Eastern District of Virginia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Felon Sentenced for Straw-Purchase Scheme and Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to 57 months in prison for firearm and witness tampering crimes.
“Deaton is a convicted felon who exploited his relationship with his girlfriend to straw-purchase multiple firearms and ammunition,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “We are doubling down on our efforts across the District to prosecute any and all straw purchasing cases. We cannot allow prohibited individuals to purchase, possess, or traffic firearms. To all those being asked to purchase a firearm for someone else, do not lie for the other guy – It is a felony.”
According to court documents, Christopher Allen Deaton, 22, a previously convicted felon, was part of a straw-purchasing and gun-trafficking scheme in which he had his girlfriend purchase five handguns for him, so he could resell them at a profit to out-of-state buyers. He drove with his girlfriend to the gun store, told her which guns and ammo to buy, and directed her to commit multiple felonies by lying about being the actual buyer of the guns on a federal form regulating gun transactions. He then took possession of the handguns.
“Gun traffickers do not simply commit paperwork violations when illegally purchasing, selling and transporting firearms,” said Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division. “These criminals put guns into the hands of serious criminals who pose a significant threat to the safety of our communities. ATF will therefore continue working with our law enforcement partners to combat this illegal practice.”
While in jail on unrelated crimes, Deaton used the jail phone to convince his girlfriend not to cooperate with federal agents or testify in the proceedings against him. He started witness-tampering hours after ATF agents met him at a jail visit to discuss his knowledge about the criminal scheme.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith. Assistant U.S. Attorney William B. Jackson prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-37.
Man Pleads Guilty to Straw Purchasing Five FirearmsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Maryland man pleaded guilty today to aiding and abetting the straw purchase of multiple firearms.
According to court documents, between July and September 2018, Lawrence Paul Chambers, 21, of Silver Spring, aided and abetted the straw purchase of five firearms from federal firearm licensees in the Eastern District of Virginia by providing a woman he was dating money and counsel to illegally purchase firearms on his behalf. Police in Washington, D.C. recovered one of the illegally purchased firearms from a co-conspirator, 11 days after it was straw purchased.
Chambers pleaded guilty to making false statements with respect to the purchase of firearms and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison when sentenced on Jan. 24, 2020. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas U. Murphy II and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Annie Zanobini are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:19-cr-285.
Two Men Sentenced to Prison for Firearms ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two Washington, D.C. area men were sentenced to nearly four years in prison combined for their roles in a firearm trafficking conspiracy.
“Giles and Pearce went to extraordinary lengths to illegally traffic dozens of firearms from Virginia to Maryland and Washington, D.C.,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “EDVA has made a commitment to do all we can to attack straw purchasing and firearms trafficking across the Commonwealth and in the National Capital Region. This case is proof positive of the resources we have dedicated and will continue to surge to fight this dangerous conduct.”
According to court documents, Darius Antonio Giles, 22, and his half-brother Daryl Antonio Pearce, 22, conspired together to travel from Maryland and Washington, D.C.—where they resided—to Virginia to acquire firearms with the intent to engage in the business of dealing firearms. During the course of this conspiracy, Pearce and Giles purchased well over 33 firearms within the Eastern District of Virginia and elsewhere. After they purchased these firearms, they transported them from Virginia to Maryland and Washington, D.C., where Pearce and Giles resold the firearms to various individuals for profit. Seventeen of the firearms have been recovered by law enforcement in Washington, D.C. and Maryland, including from a convicted felon. Giles was arrested in February following a controlled firearm buy with undercover ATF agents.
“Those who buy guns to sell them illegally in Washington, D.C. and elsewhere, as Giles and Pearce did here, are not simply committing paperwork violations. These criminals are providing an iron pipeline of potentially lethal weapons to individuals who are prohibited under the law from possessing firearms,” said Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division. “We will therefore continue to vigorously pursue and arrest anyone involved in the illegal trafficking of firearms to protect our communities.”
Giles was sentenced to more than two and half years in prison, and Pearce was sentenced to more than a year in prison.
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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel H. Feil and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas U. Murphy II 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-139.
MS-13 Gang Member and Associate Sentenced for Violent AssaultRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two Falls Church men were sentenced today to a combined six years in prison for their roles and participation in a violent gang-related assault of a victim with multiple bats.
“Barrera and Melendez both participated in a violent assault whose reasons were as senseless as the brutality of the crime itself,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “MS-13 follows a warped code of violence to enforce the gang’s rules, and seeks to instill fear in those who would dare cross them. The involvement of Barrera and Melendez demonstrate their contempt for the law and their total disregard for the safety of the people who make up this community. I want to thank our investigative partners for their terrific work on this case, working to bring these violent criminals to justice. Hopefully, this lengthy sentence will achieve some measure of justice for the victim and his family, who have suffered the awful consequences of MS-13’s violent ideology and practice.”
According to court documents, in October 2018, Kevin Barrera Barrera, 20, a paro to the Silvas clique of MS-13, and Denis Oklides Martinez Melendez, 20, a member of the Chilangueras clique of MS-13, conspired with several other members and associates of MS-13 to lure the victim to James Lee Park, in Falls Church, so that they could assault the victim. Barrera, Melendez, and other members and associates of MS-13 believed the victim was cooperating with law enforcement, falsely representing himself as a member of MS-13, and disparaging the Silvas clique of MS-13. After luring the victim to the park under false pretenses, Barrera, Melendez, and approximately 10 other members and associates of MS-13 beat the victim with bats, fists, and feet for approximately three minutes. As a result of the beating, the victim suffered multiple broken limbs and was hospitalized for several days.
“Today’s sentencing demonstrates that the FBI and the Department of Justice will work to ensure that our message is clear: We will not tolerate this brutal and pointless violence in our community,” said Timothy M. Dunham, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division. “The FBI, alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively disrupt gang activity to prevent other acts of violence at the hands of MS-13.”
Martinez Melendez was sentenced to more than three years in prison, and Barrera was sentenced to three years in prison.
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 sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas U. Murphy II and Cristina Stam prosecuted the case.
This matter was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Safe Streets/HIDTA Task Force which is composed of FBI Agents, Agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, along with task force officers from the Fairfax County Police, the Prince William County Police, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Department, the Fauquier County Sheriff’s Department, the Leesburg Police Department, the Alexandria City Police Department, the Vienna Police Department, the Fairfax City Police Department, and the Herndon Police Department. The task force further coordinates its efforts with ATF, USMS and DEA, FBI-Baltimore, along with law enforcement officers from Prince George’s County and Montgomery County, Maryland The task forces is charged with identifying, disrupting and dismantling the most egregious gangs operating in the Capital Region which includes MS-13, a transnational violent gang.
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-129.
Attorney General Appoints Nine New U.S. Attorneys to Advisory CommitteeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Attorney General William P. Barr today announced the appointment of the following nine U.S. Attorneys to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC):
Zach Terwilliger, Eastern District of Virginia; David Anderson, Northern District of California; Scott Brady, Western District of Pennsylvania; Maria Chapa Lopez, Middle District of Florida; Halsey Frank, District of Maine; Erica MacDonald, District of Minnesota; Christina Nolan, District of Vermont; Tom Kirsch, Northern District of Indiana; and Nicholas Trutanich, District of Nevada.
“I am pleased to appoint these nine outstanding U.S. Attorneys to this key advisory committee. I am confident that they will serve with distinction,” said Attorney General Barr. “The U.S. Attorneys who comprise the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee play a critical role in carrying out the Department of Justice’s important work, including its efforts to reduce violent crime, combat the opioid crisis, protect the most vulnerable, and enforce the rule of law.”
The Attorney General also thanked the following U.S. Attorneys who have completed their terms and are rotating off the committee: Louis Franklin, Middle District of Alabama; Robert Higdon, Eastern District of North Carolina; John Huber, District of Utah; Rob Hur, District of Maryland; Jeff Jensen, Eastern District of Missouri; Andrew Lelling, District of Massachusetts; Joshua Minkler, Southern District of Indiana; Richard Moore, Southern District of Alabama; Bryan Schroder, District of Alaska; and David Weiss, District of Delaware.
Chaired by U.S Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jessie K. Liu, the AGAC represents the voice of the U.S. Attorneys and provides advice and counsel to the Attorney General on policy, management, and operational issues impacting U.S. Attorneys’ Offices.
Attorney General Barr also announced that U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox, a current member, will replace U.S. Attorney John Huber as the Vice Chair of the AGAC.
The bios of all U.S. Attorneys are available here.
Man Sentenced for Heroin TraffickingRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Fredericksburg man was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for distributing heroin and fentanyl over a 14-month period.
According to court documents, Aaron J. Talley, 34, conspired with several others to distribute heroin in the Fredericksburg area from January 2018 until March 2019. Federal agents from the FBI, in partnership with the Fredericksburg Police Department, conducted an undercover investigation into Talley’s heroin distribution ring. During 2018, law enforcement working in an undercover capacity set up multiple purchases of heroin from Talley and his associates. In all, the task force conducted 20 undercover buys of heroin, many samples of which, although relatively small in weight, also contained fentanyl.
For sentencing purposes, Talley admitted to distributing between 80–100 grams of heroin as part of the conspiracy. Moreover, for purposes of the federal sentencing guidelines, Talley was determined to be a career offender and a leader or organizer of the conspiracy. As such, the advisory guideline range was substantially increased.
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 David W. Nye, Chief of Fredericksburg Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter S. Duffey 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-66.
Man Pleads Guilty to Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man pleaded guilty today to charges of mail fraud and acting as an unregistered commodity pool operator, both stemming from his execution of an investment fraud scheme he operated for nearly a decade.
According to court documents, Leonard J. Cipolla, 71, was the founder, owner, and operator of Tate Street Trading, Inc. in Richmond. Between 2009 and 2019, Cipolla solicited more than $7 million in investment funds from more than 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 pleaded guilty to charges of mail fraud and unregistered commodity pool operator and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on Jan. 28, 2020. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, David W. Archey, Special Agent In Charge of the Richmond Field Office, and Peter R. Rendina, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr. accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Martin and Thomas Garnett are prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Virginia State Corporation Commission Division of Securities provided significant assistance during 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. 3:19-cr-126.
Six Cuban Nationals Indicted for Gas Pump Skimming SchemeRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging six southern Florida men for their respective roles in a bank fraud and aggravated identity theft conspiracy.
According to the indictment, the defendants, all of whom are Cuban nationals, placed skimming devices on gas pumps located in the Eastern District of Virginia. The skimming devices were capable of recording the credit and debit card numbers, along with their PINs, of the customers that used their cards at the gas pumps. In April and May 2018, using the stolen card information, the defendants traveled between Harris Teeter store locations, among other destinations, to withdraw money from the victims’ bank accounts and purchase prepaid debit cards.
Below is a table which lists the name, age, hometown of each defendant. They have all been charged with bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Name, Age
Hometown
Pedro Emilio Duran, 40
Miami, Florida
Yariel Monsibaez Ruiz, 28
Hialeah, Florida
Ariel Mora Quijada, 25
Miami, Florida
Guillermo Bello Fuentes, 33
Miami, Florida
Jorge Bello Fuentes, 30
Homestead, Florida
Luis Miguel Fernandez Cardente, 28
Coral Gables, Florida
If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth M. Yusi is prosecuting the case.
The Northampton County Sheriff’s Office has provided significant and ongoing assistance with 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-109.
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.
Man Sentenced to Prison for Scheme to Defraud Elderly Man of $157,000Read the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to six years in prison for exploiting an elderly man’s diminished mental capacity to defraud him of nearly $157,000.
According to court documents, John Michael Gatchell, 55, 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 monies that he fraudulently diverted to himself to purchase concert series tickets, pay delinquent bills, and make a security deposit for a house he leased, among other things.
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 Peter R. Rendina, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan M. Salsbury prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-49.
Man Indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a Richmond man with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to the indictment, in May 2017, Travis Aaron Ball aka “Wiz,” 30, possessed a .25 caliber firearm after previously being convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.
Ball is charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, made the announcement. 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.
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.
Man Indicted for Armed Robbery of Credit UnionRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment yesterday charging a Richmond man with the armed robbery of Call Federal Credit Union in Midlothian.
According to the indictment, Okello Chatrie, 24, entered the Call Federal Credit Union in Midlothian, in May, demanding money at gunpoint. Chatrie robbed the Credit Union of nearly $200,000.
Chatrie is charged with forced accompaniment and brandishing a firearm during the armed robbery. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison for the forced accompaniment and a mandatory minimum of seven years in prison for brandishing a firearm during the robbery. The maximum penalty is life imprisonment. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and David W. Archey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth Simon and Peter S. Duffey are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. 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-130.
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.
United States Files Civil Lawsuit Against Edward SnowdenRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The United States today filed a lawsuit against Edward Snowden, a former employee of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and contractor for the National Security Agency (NSA), who published a book entitled Permanent Record in violation of the non-disclosure agreements he signed with both CIA and NSA.
The lawsuit alleges that Snowden published his book without submitting it to the agencies for pre-publication review, in violation of his express obligations under the agreements he signed. Additionally, the lawsuit alleges that Snowden has given public speeches on intelligence-related matters, also in violation of his non-disclosure agreements.
The United States’ lawsuit does not seek to stop or restrict the publication or distribution of Permanent Record. Rather, under well-established Supreme Court precedent, Snepp v. United States, the government seeks to recover all proceeds earned by Snowden because of his failure to submit his publication for pre-publication review in violation of his alleged contractual and fiduciary obligations.
The lawsuit also names as nominal defendants the corporate entities involved in publishing Snowden’s book. The United States is suing the publisher solely to ensure that no funds are transferred to Snowden, or at his direction, while the court resolves the United States’ claims. Snowden is currently living outside of the United States.
“Intelligence information should protect our nation, not provide personal profit,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This lawsuit will ensure that Edward Snowden receives no monetary benefits from breaching the trust placed in him.”
“Edward Snowden has violated an obligation he undertook to the United States when he signed agreements as part of his employment by the CIA and as an NSA contractor,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “The United States’ ability to protect sensitive national security information depends on employees’ and contractors’ compliance with their non-disclosure agreements, including their pre-publication review obligations. This lawsuit demonstrates that the Department of Justice does not tolerate these breaches of the public’s trust. We will not permit individuals to enrich themselves, at the expense of the United States, without complying with their pre-publication review obligations.”
This lawsuit is separate from the criminal charges brought against Snowden for his alleged disclosures of classified information. This lawsuit is a civil action, and based solely on Snowden’s failure to comply with the clear pre-publication review obligations included in his signed non-disclosure agreements.
This matter is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Department of Justice’s Civil Division.
The claims asserted by the United States are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Political Consultant Pleads Guilty to Fraud Scheme Involving Scam PACsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Maryland political consultant pleaded guilty today to wire fraud as a result of his fraudulent scheme to solicit millions of dollars in political contributions through several scam-PACs that he founded and advertised as supporting candidates for office and other political causes.
“Rogers preyed upon his victims political beliefs with the intent of enriching his companies, his business partners, and himself,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Individuals like Rogers, who engage in sophisticated fraud schemes will be held accountable for their actions. We have a long history of investigating and prosecuting fraud cases here in the Eastern District, and we remain committed to working closely with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who choose to engage in fraud activity are held accountable and brought to justice.”
According to court documents, from August 2012 through 2018, Kelley Rogers, 55, of Annapolis, operated multiple PACs, including Conservative StrikeForce (CSF), Conservative Majority Fund, and Tea Party Majority Fund. In that role, Rogers engaged vendors to send e-mail solicitations and make telemarketing phone calls to prospective donors seeking political contributions to his PACs. Rogers approved the text and other content of all solicitations, and determined how CSF spent the contributions individual donors gave in response to the solicitations.
“Rogers defrauded countless citizens across the country who sought to participate in the political process, and instead used the money to benefit himself and to perpetuate his fraudulent scheme,” said Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s guilty plea shows that the Department of Justice is committed to investigating and prosecuting those who undermine the integrity of our democratic institutions, including those who commit fraud to line their own pockets along the way.”
During the course of his scheme, Rogers solicited contributions from the general public for his PACs based on materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises. For example, in or around 2013, Rogers, working with an email vendor, represented through CSF that money contributed by donors would be used to support the campaigns of a candidate for Governor and a candidate for Attorney General of Virginia through, among other things, get-out-the-vote efforts and the hiring of attorneys to ensure the integrity of the elections. In or around 2014, Rogers represented that donations to the PAC would be spent on assistance and support for military veterans. In truth and in fact, Rogers never intended to spend, and never actually spent, any of the money raised by Rogers’ PACs on get-out-the-vote efforts or lawyers to protect the integrity of the 2013 Virginia and Attorney General elections, or on assistance and support for military veterans. Instead, Rogers spent nearly all of the money raised from donors to benefit himself, his associates, and his PACs, including by pouring the majority of donor money into the solicitation of more donations.
“Rogers swindled millions of dollars from individuals attempting to participate in our democratic process,” said Assistant Director in Charge Timothy R. Slater of the FBI’s Washington Field Office. “Instead of using donations to provide assistance and support to military veterans, as he advertised, Rogers used the money to benefit himself and his associates. I commend the dedication and hard work of our FBI agents and analysts who investigated this egregious fraud against innocent U.S. citizens.”
In addition to the misrepresentations that Rogers made to donors, Rogers and others fraudulently billed his PACs for services that were not performed, thereby misappropriating donor money that had been contributed to the PACs by individuals across the country. Rogers and his associates also made false statements to the Federal Election Commission about how they were spending PAC money.
Finally, Rogers admitted that he and several others also participated in a scheme to use conduits (“straw donors”) to make contributions to a candidate running to represent a district in the U.S. House of Representatives that exceeded the limits placed on individual campaign contributions under federal law.
As part of his guilty plea, Rogers agreed to pay $491,299 in restitution to victims of his fraud scheme, as well as a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $208,954.
Rogers pleaded guilty to wire fraud and is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 17, 2020. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Brian A. Benczkowski, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Timothy R. Slater, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Pedersen and Trial Attorneys John Taddei and Bill Gullotta of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:19-cr-270.
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Fraudulent Scheme to Solicit Millions of Dollars in Contributions to Scam-PacsRead the Press Release
A Maryland political consultant pleaded guilty today to wire fraud as a result of his fraudulent scheme to solicit millions of dollars in political contributions through several scam-PACs that he founded and advertised as supporting candidates for office and other political causes.
Kelley Rogers, 55, of Annapolis, Maryland, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady of the Eastern District of Virginia. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 17, 2020, before Judge O’Grady.
“Rogers defrauded countless citizens across the country who sought to participate in the political process, and instead used the money to benefit himself and to perpetuate his fraudulent scheme,” said Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s guilty plea shows that the Department of Justice is committed to investigating and prosecuting those who undermine the integrity of our democratic institutions, including those who commit fraud to line their own pockets along the way.”
“Rogers preyed upon his victims political beliefs with the intent of enriching his companies, his business partners, and himself,” said U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Individuals like Rogers, who engage in sophisticated fraud schemes will be held accountable for their actions. We have a long history of investigating and prosecuting fraud cases here in the Eastern District, and we remain committed to working closely with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who choose to engage in fraud activity are held accountable and brought to justice.”
“Rogers swindled millions of dollars from individuals attempting to participate in our democratic process,” said Assistant Director in Charge Timothy R. Slater of the FBI’s Washington Field Office. “Instead of using donations to provide assistance and support to military veterans, as he advertised, Rogers used the money to benefit himself and his associates. I commend the dedication and hard work of our FBI agents and analysts who investigated this egregious fraud against innocent U.S. citizens.”
According to admissions Rogers made in connection with his guilty plea, from August 2012 through 2018, in the Eastern District of Virginia and elsewhere, the defendant operated multiple PACs, including Conservative StrikeForce (CSF), Conservative Majority Fund, and Tea Party Majority Fund. In that role, the defendant engaged vendors to send e-mail solicitations and make telemarketing phone calls to prospective donors seeking political contributions to his PACs. Rogers approved the text and other content of all solicitations, and determined how CSF spent the contributions individual donors gave in response to the solicitations.
During the course of his scheme, Rogers solicited contributions from the general public for his PACs based on materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises. For example, in or around 2013, Rogers, working with an email vendor, represented through CSF that money contributed by donors would be used to support the campaigns of a candidate for Governor and a candidate for Attorney General of Virginia through, among other things, get-out-the-vote efforts and the hiring of attorneys to ensure the integrity of the elections. In or around 2014, Rogers represented that donations to the PAC would be spent on assistance and support for military veterans. In truth and in fact, the defendant never intended to spend, and never actually spent, any of the money raised by Rogers’ PACs on get-out-the-vote efforts or lawyers to protect the integrity of the 2013 Virginia and Attorney General elections, or on assistance and support for military veterans. Instead, the defendant spent nearly all of the money raised from donors to benefit himself, his associates, and his PACs, including by pouring the majority of donor money into the solicitation of more donations.
In addition to the misrepresentations that Rogers made to donors, Rogers and others fraudulently billed his PACs for services that were not performed, thereby misappropriating donor money that had been contributed to the PACs by individuals across the country. Rogers and his associates also made false statements to the Federal Election Commission about how they were spending PAC money.
Finally, Rogers admitted that he and several others also participated in a scheme to use conduits (“straw donors”) to make contributions to a candidate running to represent a district in the United States House of Representatives that exceeded the limits placed on individual campaign contributions under federal law.
As part of his guilty plea, Rogers agreed to pay $491,299.00 in restitution to victims of his fraud scheme, as well as a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $208,954.00.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office is investigating the case. Trial Attorneys John Taddei and Bill Gullotta of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Pedersen of the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case. Former PIN attorney Molly Gaston provided significant assistance in the case.
Heroin and Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to 13 years in prison for conspiring to distribute heroin.
“Alexander dumped a significant amount of opioids into our community,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This is a just sentence for Alexander, a defendant with a significant criminal history that includes over 30 previous convictions.”
According to court documents, Barry Jamel Alexander, 33, sold heroin mixed with fentanyl to an undercover police officer at a Norfolk 7-Eleven. He used his cousin as a middle man in an attempt to protect himself from criminal exposure, but the store security cameras caught him handing the drugs to his cousin and, soon after, receiving the drug money.
“Alexander’s distribution of heroin and fentanyl in our Virginia communities carried grave consequences, causing drug overdoses, and potentially ripping away the future of loved ones and leaving families devastated,” said Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division. “The investigation and prosecution of these drug-related crimes that so gravely affect our communities continues to be a top priority for the DEA Washington Division, and we remain steadfast in our pursuit of those who spread this poison across our cities.”
Earlier that month, Alexander sold heroin mixed with fentanyl to a customer who overdosed on the substance and had to be revived with Narcan. At the time Alexander sold the heroin to the undercover officer, he knew that a customer had previously overdosed on his product. Agents later interviewed some of Alexander’s customers, who reported that over an approximately five-year period they had purchased more than two kilograms of heroin from Alexander.
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 Rebecca Beach Smith. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William B. Jackson 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-5.
Operation High Tide Results in over a Dozen Defendants Indicted on Narcotics Trafficking and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Over 100 law enforcement agents, officers, and other personnel executed Operation High Tide this week, which resulted in a series of arrests of individuals allegedly involved in selling drugs and guns in Norfolk, Chesapeake, and Portsmouth.
Operation High Tide is a large-scale narcotics trafficking and firearms investigation that has resulted in the recovery of over 65 firearms, over 7 kilograms of cocaine, nearly a kilogram of crack cocaine, over 625 grams of heroin, over 100 grams of fentanyl, 75 grams of acetyl fentanyl, 12 pounds of marijuana, 621 grams of hash oil, 24 grams of MDMA (commonly known as ecstasy), 120 grams of methamphetamine, and over $560,000 in cash. The narcotics seized have a street value of nearly $1 million.
“Operation High Tide is the latest highly-coordinated effort from federal, state, and local law enforcement to tackle violent crime in Hampton Roads,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Through this operation, we are making our strong partnership known and felt in Hampton Roads, as we apprehend and remove from the streets those individuals who have allegedly committed serious offenses and put the safety of our communities in danger. Armed criminals are the principal players involved in the deadly cycles of turf battles and gang conflicts that deprive our neighborhoods and families of the peace and security they deserve. This coordinated operation reflects the skilled and brave work of our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, and is part of a law enforcement surge in this priority enforcement area for EDVA.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) initiated Operation High Tide in collaboration with the Chesapeake, Norfolk, and Portsmouth Police Departments and the Virginia State Police. This Operation identified more than two dozen individuals throughout Hampton Roads who were illegally selling firearms, fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and other narcotics.
“ATF’s priority is reducing violent crime,” said Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division. “Criminals often utilize firearms as tools of their trade causing harm to our communities. This case illustrates ATF’s commitment to effective law enforcement partnerships and dedication to keeping our cities safe.”
“The safety and well-being of Virginia residents and visitors was positively impacted as a result of this comprehensive investigation and joint operation with our law enforcement partners,” said Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division. “The DEA is committed to working with our federal, state, and local partners on operations such as this one, to safely remove violent criminals, guns, and drugs from our neighborhoods.”
Below is a table which lists the name, age, hometown, and respective charge(s) each defendant faces or faced. Defendants in state custody awaiting transfer to federal custody are not listed.
Name, Age
Hometown
Charges
Brian D. Best, 34
Virginia Beach
1 Count of Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess Methamphetamine; 1 Count of Distribution of Methamphetamine
Antisha Carrington, 25
Virginia Beach
1 Count of Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, Heroin, Fentanyl, and Marijuana; 1 Count of Distribution of Marijuana; 3 Counts of Distribution of Heroin
Kawanta D. Epps, 40
Norfolk
1 Count of Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, Heroin, Fentanyl, and Marijuana; 9 Counts of Distribution of Heroin; 4 Counts of Distribution of Fentanyl
Anthony L. Green, 48
Chesapeake
1 Count of Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, Heroin, Fentanyl, and Marijuana; 5 Counts of Distribution of Heroin; 1 Count of Distribution of Fentanyl
Corey L. Jones, 50
Portsmouth
1 Count of Conspiracy to Manufacture, Distribute, and Possess with Intent to Manufacture and Distribute Heroin; 11 Counts of Distribution of Heroin, Fentanyl, Acetyl Fentanyl, and Cocaine; 3 Counts of Distribution of 10 Grams or more of Acetyl Fentanyl
Dominic D. Jones, 26
Portsmouth
1 Count of Conspiracy to Manufacture, Distribute, and Possess with Intent to Manufacture and Distribute Heroin; 3 Counts of Distribution of Heroin, Fentanyl, Acetyl Fentanyl, and Cocaine; 1 Count of Possess, Use, and Carry Firearm in Furtherance and in Relation to Drug-Trafficking Crime; 1 Count of Felon in Possession of Firearm
Malcolm D. Jones, 45
Portsmouth
1 Count of Conspiracy to Manufacture, Distribute, and Possess with Intent to Manufacture and Distribute Heroin; 13 Counts of Distribution of Heroin, Fentanyl, Acetyl Fentanyl, and Cocaine; 3 Counts of Distribution of 10 Grams or More of Acetyl Fentanyl;
Shon E. Melton, 30
Portsmouth
3 Counts of Distribution of Heroin; 1 Count of Possession of Firearms During and In Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime; 1 Count of Possession of an Unregistered National Firearms Act Firearm
Gary Norfleet, 52
Chesapeake
1 Count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine; 1 Count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm
Jermaine Parker, 35
Chesapeake
6 Counts of Distribution of Fentanyl; 2 Counts of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug-Trafficking Crime; 5 Counts of Felon in Possession of a Firearm; 1 Count of Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises
Corey S. Reed, 38
Norfolk
3 Counts of Distribution of Controlled Substances; 2 Counts of Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances
Jameel M. Simmons, 37
Portsmouth
1 Count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin; 1 Count of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime
Jelami M. Smith, 43
Portsmouth
1 Count of Distribution of Heroin; 1 Count of Distribution of Fentanyl
Robert Spruill, 39
Chesapeake
1 Count of Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess Methamphetamine; 1 Count of Distribution of Methamphetamine
G. Zachery Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Mark R. Herring, Attorney General of Virginia; Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division; 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; Larry D. Boone, Chief of Norfolk Police, Col. K.L. Wright, Chief of Chesapeake Police, and Angela Greene, Chief of Portsmouth Police, made the announcement after the federal arrests were made and the indictments were unsealed.
This case was investigated by the ATF’s Norfolk Field Office, the Chesapeake, Norfolk, and Portsmouth Police Departments, and the Virginia State Police, with the assistance of the FBI, DEA, NCIS, and the U.S. Marshals. Attorneys from the Drug and Violent Crime Unit of the Norfolk Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Kristin G. Bird, Andrew C. Bosse, John F. Butler, Megan M. Cowles, Sherrie Capotosto, Kevin M. Comstock, Joseph E. DePadilla, William B. Jackson, Darryl Mitchell, and William D. Muhr are prosecuting the cases.
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. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:19-CR-80, 141, 145, 147, 149, 150, 154; and 2:18-CR-138.
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.
Man Sentenced for Role in Armed Gas Station RobberiesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Washington, D.C. man was sentenced today to 23 years in prison for his participation in a string of armed robberies.
“Williams is a violent criminal whose callousness was on full display during the series of armed robberies,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Our commitment to getting such violent criminals off of our streets is unwavering. I am grateful to our local and federal law enforcement partners who assisted in this investigation and whose diligence allowed us to prosecute the case successfully.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Kenya Preston Williams, 37, used a loaded semi-automatic handgun to commit eight robberies in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, including the robbery of an Exxon gas station in Alexandria and two different robberies of the same Shell gas station in Falls Church. Williams’ co-conspirator, Steven Oneil Houston, 26, of Oxon Hill, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to charges of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that violent criminals in our community cannot evade the law,” said Timothy M. Dunham, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office. “The FBI Washington Field Office will work closely with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners through our Safe Streets Violent Crime Task Force to continue to aggressively investigate violent crime in our area.”
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, 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 sentencing by U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander E. Blanchard prosecuted the case.
The Alexandria City Police Department, Prince George’s County Police Department, and Metropolitan Police Department all provided significant assistance with this investigation.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office Safe Streets Violent Crime Task Force, which is composed of FBI agents and law enforcement partners within the National Capital Region.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:19-cr-29.
High Society Hit Squad Members Sentenced to 25 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – Two Petersburg gang members were sentenced today to a combined 25 years in prison for drug and firearms trafficking crimes.
“In March we announced a significant law enforcement operation that involved over 150 federal agents executing arrest and search warrants in Petersburg,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office, along with our law enforcement partners at the Petersburg Police Department and the ATF, has made fighting violent crime in Petersburg a top priority, and we are surging our respective finite resources to Petersburg to investigate and prosecute criminal activity. On Wednesday, I spent six hours with Chief Miller and ATF Supervisors Shawn Morrow and Scott Fulkerson as we walked the streets in some of the hardest hit areas in Petersburg. Areas where children play next to broken glass from shot up vehicles, where drug dealers scurried for the shadows as we approached, and where blighted homes are being used as drug dens. EDVA is committed to working with Chief Miller and the Petersburg Police, the ATF, and our other law enforcement partners to continue to combat violent crime, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and any other offenses with a federal nexus in Petersburg.”
According to court documents, Autrelle Malik Waddell, 22, and Titus Maurice Lee, 44, are members of the High Society Hit Squad, a gang operating in Petersburg. The men were arrested in March 2019 and charged, along with two others, in a federal indictment with multiple firearms and narcotics trafficking crimes. According to court documents, Waddell was indicted for trafficking heroin, fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl, and was held responsible for the sale of eight firearms during the course of the investigation. One of the firearms Waddell sold had an obliterated serial number, and another was identified as a Mac-10 semi-automatic firearm with a high capacity magazine. Lee, who is Waddell’s uncle, was also charged in a criminal indictment with distributing “crack” cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, and was held responsible for trafficking eight separate firearms.
“This investigation highlights ATF's partnership with Petersburg Police and our commitment to making our communities safer,” said Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division. “Firearms trafficking is not a victimless crime. When firearms are diverted to the illicit market, they often become tools of the trade for criminals. If you traffic in firearms or use firearms to commit other crimes, ATF is fully dedicated to bringing you to justice.”
“My top priority is the safety of the citizens of Petersburg and cleaning up our streets. As shown in this case, my department works closely with our law enforcement partners to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals and keep dangerous drugs out of our community," said Kenneth A. Miller, Director of Public Safety, Petersburg Bureau of Police. “If you violate the law or if you harm our community, the Petersburg Police will use every tool at our disposal to see that you are held accountable.”
Waddell was sentenced to nine years, while Lee was sentenced to 16 years for their respective involvement in the drug and firearm trafficking conspiracy.
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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, and Kenneth A. Miller, Director of Public Safety, Petersburg Bureau of Police, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angela Mastandrea-Miller and Kenneth Simon are prosecuting the cases.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-36.
Serial Robber Sentenced to Prison for 13 Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Chesapeake man was sentenced today to more than 12 1/2 years in prison for using a knife to rob over a dozen convenience stores and gas stations within the Eastern District of Virginia.
“Over 10 days earlier this year, the Carter brothers went on a violent and dangerous crime spree,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Michael Carter not only robbed 13 businesses, but he used a knife to threaten, to intimidate, and to terrify innocent individuals inside those businesses. The Carter brothers have shown they are a clear danger to the safety of our communities.”
According to court documents, from January 5 through January 15, Michael Thomas Carter, 29, Michael Carter, with the help of his brother, Joseph Carter, went on a 10 day crime spree that included numerous robberies and an attempted robbery of businesses in Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield, and Hanover. Wearing a mask and armed with a knife, Michael Carter robbed 13 convenience stores and attempted to rob yet another convenience store. The FBI’s Central Virginia Violent Crimes Task Force (CVVCTF), working with local law enforcement, was able to identify the Carter brothers as the suspects involved in this string of robberies in which one masked man, armed with a knife, entered each business to demand cash from the business before fleeing the scene. Officers of the CVVCTF identified the car used by the Carters and began surveillance.
“In a brief but violent crime spree, Michael Thomas Carter and his accomplices committed more than a dozen armed robberies in the City of Richmond, Chesterfield, Hanover and Henrico Counties, targeting citizens and businesses alike,” said David W. Archey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office. “The FBI’s Central Virginia Violent Crimes Task Force worked with its local partners to end Mr. Carter’s criminal activity, and will continue to investigate violent offenders who target commercial institutions for robbery. The FBI is grateful for these partnerships, as well as that of the United States Attorney’s Office, during this investigation.”
On January 15, law enforcement located the car approximately 10 minutes after the Carters robbed a gas station in Chesterfield. Detectives followed the car as the Carters drove into Richmond, and watched as Joseph Carter purchased narcotics from two locations in the city. When a traffic stop was initiated, Michael Carter ran from the car and hid in the woods. With the help of Air Unit and K-9 units, officers were able to locate Michael Carter and the clothing that he attempted to discard in the woods. Knives, clothing, and a black mask were recovered from the car. During the execution of a search warrant on the home of the brothers, some items stolen from the businesses were recovered.
Joseph Carter will be sentenced on October 10 for his role as the getaway driver for these crimes.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and David W. Archey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck. Assistant U.S. Attorney Janet Jin Ah Lee prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-56.
Newport News Man Charged with Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was arrested today on charges of production of child pornography.
According to allegations detailed in the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, Justin Travis Taylor, 25, began communicating online via Snapchat and Instagram in May 2018 with Jane Doe 1, who informed Taylor that she was 13-years-old and in 8th grade. In February 2019, after months of explicit online communications between Taylor and the minor victim, Jane Doe 1’s mother contacted the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to report the exchanges.
After interviewing the minor victim and reviewing communication devices she allegedly used to communicate with Taylor, law enforcement obtained court authorized search warrants for multiple online accounts registered to Taylor and Jane Doe 1, and discovered numerous communications where Taylor threatened to kill himself if Jane Doe 1 did not send him the sexually explicit images he demanded.
Taylor is charged with production of child pornography. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
If you have information regarding the pending prosecution, contact the FBI’s Norfolk Division at 757-455-0100, or submit an online tip at: https://tips.fbi.gov/. Identified victims may be eligible for certain services and rights under federal and/or state law.
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, Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after Taylor was arrested and made his initial appearance in federal court. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter G. Osyf and Lisa R. McKeel are prosecuting the case.
The charges in the criminal complaint are merely allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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-mj-142.
Heroin Dealer Sentenced to 25 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Suffolk man was sentenced today to 25 years in prison for possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, Brian Williams, 38, was selling heroin in Suffolk, Virginia. When law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at his residence on December 21, 2018, they located numerous loaded firearms, a distribution quantity of fentanyl, digital scales, drug cutting agents, drug packaging materials and approximately $1500 in cash. Williams, a convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, was also in the residence with many of the firearms within arm’s reach.
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.
The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, provides assistance to Federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. This grant program is administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). There are currently 28 HIDTAs, which include approximately 18 percent of all counties in the United States and 66 percent of the U.S. population.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Michael K. Lamonea, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric M. Hurt prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:19-cr-29.
Mexican Alien with Involuntary Manslaughter Conviction Guilty of Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal judge convicted a Richmond man today after a bench trial on the charge of illegally reentering the United States following removal after a felony conviction.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Rodrigo Martinez-Mendoza, 54, a citizen of Mexico, first made illegal entry into the United States in 1993. In 1996 in Texas, he was convicted of forgery. Immigration authorities learned of the matter and commenced removal proceedings. Following processing, Martinez-Mendoza was then released on his own recognizance. In May 1997, Martinez-Mendoza failed to appear at his scheduled hearing, and was ordered deported to Mexico, and a warrant was issued. In August 2005, ICE Special Agents encountered Martinez-Mendoza at Fort Lee Army Base in Petersburg, and was then processed for deportation. In September 2005, Martinez-Mendoza was removed to Mexico at taxpayer expense. Thereafter on an unknown date, at an unknown location, he illegally returned to the United States.
In October 2009, Martinez-Mendoza was arrested by officers of the ICE Fugitive Operations Team in Chester and later pleaded guilty and served four months before being deported to Mexico at taxpayer expense. On an unknown date, Martinez-Mendoza illegally returned to the United States.
In December 2017, in Petersburg, Martinez-Mendoza was arrested by law enforcement officers from the U.S. Marshals Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force for felony malicious wounding. In October 2018, he was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Richmond Circuit Court and sentenced to a term of five years in prison with four years suspended.
Martinez-Mendoza faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when sentenced on December 10. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Lyle A. Boelens, Acting Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson accepted the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorney S. David Schiller is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:17-cr-164.
Illegal U-Turn Leads to Discovery of Gun and Drug PremisesRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News woman pleaded guilty today to possessing a firearm while distributing crack cocaine.
According to court documents, Dynetta R. Littlejohn, 30, was at home in August 2018, when law enforcement lawfully searched her residence and seized several narcotics to include MDMA, promethazine, marijuana, heroin, cocaine, and cocaine base. Police also seized two digital scales, $1,225 in U.S. currency, glassine bags and other drug packaging material, narcotics cutting agents, and other tools of the drug trafficking trade, such as a loaded Ruger P90 .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun and additional ammunition. Littlejohn told officers that the items seized belonged to her. The search of the residence sprung from Littlejohn’s cohabitant making an illegal U-turn mere hours earlier in a vehicle also filled with drugs, a gun, and $3,091 in U.S. currency.
Littlejohn pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of life in prison when sentenced on December 13. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter G. Osyf is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:19-cr-53.
Former Manager of Virginia Beach Tax Service Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A North Carolina woman was sentenced today to nearly five years in prison for her role in a conspiracy to prepare false tax returns for her customers.
According to court documents, Markita D. Simon, 32, of Rocky Mount, was the manager of a now-closed, Virginia Beach-based tax preparation service known as Express Tax Preparation Services. From December 2014 to February 2016, Simon was responsible for using false information in her customers’ tax returns in order to generate a higher refund amount. In some cases, she falsely stated that the customer had dependent children so that the customer would qualify for beneficial tax credits. She also filed returns using the names and social security numbers of real persons without their knowledge. The court found that she was responsible for a tax loss of approximately $203,000.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar. Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy C. Stoker 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. 2:18-cr-149.
Capital Caring Pays $3.1 Million to Resolve Medicare Billing ClaimsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Capital Caring, located in Falls Church, has agreed to pay $3.1 million to settle allegations that it caused the government to overpay the organization as a result of billings it submitted to the Medicare Program for hospice services.
Capital Caring provides hospice and palliative care services for patients in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The overpayments were the result of claims Capital Caring submitted to Medicare for hospice services for patients who the government alleged either did not meet the hospice eligibility guidelines for the Medicare Program, Title XVIII of the Social Security Act, or for whom the hospice clinical record information maintained by Capital Caring was insufficient to support Medicare hospice coverage.
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, the FBI, and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monika Moore and Ilene Albala. The civil claims settled are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Man Sentenced for Looting Thrift Savings Plan AccountRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Maryland man was sentenced today to four years in prison for stealing the identity of an Alexandria resident and withdrawing funds from the victim’s retirement savings account.
According to court documents, Alpha Kanu, 29, of Laurel, illegally obtained the victim’s name, date of birth, address, and Social Security number. He then used that information to access the victim’s online account with the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles to obtain the victim’s driver’s license number, as well as to change the victim’s mailing address. Kanu learned that the victim, a 28-year federal employee presently serving as a civilian employee of the U.S. Army, had a substantial amount of retirement savings in a Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) account. Kanu, impersonating the victim, took out a $45,000 loan against the TSP account, the proceeds of which he deposited into a bank account in the victim’s name. Kanu subsequently withdrew those ill-gotten funds and used them on personal purchases.
The money stolen from the victim’s account was reimbursed to the victim as an administrative expense of the TSP, a cost borne by all TSP participants.
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 Richard Delmar, Acting Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Treasury, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael L. Jones and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander E. Blanchard prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:19-cr-147.
Drug Traffickers Sentenced to Prison for Heroin DistributionRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two Alexandria men were sentenced today to two and a half years in prison for distribution of heroin and pure methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Jose Castro, 23, and Martin Vitela, 25, assisted co-conspirator Fabian Rodriguez Sandoval in the transportation and distribution of kilograms of heroin and pure methamphetamines from Woodbridge to Pennsylvania. Castro, Vitela and Sandoval received the illegal narcotics from couriers traveling from California before distributing the drugs along the east coast.
Sandoval was sentenced to six years in prison on August 23 for his role in the offense.
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 Mark R. Herring, Attorney General of Virginia, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney and Virginia Assistant Attorney General Lena Munasifi and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael P. Ben’Ary prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:19-cr-169.
Armed Robber Sentenced to 28 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to 28 years in prison for committing a series of armed robberies in Petersburg, Henrico, and Richmond.
“Spencer, an armed criminal, used an AK-47 style long gun to rob and victimize, innocent, hard-working employees of small businesses in the Richmond area,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “His 28 year sentence reflects the seriousness of his despicable conduct, and thank God no one was killed during one of his brazen armed robberies. Spencer is a clear danger to the community, a threat to public safety, and the Eastern District is a safer place with him off of the streets. My thanks to the prosecutors and investigators for their commitment to this case and our Project Safe Neighborhoods mission of removing violent criminals from the community.”
According to court documents, Peonte Shamar Spencer, 39, armed himself with an AK-47 style long gun to rob three convenience stores and used a handgun to rob a bank. On Dec. 2, 2018, Spencer entered a Qwik Shop in Petersburg and demanded the register’s cash from the convenience store clerk while pointing an AK-47 style long gun at the clerk. Later that night, Spencer entered a Rite Aid in Henrico and once again brandished an AK-47 style long gun while demanding the store’s cash from its clerk. On Dec. 6, 2018, Spencer robbed a 48 Hour Convenience Store in Richmond using the same gun and similar tactics from the previous two robberies. During this robbery, Spencer threatened to shoot the store’s clerk. On Dec. 18, 2018, Spencer robbed the South State Bank in Richmond using a black starter pistol and fled with nearly $4,000 in a car driven by his girlfriend.
“The FBI and its partners will continue to aggressively investigate violent crimes such as the ones committed by Spencer,” said David W. Archey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office. “We are grateful for the partnership of the United States Attorney’s Office, and its successful prosecution of this case which removed a violent criminal from the community.”
Law enforcement officers were able to locate the vehicle and apprehend Spencer and his girlfriend along with the bank’s stolen money, the black starter pistol, and an AK-47 with additional magazines. Spencer also admitted to law enforcement that he was involved in two previous bank robberies of the same bank earlier that year.
The 28 year sentence will be served consecutively to a sentence of eight years that Spencer received in Richmond Circuit Court.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and David W. Archey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Janet Jin Ah Lee and Angela Mastandrea-Miller prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-12.
Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing Nearly $800,000 in JewelryRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Arlington man pleaded guilty today to robbing two Falls Church pawn shops of nearly $800,000 in jewelry and watches.
According to court documents, in July 2014, Budder Khan, 29, entered Route 50 Gold and Jewelry Exchange, forced the store’s employees to the ground using what appeared to be a real firearm, smashed the business’s glass display cases and took jewelry and watches worth over $650,000. Later, in April 2015, Khan entered Top Pawn, again used what appeared to be a real firearm to frighten the store’s employees, smashed the business’s glass display cases and stole jewelry and watches worth over $143,000.
Khan pleaded guilty to two counts of interference with commerce by robbery and faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison when sentenced on December 6. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
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 investigation was conducted by the FBI WFO’s Violent Crime Safe Streets Task Force which is composed of Special Agents of the FBI, along with Detectives from the Fairfax County Police, the Prince William County Police, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, the Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office, the Arlington County Police, the Alexandria City Police, the Leesburg Police, Vienna Police Department, Herndon Police Department, Fairfax City Police, Falls Church Police Department, the Washington Metropolitan Police Department and in partnership with the ATF, USMS, HSI, and other federal agencies. This task force focuses on investigating the most egregious and violent criminal enterprises and actors operating in the Capital Region.
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 Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis, III accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander E. 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. 1:19-cr-199.
Man Indicted with Providing False Statements to Acquire 35 GunsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a Maryland man with making false statements to acquire firearms.
According to allegations in the indictment, Juan Antonio Zimmerman, 26, of District Heights, purchased 35 firearms from federal firearms licensees in the Eastern District of Virginia falsely claiming that he was buying the firearms for himself when he was actually buying them on behalf of other individuals. Zimmerman used a false address in Arlington to purchase the firearms, then gave the firearms to his cousin, his cousin’s friends, and his uncle, who is a convicted felon. In addition to the firearm recovered from his uncle, law enforcement recovered two of the firearms in Prince George’s County, Maryland as part of criminal investigations.
Zimmerman is charged with making false statements to a federal firearms licensee with respect to the purchase of firearms. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison per count of conviction. 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, and Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas U. Murphy II and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Trigger are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:19-cr-265.
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.
Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty to Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Franklin man pleaded guilty today to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime and being a drug user in possession of a firearm.
According to information before the court, Edward Andre Leonard, Jr., 30, is an armed, drug-dealing Franklin gang member. His brother’s gang-related murder in December 2018 started a war between the local Bloods and Crips sets. Leonard participated in at least two retaliatory shootings of local Crips members, and law enforcement recovered his spent shell casings from one of the shooting scenes. While police were executing a warrant for his residence based on the shooting investigation, they recovered several baggies of cocaine and marijuana that were packaged for distribution, a handgun, thousands of rounds of rifle ammunition, spent shell casings tied to one of the retaliatory shootings, and a bullet-proof vest.
Leonard faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of life in prison when sentenced on December 12. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, Michael K. Lamonea, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk, and Robert Porti, Deputy Chief of the City of Franklin Police, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask 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. 2:19-cr-121.
Three Men Indicted for Drug-Related Fairfax MurderRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging three Reston men with murder in the course of a drug trafficking crime.
According to allegations in the indictment, Fredy Alfaro, 28, Jimmie McCray, 34, and Charles Forbes, 28, murdered Michael Cooker in Fairfax County on April 18, 2018, in furtherance of a conspiracy to distribute marijuana.
According to the indictment, the defendants were engaged in a conspiracy in which they obtained marijuana from California and distributed it in the Eastern District of Virginia. Alfaro, who was in California, was in a dispute with Cooker, who was in the Eastern District of Virginia. Alfaro placed a call to McCray indicating that Cooker needed to be taken care of. McCray gave that message, along with a gun, to Forbes who drove Cooker to a wooded area of Fairfax Station where Forbes shot and killed Cooker.
All three defendants are charged with conspiracy to distribute marijuana and use of a firearm in connection with conspiracy to distribute marijuana resulting in death. Both McCray and Forbes are charged with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. If convicted, they each face a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison or death. 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, Mark R. Herring, Attorney General of Virginia, and 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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael P. Ben’Ary, along with Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marc J. Birnbaum and Rachael C. Tucker are prosecuting the case.
This case was investigated by the Washington Field Office’s Violent Crime Safe Streets Task Force, which is composed of FBI Special Agents, and task force officers from the Arlington County Police, the Alexandria City Police, the Fairfax County Police, the Prince William County Police, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, the Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office, the Leesburg Police Department, the Herndon Police Department, the Fairfax City Police, and the Vienna Police, and works in partnership with the USMS. The task force worked cooperatively and extensively with the Fairfax County Police on this investigation. The task force is charged with identifying, investigating, disrupting and bringing to justice the most violent and egregious criminal enterprises and actors impacting the National Capital Region.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:19-cr-260.
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.
Operation Cookout Indictment Charges 39 Defendants in Heroin and Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Over 120 law enforcement officers from 30 law enforcement agencies in Virginia, North Carolina and Texas executed a major arrest operation over the last three days, resulting in 35 of defendants being arrested for their respective roles in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute large amounts of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine base in Hampton Roads.
In addition to the arrests, law enforcement seized 24 firearms, 30 kilograms of fentanyl, 30 kilograms of heroin, 5 kilograms of cocaine, and over $700,000 in cash during the three-day takedown.
“This massive interdiction of narcotics, which included enough fentanyl to kill over 14 million people, is proof positive of the power and strength of federal, state, and local law enforcement collaboration,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The 39 charged defendants are just that—charged—and remain innocent unless and until proven otherwise. This operation, through its seizure of scores of kilograms of illicit narcotics, saved lives in the Eastern District and elsewhere. Any day where we can do that is particularly meaningful and impactful. An incredible thank you to our dedicated law enforcement partners and prosecutors.”
According to the 106-count indictment, which was returned by a federal grand jury on August 14 and unsealed this afternoon, the 39 co-conspirators were involved in an alleged large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy that began in March 2016. The co-conspirators participated in various criminal acts throughout the alleged conspiracy, including armed drug distribution, while assuming and carrying out different roles such as a supplier, packager, transporter, financier, distributor, and facilitator throughout the life of the alleged drug trafficking ring.
“The narcotics organization identified by our team reached far and wide, spanning state lines and crossing all the way to and from our southern border,” said Michael K. Lamonea, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Norfolk. “This indictment, and the 106 counts within, demonstrates clearly that the dangerous and illegal smuggling operations from the border limitlessly stretch into the United States and reach directly into our neighborhoods and communities.”
The indictment alleges that the defendants and unindicted co-conspirators would purchase and receive narcotics from suppliers in Mexico, California, and New York, and would arrange for heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine base to be transported to and within the Eastern District of Virginia using hidden traps in privately owned vehicles, couriers, and semi-trailers, trucks, and recreational vehicles.
It was further part of the conspiracy that the defendants and co-conspirators would utilize various locations throughout Hampton Roads to possess and prepare for distribution heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine base, and to meet and discuss previous and future narcotics transactions. These various locations include houses and parking lots of businesses located in Newport News, Hampton, Suffolk, Carrolton, Yorktown, Lawrenceville, South Hill, and Richmond.
“The DEA will continue to prioritize operations like this one, which target the criminal organizations that bring dangerous drugs and violence into our communities here in Virginia,” said Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division. “We stand united with our outstanding federal, state, and local law enforcement counterparts in this endeavor.”
According to the indictment, throughout the life of the drug trafficking ring, the co-conspirators used at least 94 different telecommunication devices such as pre-paid cell phones, Facebook, and encrypted communications apps like FaceTime and WhatsApp to conduct the day-to-day operations, including negotiating prices, and arranging locations for purchasing and selling the drugs. Some of co-conspirators changed devices on a regular basis in an effort to thwart law enforcement surveillance. Typically, the cell phone numbers that were used were in pre-paid cell phones that did not need a subscriber’s name.
The 106-count indictment alleges various offenses, including conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, cocaine base, and fentanyl; conspiracy to launder money; felon in possession of a firearm; maintaining a drug-involved premises; use of a communication facility in furtherance of drug trafficking; interstate travel in aid of racketeering enterprises; and illegal re-entry by a previously deported or removed alien.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), Operation Cookout. The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, provides assistance to Federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. This grant program is administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). There are currently 28 HIDTAs, which include approximately 18 percent of all counties in the United States and 66 percent of the U.S. population.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Washington D.C., Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, Terry L. Sult, Chief of Hampton Police Division, Col. K.L. Wright, Chief of Chesapeake Police, and Hampton Commonwealth's Attorney Anton A. Bell, made the announcement after the indictment was unsealed. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin P. Hudson and Peter G. Osyf, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy E. Cross are prosecuting the case.
The following law enforcement agencies provided significant assistance during the investigation and arrest operation: U.S. Marshals, Newport News Sheriff’s Office, Chesapeake Sheriff’s Office, York-Poquason Sheriff’s Office, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Amarillo Police, and Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office. Approximately 30 law enforcement agencies assisted in the arrest operation in Virginia, North Carolina and Texas.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:19-cr-47.
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.
Man Sentenced in Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Drewryville man was sentenced today to three years in prison for his role in a multi-kilograms cocaine ring in Emporia.
According to court documents, George Wyche, 47, entered into a conspiracy in Emporia to distribute cocaine from 2015 to 2017. Through significant efforts, including surveillance, agents of the FBI and state law enforcement learned that Wyche, Powell, and others were involved in a large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy and that Powell regularly sold cocaine to Wyche for years. As part of the plea agreement, Wyche admitted that he should be held accountable for over 600 grams of cocaine.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Richmond Area Violent Enterprises Task Force, as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force’s (OCDETF), Operation Bulls Eye. The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and David W. Archey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter S. Duffey 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-14.
Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Franklin man pleaded guilty today to producing child pornography.
According to court documents, Quinton Thomas Myrick, 25, met an 11 year-old girl online in December 2018. Myrick convinced the girl to produce child pornography and send it to him, and she complied. When Myrick suspected the 11 year-old was talking to other boys, he posted the child pornography on the girl’s social media account. Myrick also produced child pornography with a second minor victim, a 17 year-old girl. When Myrick became angry with her, Myrick also posted her videos on social media.
Myrick pleaded guilty to production of child pornography and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison when sentenced on December 11. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case 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 Michael K. Lamonea, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk, and Robert Porti, Deputy Chief of Franklin Police, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Miller accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth M. Yusi is prosecuting the case.
The Columbus Police Department provided significant assistance during 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-91.
MS-13 Gang Member Pleads Guilty in Connection with Gang-Related AssaultRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An MS-13 gang member pleaded guilty today for his role and participation in a violent gang-related assault of a victim with multiple bats.
“The reasons for this callous and violent crime were as senseless as the brutality of the assault itself,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “For several minutes, Rivera and other members and associates of MS-13, savagely beat the victim with baseball bats within inches of his life to instill fear in members of the community and enforce MS-13’s warped code of violence and rules. Our investigation and prosecution of this case should send a clear message that law enforcement will not stand by as MS-13 attempts to terrorize our community, and that those involved in the violent acts of MS-13 will be prosecuted.”
Marlon Edgardo Huezo Rivera, aka “Oscuro”, 19, of Falls Church, a member or associate of the Chilangueras clique of MS-13 in Northern Virginia, is the final charged defendant to plead guilty in this case.
According to court documents, Rivera conspired with several other members and associates of MS-13 to lure the victim to James Lee Park in Falls Church so that they could assault the victim. Rivera and other members and associates of MS-13 believed the victim was cooperating with law enforcement, falsely representing himself as a member of MS-13, and disparaging the Silvas clique of MS-13. After luring the victim to the park under false pretenses, Rivera, and approximately a dozen other members and associates of MS-13, beat the victim with bats, fists, and feet for approximately three minutes. As a result of the beating, the victim suffered multiple broken limbs and was hospitalized for several days.
“MS-13 members like Rivera cause horrific violence and terrorize our community. This investigation shows that the FBI Washington Field Office and our law enforcement partners will not stop investigating and prosecuting those who seek to harm our community in engage in criminal gang activity,” said Timothy M. Dunham, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division. “I would like to thank the FBI Special Agents that investigated this case, the prosecutors, and our local partners who are actively engaged in disrupting and dismantling MS-13 in order to combat these senseless crimes."
Rivera pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering activity and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on November 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.
The case was also investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force’s (OCDETF) Operation Rusty Gate. 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, 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 Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas U. Murphy II and Cristina Stam, and Trial Attorney Shauna Hale of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section are prosecuting the case.
This matter was investigated by the FBI WFO’s Safe Streets/HIDTA Task Force – Northern Virginia which is composed of FBI Agents along with Task Force Officers from the Fairfax County Police, the Prince William County Police, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Leesburg Police Department, the Alexandria City Police, Fairfax City Police, Vienna Police Department, Herndon Police Department, and the Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office, along with Agents from the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and ATF. The mission of this task force is to identify, investigate, disrupt and dismantle the most egregious and violent gangs operating in the Capital Region to include members of MS-13, a transnational street gang, known for its acts of violence.
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-129.
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Chesterfield County man was sentenced today to one and a half years in prison for illegal reentry to the United States following removal after conviction for a felony violation.
“Defendant Segura-Virgen has shown a complete lack of respect for the laws of this country, the multiple women he has assaulted, and the sanctity of our borders,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This case represents an all too common scenario here in the Eastern District of Virginia. This is serious public safety issue that has the full attention of my office and our law enforcement partners.”
According to court documents, Rodolfo Segura-Virgen, 38, is a Mexican citizen who in 1990 entered the United States. Following a 2001 conviction for felony unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, Segura-Virgen was removed from the United States at taxpayer expense. Segura-Virgen illegally reentered the United States on an unknown date, and in 2003, when he was convicted of battery on a former spouse, his prior probation was revoked and he was sentenced to two years in prison. In 2004, Segura-Virgen was again removed to Mexico. He illegally reentered the United States again at an unknown date and came to the attention of law enforcement in 2018 when he was arrested in Chesterfield County on state charges.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Lyle A. Boelens, Acting Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne. Assistant U.S. Attorney S. David Schiller 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. 3:18-cr-149.
Colombian Supplier Sentenced to Prison for Cocaine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Colombian man was sentenced today to six and a half years in prison for conspiring to distribute over 5 kilograms of cocaine knowing and intending that it would be unlawfully imported into the United States.
According to court documents, Jorge Barbosa Alvarez, 33, was a member of a Colombian drug trafficking organization (DTO) based in South America. Between February and November 2016, Alvarez facilitated a multi-hundred kilogram cocaine transaction that was to be routed from South America to Central America, with a final destination of the United States. Specifically, Alvarez provided 5 kilograms of cocaine that was a sample batch for a 600-kilogram load of cocaine that he and his conspirators would provide for the transaction.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), Operation Colombian Control. 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 R. Herring, Attorney General of Virginia, and Timothy M. Dunham, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney and Virginia Assistant Attorney General Lena Munasifi prosecuted the case.
This case was investigated by the Washington Field Office’s Safe Streets/HIDTA Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI Special Agents, as well as task force officers from the Fairfax County Police, Prince William County Police, Leesburg Police, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, the Alexandria City Police, the Vienna Police, the Herndon Police, the Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office, Fairfax City Police, and the Arlington County Police, and works partnership with the DEA, the ATF, the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Marshal Service. This task force is charged with identifying, disrupting and dismantling the most egregious narcotics trafficking organizations and gangs operating in Northern Virginia.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:16-cr-256.
Eight Defendants Charged with Running Two of the Largest Illegal Television Show and Movie Streaming Services in the United StatesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging eight individuals with conspiring to violate federal criminal copyright law by running two of the largest unauthorized streaming services in the United States, resulting in the loss of millions of dollars by television program and motion picture copyright owners.
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 today.
According to the indictment, Kristopher Lee Dallmann, 36; Darryl Julius Polo, aka djppimp, 36; Douglas M. Courson, 59; Felipe Garcia, 37; Jared Edward Jaurequi, aka Jared Edwards, 38; Peter H. Huber, 61; Yoany Vaillant, aka Yoany Vaillant Fajardo, 38; and Luis Angel Villarino, 40, allegedly ran an entity called Jetflicks, an online subscription-based service headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, that permitted users to stream and, at times, download copyrighted television programs without the permission of the relevant copyright owners.
The defendants reproduced tens of thousands of copyrighted television episodes without authorization, and distributed the infringing programs to tens of thousands of paid subscribers located throughout the U.S. At one point, Jetflicks claimed to have more than 183,200 different television episodes. One of the defendants, Polo, left Jetflicks and created a competing site based in Las Vegas called iStreamItAll (ISIA) that at one point claimed to have 115,849 different television episodes and 10,511 individual movies. Like Jetflicks, ISIA offered content for a regular subscription fee to viewers around the United States, and ISIA publicly asserted that it had more content than Netflix, Hulu, Vudu and Amazon Prime. The two services were not only available to subscribers over the internet but specifically designed to work on many different types of devices, platforms and software including numerous varieties of computer operating systems, smartphones, tablets, smart televisions, video game consoles, digital media players, set-top boxes and web browsers.
In addition, the grand jury charged Dallmann with two counts of criminal copyright infringement by reproduction or distribution, two counts of criminal copyright by public performance and four counts of money laundering, and charged Polo with two counts of criminal copyright infringement by distributing a copyrighted work being prepared for commercial distribution, two counts of criminal copyright infringement by reproduction or distribution, two counts of criminal copyright infringement by public performance and four counts of money laundering.
According to the indictment, Jetflicks allegedly obtained infringing television programs from pirate websites around the world—including some of the globe’s biggest torrent and Usenet sites specializing in infringing content such as The Pirate Bay, RARBG and Torrentz—using various automated computer scripts, often providing episodes to subscribers the day after the shows originally aired on television. Specifically, the defendants allegedly used sophisticated computer code to scour global pirate sites for new illegal content to download, process and store the shows, and then make those episodes available on servers in the United States and Canada to Jetflicks subscribers for streaming and/or downloading.
According to the indictment, Polo was allegedly part of the computer programming team that built Jetflicks but later left and started ISIA, a competing service based in Las Vegas that offered not only television programs but movies. Polo allegedly used many of the same automated tools that Jetflicks employed to locate, download, process and store illegal content, and then quickly make those television programs and movies available on servers in Canada to ISIA subscribers for streaming and/or downloading. In fact, some of the movies offered by ISIA were not yet available for authorized sale, download, or viewing outside a movie theater.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Senior Counsel Matthew A. Lamberti of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander P. Berrang of the Eastern District of Virginia and are prosecuting the case.
Eight Defendants Charged with Running Two of the Largest Illegal Streaming Services in U.S.Read the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging eight Las Vegas residents with conspiring to violate federal criminal copyright law by running two of the largest unauthorized streaming services in the United States, resulting in the loss of millions of dollars by television program and motion picture copyright owners.
According to the indictment, the defendants allegedly ran an entity called Jetflicks, an online, subscription-based service headquartered in Las Vegas that permitted users to stream and, at times, download copyrighted TV programs without the permission of the relevant copyright owners.
The defendants reproduced tens of thousands of copyrighted TV episodes without authorization, and distributed the infringing programs to tens of thousands of paid subscribers located throughout the United States. At one point, Jetflicks claimed to have more than 183,200 different TV episodes. One of the defendants, Polo, left Jetflicks and created a competing site based in Las Vegas called iStreamItAll (ISIA) that at one point claimed to have 115,849 different television episodes and 10,511 individual movies. Like Jetflicks, ISIA offered content for a regular subscription fee to viewers around the United States, and ISIA publicly asserted that it had more content than Netflix, Hulu, Vudu and Amazon Prime. The two services were not only available to subscribers over the internet but specifically designed to work on many different types of devices, platforms, and software including numerous varieties of computer operating systems, smartphones, tablets, smart televisions, video game consoles, digital media players, set-top boxes and web browsers.
According to the indictment, Jetflicks allegedly obtained infringing TV programs from pirate websites around the world—including some of the globe’s biggest torrent and Usenet sites specializing in infringing content such as The Pirate Bay, RARBG and Torrentz—using various automated computer scripts, often providing episodes to subscribers the day after the shows originally aired on TV. Specifically, the defendants allegedly used sophisticated computer code to scour global pirate sites for new illegal content to download, process and store the shows, and then make those episodes available on servers in the United States and Canada to Jetflicks subscribers for streaming and/or downloading.
The defendants are: Kristopher Lee Dallmann, 36; Darryl Julius Polo, aka “djppimp”, 36; Douglas M. Courson, 59; Felipe Garcia, 37; Jared Edward Jaurequi aka “Jared Edwards”, 38; Peter H. Huber, 61; Yoany Vaillant, aka “Yoany Vaillant Fajardo”, 38; and Luis Angel Villarino, 40.
According to the indictment, Polo was allegedly part of the computer programming team that built Jetflicks but later left and started ISIA, a competing service based in Las Vegas that offered not only television programs but movies. Polo allegedly used many of the same automated tools that Jetflicks employed to locate, download, process, and store illegal content, and then quickly make those TV programs and movies available on servers in Canada to ISIA subscribers for streaming and/or downloading. In fact, some of the movies offered by ISIA were not yet available for authorized sale, download, or viewing outside a movie theater.
All eight defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement and, if convicted, they face a maximum penalty of five years in prison. The criminal copyright infringement by reproduction or distribution and criminal copyright infringement by public performance charges, with which Dallmann and Polo are charged, each carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison. The criminal copyright infringement by distributing a copyrighted work being prepared for commercial distribution offenses, with which Polo is charged, carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison. And, each of the charged money laundering offense carry 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, Brian A. Benczkowski, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Timothy R. Slater, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander P. Berrang and Senior Counsel Matthew A. Lamberti of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:19-cr-253.
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.
Former Chesapeake Sheriff’s Deputy Sentenced for CorruptionRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A former Chesapeake Sheriff’s deputy was sentenced today to two and a half years in prison for conspiracy to obtain property under color of official right.
According to court documents, Jenis Leroy Plummer, Jr., 34, of Norfolk, used his official position as Chesapeake Sheriff’s Deputy to smuggle heroin, cocaine, cell phones, e-cigarettes and other contraband into the Chesapeake City Jail. In exchange, conspirators gave Plummer over $6,500 in cash. From July 2017 through January 2019, Plummer knowingly and intentionally conspired with an inmate in the Chesapeake City Jail to engage in this scheme. On numerous occasions throughout the conspiracy, Plummer contacted the inmate’s girlfriend and arranged to meet her at various locations in Hampton Roads to pick up the contraband. At these meetings, the inmate’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, numerous individuals connected to the inmate paid Plummer with cash, via CashApp, and via PayPal. On one occasion, law enforcement observed the inmate’s girlfriend drop a black sock containing contraband at an arranged meeting location in a cul-de-sac on Horse Run Drive in Chesapeake. Law enforcement recovered the black sock and replaced the suspected bags of narcotics with two bags of fake narcotics and returned the black sock to its original location. Thereafter, law enforcement observed Plummer travel to the cul-de-sac and retrieve the black sock containing contraband that included the fake narcotics. After being approached by law enforcement, Plummer, and his conspirators, separately admitted their involvement in the conspiracy.
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 Robert G. Doumar. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa E. O’Boyle and Joseph E. Depadilla prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-25.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man pleaded guilty today to possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony.
According to court documents, Shalik Mitchell, 26, was discovered sleeping inside of a car approximately 20-30 feet from the body of a homicide victim. Mitchell, a convicted felon, was sitting on an AK pistol. There is no evidence that Mitchell was involved with the homicide.
Mitchell faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when sentenced on November 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, and Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Roderick C. Young accepted the plea. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Holli R. Wood and Assistant U.S. Attorney 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-055.
Man Sentenced for Drug Distribution that Caused Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Aldie man was sentenced today to five years in prison for distribution of a drug that resulted in the death of a Leesburg woman.
According to court documents, Michael Napier, 36, distributed 1,4-butanadiol, an analogue of Gamma Hydroxybutyric Acid (GHB), a Schedule I controlled substance, which resulted in the death of victim A.H in June 2015. A medical examiner’s autopsy report for A.H. listed the cause of death as GHB Poisoning, and toxicology analysis revealed GHB was present in the victim’s blood and 1,4-butanadiol in A.H.’s urine. Three days after A.H.’s death, Napier was arrested in Loudoun County for driving under the influence of drugs, where law enforcement recovered a 500ml bottle of 1,4-butanadiol. Further investigation revealed Napier purchased a 1 liter bottle of 1,4-butanadiol online in May 2015 and showed text messages between Napier and the victim discussing drug distribution on the eve of her death.
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, Mark R. Herring, Attorney General of Virginia, Michael L. Chapman, Loudoun County Sheriff, and Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael P. Ben’Ary and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena Munasifi prosecuted the case.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Safe Streets/HIDTA Task Force- Northern Virginia which is composed of Agents and Detectives from Fairfax County, PWC Police, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Leesburg Police, Vienna Police, Alexandria City Police and Herndon Police. The Leesburg Police Department provided considerable investigative assistance and support in this matter.
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-143.
Child Abuser Pleads Guilty to Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Honduran man who was recently convicted of aggravated sexual battery of a child under the age of 13, pleaded guilty today to illegally reentering the United States.
“Garcia-Gordillo has repeatedly disregarded our immigration laws, entering the United States illegally on three occasions,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Garcia-Gordillo used his time in America to engage in a pattern of sexual abuse on an innocent child and has demonstrated that he poses a serious threat to our public safety.”
According to court documents, Eliseo Garcia-Gordillo, 38, who was recently residing in Manassas, was twice previously removed from the United States at taxpayer expense in 2007. Sometime thereafter, Garcia-Gordillo reentered the United States without permission to do so. He was found in the United States in February 2017, when he was arrested by Prince William County. In June, Garcia-Gordillo was convicted in Virginia on two counts of aggravated sexual battery of a child under the age of 13.
“Garcia-Gordillo has demonstrated continuous disregard for our laws,” said Lyle A. Boelens, Acting Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C. “We will not tolerate repeat offenders, and certainly will not tolerate those illegally present who have proven to be a threat to our safety.”
Garcia-Gordillo pleaded guilty to one count of illegal reentry after removal and faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison when sentenced on November 11. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Lyle A. Boelens, Acting Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III accepted the plea. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony W. Mariano and Assistant U.S. Attorney Danya E. Atiyeh 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. 1:18-cr-134.
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Drug Trafficking and Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to 19 years in prison for possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony and possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute.
According to court documents, James R. Smith, Jr., 39, sold fentanyl to a controlled source on four occasions from two separate residences in Richmond. When law enforcement executed search warrants at Smith’s two residences, they recovered two semi-automatic handguns, nearly $150,000 in U.S. currency, and over 70 grams of narcotics comprised of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Simon prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-44.
Commercial Fisherman Sentenced for Illegally Harvesting and Selling OystersRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Tangier Island man was sentenced today to one year in prison for violating the Lacey Act by harvesting oysters from the Chesapeake Bay in excess of Virginia limits and transporting them to Maryland for sale.
“The oyster is a species integral to both the ecosystem and the economy of Virginia and the greater Chesapeake Bay region,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “In choosing to disregard regulations established with a conscious eye towards preserving a population that has seen significant decline, Parks’ conduct threatened to impact not just the efforts to protect that resource, but also people whose livelihoods are connected to the oyster fishery.”
According to court documents, Gregory Wheatley Parks Jr., 44, was the captain of the fishing vessel Melissa Hope. He was aware of the limits set on oyster harvesting, as well as his obligation to accurately report the quantity of oysters harvested to Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC). On seven separate dates between January 2015 and March 2015, Parks harvested oysters in excess of the Virginia daily catch limit. He transported those oysters to a fish dealer in Maryland, where he sold them. For each of these trips, Parks falsely reported to the VMRC that he had harvested a legal quantity of oysters. Parks pleaded guilty to one count of Trafficking under the Lacey Act, a federal law that prohibits individuals from transporting, selling or buying fish and wildlife harvested illegally.
“The overharvesting of oysters hurts efforts to restore the species’ population after significant decline, harming both the environment and the law-abiding watermen who choose to follow the rules rather than gain an unfair advantage,” said Jeffrey Bossert Clark, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Today’s sentence demonstrates that people who choose to illegally exploit this valuable resource for personal gain will face the criminal law consequences Congress has ordained.”
The oyster (Crassotrea virginica) is a keystone species in the Chesapeake Bay due to its ability to build reefs that serve as a habitat for numerous fish species. Oysters also improve the Bay’s water quality through filtration. Virginia limits the daily harvest of oysters to eight bushels per registered commercial fisherman for the purpose of conserving the state’s oyster resources. It also requires commercial fishermen to submit daily harvest records to the VMRC that report the amount of oysters harvested.
“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement proudly protects our nation's wildlife and wild places for the continuing benefit of the American people,” said Edward Grace, Assistant Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement. “Overharvest of aquatic ecosystems is a serious crime that hurts native species, local communities and the economy. By complying with laws that protect wildlife, the American public can help conserve our nation's natural resources for generations to come.”
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Jeffrey Bossert Clark, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, and Edward Grace, Acting Assistant Director of Law Enforcement for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry Coke Morgan, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph L. Kosky and Trial Attorney Lauren D. Steele of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-14.
Commercial Fisherman Sentenced for Illegally Harvesting and Selling OystersRead the Press Release
A Virginia man was sentenced to 12 months in prison by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry Coke Morgan Jr., after pleading guilty to federal charges relating to the illegal harvest and sale of oysters from Virginia waters.
According to the indictment and information in the public record, Gregory Wheatley Parks Jr., 44, of Tangier Island, Virginia, was the captain of the fishing vessel Melissa Hope. He was aware of the limits set on oyster harvesting, as well as his obligation to accurately report the quantity of oysters harvested to the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC). On seven separate dates between Jan. 15, 2015, and March 3, 2015, Parks harvested oysters in excess of the Virginia daily catch limit. He transported those oysters to a fish dealer in Maryland, where he sold them. For each of these trips, Parks falsely reported to the VMRC that he had harvested a legal quantity of oysters. Parks pleaded guilty to one count of Trafficking under the Lacey Act, a federal law that prohibits individuals from transporting, selling or buying fish and wildlife harvested illegally.
The oyster (Crassotrea virginica) is a keystone species in the Chesapeake Bay due to its ability to build reefs that serve as a habitat for numerous fish species. Oysters also improve the Bay’s water quality through filtration. Virginia limits the daily harvest of oysters to eight bushels per registered commercial fisherman for the purpose of conserving the state’s oyster resources. It also requires commercial fishermen to submit daily harvest records to the VMRC that report the amount of oysters harvested.
“The overharvesting of oysters hurts efforts to restore the species’ population after significant decline, harming both the environment and the law-abiding watermen who choose to follow the rules rather than gain an unfair advantage,” said Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Today’s sentence demonstrates that people who choose to illegally exploit this valuable resource for personal gain will face the criminal law consequences Congress has ordained.”
“The oyster is a species integral to both the ecosystem and the economy of Virginia and the greater Chesapeake Bay region,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “In choosing to disregard regulations established with a conscious eye towards preserving a population that has seen significant decline, Parks’ conduct threatened to impact not just the efforts to protect that resource, but also people whose livelihoods are connected to the oyster fishery.”
“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement proudly protects our nation's wildlife and wild places for the continuing benefit of the American people,” said Edward Grace, Assistant Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement. “Overharvest of aquatic ecosystems is a serious crime that hurts native species, local communities and the economy. By complying with laws that protect wildlife, the American public can help conserve our nation's natural resources for generations to come.”
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement, with assistance from the Maryland Natural Resources Police and the Virginia Marine Police. This case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Lauren D. Steele of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph L. Kosky for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Leader of Large-Scale Marijuana Conspiracy Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to five years in prison and ordered to pay a $300,000 forfeiture judgment for his involvement in a large scale marijuana distribution enterprise.
According to court documents, Jamil Taylor-Kamara, 23, was one of two leaders who shipped large quantities of marijuana from California to the Hampton Roads area for further distribution. The packages of marijuana were often shipped using a Ship ‘n Click account through the U.S. Postal Service. During the conspiracy, 222 packages were shipped containing approximately 750 pounds of marijuana. On one occasion, Taylor-Kamara and a co-conspirator were arrested in Illinois transporting 256 pounds of marijuana. The proceeds from the marijuana were sent back to California by depositing the money in various bank accounts in Virginia and then the money withdrawn from those accounts in California.
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, Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and Peter R. Rendina, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry Coke Morgan, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William D. Muhr and Kevin Hudson 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-42.
Iowa Woman Indicted on Fentanyl and Heroin Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging an Iowa woman with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and heroin.
According to the indictment, Latosha Prather, 36, of Des Moines, served as the out-of-state heroin and fentanyl supplier for Hampton Roads regional supplier Michelle Best.
According to the indictment, in December 2017, K.R. fatally overdosed from fentanyl supplied directly by Christopher Bardall. That fentanyl supply was traced to Bardall’s supplier, Darin Milligan, who obtained it from regional supplier Michelle Best. Prather, who operated a home-based child daycare service in Des Moines, supplied Best with multiple kilograms of fentanyl and heroin from her home in September 2017. In January 2018, Prather travelled from Des Moines to Virginia Beach where she sold another kilogram of heroin and fentanyl to Best in a Walmart parking lot located off Virginia Beach Boulevard. The investigative team conducted several controlled purchases of heroin and fentanyl from Milligan and Best in early 2018, and in March 2018, the investigative team arrested Best and seized over $41,000 in cash, five firearms, and approximately 382 grams of a mixture of fentanyl and heroin. To date, the investigative team has traced at least $65,000 in cash deposits from Best to Prather.
Prather is charged with 10 counts including conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin, interstate travel in aid of racketeering, and various distribution and possession with intent to distribute charges. If convicted, she faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison 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.
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, Mark Herring, Attorney General of Virginia, Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, and James A. Cervera, Chief of Virginia Beach Police made the announcement after Prather’s arrest. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John F. Butler, Andrew C. Bosse, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin Bird 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-138 and 2:18-cr-147.
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.
Sex Offender Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – An El Salvadoran national, who was previously convicted of aggravated sexual battery of a minor, was sentenced today to two and a half years in prison for illegally reentering the United States.
“Moran-Arevalo has shown total disregard our country’s laws and borders,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Previously, Moran-Arevalo sexually abused a minor victim while he was evading deportation, then quickly reentered the United States illegally and committed more crimes that put the safety of our communities at risk.”
According to court documents, Ubaldo Adonay Moran-Arevalo, 37, was found in the United States illegally in 2005 and placed into removal proceedings. After Moran-Arevelo failed to show up to the hearing, the immigration judge issued an order of removal. For approximately three years, Moran-Arevalo evaded deportation. While the removal order was pending, he sexually abused a 12-year-old who shared a residence with him.
“ICE continues to prioritize the arrest and removal of those with no lawful claim to the United States who also pose serious public safety threats,” said Lyle A. Boelens, Acting Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C. “In this case, a child was not even safe in her own home because, not once but twice, an individual illegally entered the United States to further violate our laws and continue his dangerous criminal behavior.”
Moran-Arevalo was not caught, however, until several months later when the victim discovered him hiding under her bed after she had showered and changed for school. She reported his conduct to her middle school guidance counselors, who contacted the police. Federal authorities found him after he was arrested, charged, and convicted of an aggravated felony for aggravated sexual battery of a victim less than 13 years old. Moran-Arevalo served only a year in jail and received a five-year probation sentence. He was removed at taxpayer expense in 2009 after finishing his jail sentence.
Within a year of his removal and while on probation, Moran-Arevalo illegally reentered the United States, eventually returning to live at the residence where he had sexually abused the minor victim. Although the victim and her family had moved out, there were multiple other children living in the residence.
Federal authorities found Moran-Arevalo again in 2018, after he had been arrested and charged for driving while intoxicated and driving without a license. He was convicted of those charges shortly before entering federal custody.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Lyle A. Boelens, Acting Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry Coke Morgan, Jr. 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. 2:18-cr-165.