disclosure of classified national defense information (NDI) to two journalists in 2018 and 2019.
“Frese violated the trust placed in him by the American people when he disclosed sensitive national security information for personal gain,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “He alerted our country’s adversaries to sensitive national defense information, putting the nation’s security at risk. The government takes these breaches seriously and will use all the resources at our disposal to apprehend and prosecute those who jeopardize the safety of this country and its citizens.”
“Henry Kyle Frese was entrusted with Top Secret information related to the national defense of our country,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Frese violated that trust, the oath he swore to uphold, and engaged in felonious conduct at the expense of our country. This case should serve as a clear reminder to all of those similarly entrusted with National Defense Information that unilaterally disclosing such information for personal gain, or that of others, is not selfless or heroic, it is criminal.”
“Mr. Frese violated his sworn oath to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution of the United States by using his access to the United States’ most sensitive information and steal state secrets for nothing more than personal gain,” said Robert Wells, Acting Assistant Director of the FBI's Counterintelligence Division. “The men and women of the FBI who investigated this case swore the same oath but unlike Mr. Frese, they chose to uphold it. I am proud of the work they did to hold Mr. Frese accountable for his actions.”
"By disseminating the same classified information he had pledged to protect, Henry Kyle Frese put the US and our national defense equities in danger," said Timothy R. Slater, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Washington Field Office. "The US Government and the American public depend on trusted government employees to keep such information out of the hands of our adversaries, who could use it to cause us harm. The FBI's counterintelligence mission is to protect our country's information and secrets in order to safeguard our future; and the men and women of the FBI will continue to work hard to preserve that information."
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.
Frese pleaded guilty to the willful transmission of Top Secret national defense information, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when sentenced on June 18, 2020, at 9:30 am. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Neil Hammerstrom and Danya E. Atiyeh, and Trial Attorney Jennifer Kennedy Gellie of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
Former DIA Employee Pleads Guilty to Leaking Classified Information to JournalistsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A former employee of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) pleaded guilty today to charges related to his disclosure of classified national defense information (NDI) to two journalists in 2018 and 2019.
“Henry Kyle Frese was entrusted with Top Secret information related to the national defense of our country,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Frese violated that trust, the oath he swore to uphold, and engaged in felonious conduct at the expense of our country. This case should serve as a clear reminder to all of those similarly entrusted with National Defense Information that unilaterally disclosing such information for personal gain, or that of others, is not selfless or heroic, it is criminal.”
“Frese violated the trust placed in him by the American people when he disclosed sensitive national security information for personal gain,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “He alerted our country’s adversaries to sensitive national defense information, putting the nation’s security at risk. The government takes these breaches seriously and will use all the resources at our disposal to apprehend and prosecute those who jeopardize the safety of this country and its citizens.”
“Mr. Frese violated his sworn oath to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution of the United States by using his access to the United States’ most sensitive information and steal state secrets for nothing more than personal gain,” said Robert Wells, Acting Assistant Director of the FBI's Counterintelligence Division. “The men and women of the FBI who investigated this case swore the same oath but unlike Mr. Frese, they chose to uphold it. I am proud of the work they did to hold Mr. Frese accountable for his actions.”
“By disseminating the same classified information he had pledged to protect, Henry Kyle Frese put the US and our national defense equities in danger,” said Timothy R. Slater, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Washington Field Office. “The US Government and the American public depend on trusted government employees to keep such information out of the hands of our adversaries, who could use it to cause us harm. The FBI's counterintelligence mission is to protect our country's information and secrets in order to safeguard our future; and the men and women of the FBI will continue to work hard to preserve that information.”
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.
Frese pleaded guilty to the willful transmission of Top Secret national defense information, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when sentenced on June 18, 2020, at 9:30 am. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Neil Hammerstrom and Danya E. Atiyeh, and Trial Attorney Jennifer Kennedy Gellie of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
Four Men Plead Guilty to $1 Million Card-Cracking Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Four fraudsters pleaded guilty today to their respective roles in a $1 million bank fraud conspiracy.
According to court documents, Caesar Adigwe, 32, of Charlottesville, and three Maryland men, Chea Yarl, 31, of Hyattsville, Samuel Smith, 31, of Hagerstown, and Thomas Gherense, 32, of Laurel, worked together to defraud numerous financial institutions throughout Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia. From 2013 to 2019, they engaged in numerous card-cracking schemes where they deposited counterfeit checks into bank accounts belonging to third parties and then made cash withdrawals or purchased money orders with debit cards associated with the accounts. During the conspiracy, the defendants produced at least 300 counterfeit checks and opened numerous business accounts using fake IDs. Total losses amounted to at least $1 million.
Yarl pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of bank fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft, and faces a mandatory minimum of two years in prison and a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison when sentenced on June 12. Smith, Adigwe, and Gherense pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and each face a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. Smith and Gherense are scheduled to be sentenced on June 5. Adigwe is scheduled to be sentenced on June 19. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Timothy M. Dunham, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office; Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police; and Peter R. Rendina, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Liam O'Grady accepted the pleas. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kellen S. Dwyer and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachael C. Tucker 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-046, Case No. 1:20-cr-047, Case No. 1:20-cr-048, and Case No. 1:20-cr-049.
State Department Contracting Officer Sentenced to Prison for Bribery and Procurement Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A contracting officer with the U.S. Department of State was sentenced today to 87 months of imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release after he was convicted of 13 counts of conspiracy, bribery, honest services wire fraud and making false statements.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger of the Eastern District of Virginia, Special Agent in Charge Marc Meyer of the U.S. Department of State Office of Inspector General and Assistant Director in Charge Timothy R. Slater of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement.
Zaldy N. Sabino, 60, of Fort Washington, Maryland, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady after Sabino’s conviction on Oct. 4, 2019. In addition to his term of imprisonment, Sabino was ordered to pay a $25,000 fine.
According to the evidence at trial, between November 2012 and early 2017, Sabino and the owner of a Turkish construction firm engaged in a bribery and procurement fraud scheme in which Sabino received at least $521,862.93 in cash payments from the Turkish owner while Sabino supervised multi-million dollar construction contracts awarded to the Turkish owner’s business partners and while Sabino made over a half million dollars in structured cash deposits into his personal bank accounts. Sabino concealed his unlawful relationship by, among other things, making false statements on financial disclosure forms and during his background reinvestigation.
The Department of State’s Office of Inspector General, led by Steve A. Linick, and the FBI’s Washington Field Office investigated the case. Trial Attorney Edward P. Sullivan of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Hanly of the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted 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.
Sex Offender Sentenced for Producing Images of Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A previously convicted child sex offender was sentenced today to 25 years in prison for producing images of child sexual abuse.
According to court documents, Lavelle Mayfield, 55, of Portsmouth, is a registered sex offender, having been previously convicted of several criminal sexual assaults against minors. The victim in this case, Jane Doe, 16, met Mayfield at church and developed a sexual relationship with him. At one point, Jane Doe ran away to stay with Mayfield. During that time, Mayfield produced numerous sexually explicit images and videos of Jane Doe.
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; Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Angela Greene, Chief of Portsmouth Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth M. Yusi prosecuted the case.
The Chesapeake Police Department provided significant assistance to this investigation.
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-92.
Petersburg Man Sentenced for Firearms and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Petersburg man was sentenced today to over five years in prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and distributing a mixture and substance containing fentanyl and acetylfentanyl.
According to court documents, Jacoby Williams, 34, is a previously convicted felon. In September 2018, Williams sold a confidential source a mixture and substance containing fentanyl and acetylfentanyl after the confidential source ordered heroin from Williams. Shortly thereafter, Williams sold a .357 Ruger revolver and ammunition to the confidential source. During the encounter, Williams wiped his fingerprints off of the firearm, and indicated that he had more firearms for sale.
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.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. Click here for more information about Project Guardian.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division; and 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. Attorneys Angela Mastandrea-Miller and Kenneth Simon, Jr. prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-040.
Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Trafficking “Ghost Guns” and DrugsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A North Carolina man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for trafficking methamphetamine, cocaine, and firearms without serial numbers, also known as “ghost guns”, from North Carolina to Virginia.
According to court documents, Flavio Lopez Garcia, 27, trafficked over 140 grams of methamphetamine, over 57 grams of cocaine, and seven firearms from North Carolina to Virginia. Five of the firearms were “ghost guns”, as they did not have serial numbers or other identifying markers. Two additional firearms destined for Virginia were recovered during Garcia’s arrest in North Carolina. After bringing the contraband over state lines, Garcia sold the items in a combined drug and gun trafficking scheme in exchange for profit.
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; Mark Herring, Attorney General for Virginia; and Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney/Assistant 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. 1:19-cr-319.
Alleged Nine Trey Bloods Gang Member Indicted for Drug-Related MurderRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging an alleged Bloods gang member with January 2017 murder.
According to the indictment, Dawhan Terrell Archible, 26, formerly of Newport News, and two unnamed co-conspirators, allegedly murdered Luke Patterson Dudley in January 2017, after Archible learned Dudley had cheated him during a previous drug transaction.
Archible is charged with use of a firearm resulting in death, conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, attempt to interfere with commerce by robbery, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, and distribution of cocaine. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division; and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa R. McKeel and Howard J. Zlotnick are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:20-cr-015.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Previously Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Firearm and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man pleaded guilty today to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and possessing crack cocaine with the intent to distribute.
According to court documents, Derrick Leon Williams, Jr., 22, was arrested by Richmond Police after attempting to flee from a traffic stop in August 2019. As officers secured Williams, they found two loaded semi-automatic handguns stashed in a fanny pack strapped across his chest. One of those firearms had been reported stolen from Hanover County. When officers took Williams to jail for processing, they discovered two large baggies of a white rock-like substance in Williams’ pants. Subsequent testing confirmed the substance to be 26.9 grams of crack cocaine.
Williams pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine base and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on May 8. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. Click here for more information about Project Guardian.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division; and William C. Smith, Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Elliker and Angela Mastandrea-Miller are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-171.
Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Texas man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute up to 15 kilograms of cocaine and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to court documents, between June 2014 and November 2016, Naleth Vongsengchanh, 50, of Houston, engaged in a conspiracy to traffic quantities of cocaine to Virginia for redistribution and to launder the proceeds. In the beginning of the scheme, Vongsengchanh resided in the Virginia region and sold cocaine locally before relocating to Houston.
Beginning in January 2015, Vongsengchanh began providing other individuals with kilogram quantities of cocaine to be transported from Texas to Virginia by car. Furthermore, Vongsengchanh and his spouse at the time, 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 the former couple from the Virginia region to Texas.
Vongsengchanh is a career offender with a lengthy criminal history that includes felony convictions for murder in the second degree, voluntary manslaughter, assault with a dangerous weapon, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and two convictions for manufacturing, sale, and possession of a controlled substance.
Vongsengchanh pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and conspiracy to commit money laundering, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, and a maximum term of life in prison when sentenced on April 17. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
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; Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division; Michael L. Brown, Alexandria Chief of Police; and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton accepted the plea. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Karolina Klyuchnikova 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-033.
Colombian Nationals Indicted for Transporting 1,000 Kilos of CocaineRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging two Colombian nationals for their role in transporting nearly 1,000 kilograms of cocaine aboard a semi-submersible vessel that was seized last month by the U.S. Coast Guard off the coast of Ecuador.
According to court documents, since November 2018, members of the DEA Hampton Post of Duty have been investigating maritime smuggling operations based on the Pacific coast of Colombia. Drug trafficking organizations utilize vessels such as Low-Profile Vessels (LPV), or Self-Propelled Semi-Submersibles (SPSS), to transport multi-hundred kilogram shipments of cocaine from the west coast of Colombia to awaiting transfer vessels or destinations throughout Central or South America.
According to court documents, in late December 2019, law enforcement learned of an LPV that was scheduled to transport nearly 1,000 kilograms of cocaine from Colombia to Mexico. Members of the investigative team coordinated with various United States maritime patrol assets and, on January 9, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter Vigilant detected an LPV with no indicia of nationality or vessel name 68 miles west from Esmeraldas, Ecuador in international waters.
After gaining positive control of the LPV, a USCG boarding team allegedly encountered Luis Miguel Gonzalez Cortes, 27, and Reinel Galvis Sanchez, 42, along with multiple other individuals, and subsequently seized approximately 50 bales containing approximately 990 kilograms of cocaine. All four mariners found aboard the LPV were detained, with Cortes and Sanchez being transferred to the Eastern District of Virginia for prosecution and the two Ecuadorian mariners being repatriated to Ecuador.
This seizure is part of Operation FUHZ, a DEA Hampton led investigation into maritime smuggling operations based on the Pacific coast of Colombia. The operation targets various drug trafficking organizations that utilize vessels such as LPVs or SPSSs to transport multi-hundred kilogram shipments of cocaine from the west coast of Colombia, to destinations throughout Central or South America, as well as to awaiting transfer vessels for ultimate distribution in the United States. To date, Operation FUHZ has generated intelligence leading to multiple at sea interdictions resulting in the seizure of over 5,300 kilograms of cocaine. Operation FUHZ is coordinated in close cooperation with the DEA Bogota Country Office Group 1, the Colombian National Police DIRAN Sensitive Investigation Unit, the Hampton Police Division, Homeland Security Investigations, the Newport News Police Department, the Virginia State Police, the York County Sheriff’s Office, and the Newport News Sheriff’s Office.
Both men are charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine on board a vessel. If convicted, each man faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years, and a maximum penalty of life in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; 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.; Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police; Terry L. Sult, Chief of Hampton Police Division; Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent; Danny Diggs, York County Sheriff; Gabe Morgan Sr., Newport News Sheriff, made the announcement after the indictment was returned. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric M. Hurt is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:20-cr-4.
Heroin Dealer Sentenced to Prison for Fatal Drug OverdosesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Sterling man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute more than a kilogram of heroin that led to at least two fatal overdoses and one non-fatal overdose.
According to court documents, Nedrick Lamont Johnson, 42, led a heroin conspiracy that distributed narcotics in Loudoun and Fairfax counties. Johnson and five co-conspirators obtained heroin from sources in Baltimore and the District of Columbia. Johnson personally repackaged the narcotics for street-level sales and arranged transactions with users. Then, he directed his co-conspirators to deliver the heroin, collect the payments, and return the earnings to him. In other instances, Johnson’s co-conspirators arranged their own drugs sales using heroin that he had supplied.
In March 2018, Johnson personally distributed $400 of heroin to a buyer, referred to as L.R., at her home in Herndon. During this transaction, Johnson observed that L.R. was highly-impaired, but nonetheless sold her the drugs. L.R. was found dead in her home two days later. She had died of mixed drug intoxication.
In January 2019, Johnson distributed fentanyl to one of his co-conspirators to sell to a customer. The customer ingested these drugs, overdosed, and then drove their car into a parked vehicle in Sterling. Loudoun County deputies revived this customer through CPR and administration of Narcan.
In February 2019, Johnson distributed fentanyl to one of his co-conspirators to sell to a user. That customer, referred to as K.P., ingested the narcotics along with other drugs that he had obtained from a second source. K.P. died shortly thereafter of mixed drug intoxication.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division; and Michael L. Chapman, Loudoun County Sheriff, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc J. Birnbaum 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-137.
Two Men Plead Guilty to Heroin, Fentanyl, and Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Two Hampton men pleaded guilty today to their respective roles in a multi-kilogram drug trafficking conspiracy that operated in the peninsula area of the Hampton Roads.
According to court documents, Marcid Byrd, 35, was a cocaine source of supply to Damarcus Mackie, 44. Once Byrd was unable to obtain more cocaine from his source, he would make arrangements with Mackie to obtain cocaine from him. Byrd sold both a few ounces of cocaine at a time and multi-kilogram quantities. In addition to cocaine and cocaine base, Mackie also trafficked in a mixture of heroin and fentanyl. Mackie used one co-conspirator’s home in York County to manufacture heroin/fentanyl pills for distribution. These pills were pressed to look like commonly marketed opioid pills, such as Oxycodone.
Mackie pleaded guilty to operating a continuing criminal enterprise and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison when sentenced on June 19. Byrd pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, two counts of distribution of cocaine, three counts of using a communication facility in furtherance of drug trafficking, and promotion money laundering. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life plus 92 years in prison when sentenced on May 7. 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 Cookout. The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division; Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police; Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police; and Terry L. Sult, Chief of Hampton Police Division, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Lawrence R. Leonard accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter G. Osyf and Kevin P. Hudson, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy E. Cross, and Trial Attorney Anthony Aminoff of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS) 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-047.
Men Plead Guilty to Employment Fraud Scheme, Defrauding GoodwillRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two Alexandria men pleaded guilty today and agreed to forfeit approximately $3.9 million for unlawfully employing unauthorized immigrants over several years and defrauding Goodwill of Greater Washington.
According to court documents, Alaa Nimr Garada, 57, and Rafik Moheyeldin, 65, operated a business known as WTC2, Inc. This business specialized in purchasing and reselling used goods, including clothing and shoes. WTC2 contracted with charities, including Goodwill of Greater Washington, which operated clothing donation centers. In particular, WTC2 contracted with several charities to set up donation bins with the charities’ logos, and WTC2 was then permitted to keep the goods collected in those bins. WTC2 primarily collected used clothing and then resold the clothing in bulk lots to customers along the United States-Mexico border and also exported items to customers in Africa, Asia, and South America.
From 2012 until 2016, the WTC2 workforce was composed primarily of unauthorized immigrants for whom no payroll taxes were remitted, and no employment benefits, such as unemployment and/or worker’s compensation insurance, were available or paid to any eligible beneficiary. WTC2’s practice of relying on the labor of unauthorized immigrants provided WTC2 with a significant competitive advantage and resulted in substantial financial gains for Garada and Moheyeldin. Over the years, WTC2 turned a substantial profit and increased the size of its workforce. In 2014, WTC2 employed approximately 50 unauthorized workers and had a gross income of approximately $8 million per year.
The two men also violated various labor laws, such as unauthorized immigrants were not properly compensated for the overtime hours they worked, and the defendants had not procured adequate workers’ compensation insurance. When a forklift ran over an employee’s foot, the employee received no benefits from the defendants’ company or an insurance company.
Garada also falsified tax returns in an effort to hide the fact that WTC2 largely employed unauthorized workers. Despite the fact that WTC2 employed approximately 50 unauthorized immigrants from 2013 to 2016, Garada falsely stated in multiple tax returns that WTC2 employed only one employee.
In addition to employing unauthorized immigrants, the two men also defrauded Goodwill of Greater Washington, with whom the business had a contractual relationship of property. The two men instructed WTC2 employees to retrieve Goodwill donation bins. WTC2 then took possession of the donated items in the bins, though under the contract, WTC2 was not entitled to keep all the donated goods if Goodwill retail stores needed some portion of them. The two men then instructed WTC2 employees to remove Goodwill’s logo and replace it with a logo belonging to a charity supporting military families. WTC2 used this military charity’s logo without permission. The two men then instructed WTC2 employees to place these bins at various locations in the Eastern District of Virginia.
As part of the plea, the two men have agreed to forfeit approximately $3.9 million, which represents illegal proceeds they collected from their scheme.
Garada and Moheyeldin each pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful employment of unauthorized immigrants and one count of wire fraud. Garada also pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return. The two men face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on June 26. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Richard Delmar, Deputy Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Treasury; Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; Derek Pickle, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Washington, D.C. Regional Office, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); Edwin Guard, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; and Ron Rosenberg, Washington District Director for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the pleas. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carina A. Cuellar and Karen L. Taylor 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 Nos. 1:20-cr-027 and 1:20-cr-028.
Man Sentenced for Medicaid Fraud Scheme Related to Child AbuseRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Hampton man was sentenced today to over four years in prison for defrauding Medicaid out of approximately $109,000.
According to court documents, Maurice Moody, 41, and Dena Major, 49, conspired to defraud the Virginia Medicaid program out of approximately $109,000 by submitting fraudulent claims to Medicaid for their severely disabled son’s care, which he was eligible to receive. Major was the child’s primary caregiver and under Medicaid rules, she was also in charge of hiring a personal care aide to help in his care. Despite knowing that Medicaid does not permit the hiring of a parent to be a personal care aide, Major hired Moody to be their child’s personal care aide and falsely stated that Moody was the child’s uncle.
Moody also submitted claims for personal care hours provided to his son when Moody was incarcerated, and when he was out of the area traveling. In September 2015, the child was removed from Major’s custody on allegations of abuse and neglect. Nonetheless, Moody and Major continued to bill Medicaid for his care from September 2015 to April 2016. When challenged, the pair attempted to use another minor and pass him off as their child with the Medicaid service facilitator.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph L. Kosky prosecuted the case. The Virginia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit assisted in the investigation.
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-033.
Leader of Family-Run Heroin-Trafficking Ring SentencedRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to 22 years in prison for conspiring to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin; and for distributing heroin, fentanyl, and Acetyl fentanyl.
“Malcolm Jones turned armed drug trafficking into a family business, relying on his brother, sons, and others to help run multiple drug properties from which they injected deadly substances such as heroin, fentanyl, and crack cocaine into the Hampton Roads community,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Thanks to the coordinated work of federal, state, and local law enforcement, Operation High Tide has been a success in apprehending individuals who have deprived our neighborhoods of peace and security through the dangerous combination of drugs and guns. Neutralizing individuals, like Jones, who have committed serious offenses and endangered our communities has been and remains the goal of this highly coordinated and targeted law enforcement operation.”
According to court documents, Malcolm Dominique Jones, 45, was the leader and patriarch of a family-run heroin-trafficking operation in Portsmouth. The Jones operation ran at least three drug properties. One of these properties was the “Court,” a residence serving as the distribution point for Jones’s drugs such as heroin, fentanyl, Acetyl fentanyl, crack, and powder cocaine. Between 2017 and 2019, the “Court” served 50 to 100 customers a day. During that time, Jones arranged for his brother and three sons to live at the “Court.” He had them manage drug-trafficking efforts and stockpile firearms to protect their drug trade, until authorities shut down the operation in September 2019. Jones also admitted to knowingly marketing fentanyl and Acetyl fentanyl-laced products as heroin.
“Drug dealing alone brings danger into communities, but adding firearms into the mix as a means to enforce and expand territory makes it exponentially more dangerous, even lethal,” said Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division. “ATF’s priority is reducing violent crime and this investigation focused on the most violent offenders in the Chesapeake, Norfolk, and Portsmouth communities. We are committed to our law enforcement partnerships and fulfilling the mission of Project Guardian to help keep our cities safe.”
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.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. Click here for more information about Project Guardian.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division; and Col. K.L. Wright, Chief of Chesapeake Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorney William B. Jackson and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin G. Bird prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-155.
Leader of Norfolk-Based Heroin Trafficking Group SentencedRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to over 21 years in prison for his role in a large-scale heroin trafficking conspiracy.
“Kyam Washington led a conspiracy that moved hundreds of thousands of dollars of heroin into Hampton Roads,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Heroin is a deadly poison, and its abuse starts a cascade of harm that permeates a user’s life and can have a devastating effect on everyone they come in contact with—their children, parents, friends, and the community as a whole. Washington played a significant role in pumping a massive amount of heroin into Hampton Roads, and the sentence delivered today is just punishment for his serious crimes.”
According to court documents, Washington, 46, was a lead drug dealer in a heroin ring that operated primarily from the Ocean View area of Norfolk that imported and sold multiple kilograms of heroin across Hampton Roads. The group imported bulk amounts of heroin from out-of-state sources and at times used a common cell phone number that addicts called to order heroin, which was then delivered by one of the conspirators.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), Operation View Crew. 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; Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Larry D. Boone, Chief of Norfolk Police; and James A. Cervera, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew C. Bosse, Joseph E. DePadilla, and John F. Butler 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-006.
Victim Advisory – Aleksei Burkov Case UpdatesRead the Press Release
CASE NAME: United States v. Aleksei Burkov, Criminal Case No. 1:15-cr-245
COURT: U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Alexandria Division
CASE SUMMARY: On January 23, Aleksei Burkov pleaded guilty to access device fraud and conspiracy to commit computer intrusion, identity theft, wire and access device fraud, and money laundering. He faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison when sentenced on May 8.
According to court documents, Burkov operated a website called “Cardplanet” that sold payment card numbers (e.g., debit and credit cards) that had been stolen primarily through computer intrusions. Many of the cards 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 on United States credit cards. Additionally, Burkov 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.
CASE STATUS: Burkov is scheduled to be sentenced on May 8.
VICTIM RESPONSE: To ensure that members of the public, including potential victims of Burkov’s fraud, are informed of developments in this ongoing case, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has established a page on its website, available at the following link: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edva/united-states-v-aleksei-burkov.
The website currently includes a copy of the superseding indictment, plea agreement, and statement of facts filed in this case. Victims with questions can call 1-844-527-5299 and reference the above case name and docket number. Victim impact statements can be emailed to EDVA Victim Witness, or mailed to:
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Attn: Victim Witness
2100 Jamieson Avenue
Alexandria, VA 22314
Armed Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to 20 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for distributing fentanyl, and for carrying and possessing a firearm during multiple drug-trafficking crimes.
According to court documents, in January 2019, Jermaine Curtis Parker, 36, a five-time felon, sold pure fentanyl to an undercover police officer six times, although Parker marketed the drugs as heroin. During at least three of those deals, he was armed with a 9mm handgun.
After the sixth purchase, ATF agents and police officers executed search warrants on three of Parker’s properties and recovered an AR pistol, an AR-type rifle, and other handguns. Distribution amounts of marijuana, cutting agents, and drug-packaging materials for heroin were also found at these residences. One of the handguns had been reported stolen during a vehicle theft in Norfolk. Parker was arrested outside one of these properties after engaging in a standoff with the police during which he refused to leave the residence. He later admitted to using the delay to hide one of his guns in the HVAC system.
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.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. Click here for more information about Project Guardian.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division; and Col. K.L. Wright, Chief of Chesapeake Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar. Assistant U.S. Attorney William B. Jackson prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-141.